About the Author
Heidi Hutchinson was born in South Dakota and raised the exact right distance away from the Black Hills. She had an overactive imagination very early on, and wasted no time in getting most of her friends in trouble due to her unrealistic and completely ridiculous ideas. Seeing as she was so lazy and also afraid people would think she was bonkers, she didn't write down any of the story lines that played out in her daydreams. During her high school years, she took pen to paper and filled more notebooks than she is proud of with angsty, depressing, self-depreciating poetry. This led to her writing down more things: notes, ideas, character bios, plot twists that had no plot yet to twist. After years of cleaning up her own scraps of imagination with nothing solid to hold on to, she sat down and wrote the story that had been in her head the longest. Fueled by coffee and her unwavering and perfectly normal devotion to Dave Grohl, she discovered a writer living inside of her. She still lives in the Midwest, though not as close to the Black Hills as she would prefer, with her alarmingly handsome husband and their fearless child. They eat more pizza than God intended and she listens to her music the same way she lives: loudly.
Blurb
He was as wild and unpredictable as a prairie storm. She was trying to pretend like he wasn't everything she ever wanted. How long can a storm be in stasis before lightning strikes?
Double Blind Study is taking charge of their future. Coming off of one of the most successful tours to date, they start their own label and decide to get back to what they love most: the music. But learning how to be responsible adults can be a long road.
Blake Diedrich has been running from himself his whole life. Being in a band with his very best friends has helped to keep him on the move during that time. But then Blake's past joins the tour, and he's forced to think about all the choices he's made to get him where he is today.
Lucy Newton, raised by her widowed rock star father, has a talent beyond measure. But she's placed her hopes on the back burner, putting family first. An opportunity arises that allows her to chase her dream, but there's a catch: Blake Diedrich, the man who broke her heart too many times to count is part of the package.
Pride is a destructive foe and Forgiveness is hard to accomplish. Friendship is powerful and Love is unpredictable. Every journey has a purpose. Will Blake and Lucy come out stronger for it on the other side? Or will it destroy what's left of their shattered hearts?
Warning: contains foul-mouthed rock stars, surprise appearances from exes, heart-wrenching revelations and of course, fantastically loud music.
Excerpt
Last night's rehearsal had gone so well that Lucy wished that it had been their performance. Taylor was so pleased he almost smiled. Almost. Hopefully they could replicate it tonight when it counted. She blew a stray hair out of her face as she adjusted the pie in the glass case. Lunch rush hadn't happened and she was wondering what on earth she was going to do with an extra apple pie. Maybe she'd send it home with Kaylee, the other waitress who was working with her today. College kids need food, right? She came back around to the back of the counter where Kaylee leaned her elbows against the top and sighed dramatically. Her cute blonde ponytail seemed to sigh with her as it bobbed slightly. “This day is taking too long!” She pouted. “I want to see you sing tonight.” “Soon,” Lucy smiled and tapped Kaylee's nose with her index finger. “And I only sing on one song tonight. It's not me you're coming to see.” She raised an eyebrow at the younger girl. “You're coming to stare at Taylor Stevens.” “I admit it, I have a ginormous crush.” Kaylee's cheeks went cherry red. “I think it's the beard... who can resist that beard?” “You're boy-crazy,” Lucy corrected with a smile. She turned away from her and started to straighten the coffee cups and saucers. For some reason, the kids she'd been having close at night always put the coffee dishes away so sloppily. She was going to have to get after them about that. “So, I like boys... that doesn't make me boy-crazy,” Kaylee muttered, and Lucy snickered under her breath. “I don't like all guys... just the really, really hot ones.” She continued to defend herself. “Like that one. Holy crap, Lucy, check out this guy!” Lucy sighed and rolled her eyes. She liked working with Kaylee because she was high energy and the customers enjoyed her antics. But sometimes Lucy was worried she would have to hose her down. Every lunch shift she was drooling after one guy or another, and Lucy had to hear all about their rippling pectorals, their beastly biceps and their yummy backsides. She had pointed out to Kaylee that her behavior was no different than when men objectified women, but she had been met with an open- mouth stare. She turned to look at the current object of Kaylee's attraction. The shadows that bounced around the entryway from the sun's position behind him made it hard to distinguish a face. She narrowed her eyes and tried to focus. She had to be seeing things she decided, even as her mouth went dry. He pulled open the glass door and stood in the entry for a handful of seconds. Scuffed motorcycle boots, ripped-up jeans, old ZZ Top t-shirt, perfect five o'clock shadow, mirrored aviators, and jet-black hair that was too messy to be an accident. Lucy knew she was supposed to be shocked, but he looked so normal standing in her diner. Like he had never left. She carefully and slowly smoothed the front of her apron as her heart pounded against her ribcage, threatening to shatter it to pieces. She had no idea if he had seen her yet, she couldn't see his eyes behind the shades. No matter, he was going to see her when she asked him if he wanted coffee with his pie. “Lucy Newton.” He smiled warmly as she came around to the front of the counter. She had no restraint when it came to this man. And that had never been good for either one of them. “Blake Diedrich.” She smiled back, wondering if he could see through her and know that inside, she was coming unhinged. It was the same feeling she'd had when she'd gotten caught outside during a storm as a little girl. The same helplessness as the approaching tornado shook the ground under her feet and pieces of the barn blew past her face. The overwhelming roar of the power bearing down on her had paralyzed her. Her daddy had yanked her into the cellar at the last second. But no rescue was coming this time. She was completely exposed, and she couldn't take her eyes off of him. Suddenly his strong, corded arms were around her waist, wrapping her body in a hug that made
her heart ache. He lifted her feet off the floor, his face buried in her neck. The stubble on his face scratched her skin and raised goosebumps on her arms. They inhaled each other's scent simultaneously. Her thoughts went fuzzy as they filled with the smell of a nighttime rainstorm coupled with the feeling of danger that accompanies the electricity in the air right before lightning strikes. “I hope I get that kind of a greeting.” Lucy opened the eyes she hadn't realized she had shut so tight and saw Harrison standing behind Blake. She hadn't even noticed that anyone was with him. But Blake had that effect on her. She took a steadying breath. “Harrison.” She smiled as he hugged her as well. “I had no idea you guys were in town.” That was only half a lie. She knew they were performing at Rocklahoma on Friday—she had tickets to the show. But she had no idea they would be here the day before. “We're here on business,” Harrison joked lightly as his eyes shifted to Blake, who hadn't said anything since hugging Lucy. He was still standing way too close to her. “Well,” Lucy swallowed and put on her friendliest face, “y'all want some pie?” “Only if you have apple,” Blake finally said, pushing his sunglasses up to rest on the top of his head. “We always have apple, Blake. You know that.” Lucy remained casual in her demeanor even though she was pretty sure her heart had already started packing its bags to leave her. “I'll get it!” Kaylee volunteered, overly excited. “Are these friends of yours, Lucy?” She wasn't being too subtle on wanting an introduction. “Yeah.” Lucy thought about how awkward and strange that word was to describe Blake. “They're my friends. Blake is from Pryor but they haven't been back around here for a few years now.” That she knew of, anyway. She moved to get coffee behind the counter as the two men sat at the bar. That was good, Lucy needed a barrier in between her and Blake. If she wasn't careful, the heat that radiated from him would be enough to make her forget all the reasons she had asked him to stay away. Her eyes were drawn to the ink on his left arm. Red and white lightning wrapped around his forearm and disappeared into dark clouds under his shirt sleeve. She fought back the urge to reach over and run her hand across it, push the sleeve up and see the rest. See what else was new. But she couldn't do that. They weren't in that place anymore.
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