Read Magic's Song for Free Online Page A

late.”
    “Late?” How could she be late? Darson had dropped her off a half-hour early because he had an appointment.
    The man pulled out a lighter. “Hurry on now. We’ve been waiting for you.” Julian reached forward and tugged at her elbow.
    Her only option was to stand or fall on her face. She stood. Julian gave her a gentle push toward the garage. She glanced over her shoulder and he made a little wave gesture, motioning her inside.
    Zombie like, she walked through the door. Brent raised his head from his keyboard and glared at her. Tanith felt like a shrimp in a shark tank.
    “I’m so pleased you were able to join us. Finally.”
    Anger penetrated through her stupor of fear. “What are you talking about?” she snapped. “I’m thirty minutes early.”
    “Doll Face, you’re actually thirty minutes late,” Marcus chided. He softened his words by walking over and giving her a gentle kiss on her cheek. “The practice times were written on your music. Maybe you didn’t see it.”
    “I did see it. It said six o’clock. I’m thirty minutes early.”
    “Hmm.” Marcus cocked his head to one side, a puzzled expression on his face. He reached into his notebook and pulled out a copy. “No. It says five o’clock on Wednesdays. See?”
    Tanith looked at his paper. That couldn’t be right. She shook her head, trying to make the confusion go away. “But my copy had a line drawn through that. Six o’clock was written in pencil.”
    Marcus gave her a gentle squeeze. “It doesn’t matter. Just don’t be late again. Besides, we’re just now getting ready to play anyway.”
    “It damn well does matter,” Brent barked. He walked over and put his finger practically on her nose. “If you can’t be on time, don’t even bother to show up. Got it?”
    Tanith felt her cheeks flame. “Don’t you get it? I thought I was early.”
    “Brent, me boy. You’re being a bit of a prick, aren’t ya?” Marcus asked, lifting both eyebrows.
    A vein in Brent’s neck throbbed and his face turned a purplish shade of red. “Well, if she can’t get the practice times right, maybe she should bring a sleeping bag and camp out.”
    “That’s a pretty lame way to get a woman to sleep with you if you ask me,” Julian quipped, walking back into the room.
    Marcus cackled. Tanith bit her lip to contain her own giggle.
    The color in Brent’s face grew darker and then it returned to normal. He huffed a breath and then gave her a sheepish grin. “All right. Didn’t mean to be rude. Just be on time in the future.”
    The tension evaporated. The men started to argue over the opening chords of a song. Only Amanda remained sour. She sat with her legs propped on a chair, twirling a pencil. The woman’s eyes narrowed and bore into Tanith, the malice visible in her expression. Tanith felt a shiver run through her body.
    Interesting. Most people use pens.
    Tanith tried to glare back, but she lost the stare-down and dropped her gaze. She took quick breaths to contain her temper. She should tell Brent what happened, but she had no proof. Amanda would deny any wrongdoing and Tanith would look foolish.
    She’d have to watch her step. The red-headed instigator had clearly drawn a line in the sand.
    Practice proved to be a series of highs and lows, mostly lows. Amanda continued to throw daggers with her eyes, but Marcus and Julian made her laugh.
    Brent scowled at her after every song. Nothing Tanith did pleased him. One note was too high, one was too low. She was too loud, too soft, too limp.
    “Limp?”
    Brent didn’t reply, just started playing again.
    Worse, his resemblance to her dream lover kept her off balance. Just looking at him made her knees wobble. She felt so off kilter, only her professional training kept her from sounding like a poorly played tuba.
    “Get real, Holden,” Marcus muttered after they’d replayed a song three times. “This is her first practice and I think she sounds bloody marvelous. You’re the one who