Free Letting Go (Rock Romance #6) by A.L. Wood Page B

him several pieces of writing that I published in the past from being a column writer for years at the city paper and then to a few books that were out on the shelves of several bookstores. None were best sellers, but to me, humble accomplishments. I had so many confidence steps to climb in my life now but I think I was feeling like I was on the second step.
    Max glanced at the portfolio of items I brought supporting my occupation and smiled. He said, “I know exactly who you are, I followed your weekly column. You wrote the editorial piece a few years ago supporting bands. It highlighted a new, up and coming band, our band the Rolling Isaac’s.” Max continues “I still have the clipped article someplace back on The Wall. That’s what we call it where we rehearse and where the band tacks up our memorabilia. You should see this wall it’s freaking awesome!” He flashed me a devilish smile and said. “Slapped all over are new items about us, photos of our loved ones, and many we have loved and left the next day.”
    I shook at that last statement; I had been drawn in by his keepsake of the article, but then stunned by the morning after thought. Thomas had left me the morning after, left me after ten years. I had been so caught up in him that I lost me.
    I could feel his eyes, warmth focused in on me and I moved around in my seat. As we talked I couldn’t help thinking about the other girls. I was trying to convince him to let me follow the band, but I knew I was different from them. I knew that I was about eight years older than Max Rand. Nothing that he said or did made me feel old, but that was just one way I was different than the rest of his followers.
    “What the hell, a pretty, smart lady asks to write about me and the band, I say yes, and you can start by calling me Rand. I’m done with hearing the girls scream “Max”. I tune them out. You though Madison I would listen to. It also gets confusing with me being Max and my Uncle Maxwell. Rand makes it easier. So I say, it’s a go,” Max said.
    “Then Rand it is, thank you.” I cheerfully sounded, and I nodded to agree.
    After a few more bites of food from Rand’s lunch selections, I started to ramble a bit. I paused only when he would eat as I followed the food to the edges of his lips. I was getting easily distracted, but then I calmed myself and told Rand a little about why I was pursuing this project now. I explained that I’d been through a painful divorce and I was beginning a new chapter in my life. I offered little in the way of details, hoping to make it clear I didn’t want to revisit this subject. I needed to take a moment in my life to recapture my dream and goals and was hopeful that he could help me with that. I talked innocently to him about losing love and wanting to fill my days now with work and keep busy – that love wasn’t something for me anymore. Rand looked and closed his eyes for a moment and there was something else that appeared in the blue when he reopened them, something in his thoughts but I didn’t press. He knew I sought out approval for this venture with them, so he again said it was no problem.
    Rand said, “Madison, all of us hurt and have been cut deep. We look for a new start, if we can ever find it.” I wasn’t sure where that part of our conversation was heading but he smiled warmly at me.
    “Ready? Let’s go” he said and grabbed my hand and tucked his journal under his other arm. I felt his fingers just hold the edges of my first three fingers lightly. He never paid a tab, but left a large bill under my unfinished coffee cup. He led me down the steps, waved goodbye to the staff, and we walked out to the black Hummer parked in the very front space. He released my fingers very slowly, in a way that made me shiver. I reached in my portfolio case and pulled out my voice recorder and hit record. I began to say with excitement in my voice, “This is the start of my writing Rock Notes.” He opened the door for