Free Out of Rhythm (Face the Music Book 1) by Shona Husk Page A

can’t.’ She kissed Kirsten softly. ‘It’s the person, not the equipment.’
    Kirsten felt the heat rise up her cheeks; she closed her eyes and tried to will it away.
    ‘Don’t worry, I asked plenty of weird questions my first few times. We’ll muddle through okay.’
    This time Gemma didn’t pull away as Kirsten moved closer and stole another, deeper kiss.

Chapter 7
    There was one quick rap on the bedroom door then it was flung open.
    ‘I need to get my wetsuit, can you get Gemma out of the spare room...’ Ed’s voice trailed off at the end.
    Gemma sat up as panic hit hard; for a second she thought she was in a hotel room, then she realised that someone was next to her. She glanced down and saw Kirsten opening her eyes, then Gemma looked at Ed who was frozen in the doorway.
    She should have stayed still and pretended she wasn’t here.
    Kirsten paled and rolled over, grabbing the sheet around her. ‘Could you wait until I give you the all clear before you barge in?’
    Ed stood there for a few seconds longer, his gaze flicking between Kirsten and Gemma before he took a step back. He closed the door without a word, but he didn’t need to say anything. The look on his face; the way his frown had given way to realisation. He looked like he’d been given bad news and didn’t know how to swallow it.
    ‘Shit.’ Gemma jumped out of bed and began pulling on clothes. This wasn’t supposed to happen. It wasn’t meant to be like this. No one was supposed to know. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck . Her heart was thumping hard. She raked her fingers through her hair.
    ‘Do you think he suspects?’
    ‘We were both naked.’ If they’d put on pyjamas they might have gotten away with it, but it had been so nice to stay the night and feel Kirsten against her. It would have been nicer if they hadn’t been woken up. ‘He knows.’
    Kirsten drew the sheets tighter around her and bit her lip. ‘What do we do?’
    She had no idea. She wasn’t ready to be telling people anything. It was one thing to know herself, but another to make it public knowledge and put herself out there for judgment. The music was different. She could deal with that, change it. But her sexuality was part of her and she couldn’t change that.
    When she looked at Kirsten’s worried face, she knew she was going to have to take the hit. Ed wasn’t her family, no matter how much time she spent with him or how close they were.
    Gemma drew in a breath. ‘I’m going to talk to Ed.’
    ‘No. I should.’ Kirsten didn’t sound very convinced. She slid off the bed draped in the sheet, as if she were now embarrassed to be naked around Gemma.
    Gemma tried to ignore the small stab, like a fine piece of glass weaving into her heart. ‘You’re his sister. Let him be mad at me first. Then you can go in and smooth it over.’
    Plus it was her job on the line. It was always going to be her job on the line when she came out eventually. Perhaps that’s why she’d been putting it off; she didn’t want the ride to be over, and while the band was having a rough time she didn’t actually want Selling the Sun to break up. As she looked at Kirsten, she knew she was going to fight for her and the band. Why should she have to choose?
    Did she really want to be forced out, or would she rather walk out with her chin up? She didn’t know. She’d have to go by feel.
    ‘He shouldn’t have come in.’ Kirsten looked like she was going to cry. ‘He doesn’t if I have a boyfriend over.’
    Gemma put her arms around her. Ed had assumed that she was in the guest room. He was working on a logical assumption. It wasn’t his fault that he’d caught them in bed together. ‘It will be okay.’
    ‘I’m not ready for this.’
    Neither was she, but hiding was no longer an option. ‘I know.’
    The Vincents were going to toss her out. No, that was what her parents would do. Kirsten’s parents were better than that. She hoped. She hoped Ed would get over the shock and be cool. Yeah,