Heavy metal backbeat vs. the classics. Bassist Kit Barlow doesn't have time for romance. He's holding down two jobs and playing in a heavy metal band -- while raising his seven-year-old son by himself. But when Ebon joins the Cub Scouts, Kit can't help but notice his group leader, Max Hill. Max is everything Kit likes in a man: tall, dark, and determined. The two men come up with a way to keep their nosy families from trying to set them up with every available man in the city: they'll pretend to be dating each other. In between the afternoon pool games and the Sunday mac 'n cheese, Kit and Max find their pretend romance is developing some real heat. There's only one problem now -- Kit finds out Max despises rock and roll music. How's a heavy metal rocker supposed to woo a man who only likes classical music? Can they make their relationship work, or will they find their differences hit a sour note?

Backbeat Rhythm

If his fellow students at Julliard could see him now—their jaws would probably drop to the floor in shock. They’d have gone on to respectable careers in orchestras, or teaching at colleges. He’d actually seen one of his old professors in the crowd once, and the man had merely raised one eyebrow in Kit’s direction and kept dancing.


Kit did give music lessons during his free time—and in his opinion, he got more out of his students than most of his classmates probably did out of theirs. Sure, some of the kids only came to him because their parents insisted, but most found the same joy in music that Kit did. And if he gave the odd discount for a single parent with a gifted child, that was his business. But teaching sure didn’t make ends meet very well.


Chapter 4