“Out of bed fine? Or…”
“Throwing a granola bar at my head fine because she doesn’t want to eat.”
“Ah,” he says. “So the still not okay fine.”
Scrubbing a hand down my face, I take a seat at the table.
The same table her father was sitting at when he suffered his stroke. No wonder Lennon hasn’t stepped foot in the kitchen.
“She needs to get out of the house.”
“Yeah,” he agrees. “Some fresh air would be good for her.”
“I mean permanently. How the hell is she supposed to move on when she’s stuck in the place where everything is a reminder of him?”
It’s like pouring salt in a wound that won’t ever heal.
He sucks in a breath. “It’s not a bad idea. There’s just one problem.”
“What?”
“If she’s throwing granola bars at your head and refusing to leave her bed, how the hell are you gonna get her to leave the house?”
I have no fucking idea.
CHAPTER 78
PHOENIX
Four days later, I’m calling in some reinforcements of my own.
Skylar.
Mrs. Palma’s great, but Skylar knows exactly what Lennon’s going through because she recently went through it herself when she lost Josh.
I’m also hoping she’ll be able to sway Lennon to move to California, because when I broached the topic, Lennon locked me out of her bedroom for twenty-four hours.
“You know what to do, right?”
Skylar nods. “I’ll try my best to complete the mission, but I make no guarantees.”
“Tell her we can buy a new house.” I rub the knot of tension forming in my neck. “I’ll do and give her anything she wants.”
I just need to get her out of here.
“Got it.”
Squaring her shoulders, she heads up the staircase, and I call Storm.
He picks up on the third ring, sounding out of breath. “Emergency?”
The sound of some chick moaning in the background fills my ears. That’s when I remember he’s fucking his way through Los Angeles because Gram’s is still in town for a few more days.
“Nope.”
After hanging up with him, I dial Memphis.
Unlike Storm, he sounds…bored.
“Hey,” he drawls. “I was just about to call you.”
“Why? What’s up?”
“Nothing.” He makes an irritated noise in his throat. “Aside from dodging the camera crew because they’re filming today.”
I stifle a laugh. To be a fly on the wall of the Barclay mansion right now.
As if on cue, he snaps, “Get that thing out of my goddamn face. I told you not to fucking film me.”
“Calm down, babe,” Gwyneth whines in the background. “It will only be for a minute.”
There’s a loud crash.
“He just broke my camera!” some guy shouts.
“You’re lucky it wasn’t your fucking face,” Memphis bellows before a door slams shut. “Sorry about that, man. I’m back.”
I grin. “How’s engagement life?”
Two weeks ago he popped the question and just like Skylar said, it took some of the heat off me. I owe him.
He snorts. “How’s newlywed life?”
Touché, motherfucker.
“I’m trying to convince Lennon to move to California. Or rather, Skylar is.”
“Shouldn’t be an issue.” I hear him light up a cigarette. “Sky’s good at getting whatever she wants out of people.”
I don’t miss the venomous edge in his tone.
Opening the back door to the patio, I light my own cigarette. “You two on speaking terms yet?”
“Only when we have to be.” The edge in his voice intensifies. “She’s talking to Chandler a lot, though.”
No surprise there.
Memphis doesn’t strike me as stupid. Far from it—given the way he tends to sit back and observe shit—but maybe he doesn’t realize what I do.
“Chandler wants Skylar.”
“Yeah, no shit.”
He goes silent for several beats…and then.
“I don’t give a fuck,” he barks, which means he definitely does. “I have a baby on the way, and I’m engaged. Let her be someone else’s problem for a change.”
“Right.”
“Vic called me the other day,” he states, changing the subject.
The hairs on the back of my neck rise. “What did he say?”
“Not much. Aside from reminding me that we have a contract for a five-album minimum and if we don’t adhere to it…he’ll sue.”
Shit. I knew he’d force his hand sooner or later.
Although I expected it to be later since it’s only the middle of September.
We’d still be in Europe if I didn’t cancel the tour so I’m not sure why the asshole is trying to steamroll us already.
I take a long drag of my cigarette. “The next album isn’t scheduled to come out until January.”
The songs have already been chosen so it would only take us a couple weeks to record.
“I know.” He blows out a breath. “Look, Storm didn’t want to tell you this on account of everything you’re dealing with, but I think you should know…”
“Know what?” I urge when his voice trails off.
“Vic said he’ll find a guy to replace you if necessary.”
Replace me? What the fuck?
“I’d like to see him try.”
“That’s what I told him, but apparently he’s got someone in mind. Some new kid he saw perform a few weeks back. Said he’s got a phenomenal voice.”
It’s what he said about me four years ago.
Chandler warned me this would happen if I didn’t play my cards right.
I might be rare…but not insurmountable.
Somewhere in the world, there’s another guy out there with a nice face and a great voice.
One who’d give up anything to take my place.
But my place is with Lennon.
I chose music over her—over everything—for years. There’s no way I could go back to living my dreams when I can’t even get her out of bed.
Music sets my soul on fire, but she makes my heart beat.
I can’t have both, though.
And this time I’m making the right choice. Her.
“You should have Vic set up a meeting. See if it’s a good fit.”
Memphis says something, but I don’t register what because I disconnect the call.
I find Skylar standing in the kitchen when I walk back inside. “That was quick. How’d it go?”
Averting her gaze, she worries her bottom lip between her teeth. “She wants an annulment.”
The words hit me like a freight train and my chest pulls so tight it physically hurts. “What?”
“I’m sorry, Phoenix. But she seemed really adamant. She asked if I could contact a lawyer and have the paperwork drawn up by the end of the week.”
Fuck that. “No.”
Skylar opens her mouth, but then her phone rings.
“Sorry, I have to take this,” she says before answering it. “Calm down, Chandler. What’s wrong?” She pinches the bridge of her nose. “I don’t know why they keep trying to force him. He made it perfectly clear that he doesn’t want to be on camera. Yes, I know.” Glancing up at the ceiling, she sighs. “I’m leaving Phoenix’s house now. I’ll go over to the Barclay’s as soon as I get back to LA and see if I can work something out.”