While we fanned out to scope the place after arriving, I had no problem claiming the main bedroom with its jetted tub set in front of a glass wall facing the beach—although the one person I wanted to fuck in that tub was clear across the country. I instantly snapped a picture of it and sent it to Alivia, along with shots of the California king bed.
You’re killing me, Lair, she texted back. But there’s no way I would be having sex in your aunt’s bed. #SorryNotSorry.
Alivia already knew what had caused our change of plans. I called her as we waited for my father to call back. She wasn’t happy with Chase, and I found myself defending the ass. Sure, he’d gotten us into that mess, but I should’ve predicted that he would. Still, she said he had put me in harm’s way, and that was not okay. She also made a point to say how proud she was that I’d made the call not to go into that bar and play.
I’d say it again… it could’ve absolutely been so much worse.
We now had Trevor with us anywhere we went. Thanks to Lori, we were registered tomorrow night for a battle of the bands type of festival on the Santa Monica Pier. The guys were off-the-wall excited over that. Not so much the playing part as the geography of it.
I could’ve probably had that happening if I had just asked. The guys all knew my need to do things on my own. I’d never know if any success that came resulted from my talent or name. They never questioned it because none of them planned on music as a career.
If anything, Chase’s little stunt proved that I was indeed a Lair. Unless I changed my name, situations such as what we found at Doors would forever be in my future.
My parents had done a great job of sheltering me from it all. But I was eighteen now, spreading my wings and testing the waters. This weekend provided an important lesson. Besides fame being part of my existence, finding success on my own may not be as simple as it seemed. There were many like Lauren’s dad out there, looking to make a buck off someone like me.
Chapter Twelve
Alivia
The annoying sounds of city traffic comforted me. Although I’d had a nice time with Kim and her family, I was glad to be home.
It’d been a strange week. Kim had flip-flopped between a girl determined to forget she had a boyfriend to a girl who couldn’t stop obsessing over him. She and Chase had exchanged a few texts, but with each day that passed, those seemed to lessen until no communication happened at all. To make matters worse, Joey and Harrison had posted all sorts of shit on their social media accounts, and most of it was of Chase acting like an idiot.
Stubbornly, Kim had refused to be the one to reach out and instead asked me a ton of questions whenever I spoke to Shane. I’d told him to spare me details until I got home—that way I wouldn’t have to feel bad holding anything back from Kim.
That Chad dude had tried to see her a few times during the week, and she kept turning him down. Until I said I was fine relaxing with a good book on the beach if she wanted to take a walk with him alone.
During it, Kim did come clean about the boyfriend that she would be breaking up with soon. Undeterred by it, Chad had wanted to keep in touch and see her again when she got to UMass, which had given Kim a great distraction. She’d acknowledged he probably still wanted in her pants but respected the fact he’d wait until she was ready. I guessed her expectations were very low.
But as our week came to an end, reality of the type of summer Kim faced hung heavy over her. She’d planned to head straight to Chase’s place once we got home to break it off with him before he broke it off with her. She knew if she waited a day, or even an hour, something would have her chickening out. That had caused another lengthy discussion on the guilt she carried over ruining our summer.
Nothing I could say would change her mind on the breakup or the guilt. So I continued to do the only thing I could—support her. The rest was on her. I’d given her a week of my undivided attention, and now it was time to focus on my life with my guy.
When we turned the corner, Shane was leaning against my building. I had texted him once we hit the city. He had yet to see us, but the way his head twisted expectantly with each car that drove by was adorable. Those well-worn jeans that molded over thin hips and long legs, that tight black T-shirt, and a pair of dark sunglasses just like the ones my dad favored made him look like the rock star he aspired to be. But what warmed my heart were the dog tags I had gifted him for graduation, holding their place of honor around his neck. The entire Shane Lair package sparked that familiar ache deep in my core. I really missed him, and despite Kim’s misery, I couldn’t stop the smile from spreading over my face. Damn, I had it bad.
As the car slowed and shifted to the curb in front of the awning-covered entrance, Shane grinned and pushed away from the wall.
“Someone is anxious to see you, Liv,” Mrs. Gambera said over her shoulder. “Where’s his partner in crime, Kim?”
“Home.”
Kim’s response came so quickly and angrily her mother twisted in her seat and asked, “Everything okay with you two, honey?”
“Yeah, I’ll see him later,” she replied with little emotion, and it caused her parents to exchange a questioning look.
“I’ll get your bag out, miss,” our driver announced, exiting from the large SUV and meeting Shane at the back.
Taking Kim’s hand in mine, I squeezed it encouragingly. “Call me later, okay?”
She nodded and whispered, “I dread this.”
“I know.” I gave her hand another squeeze, addressing her parents next. “Thank you for this week.” When the couple turned to give me a smile, I added, “I had a great time.”
“You’re so welcome, sweetheart,” Mrs. Gambera said. “It was a pleasure to have you with us.”
Her father climbed out of the car to prop his seat forward for me. “Say hello to your folks for us.”
“I will.” While Shane greeted Kim’s dad, I hugged Kim tightly before grabbing my backpack and slipping past her father to stand beside Shane.
“Hey,” he said, bending to kiss me, but I thwarted his attempt by offering my cheek, where his lips landed instead. Clearly annoyed, he quickly figured it out when my eyes cut to the idling car and remained there until Mr. Gambera retook his seat and they pulled away. But once the car was halfway down the street, I dropped my bag and practically knocked Shane down by throwing my arms around his neck to give him a harried, frantic kiss.
“Whoa,” he said, amused as I then pecked my lips all over his face. “Someone missed me as much as I missed her.”
“I really did.”
His gaze lovingly searched my face while pinching a lock of hair lightened by the sun. “Fuck, look at you.” My Puerto Rican roots afforded me the ability to tan well, and Shane always loved the results.
“There wasn’t much to do in Martha’s Vineyard but sunbathe.” And console Kim, but I’d tell him more about that later. Needing another taste, I lifted on my toes for another kiss, only to frown when he broke away far too quickly. “Why are you teasing me?”
“As much as I would like to continue making out with you out on the sidewalk, I’d rather take this inside.” He took the handle of my suitcase in one hand and my hand in the other. “I’m about to make your day.”