“Okay. Please be careful. Don’t forget to wear your hat low and take the back entrance.”
“I know, Mom.” It was the same drill every time we walked the block between our apartments. When we headed for the door and she stopped Alivia to tell her they would be having a girls’ day come Wednesday, I impatiently said, “Mom. You’ll talk to her in the morning.”
The way I rushed us to leave had my father chuckling before leaning in and whispering, “You know Liv’s folks are home, right?”
“I know,” I said with an eye roll.
He didn’t look convinced and clapped a hand on my shoulder. “Just warning you. Trey’s in a mood.”
Yeah… because of me.
“Thanks for the warning. Come on, Liv.”
After she hugged them goodbye, I practically dragged her out of the apartment.
Sensing my freak-out, once we were out in the hall, she took my arm. “If you want to talk to them now, I can have my dad come get me.”
“No. I’m walking you. I need the air.” And during the short walk not only did I ensure she got home safely, but I insisted on seeing her all the way up to her apartment. Obviously to stall for time.
The elevator slid to a stop and opened onto her floor. Instead of getting out she turned toward me. “Maybe you should wait until tomorrow to tell them. I’m sure you’re exhausted.”
“No, I want to get it over with.”
It was the truth. Why prolong the misery? I needed this crap off my chest. The only thing I’d need to worry about was if or when Jett dumped Molly. Now that Alivia knew, that probability didn’t freak me out anymore. If anything, my little stunt had lit a fire in my girl. Sure, most of it was directed toward me, but I would almost dare her nemesis to start something, just to watch Alivia rip her to shreds.
Taking her hand, I led her down the hall before stopping at her door.
“Good luck,” she said, staring up at me.
“Thanks… I’ll need it.” I leaned down to kiss her before saying, “Thank you for staying with me today.”
“There’s nowhere else I want to be.” In the depths of her ice-blue eyes I could see nothing but the truth in that statement.
Still, I teased, “Liar.”
“Shut up. I’m not as mad at you anymore.”
My lips quirked into a smirk. “Did eating your pussy do the trick?” Before she could respond, the door swung open, and there was her father. “Oh, hey, Unk.” My cheery tone received his narrowed gaze.
“Yeah, yeah.” His focus ping-ponged between me and his daughter, looking for some sort of sign.
“She knows.” At my admission, eyes identical to hers connected and held.
“He feels bad enough, Dad,” Alivia said.
“And I’m going home to tell my parents,” I offered as some sort of consolation.
His stern expression smoothed out a bit. “Okay. You’re doing the right thing, kid. They need to know, and they’ll forgive you.”
“I know.” I glanced down at the girl who we both loved more than anything. “As long as Liv forgives me, nothing else really matters.”
Telling my parents went just as I expected it to. I held nothing back, from my reasons behind the plan to my hopes on the outcome that I wanted. I even admitted that if it weren’t for Trey figuring it out, I really didn’t know if or when I would’ve come clean. Fear I’d lose their love, or even lose Alivia, was probably the underlying reason I’d kept it to myself.
For the first ten or so minutes I sat, accepting their troubled looks and words of disapproval. As Trey had, they scolded that I had no right playing with people’s lives as I had. I had prepared myself for it, but the way my heart squeezed in my chest with each stab of their disappointment contradicted that.
And then, slowly, they came around.
The last thing they lectured me on was my illogical worries that I’d ever lose their love and support. And in typical fashion, they waited for me to list the lessons learned from it all.
After I received a text from Alivia asking if I were okay, I called her to rehash the entire thing. She seemed fine. But until I saw her in person, it would be hard to tell. My girl knew how to play a part when she needed to.
Sometime during our call, we moved on from Molly and Jett to what to expect during the tour. Again, I couldn’t tell if she withheld any sadness for my benefit. I suspected the closer I got to leaving, the more I’d see her true feelings reveal themselves.
By the time we hung up, I was over this exhausting day, but once again my mind refused to calm enough to sleep well.
Come morning, my new bandmates had no clue that my head pounded from something other than having gone on a drinking binge the night before like they had. Sadly, it wasn’t beer or alcohol that caused the thumping pain behind my eyes. Nope… it was all the self-inflicted stress that tainted what should have been an exciting time for me.
We had a late start because of all the paperwork I had to get through. My parents had already reviewed it with their lawyer last week, and being eighteen meant I had to sign it all myself. Lori would be handling the press release sometime in the upcoming days, announcing my new role with Cannon’s band. Ready or not, this was now official and the world would soon know it.
Once we got going with the actual rehearsing part, I joined in without prompt during the first three or four songs. Somehow, I managed to lose myself in the music, play my new role, and do it convincingly.
Cannon was quite impressed.
He had wanted me to focus on a few of their hits for now and master them before we moved on. Today he found out I had most of their library already committed to memory.
I should’ve been more excited after a day of accepting compliments and hearing confirmations that Cannon had made the right choice by adding me.
By the time we stopped for a late lunch, I was starving. The three of them reminded me so much of my dad and his bandmates, especially in the way they insulted one another. But when they went off on all the things they were excited for once we left on tour, I suddenly felt every bit the kid that I was.
These guys weren’t my buddies, and despite blending with them musically, I was an outsider. They had history, and it was hard to see how I’d fit in. Clearly, the differences in our personalities were blaringly obvious after just one day. How the hell would I be able to live with them for thirteen weeks?
“The girls are gonna eat you up,” Lou said with a grin. “Did you tell him your rule, Can?” The way he asked that meant Lou wasn’t thrilled with said rule. At Cannon’s silence, he groaned. “No banging on the bus allowed.”
“Wait a minute…” Russell’s eyes lit up with some sort of revelations. “With Archie not coming, we outnumber you now.” He clapped his hands together like a child. “Three single dudes versus the one married chump will make for some fun times.”
“Nope. I’m the boss and my rule stands,” Cannon said, rolling his eyes. “Besides, Shane isn’t single.” The two of them stared at me as though Cannon had announced I was a leper.
“Time to ditch her,” Lou said. “You have no idea how much pussy you’ll be able to—”
“I’m not ditching her,” I interrupted. The man had six years on me but didn’t act like it.