I frown at the number that’s calling me, wondering what in the fuck he wants.
“Robby,” I grunt. “Rumor has it you moved to the city.”
He grunts. “Almost, not yet. House is on the market if you know anyone that wants to buy it…”
“What do you want?” I sigh.
Robby used to be my friend. Hell, I liked the guy a fuck’ve a lot. That is, until his sister went for a ride on the crazy train and took me along as the goddamn caboose.
“Chelle’s comin’ back into town. She wanted to stay with me, but I told her no. She’s comin’ anyway though,” he explains.
My entire body freezes, my back stiffens and without even thinking, my eyes fly to the bathroom door. I know that Hutton can’t hear me, can’t hear Robby, but fuck it feels like she can.
“Why would she do that?” I demand.
He snorts. “Why does Chelle do anything? Fuck if I know,” he grunts. “All I know is that she called me and said she was fixin’ to leave Charlie for good.”
“Fuck,” I hiss. “You don’t think she’d come darkening my door, do you?” I ask.
There’s a moment of silence and then I hear a feminine voice in the background. “Just a minute, Emily,” Robby murmurs.
“Heard you hooked up with Exeter’s cousin, I didn’t quite believe it though.”
He chuckles. “Believe it, man. It’s good though, really good.”
“I’m glad,” I say and I mean it.
Just because Chelle is a crazy mean bitch doesn’t mean that I hate Robby. I hate how he covered for her over the years, how he didn’t just fucking tell me when he could have, what she was up to, but I don’t hate him as a person.
“Anyway. She didn’t say when she’d be in town, but she’ll be back. I don’t know if this’ll mean anything for you, but I just felt like I needed to warn you a little.”
Clearing my throat, I nod as if he can see me. “Thanks, man. I appreciate it.”
“For what it’s worth, I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you back then. That I wasn’t a better friend.”
Lifting my hand, I wrap my fingers around the back of my neck and squeeze. “We were all punk asses back then. I don’t hold it against you anymore, I’ve moved on. I’m doing better now,” I admit.
“I’m glad. You always deserved better than what she handed you anyway.”
I hear the bathroom door open and my eyes lift to Hutton. She’s standing in the doorway, a small mint green towel wrapped around her body, her eyes focused on me. My lips twitch into a small smile.
“I think I finally found it, Robby.”
“Good.”
The call ends and I toss my phone on the bed before I close the distance between us.
“Who was that?” she breathes when I’m close enough to touch her.
Wrapping my hands around her waist, I tug her against my chest, wishing that the towel wasn’t between us so that I could feel her bare skin against my own.
“Nobody. Old friend calling to give me some information,” I rasp, lowering my lips to touch hers in a brush.
“Why do I always want you?” she whispers against my mouth.
Nipping her bottom lip, I straighten my back and wink down at her. “I’m irresistible, darlin’ girl. You knew that the first time you saw me at the Bluebonnet Festival up on that stage. Couldn’t keep your eyes off of me.”
She giggles, her big green eyes finding mine and she shakes her head a couple of times. “You are, but you aren’t supposed to actually admit that stuff out loud,” she points out.
Standing in the bathroom doorway, I shrug a shoulder. “Humility is not my strong point.” I wink, then turn and go inside the bathroom, closing the door behind me as she giggles.
Locking the door, I face the mirror and the smile dies on my lips. Grasping onto the edge of the counter, I lift my gaze to my reflection.
Fuck.
Chelle is coming back. Not that I give a shit about her, because I honestly don’t. What I do give a shit about is the feelings that she brings forward.
The panic, the fear, the lies, and the betrayals. I’ve spent my entire adulthood convinced that every woman is like her or will be eventually. Why, when I finally decide to give it a shot with Hutton does that fucking bitch have to rear her ugly head?
What.
The.
Fuck?
My hands shake with the need to take a drink. Closing my eyes, I inhale a deep breath, then let it out with a long exhale. It won’t be the tour that will make or break my sobriety, it will be the cunt known as goddamn Chelle.
Chapter Nineteen
HUTTON
Watching Beaumont walk out of the shop after making his delivery, my coffee in hand, along with the keys to his place and his tour schedule for the next sixteen weeks, I let out a breathy sigh.
“You two are sickening,” Laurie says with a dramatic gag.
Smiling, I shift my gaze from Beaumont’s ass to look over at her. “I’m not even sorry about that.”
“And you shouldn’t be.” She winks.
Shaking my head, I motion for her to come over to the small desk. “Okay,” I begin. “Beaumont said we could come to a couple shows. He offered to fly us out, all we have to do is pick the dates.”
Laurie doesn’t speak for what feels like five whole minutes. Lifting my head, I look up at her. She’s watching me, her gaze focused on the paper but her lips parted and her eyes wide.
“Laurie?” I ask.
She inhales a deep breath, then lets it out in a whoosh. “Have I ever told you that I’m really fucking glad you’re with Beaumont? I mean, seriously? He’s going to fly us to his shows? Me too?”
Laughing softly, I nod my head. “He offered, made a point to include you. Maybe he doesn’t want me flying alone or maybe he just wants to be on your good side?” I shrug.
She smirks. “I don’t give a shit what he wants, because this is awesome as hell. Besides, no matter what, I’m always on your side.”
“Thanks,” I whisper.
“But seriously, I can’t freaking wait to literally party like a rock star,” she squeals.
I snort, then the seriousness of what she says hits me like a ton of bricks.
“Wait,” I call.
She hums, but I can tell she’s not really paying attention to me. She’s lost in her head, thinking of parties and rockers, Beaumont’s band. Biting the inside of my lip, my mind starts to go into overdrive.
“What?” she asks when I don’t say anything.
“Beaumont has groupies, like real ones, like the ones we see in those documentaries about big rock bands.”
“Okaaaay. Yeah…”
Gulping, I look up at her, my eyes immediately filling with unshed tears. “What if… I mean… I wouldn’t even know if he did something with someone else.”
Laurie snorts. “Oh, please. That boy is so into you it’s not even funny. He’s not going to screw up, not like that at least.”
I nod, deciding not to think about this conversation for another moment. I’m going to have plenty of time to stress out about all of this, about infidelity, about lies, about every little thing. I have no doubt that I will too.