“Go away,” I yell.
The door opens.
I keep tossing the ball in the air, waiting for Paul to lay into me and tell me Fusion wants Noah to not only perform tomorrow night but to follow us to our last show in London. Maybe I’ll even be opening forhim.
“Hey.”
I whip my head around and find Mia looking down at me. And then the ball hits me in the face.
I wince and cover my nose with a hand as Mia hurries to my side.
“Sorry,” she says like it’s her fault I threw a ball directly over my own head and forgot about it.
Well, it kind of is. She makes me forget a lot of important things.
“Did it hit… rightthere?” she asks, referring to the spot on my cheek Noah hit.
I drop my hand and nod, letting out a breath through rounded lips. Pain isn’t bad. It’s better than having to deal with the other things I’m feeling.
She clenches her teeth at the sight of me. “Jeez.”
I push myself to a sitting position. “That good, huh?”
She points to the spot under my eye. “It’s really red. Hold on.” She gets up and goes over to the fridge. She comes back with a can of Diet Pepsi in hand.
“I’m more of a Coke Zero guy,” I say.
She smiles and puts the cold can to my cheek. “Coke Zero is no good for black eyes.”
“Do I really have a black eye?” That’ll cause a stir at tomorrow’s performance. Let’s hope makeup can cover it.
“No. At least not yet.”
“I don’t think I’ll get one. He hit my cheekbone.”
“Let’s hope you’re right. We can’t have damage like that toAustin Sheppard’s precious face. Do you insure it like JLo’s butt?”
“Are you comparing my face to a butt?”
She smiles, that little mischievous light in her eyes.
I cover her hand holding the soda with mine and gently pull it away. Her gaze fixes on me.
“It’s a little cold,” I explain.
She nods and sets down the soda slowly. “I’m sorry, Austin. Really, really sorry.”
“For what?Youdidn’t punch me in the face.”
“No, but it’s still my fault.”
I hold her gaze.
“I was too proud to listen to you about Noah. But you were right.”
My forehead pinches. “I should’ve told you all the reasons, even if it made me look dumb.”
“Whatarethe reasons?”
