“Duh.” Mick interrupts before I can answer. “Why else would he have stayed instead of coming with us?”
“She’s great,” I say sincerely. “Sweet and sexy and a lot of fun.”
“You going to see her again?”
That’s a million-dollar question.
“I don’t think so,” I say after a beat. “There’s no point, you know? Her mom has Alzheimer’s but there isn’t a memory care facility nearby, so she’s in a regular nursing home. They keep her with the understanding that Summer is available to go in and help calm her when she gets agitated.”
“Oh, that sucks.” Sam looks sympathetic.
“Because of that, Summer can’t get away much. And with our schedule, it would be nearly impossible for us to spend time together. Under different circumstances, I might have flown her to some shows, seen what there is to see, but I don’t think there’s a chance.”
“Well, lots of fish in the sea,” Jonny says, clapping me on the shoulder. “I’m sure there will be plenty of beautiful ladies after the show tonight willing to help you forget all about Summer.”
“Yup.” I say the word but deep down I’m a little…revolted.
I can’t wrap my head around getting laid tonight after the last two days with Summer.
We have no plans to see each other again but I almost feel like it would be cheating. It’s completely irrational, but I can’t help how I feel.
“I’m more interested in the pies,” Mick says, trying to peek into the bag.
“Hey!” I smack his hand again and we all laugh.
Luckily, we’re at the venue so I don’t have time to think about anything but tuning my guitar and making some adjustments to tonight’s set list.
I break out the pies in our dressing room after soundcheck, and there’s a flurry of excitement as the crew each grabs a piece. I brought three of the chocolate peanut butter and one of her key lime, and everyone is impressed. Remembering what she asked of me, I make sure all of them mention her and use her hashtag on social media, and all of us do it. I don’t know if it will really help her business but I want to do something nice for her anyway. It doesn’t seem like Summer has a lot of good in her life.
Not for the first time, I wish things could be different. But as my mother used to say—there’s no use crying over spilled milk. She made it clear she didn’t want to start something that would almost certainly end in heartbreak, and I’m still reluctant to put myself in a position where I have to prioritize a woman over my music.
Angus, Mick, and Sam seem to be doing it okay, but I’m not sure how it would work for me.
Logistics aside, I’ve never been one for relationships.
If I’m honest, I haven’t had many since high school. One in college, and one right after, but both lasted less than six months and I don’t miss either of them. I just figure I’m not the kind of guy who’s going to be ready to settle down any time soon.
And Summer is the kind of girl that makes you want to.
At the very least, she made me second guess myself, and no other woman has ever had that effect on me.
It’ll pass.
It might take a few days, maybe a couple of weeks, but I’ll find my groove on tour and forget all about big golden eyes, silky honey-blond hair, and curves that seem to fit perfectly when I’m buried inside her.
Fuck.
If this is the tamer, less poignant equivalent of a broken heart, I am definitely not a fan.
I pick up my guitar for sound check, and I’m immediately taken back to the nursing home, everyone gathered around me, so much joy on their faces. It was a different vibe from one of our shows. Even the really good ones, where the crowd knows every word to every song and keeps yelling for more, long after we’re done for the night.
No, the residents at the nursing home were getting a special treat, their own private concert in a place that probably doesn’t have a lot of joy for them. They’re not all sick or dying, but many of them are lonely. Weary. And my presence brought excitement into what appears to be a pretty mundane life.
Not to mention Tricia, whose moments of lucidity meant so much, both to me and to Summer.
Summer.
It’s going to be a lot harder to forget her than I predicted.
