“I promise,” he says solemnly, carefully taking the big shopping bag from me.
“I’m serious!” I yell after him.
This time, he’s the one who laughs.
I head toward the back and walk out to a loading dock area.
Then my step falters.
Standing at the far end of the lot, Tate and Jonny are surrounded by women. Skimpily dressed, heavily made-up women. Talking and laughing and…touching. One has her arm around Tate’s neck, another is taking selfies while making kissy faces. They all look like they’re having a great time.
It’s part of the job. I know that.
But seeing it right in front of me is hard.
Before I say or do something stupid, I whirl and hurry back in the direction I came. I don’t know where I’m going or what I’m going to do when I get there, but I have to get out of here.
“Summer! Hey! Where are you going?” I hear my name but my feet don’t stop moving until I’m outside the club again. I pull in a shaky breath and clench my fists. I have to be stronger than this. Better than this.
I knew there was a chance he was full of shit but?—
“Summer. Babe.”
Tate.
That soft, caring voice.
The one that always makes me feel like he’s the nicest guy in the world.
Except he’s not.
“Babe.” He says it a little more firmly now, and I look up warily.
“What?” My annoyance is clear.
He reaches out, runs gentle fingers along my cheek.
“What are you doing here? And why did you leave like that?”
“You know why.”
“Nothing happened, nothing was going to happen. They were influencers and they wanted pictures. Nothing happened.” I can’t see anything except sincerity in his expression.
“She was hanging on you like a fucking tie!” I snap, tears filling my eyes.
Jesus, I’m getting tired of these hormones.
“I’m sorry, really. But that was the extent of it. It happens. Look at me, Summer.”
I can’t. I’m still too raw.
“Summer. Look. At. Me.”
It’s the kind of command that I can’t ignore for some reason, and I turn my head just enough.
“I was going to make this more romantic but here goes nothing.” He pulls a little box out of his pocket.
“Why do you have that here with you at a show?” I ask suspiciously.
