“Elijah can’t pull some strings for you?”
“No. He can’t.” There was a hard edge to my voice, but she didn’t pick up on it.
“I can’t believe that. I’m so sorry. I know how much it’s going to hurt to miss that. To not say goodbye to someone you grew up with.”
“It is.” I rubbed the spot on my chest where I knew my heart lay, trying to calm the lightning storm within.
“Thanks for telling me, Cay. I know it can’t be easy for you to talk about.”
“Talk tomorrow?”
“Of course.”
As we hung up, I took a deep breath. I was so lucky to have someone like her in my life. Despite the weirdness between us around the time Damien and I started talking, we have always had each other’s back. And even then, it was only a week or so of vague texts and no coffee dates.
Just like Blake had said, Noah’s death just showed you that life was short, and to cherish the one’s you held close.
I took an extra-long steamy shower to help release some of the agitation from my fight with Elijah. I didn’t want to fight when he came to bed, so I fought to shove my emotions down so they wouldn’t pop back up unexpectedly.
As I finished rubbing lotion on my body after my shower, I smiled as Damien’s name appeared on my phone screen. Somehow he knewI needed a pick me up.
Damien
Some days, I really wish I wasn’t sleeping on a bus full of dudes who smell like they rolled around on the floor of a men’s locker room.
Damien had quickly become one of the few people I didn’t have to pretend with. I could be irritable, depressed, or even a little unhinged. No matter what, Damien never judged me. In fact, I’d even venture to say he liked my tendency to wear my heart on my sleeve.
Ooh. Tough break. You’ll be home soon, though, right?
I set my phone back on my nightstand, dressed in the clothes I’d put out, and picked it back up.
Yeah, Thank God.
I bet you can’t wait to climb into your own bed.
Where are you from again?
I can’t remember.
I ran into the bathroom to brush my hair, quickly tying it into a long braid, before finishing my skincare and brushing my teeth.
I don’t think I ever told you.
Then that’s why I don’t know.
I sat on the edge of my bed.
Haha.
We’re from Michigan. Lansing, to be exact.
Oh, okay. That’s not too far from Charleston.
No, not at all. We tour the southeastern side of the country a lot. But we’ve been expanding over to the West Coast.
We have a few shows out there coming up.
One of my best friends lives in Los Angeles.
