Hmm. That is a good point.
“None taken,” Cove says earnestly.
“If we’re still consistently putting out music, we’ll need to be in California, Colorado, Florida, or New York,” I point out. “We’ll have to stick close to one of the Ruined Records recording studios.”
“That’s true,” Ravvi says.
“Is that something the three of you plan to do long term?” Declan asks, clearing his throat. “Keep producing more music…”
I stay quiet.
That’s not my call.
“We have to honor out this contract. That locks us in to finish this tour. It also options us into the studio to record another album if there’s enough interest following the tour.” Cove hums. “I wouldn’t feel comfortable flaking on that commitment. At the same time, I’m not as enamored with touring as I thought I would be. I love performing. I also wouldn’t turn it down if the label offered us one of the shorter four- or six-month tour schedules.”
If that’s true, I’ll call my mom tomorrow morning and get her to butter up my dad.
I push up on my forearm to lean over Ravvi to check Cove’s face. “Are you serious?”
She nods, meeting my eyes. “I don’t want the three of you to be miserable so I can live out my dream. I’m hoping we can find some middle ground where we’re all happy. Although, I don’t know how we’ll stay afloat if we aren’t touring. The tour paychecks areobscene.”
“We could write music for other bands,” I suggest.
“Or we could work at our mom’s charity,” Ravvi says. “They have a budget for paying the musicians who mentor the kids.”
“We have options,” Declan pipes in. “You’re locked in until the end of your contract, and that gives us plenty of time to explore the possibilities.”
“That’s true,” Cove says around a yawn. “No matter where we end up, I’m excited to see what the future holds.”
I smile, falling back against my pillow.
Based on the spillover in the bond, we’re all in agreement about that.
Chapter Thirty-One
Cove
We stick around the omega clinic for an agonizing eleven days.
My system is such a hot mess that it even confused the doctors.
Once the lab work they sent out for testing came back, Dr. Francis and Dr. McMillan were convinced my heat would hit soon based on my results.
There are several hormones doctors look for to determine when an omega will go into heat. Mine were high the day I was admitted. When they retested the day I was released from the emergency department, my levels were even higher.
I had four or five days of mild waves of heat spikes, and then…nothing.
By the time they tested me again three days after the last heat spike, my hormone levels were on the way back down. That alone signaled that whatever form of heat I had was over.
It may not have been a full-blown heat, but I kept waiting for the post-heat cramps to start. When they didn’t, I freaked out and asked them to run another pregnancy test.
It was negative—thank the sweet baby Jesus—but it left all of us confused. If conception doesn’t occur during a heat, an omegawill experience five to seven days of bleeding and cramping similar to how a beta menstruates.
If there’s no implanted egg to eventually grow into a baby, all that built-up uterine lining has to be expelled somehow.
My body clearly wants to be difficult, but their best guess is that I’m still recovering from the years of suppressant usage. The lingering amounts of the medication must have prevented me from being able to produce a full-blown heat.
Dr. Francis seemed sure my system is in the process of resetting itself, meaning I probably don’t have to worry about a surprise heat popping up.
