“Sure.”I nod, thinking it’s hot as fucking Hades, but want to do whatever she wants.“Let’s give it a try.If things get ugly, I can call someone to grab us up.”
I reach for the handle and open the door, the valet standing at the ready.He hands me a ticket, which I pass over to Lily, whose standing next to me now.She slides it into the little purse slung over her shoulder, and then I grab her hand and intwine my fingers with hers.
Her brow shoots up as she looks down to our joined hands and then back up at me, a smile lighting up her face, and that makes me smile right back at her.Yep, definitely going to be my ruin.
“Which direction?”I ask.“This is your town after all.”
“Let’s go this way.”She turns to our left, tugging me with her.“I know a place that we might actually be able to hang out at and not be bothered this time of day.”
“Cool.”I slow my stride so I can match her smaller one, content to let someone else have control.“So, I’m not allowed to ask where you work, what your birthday is, or anything else too personal, so what do you want to talk about?”
“You.”She tilts her head to look up at me.“Tell me about the band, and what the guys are like, and what it’s like when you’re up on stage with everyone screaming your name.”
“The guys are cool.”I bob my head up and down as I think about how to explain how you can love and hate your best friends at the same time.“My brother is in the band, as you know, Mikey.He’s the only one I want to murder most of the time.Dean, Mikey and I all grew up together; went to the same schools, started the band in high school.Dean met Hayden playing hockey.He’s a couple years older than us, and probably the parent of the group.”
I chuckle as I recall some of the crap we’ve been through and how many times Hayden has had to come bail our asses out of a jam.“They’re all great guys.There’s not much I wouldn’t do for any one of them.”
“That’s really nice.”She gives my hand a little squeeze.“Especially since you spend so much time together.”
“Yeah, but don’t get me wrong.As much as I love them, by the end of a tour, we’re all ready to rip each other apart.Too much time together, too much booze, being in each other’s spaces constantly wears thin.”
“How much longer are on tour for?”
“One more month.”I state.“And I’m ready for the break.We’re not going to do another tour for at least a year.Just write and record.It’s going to be amazing to just be in one place for a while.”
“I can’t even imagine what it’s like living in hotel room after hotel room.”She shakes her head, stopping at the intersection we’ve approached to wait until it’s safe to cross.“The place is just another couple blocks up.”
“It’s cool.We have buses we stay on most of the time.We usually only stay in hotels when we’re in a cool city like this.”I scan the area around us, pleasantly relieved that no one seems to know who I am, or maybe they just don’t care.“It’s nice being able to walk around and not get mobbed.”
The walk signal starts yapping that it’s safe to proceed, so we move forward with the few other people that are waiting.
“Does that happen a lot to you?People just coming at you?”I can hear the concern in her voice, and it tugs at my heart, falling under her spell a little bit more.
“Depends where we are, honestly.”I shrug.“It comes with the fame, and most people understand boundaries, but there’s always the crazies.We usually have staff looking out for us, especially in situations when we’re around large crowds.”I let out a small chuff.“I’ve gotten some pretty fucked up shit in the mail, let me tell you.”
“Oh, do tell me.”She giggles.“I want to know.”
“It’s pretty nasty sometimes.Not going to lie.Dirty panties, naked pictures of girls, and guys too sometimes.”I blow out a breath.“Got an actual wedding ring with a proposal letter once.”I pause, frowning before I continue.“Probably the worst one was from a mother who sent me a letter blaming me for her kid’s suicide.I guess one of my songs was on repeat in the room where she did it.”
“Oh my God.”She gasps and skids to a halt next to me.“That’s horrible.How can someone blame you for something like that?”
She’s so utterly beautiful as she stares at me.I cup her cheek gently with my free hand, swiping my thumb over her soft mouth.She has no idea how attractive her nativity about how shitty things can be in the world is to me.
“Because baby, she needed someone to blame.Someone to be angry at.I was that for her.And I just had to let that be okay.Even if it does haunt my fucking thoughts at least once a week.”
“I’m so sorry you have to put up with that.”She twists her head until her lips are against my palm, pressing a kiss to my skin.“It’s not fair.”
“It’s the life I signed up for.”I drop my hand and tug her forward.“Anyway, enough about that shit.Where’s this place you’re taking me to?”
“Right there.”She points to a building that’s set back a bit from the sidewalk, trimmed in a bright blue color, a big sign across the center of the roof, Peppermill.“It doesn’t look like anything on the outside, but it’s got a super chill vibe inside.”
“I trust you.”I assure her.
We’re at the building in a matter of minutes, and I hold the door open for her as we both step inside.The cool air feels amazing after the heat outside.
It’s essentially a really big diner, with lots of colorful booths and fake trees and greenery set up between the seating.There are a few people in the place, but not a single one even glances our way as we move further into the restaurant.
“Here.”She pulls me to left.“This part is fine, but it’s the lounge part that’s cool.”
