HAYDEN
I’m still grinningwhen I walk into the kitchen. Riley’s reaction when I discovered her vibrator was priceless. Her cheeks turned a deep red, and she abused her bottom lip so badly, it’s probably swollen. She was ready to disappear by the time I walked out.
When she was little, she’d instantly go quiet when she saw me. It always weirded me out. I did my best to be nice to her, but she was always shy. Eventually, the quietness morphed into boldness. She’d stand up to me, argue with me about anything and everything. That only pushed me to tease her more, to rile her up until she’d flip me off or cuss me out like a sailor.
At some point, things changed. Maybe it was when Sabotage hit it big. For several years, we did nothing but write, record, perform, and do interviews. I had no choice but to leave my old life behind.
Or maybe it was when I almost lost my best friend, almost ruined my already fragile relationship with my brother. Either way, the dynamic between Riley and me shifted.
Gone was the arguing for the sake of it. Gone were the pranks. She and I weren’t close, but we did what we could to support each other. She’d call when she needed a ride home from a party and didn’t want Piper to know she’d been out. One night, she was so wasted, I had tocreep into her house with her in my arms. I ended up tucking her into bed, and then I sat on the floor all night, worried she’d choke on her own vomit. I climbed out her window at dawn and never brought the incident up.
The smile the memory elicits drops when her disappointed expression from the night at the club registers in my brain.
He will always see me as a kid. That’s all I’ll ever be to him.
I rub the back of my neck. The truth is, she hasn’t beenjustPiper’s little sister to me since I saw her in the crowd at our concert a few years back. I just forbade myself to look at her.
And she was a fucking vision in her backless little black dress the other night.
Lately, the more time I spend around her, the harder it is to remember why I should keep my distance.
The buzzing of my phone brings me back to reality. I pull it out of my pocket and find my brother’s name flashing across the screen. Damn, I’ve never been more grateful for a distraction.
“Hey, man.” I press the device to my ear. “What’s up?”
“Everything’s good. Just got home from Hudson’s practice. I feel like a squeezed lemon.”
“Why?”
“I swear, every adult I encountered today asked my opinion on who’ll win the Champions League final.”
“And who’s going to win?” I tease him.
“Fuck off.”
“Wow, Hunter, your professionalism is admirable.”
“I’m professional, alright, when I’m coaching my team and during interviews, but when I’m a parent watching my kid practice, the last thing I want is to be a talking head.” He scoffs. “But I’m happy to hear you joking. Sounds like you’re feeling better.”
I thread my fingers through my hair. “Maybe you’re right.”
“IhopeI’m right. We’ve been worried about you.” He clears his throat. “And thank you for checking in on Riley. Piper was beside herself when she couldn’t reach her this morning.”
“Of course.” I head to the living room and plop myself down onthe couch. “I’m glad I went. She was planning to stay at her place—that can’t be healthy. That place is a biohazard.”
“How do you feel about having a roommate?”
I shrug even though he can’t see me. “After all the touring I’ve done, I’m used to sharing space.”
“I’m not sure living with Riley will be the same. She’s not used to your antics or your rock star lifestyle,” he taunts me. “Don’t traumatize my wife’s sister, please.”
I scoff. “Fuck you.”
He bursts out laughing, though I’m distracted from the conversation when Riley appears. She’s barefoot and wearing an oversized tee that swallows her frame, leaving only the hem of her shorts peeking out. Her hair is in a messy bun, a few blue strands framing her face.
Our eyes meet, and she gives me a cautious smile. I mouth, “One minute,” then I tell Hunter I’ve got to go.
I toss my phone on the coffee table as Riley lowers herself onto the couch beside me. Okay, “beside me” is a stretch—she keeps her distance, leaving room for at least two people between us.
