I furrow my brows. “Why wouldn’t we?”
He shakes his head quickly. “No reason. You will. I mean… there’s no reason you wouldn’t. I just…” He sighs. “Oh fuck. I’m nervous.”
I giggle, loving this vulnerable, softer version of him. He’s always so tough, so commanding. But I know how much Gran and Kiera mean to him, so this is a big deal.
“How long is the drive from the airport?” I ask.
“Just over an hour, give or take,” he replies as Amanda opens the doors.
Casey barrels past us, sniffing the air like she’s on a food safari. “I smell popcorn, bacon and cheddar with a bit of spice… maybe all together. That’s the popcorn I want to try,” she declares, racing off the jet.
Kristy rolls her eyes and follows her.
Andi groans behind them. “Girl’s got the nose of a dog and the stomach of a pig. How she stays that skinny is beyond me.”
Andi walks off, shaking her head, and Alana turns to me with a smile. “Have fun in Ligonier. I’ll miss you.”
I hug Alana tightly. “I’ll only be gone a couple of days. You’ll barely notice I’m missing.”
She pulls back, nodding. “I know. I’m just used to seeing you every day. I’m glad I have Kristy to keep me company.”
“You okay?” I ask gently.
She gives a bright smile, but it doesn’t quite reach her eyes. “Fine. Just plodding along as usual. You know me.”
I glance toward Mercs, who’s grabbing our bags and heading for the door. He winks at me, giving me space. He knows I need a second with my step-sister.
Alana watches him pass.
“Keep the crew in line for me, will you?” he says with a grin.
“Sure thing, Mercs. Have a great break,” she calls, waving as he heads out.
I turn to her again. “Okay… spill. What’s up?”
She sighs, slumping into a chair. “Honestly? I’m feeling a little… redundant.”
My stomach sinks. “What? Why?”
“The band’s great. We sound amazing. But in interviews, no one talks to me. I help Luke with PR, but even he’s sidelining me. Kristy’s smashing social media. And you…” she pauses. “You have Mercs now.”
My chest caves. I reach for her, pulling her into a tight embrace. “Oh my Gaia, Alana. Don’teversay that. We’d fall apart without you. You’re the only one with a level head in amongst all this chaos.”
I pull back, our eyes locking as hers fill with tears. “If Luke’s giving you a hard time, tell him to come to me. I want you to do more PR, not less. You’re incredible at it.”
Her shoulders shake slightly, her body taut with emotion. She’s really struggling, and it kills me to watch it play out in front of me.
“Okay, that’s it, I’m staying. I’ll cancel Ligonier. You and I are having sister bonding time.”
Her eyes go wide. “No. No way. I couldn’t do that to you, Effa. You’ve been so excited to meet Kiera and Gran. Please go. It would make me feel worse if you stayed. I’ll be fine, I’ve got Kristy. You can call and tell me all about it. And maybe how you and Kiera gang up on Mercs, making him feel inferior. That’ll make me happy.”
I hesitate because my instincts say stay. But I also know Alana. If I miss this trip, she’ll blame herself for the rest of the tour.
Shaking my head, I pull her in again. “You better check in with me every few hours. Deal?”
“For sure. I’ll be okay.”
“You arenotredundant, Alana. I don’t know who made you feel that way, but it sure as hell wasn’t me. If I have, even a little, I’m so sorry. We need you.Always.”
