She squeezed my hand, and I grinned as I squeezed it back.
Then the driver opened the door, and the worst day of my life truly began.
The buzzing of several drones overhead hummed annoyingly and competed with the constant click of the paps’ cameras audible across the street.
I sighed and dropped Saylor’s hand before stepping out into the mayhem.
I pulled my mom out of the limo and blocked the paps with my body as best as I could before helping Naomi out and then passing their hands to the driver to escort inside.
Then I reached into the car and helped Saylor out, and a few shouted questions competed with the clicking cameras.
“Saylor, over here!”
“Saylor, how’s life as a newlywed?”
“Saylor, is it true that your ex beat you?”
It was that last question that made Saylor trip. She would’ve gone down but for my hand holding her up.
I moved from holding her hand to wrapping my arm around her shoulder before leading her away from the bedlam across the street and overhead as we walked to the front gate.
I nodded at our driver on his way back to the car and stood with most of our band on the other side of the gate, safe from the cameras across the street, but not from the ones overhead.
“Next guy who dies gets buried in a private plot. Fuck LA County,” our manager, Danny, muttered as he scowled at the drone hovering above us.
“Fuck that,” Leif snarked. “Next guy gets cremated and spread over the Pacific Ocean or some poetic shit.”
“Pretty sure that’s not up to you assholes, unless you haven’t filed a will?” I asked with raised brows.
Both of them nodded their heads.
“Where’s Beau?” I asked with a frown.
“Probably waiting for Phoebe to put on her face.” Leif sighed.
“I had to spell out to Beau that no, she couldn’t livestream the service.” Ryker rocked back on his heels with his hands stuffed in his front pockets. “Private means no cameras.”
“Fat lot of good that did,” Leif muttered, glaring at the persistent drone. “These fuckers just don’t quit.”
“Should be a crime,” my mom murmured with a frown. “Everyone deserves a peaceful, final resting place.”
“Sorry, Judy, didn’t see you there.” Ryker stepped up to give my mom a huge hug, and despite his skinnier frame he picked her up and twirled her around.
“Ryker, you lunatic! Put me down. This shit isn’t dignified.” My mom squealed.
Ryker chuckled as he set her down. “We don’t do dignified here.”
“Maybe given the circumstances, you should try it,” Leif said before cutting in and giving my mom a tamer hug. “Judy. Good to see you again. Thanks for coming.”
“Always,” my mom murmured back. “You all are my boys, you know that.”
Danny stepped up and hugged my mom as they murmured something to each other I couldn’t hear over the drone’s buzzing.
Both guys nodded at Naomi but didn’t approach her.
Ryker stepped forward and gave Saylor a more reserved and respectful side hug. “Hey Saylor.”
She smiled awkwardly back at him.
