Did she just say they came just for me? Her brother only came to see me?
What is going on?
"Your brother?" I ask as the photographer instructs us to turn toward him, smiles plastered on our faces while we talk through clenched teeth, ready for the impending flash.
"Yes! Avery Jones is my brother. He’s right over there." She points her finger at the group of men standing next to Harley, talking about God knows what, while Josie speaks to the man on their left.
Their backs are to us, so it’s hard to know which one is her brother, but I nod anyway.
She says his name like I know who he is. And maybe I should. Maybe he’s some sort of big deal. But instead of putting a dampener on her excitement, I reply with a simple, "Oh, cool!"
It’s like he could feel us looking in his direction, when he slowly turns to face us, before quickly looking away.
Noelle and Avery look alike, with their matching blue eyes and smooth brown skin. Only, his curly hair looks freshly buzzed.
His face looks vaguely familiar, but I don’t have enough time to slowly rake through my memories to figure out where he belongs, so I drop it.
"Avery!" she shrieks, and everyone goes silent, fixing their attention on the man with the hood pulled over his head. He looks over his shoulder, shakes his head at his sister once, and turns his focus back on my brother-in-law, ignoring his sister entirely.
Rude.
"Avery! Come get a photo, quick! She said it’s fine!" Noelle calls out again, looking back at me. "It is fine, right?"
I nod, curious to meet the man who is apparently a big enough fan to buy himself, his sister and her best friend tickets to meet me.
Tickets that, according to Josie, cost an absolute fortune.
Slowly, he walks over to the three of us, feet shuffling reluctantly, his hands shoved deep in his pockets. "Hi," he says in my direction, looking right past me.
His eyes are even brighter up close. His jaw is sharp and defined, but still obvious behind the stubble across his chin.
"Photo." Noelle grabs his forearm, tugging him beside her. He agrees, but not without a groa loud enough for Noelle, Leah, and me to hear.
"One picture, then I’m out," he scolds, his hands clenched by his sides.
"You don’t sound like the super-fan your sister described you as," I whisper, watching as his jaw ticks on the side of his face.
"I don’t even know who you are, Olivia. I’m here for my sister," he spits back, his eyes honed in on the lens that erupts before us.
"Olive," I correct him with a snort. "It was good to meet you." My tone is laced with sarcasm, and I end it there, ready to get on with the rest of these photos before I head back to my hotel room, administer my medication for the first time and hope likehellI don’t do it wrong.
"Right. See you around,Olivia."
Only seventy people to go.
Chapter eight
Avery
"Asuper-fan?"Ihissat Noelle, running my hands over my face to hide my frustration from the eyes I can feel watching me. "Way to throw me under the fucking bus."
"Whatever, brother. I saw the way you were practically drooling over her while she was performing. You were like the human version of the heart eye emoji." She laughs, and if we weren’t in a public place where people can and would recognize me, I would’ve put up more of a fight.
Instead, I shake my head and walk to where Ryder and Harley stand, chatting away. Orlando is nearby, deep in conversation with a woman named Josie, who's apparently Olivia’s manager.
No good can come from it, but I’m ignoring it. At least until whatever they’re whispering about inevitably slaps me across the face.
"She’s not wrong, Avery. I watched you for an entire song, and you didn’t blink once. It was like you didn’t want to miss any of it." I turn a scowl at Leah, and she snaps her lips shut.
