She nodded as she turned to the steering wheel and pressed the start button. Our conversation stopped as the engine roared to life. Noah had opened the back door and was climbing inside. We remained quiet as we rode to her shop and she pulled into the back parking lot behind the building. I heard her chuckle as we all unbuckled and opened the doors.
“What?” I asked as I shut the door before Noah could beat me to it. I hurried around the hood to join her.
She just shook her head as a thoughtful expression passed over her face. “Nothing.” She sighed. “Just thinking about the first time I met Bash.” She pointed at the pavement in front of her. “I’d been unloading my trunk, and when I came back out to get some more boxes, there was this strange man rummaging in my trunk. I told him I had no money, but he just stared at me like I was crazy, and a few seconds later, he emerged with a tiny chipmunk in his hands.” She scrunched up her face. “I thought he was a crazy homeless man.”
I laughed, trying to picture the situation. I’m sure he looked like a bush man but had the heart of a golden retriever. Bash had been a mess, and I hated that I had contributed to his pain. I was so grateful that we’d come to a good place and he was back in our lives. “I could see that,” I said.
Abigail began to walk toward the back door, and I followed after her. Noah kept up the rear.
As soon as we were inside the shop, Abigail didn’t hesitate to start handing out assignments. She handed Noah a broom and instructed him to sweep the entire front of the store then she handed me an apron; we were going to make blueberry muffins.
I was embarrassed because I’d never been a very good cook or baker. It was a talent I’d always wanted, but had never realized. My life had been corporate for so long, and I just hired out the day to day. I was hopeful that, with Abigail’s assistance, I could keep that weakness a secret.
We were elbow deep in measuring out sugar and flour when I glanced in her direction. Now was as good a time as ever to ask her about her life. In my head, I could see Bash staring at me with wide eyes, pushing me to initiate a conversation.
“So, how are things going?” I asked as I grabbed the nearby butter knife so I could level out the flour I’d just scooped up.
Abigail had been studying the recipe book in front of her, with a few measuring cups in hand. She glanced at me before returning her attention to the recipe. “Good. Business is great. I’ve had to hire more help.” She snorted. “Construction guys are hungry.”
I nodded as I dumped the flour I’d just leveled into the mixing bowl. “That’s good.” I paused. How did I ask her about her personal life without asking her about her personal life? “And…other places? How are things going there?”
Abigail glanced over at me a few times as she scooped up some white sugar and dumped it on top of the flour. “Did Bash tell you?”
I shook my head as I scooped another cup of flour. “Not really. Just told me that you might need a friend.” I peeked over at her. “And I’m a friend…right?” I held my breath as I waited for her to respond.
Truth was, I really didn’t have friends. There was something about success that alienated people from you. They always say that money changes people when they make it, but they never talk about how the people around you change. Jealousy and cattiness had become the norm for me. Everyone wanted something, and I’d stopped trusting that they had good intentions.
With Abigail, it had never been like that. She was…easy. Our friendship, although in the baby stages, was a breath of fresh air. She had Bash, which mean she didn’t need me. And I liked that. I liked knowing that she wasn’t talking to me to get ahead. She liked me for me.
Or at least that was what I wanted to believe. Right now, her silence had me sweating bullets. I didn’t want our friendship to mean more to me than to her. The last thing I wanted to do was creep her out.
“Right?” The question slipped out of my lips before I could stop it. I’d meant to keep my insecurity inside, but panic had set in.
Abigail glanced up at me, and suddenly her stoic expression morphed into one of embarrassment. “Of course!” She nodded fervently. “Of course, we are friends.” She smiled at me as she bumped me with her shoulder. “Sorry, I’m just struggling with my sister, and I got lost in my thoughts.” She stilled her body as she met my gaze once more. “You are my friend, Emery.”
My heart began to soar. “Good.”
When she didn’t speak right away, I bent down so I could meet her gaze. If we were friends, then it would only make sense for her to tell me what was going on. If we were friends, then she shouldn’t get offended if I pushed her. So I gave her a soft smile and asked, “So, do you want to tell me what happened with Sabrina?”
10
SABRINA
I’d been naive. I’d been stupid. I’d been ridiculous to think that a baby belonged in a rock star’s world. I should have known I wasn’t supposed to be there based on the looks I got from the employees at the arena when I walked in behind Liam.
Their gaze landed on me first, then slid down to Samuel before popping back up to mine. Their eyebrows scrunched together, and some even shook their heads as they passed by.
I tried to take my cues from Liam. He knew this world better than anyone, and if I didn’t belong, I was convinced that he would eventually turn around and tell me so.
But he never did. Instead, he led me and Samuel through the hallways that eventually led to the stage. He didn’t pause as he walked past the people dressed in black who were plugging cords in or speaking through their headsets. They weren’t shy about their stares, and if Liam noticed, he didn’t show it. Instead, he greeted the guys milling around backstage. I could only assume that they were Liam’s other bandmates based on my cursory research on Fading Atlas last night.
I had no idea what I was supposed to do or where to stand, so I stayed as close to the wall as I could. Samuel was strapped to my chest and facing out. He was entranced by what was going on in front of him, his little head slowly turning from side to side.
I held onto his feet just for something to do as I watched Liam greet the other guys, but their reaction to him was less than cordial. There was a tension in the air that made me curious. But again, Liam didn’t seem bothered by that either, so I filed it away under topics I may bring up in the future.
The band didn’t wait long to start rehearsing. Liam grabbed a microphone while the others grabbed their instruments. I did a quick search on my phone and stood off to the side, committing their faces to memory as I studied each band member and then located them on the image that I’d pulled up.
Jet Hopper played the drums. He had jet black hair that he wore shoulder length, and it swished around when he headbanged along to the beat.
