I rubbed the wetness away with my fingers. “There’s nothing to tell.” I didn’t understand why Oliver was mad at me, but I wasn’t about to break another promise I made to him and tell Ezra about our relationship. “I just want to go to sleep. Can you please handle Cole, so that he doesn’t come barging in first thing in the morning?”
Ezra nodded. “I will. Ivy, I hope you’re okay.”
“I am.” The lie came naturally.
* * *
I woke up past noon,panicked, dehydrated, and still exhausted. My phone glowed with messages from Cole.
“Tonight’s show is cancelled. We’re going to hang around the restaurant until they figure out what to do. Text me when you’re up.”
When was the last time I’d eaten? My stomach churned, but it wasn’t only from hunger. I remembered how angry Oliver had been, and a groan escaped out of my throat. How had everything gotten so messed up so quickly?
It was all Jamie’s fault. If it wasn’t for the destructive singer, I would have never gotten into that stupid fight with Oliver, or gotten mixed up in Jamie’s OD, and I sure as hell wouldn’t be alone in a hotel room on my birthday.
I clawed my fingers into the bedspread. No. Today was a new day, and this time I wouldn’t blindly give into my anger. I needed to be calm and rational if I wanted to fix things with Oliver before I left in…
Oh God. Twenty hours.
There was no point in crying, no matter how fruitless it all felt. The possibility that I’d screwed everything up for good between Oliver and I was impossible to ignore, but I had to stay optimistic.
He was just upset last night about Jamie, and rightly so.
I showered and went downstairs to find the guys. The restaurant was half full, mostly filled with roadies for the two bands. Cole saw me and waved as I made my way to their table.
“Happy birthday, Ives,” he said and gave me a smile, but it didn’t erase the concern in his eyes. The others added their own greetings and birthday wishes.
“Thanks,” I said weakly as I squeezed in beside Charlie.
“Ezra told me what happened with Jamie,” Cole said. “You’re a hero.”
I shook my head. “Whatever.”
“Seriously. Way to take control of the situation. I’m proud of you for not losing your shit.”
If only he knew how close I’d been to doing exactly that.
“So give us the firsthand account of the story.” Charlie nudged me with his elbow, and I shot him a death glare. The last thing I wanted to do was relive last night with all of them.
“Hey, let her eat. She’s probably starving.” Ezra butted in, giving me a worried look. “I already told you everything anyway.”
“You weren’t the one who found him—” They started to bicker, and I did my best to tune them out. I waved down a waitress, ordered some eggs, and stole a piece of Silas’s toast.
“Where’s Abel?” I asked the bearded guitarist.
“He hasn’t come back from the hospital,” Silas said, pulling out his phone. “Texted us a few hours ago that he wouldn’t be back for a while.”
“Why? Isn’t Oliver already there with Jamie?”
Silas shrugged. “I don’t know.” He looked over my shoulder. “Apparently not.”
I frowned and turned to look behind me.
Oliver and Ritual Disruption’s tour manager had walked into the restaurant. They were engaged in what looked like an intense conversation, with the manager waving his hands to make some point to Oliver.
I swallowed down the toast in my mouth and jumped up.
“Ivy?” Cole asked, but I was already moving.
