Page 16 of Love You Like This

Darren walks into the room and drops down beside me on the leather couch. Tension radiates from him as he rubs his hand over his face. I roll my eyes as he spreads his legs out so wide his knee bangs into mine. He probably doesn’t even realize he’s doing it, which irritates me further. If I wasn’t wearing a dress, I’d spread mine until he moved his. Instead, I pull my knees over and then ram them right back at him.

There will be no manspreading on my watch.

“Ow, what the fuck Jade?” He rubs his knee and scowls at me accusingly.

“What the fuck, me? What the fuck, you.” I gesture around the empty backstage room with multiple chairs. “You could have chosen anywhere to sit and instead you sat your ass right next to me and immediately took up every inch of available space.”

He only looks slightly chagrined. “I need to talk about Xander’s baby mama issues.”

I’d rather not. Just the thought alone makes me feel like vomiting. I have no right to be so upset. He’s a grown man who has had plenty of partners. I’ve had plenty of partners since that summer of so many mistakes. No matter how many times I tell myself I’m over it, over him, though, it doesn’t seem to change the fact that I know the truth and he doesn’t.

I’m so angry with him I can’t breathe.

“Okay,” I draw out the word. “I don’t know what I can help you with right now, though. I just do social media and PR.”

That earns me his infamous disdainful side eye. Seriously, there’s a Blue Sunday fan account that has entire carousels of him giving the same exact look. Most of us think it’s hilarious. Him, not so much, which actually makes me love it even more. Darren Brown deserves as much shit as he gives everyone else.

“I’m not even going to dignify that statement,” he sniffs.

“What’s the update?” I ask.

“No update. I just need to vent. We sent her everything she needs to collect the DNA, but she wants to wait until after the tour and have him there with her. She sent me a video and some pictures, and the kid has blonde hair and brown eyes. Maybe even the same nose as Xander. Fuck if I know.” He drums his fingers on the arm rest of the couch.

“Do you think the kid looks like him?”

“Babies all look the same to me.” He pulls his phone out. “Do you want to see her?”

I push his hand away. “No. I’d rather just pretend this nightmare isn’t staining the second half of the tour.”

“Me, too.” His knee bounces with agitation. “I’m going to go watch sound check. Do you need anything? Water? A snack?”

This is the dichotomy of Darren. Most of the time he’s a brash asshole, but then he surprises you with unexpected moments of care and tenderness.

“I’m good, thanks.”

He gives me a nod and disappears out of the room. I should probably go with him and grab a couple candids of the guys while they rehearse, but after that conversation I don’t have it in me. Instead, I go to the craft services table and grab a bag of peanut butter M&Ms. It’s my one vice, and the only thing I have on the rider for myself.

If this woman really wants to get this all figured out, why isn’t she just doing her end of the paternity kit? It would only take days rather than dragging it out for weeks until the tour ends. Maybe Xander is right and it’s not his baby.

I fucking hope so.

Not that it’s because I don’t think he’d be an amazing dad. I have absolutely no doubt he would be. Of all the guys he’s the most likely to have a family someday, or at least he was until Hazel came along for Stone. Though they’d have cute kids together if they decide they want to go that route.

As if summoned by my thoughts of her, she walks into the room. She’s wearing a Blue Sunday concert tee shirt with Tobias front and center. My lips tilt in a smirk because I know exactly what she’s doing.

“Cute shirt,” I tell her.

“Thanks.” She gives me a wicked smile. “I love the new designs.”

“I bet Stone will love seeing you with Tobias spread over your chest.”

Her grin widens in response.

One of the most viral moments of the first part of the tour was Stone noticing her enraptured by Tobias’s drum solo and dragging her onstage to kiss the absolute fuck out of her and stake his claim publicly. The man is obsessed with her, and the public is just as obsessed with their obsession.

I love it for both of them. If anyone in the world deserves a happily-ever-after, it’s those two. So much struggle between them, but they’ve battled through it all. Now they have each other, and their love casts a glow over everything it touches.

“What are you doing back here? Shouldn’t you be doing your magic behind a camera somewhere?” She pops the top on a Diet Coke and sits down beside me.