by JA Low
“Whatever, remember I’m on a Finn detox, so it doesn’t matter.” But I know it does to her. She’s not as tough as she appears sometimes. “Seriously, Isla, how the hell do you get yourself into such predicaments?” Vanessa chuckles. Isla’s shoulders sag.
“I know; I am a hot mess. I’m kind of a disaster and I have no idea why.” Isla states, poking fun at herself which makes the group giggle.
“Umm, it starts and ends with your feelings for Finn,” I tell her.
“Ugh, my feelings. Feelings get in the way and are annoying.” She lets out a heavy sigh. “Look, Finn is an idiot, but so am I.” She looks around the room, giving us all a sad smile. “I know that the chances of Finn and I being together are slim. I know you all think I am naïve, but things between us are a little more complicated than what looks like an old teenage crush.” She looks defeated. “I now know I’m not enough for Finn,” she says sadly. “But we’ve had this thing between us going for so long it’s kind of become normal. I’ve tried to fight it but we just keep falling back into old patterns. I need it to stop.” My heart is breaking for her at the moment. Finn is a dick.
“Maybe it’s time for a change,” Charlotte tells her. “Like moving out of the home you share with Oscar.” That’s probably a good idea.
“I haven’t really lived on my own,” Isla responds.
“Maybe a new job as well,” Charlotte adds.
Isla stills. “You mean leave Dirty Texas?”
“Yeah, you have worked there your whole entire adult life. You’re with them twenty-four seven. I’ve known you most of my life, Isla, and don’t forget I’m the one that saw the two of you as kids. I know I was young but I had eyes. Is being the band’s assistant always what you wanted to do?” Wow, we are going deep tonight. Maybe it’s the English fresh air making everyone see life a little clearer.
“I think Charlotte is being Dr. Phil.” Derrick smirks.
“I think she is...” Isla pauses, “...but I kind of think she might be right.”
“I am?” Charlotte seems shocked and I’m right there with her.
“Yeah, all my life I’ve been at the boys’ beck and call, maybe it’s time I find myself, find out what I want outside of Dirty Texas.”
“Well we need help,” Sienna adds. I agree, especially with Sienna having another baby.
“That sounds awesome, but maybe I need to move further away from Finn, you know, instead of next door.” Boo. But she’s probably right.
“Sebastien needs an assistant. He’s so busy and needs someone who he can trust,” Yvette suggests.
“Working with Sebastien?”
“Yeah, you would be based in Europe, so that’s pretty far from Finn.”
“And you think he would hire me? I mean I don’t know anything about food or chefs or Europe.” Isla seems a little excited about this idea. Oscar is going to lose his mind. Fuck. I hate being stuck in the middle of those two, they both have my loyalty.
“I’m pretty sure working for Dirty Texas for all these years you are way over qualified for him,” Yvette chuckles.
Isla turns to Vanessa. “Am I fucking things up for you and Dirty Texas Records if I think about leaving? I mean you are going to be having a baby soon and...”
“Isla, don’t worry about me, I can find a replacement. I just want you to be certain this is the right thing for you to do? Leaving Dirty Texas? Leaving Finn?”
“We know someone that can take over the PR for Dirty Texas,” Camryn adds.
“Who?” Vanessa asks.
“Harper. I don’t know why I didn’t think of it sooner, but she would be kind of perfect. She’s coming to the wedding you could talk to her about it.” Apparently, this Harper girl runs a successful PR firm in New York. She’s friends with Camryn and Kimberly, the wedding planners. She’s heir to the Rose’s Hotel chain and her brother, Sam, is actually helping the boys find Dirty Texas’ new offices in New York. This upper crust world is truly a small place, everyone knows everyone. “She could even work from New York; I know the boys are looking at adding an East Coast office to the mix next year,” Camryn adds.
“I think that would work, depends on what the boys say,” Vanessa tells her.
“So does that mean Isla can go on an adventure with sexy Sebastien?” Derrick asks.
“I can’t see why not, I don’t think Finn or Oscar are going to like it, but I think Isla deserves a break from all things Dirty Texas that she has been dealing with over the years. Why not have a change? Maybe then Finn might realize what he has when Isla’s not around anymore,” Vanessa reassures.
“This is kind of crazy though.” Isla looks around at everyone.
“Yes, but you need a new adventure,” I tell her.
“Forget Finn and start living,” Derrick adds.
“This is your time now, no regrets, this is about you not them anymore,” Charlotte gives her a pep talk.
“Okay, well if Sebastien is okay with it then, yeah, I think it’s time for a new adventure.”
We all cheer with our hot chocolates. I’m not looking forward to Oscar and Finn finding out.
255
Stacey
We’ve just had the rehearsal dinner for Vanessa and Christian and we’ve continue celebrating in the dining hall, everyone else has retired and just the normal gang is left. The drinks are flowing and we’ve all had one too many glasses of champagne, but it’s a happy occasion. Isla stands and taps a knife against her crystal glass. Tap, tap, tap. The room falls silent.
“I have an announcement to make.” Reaching under the table, I grab Oscar’s hand and entwine our fingers together, because I know what’s about to happen. “For the past ten years I have been working with the amazing guys of Dirty Texas.” She looks out at everyone, her hands are shaking. “It’s been a crazy rollercoaster of a ride and I have loved every moment of it...” Oscar squeezes my hand, I’m suspecting he knows something is about to happen. “But I have decided to pursue a new adventure.” Shock hits the room. Oscar stills beside me. My thumb rubs his hand, hopefully soothing him. “I’m going to be Sebastien’s new assistant.” Oscar doesn’t move. I turn to look at him, he’s frozen, absorbing the information. Looking over I see the devastation that is written all over Finn’s face. He looks crushed. He knows he can’t say anything because that will out him to Oscar and he won’t risk that.
“I am so happy for you.” Derrick is the first to congratulate Isla. This prompts the rest of the room to do so. One by one everyone hugs her, pats her on the back, thanking her for always being there for them. But Oscar still hasn’t moved.
“Are you okay?” I lean over to him.
“I think so.” Oscar slowly stands up and makes his way over to where Isla is standing. The room has gone silent again. All eyes are on them in this moment. Please don’t lose it, Oscar, please. Oscar then surprises everyone and pulls his sister into a tight hug. Tears begin to well in Isla’s eyes.
“If this is what you want, Is, I’ll support you.” She breaks down in his arms, the stress of telling him evident. She hugs him tightly again. I am so proud of him in this moment. “I’m going to miss you. You know that, right? We’ve been side by side for so many years.”
“I know.” She sniffles. “But that’s why I have to do this.” He kisses her forehead.
“I’ll support you no matter what. You know you can always talk to me. I had no idea you were so unhappy.” Isla’s face softens at her brother’s concern.
“You are pretty over protective.” Oscar huffs, which makes us all laugh, because it’s the truth.
“I know. Go see the world. Enjoy life. Have some fun. Find yourself.” They hug again. Now I can breathe a sigh of relief. I’m going to show him how proud I am of how he handled this situation tonight when we get back to our room. Oscar then turns and points directly at Sebastien.
“Hands off my sister.” Ah, and there he is. Sebastien fidgets in his chair uncomfortably but nods in agreement.
“Oscar!” Isla y
ells at her brother. “You can’t talk to my new boss like that.” Isla looks over to where Sebastien is sitting and mouths, “Sorry.”
“Congrats,” Finn mumbles. Isla looks over at him giving him a small smile before turning back to the group. Finn looks devastated. Something bad must have happened between them because that was cold. Did this trigger her need to get out of town? Derrick and Finn are whisper yelling between each other. Finn looks angry and hurt. Whatever is going on between them, Derrick looks pissed. He eventually turns his back to Finn and starts talking to someone else. I feel for Finn in this moment, he seems all alone. Something happens internally. He jolts up quickly, his chair scarping on the floor, echoing throughout the room, which makes everyone look up.
“I need my beauty sleep guys. Got to look fresh for the wedding tomorrow.” He plasters a big smile on his face, but his eyes tell the real story. People wave him goodbye, Isla doesn’t even acknowledge his leaving then he rushes out of the room. I follow after him. No one else seems to care, but I do.
“Finn,” I call down the corridor. He stops and turns around. His eyes are bloodshot, his face is wet. I rush to him and pull him into a big hug. He wraps his long arms around me and cries. “I don’t know what is going on but please let me help.” He shakes his head. The man looks broken. I grab his hand and pull him into one of the rooms that is off to the side of the hallway. It looks like an office of some sort. “Sit.” I point to one of the old leather chairs. “Tell me what is going on. I know something has happened between you and Isla. I think in Monaco.” His eyes widen. Bingo. “She won’t tell me a thing. But I did notice that she has been a little distant with you.” Finn leans forward and rubs his face with his hands.
“I can’t tell you.” He looks up at me.
“Why? Because of Oscar?” He nods. Something he doesn’t want me to tell Oscar about.
“You know Isla confides in me about you?” This surprises him. “I know pretty much everything. Don’t you think Oscar would have kicked your ass by now if I had told him?” He nods in agreement. “If it’s something important, Finn, I promise I won’t tell him. But it looks like you could use someone in your corner right about now.” I tap his knee.
“Please, Stace. I mean it. Please don’t say anything to Oscar. I know he would murder me.” Little dramatic, but I get what he is saying.
“I’m guessing you know everything up until Monaco.” I nod my head. “So while you guys were having fun at The Paradise Club, Isla and I were too.” Didn’t need to be a detective to work that out. “She knows that we all have our kinks and she seemed down with exploring things.” This surprises me but everyone is entitled to getting a little crazy sometimes. “I took her to the room.”
“Oh, Finn.”
“I know. It was stupid. It freaked her out.” The room is basically one massive orgy. You have no idea who is touching you, fucking you. The lights flash every couple of minutes and all you see is bodies. It’s so much fun, but not really for the inexperienced. “That was the beginning of the end between us.” His shoulders slump in defeat. “Because what happened next really put the nail in the coffin.” Oh no. “I have a secret, Stacey. A secret no one really knows about.” This sounds serious.
“Whatever it is, Finn, it won’t change the way I see you. I promise.” I reach out to hold his hand, reassuring him that I am there for him, because I think he feels awfully alone right now.
“Isla found out about it and now I disgust her.” Tears fall down his cheeks.
“Hey. No. Isla could never be disgusted with you. I mean look at Oscar and I. We are together but have sex with other people, and that’s her brother, you’d think she would be disgusted over that, but she’s not. She doesn’t get it but she’s certainly not disgusted. Plus, Isla loves you.” Finn just shakes his head.
“Loved me. Past tense. I fucked up, Stace. I really fucked up.”
“It might feel like that now, but…” He shakes his head.
“She’s running half way across the world to get away from me.” See, I knew it. I knew something else had made her make this decision.
“It’s going to be okay.”
“She caught me in the shower with someone.” She’s caught him plenty of times before; I don’t understand how this time it would make her run. “It was a man.” Oh. My eyes widen. Oh. Wow. I had no idea.
“Are you gay?” Is that why he’s not into her? Finn shakes his head.
“I’m like you, Stace. I like playing with the opposite sex, but I don’t want to date them.” Oh, I see. I know I shouldn’t be thinking this at the moment because Finn is so devastated, but Finn with a man is all kinds of hot. Standing up, I walk over and give him a hug. I get now why Isla has been so indifferent toward Finn. She probably feels like a fool, pining after this man for so many years and then realizing he’s not into her because she doesn’t have the right bits.
“You need to talk to her, Finn. Explain the situation. I know it’s going to be hard, but you can’t let her go to Paris with all this hanging over you.”
“She really hates me, Stacey.”
“It’s not hate, Finn. I honestly think she’s embarrassed. She’s pined after you for so long. You give her hope each time you are together. Then she stumbles upon you with a man. She’s probably second guessing everything you have ever had. She’s probably really confused.” Finn nods his head in understanding. “Talk to her. Get it all out in the open and whatever happens, happens.”
“You’re right.” At least he doesn’t look as defeated. “Thank you for listening.” He gives me another hug. “Can I just say this? I like you and Oscar together. I’ve never seen him happier.”
“Aww, thank you. We may not be conventional but it works.”
I walk Finn out of the office and he heads back up to his room.
“There you are.” Oscar surprises me. My heart almost jumps out of my chest.
“What were you and Finn doing?” He wraps his arms around me.
“He seemed really upset over Isla leaving, so I wanted to check on him.” Oscar’s ice blue eyes narrow on me.
“I didn’t think he would care.” Oh, Oscar Eriksen is digging for gossip.
“Well he does.” Oscar pulls me tighter into him.
“I’m not blind, Stace. I know they’ve hooked up in the past.” My eyes widen, a little shocked because they both have no idea. “But I think it will be good for them both to have time apart. I want Isla to be happy.”
“And you think that is far away from Finn.”
“Yes. He can’t give her what she wants or needs.” Does Oscar know? He must. They are best friends.
“Come on. Let’s forget about our friends’ problems and let me take you to bed.” I distract him with my lips.
256
Oscar
I’m picking Stacey up from LAX airport. She’s been away for two weeks in Australia with her family while I’ve been in New York looking for new digs for Dirty Texas Records. I’ve missed her so badly, especially when out on the town in New York with Finn and Sam. Sam’s a friend of Nate’s who’s been helping us find commercial space in New York. His family own hotels or something. He’s a nice guy. He took us out to some clubs, but honestly, I wasn’t interested, especially not in the women who wanted to get close with me. None of them could compare to Stacey. I graciously palmed them off to Finn and Sam. Most nights I left them to it and went home. Who the hell have I become? Christian did warn me; one day a woman would turn my life upside down and that no one else would matter except her. Fuck. I’m at that point. Stacey has utterly pussy whipped me, and I don’t even care. Not even the slightest.
I patiently wait my turn in the line with everyone else. Then I see her, her blonde hair is pulled up into a ponytail, she’s dressed in leggings and a long jumper. She’s texting on her phone. I honk my horn which gets her attention, and when she sees it’s me, her whole face lights up. I don’t dare get out, I probably look like a dick but I don’t want anyone to see us. I pres
s the button for the trunk which pops open. She throws her suitcase into the back of my truck and closes it again. Stacey jumps into the passenger seat and gives me a long kiss. Horns honk behind us, pulling us from our moment. Thankfully, my windows are tinted and no one saw what just happened. Taking her hand in mine, I merge back into traffic and straight into a traffic jam.
“It’s so good to be back in LA,” she jokes.
“Not the best welcome home.” I grin. Our fingers stay locked together. “I missed you.”
“I missed you too. It didn’t look like you were very lonely, though.” She raises a brow at me. Shit, is she pissed about the paparazzi photos, because we spoke about it on the phone when I found out about them. They were nothing serious just photos of girls all around us.
“Babe, I told you I was so sorry about that. I…” Stacey bursts out laughing.
“Oscar.” I turn and look over at her. “I’m just playing with you.” She gives me a blinding smile. Oh thank God. I thought I was about to be sick over it all. “Oh, babe, you were seriously worried about those photos, weren’t you? I can see it on your face.”
“I just didn’t want you to think that I was doing something I wasn’t.” I squeeze her hand.
“Oscar, I trust you. I’m sorry I made a really bad joke about it.” She kisses my knuckles. “Let me make it up to you when we get home, okay?” My dick twitches to life.
“I think I need to make it up to you.” I look over her hungrily.
“I guess we are both going to be winners when we get home.” Home. That has a nice ring to it. But then I realize she means her apartment, not my place.
“Hey, what’s that face for?”
“When you said home, I automatically assumed my place.”
“It is your home.”
“I kind of thought it was ours in that moment.” She looks over at me surprised. “I don’t know if I want you going back to your apartment. I’ve missed you so much since you’ve been away. I kind of want you in my bed.” Stacey tilts her head to the side as she stares at me.
