Piper let go of my hand and then pulled me in for a hug. “Have fun.”
“Wait!” I tugged her back. “Where the hell do you think you’re going?”
“No girls allowed.” She crossed her arms.
I rolled my eyes. “Well, I’m your ride, and this is my surprise, right?”
She nodded.
“Then you stay.” I grinned. “Hope you can handle a bunch of washed-up rock stars.”
“Heard that!” Alec shouted.
I always gave them shit, but AD2 had sold millions upon millions of albums. Even in their late twenties, they were still going strong. Adrenaline had just released a second album while Drew had done a solo release, the one I’d headlined for, and sold another ten million. Between them and Zane, it was like rock star royalty at that table, and I was the lucky one who counted all of them as mentors and friends—at least when they weren’t being dicks via text message.
“Come on.” I walked her toward the table and pulled out her chair.
“Holy shit.” Zane grinned from ear to ear. “Did you just grow manners?”
“Bro, yesterday I saw chin hair. He can finally get a beard too. Wild, right?” Ty joined in.
I glared at them both. “I have manners, and stop making it sound like you picked me up off the streets of Portland’s homeless section.”
Drew shrugged. “I mean, we did save your life. But yeah, sure, downplay it all you want.”
I gave him the finger.
Alec and Demetri eyed Piper up and down and then looked at me. I knew the questions were swirling between them.
“What?” I prodded.
Demetri was the first to flash a flirty grin. “So, how’s the kissing?”
Piper’s eyes went wide. “How’d you know?”
“Yes!” Demetri shot to his feet and held out his hand to Will, who was also my agent. He slapped a hundred-dollar bill into Demetri’s hand. “Pleasure doing business with you, William.”
“Bite me.” Will glared and then gave Piper a soft look. “Don’t worry, it’s the only thing we bet on.”
“Speak for yourself,” Drew said from his end of the table. “I saw sparks on day one.”
Zane just nodded. “He nearly combusted on the spot. It was cute. God, I hate how fast they grow.” He wiped fake tears from under his eyes while I tossed a fork in his direction. The bastard caught it with one hand and winked.
“Be nice.” I glared. “All of you.”
Trevor reached for his cider and tilted his head like he was trying to figure out how to ask a question. Finally, he just said, “How’s it been going?”
Code for: Are you going to be able to tour?
I took a deep breath and said, “Well this one over here”—I pointed to Piper—“just announced my name by the seals where a dozen of Seaside High’s finest were hanging out with cell phones. I didn’t shit myself or puke in the corner, so…I’m doing better. I guess.”
“Bro!” Trevor gave me a fist bump while Drew and Zane shared a look with Piper.
“Yeah.” I shrugged. “I mean, we’re only what? Six days in? Hopefully, it just gets better and better.”
“Ask him about the dick on his vision board,” Drew blurted.
I glared. “For the last time, it was a music note!”
“Yeah.” Zane snorted and made air quotes with his fingers. “A music note.”
Piper burst out laughing. “I think the glitter was my favorite part.”
“Hold up,” Alec held out his hand. “Did you really force him to make a vision board…with glitter?”
“Yup.” Piper looked so damn proud, even I was amused. “And he’s doing a really good job. You know, when he’s not using his powers for evil like gluing glitter dicks.”
“And here I thought he was all grown up.” Zane sighed and shook his head. “You’ll have to be patient with our young Braden. He’s clearly still pubescent.”
“Please don’t force him to pull something out to prove how not pubescent he is. We don’t need that shit on the news.” Will groaned. Ha, he knew me well, because I’d been tempted.
“Nah.” I shot a smile to Piper. “No pulling out parts in front of a lady.”
Demetri laughed. “Bro, that’s because you’d go to jail.”
“He’s not wrong,” Alex chimed in.
I stole some of their fries and then ordered a cider when the waiter came, only to be shocked as hell when Piper ordered a beer.
The entire table fell silent, but she simply gave us all an innocent look and said, “What? I’m not under the cider rule, so I’m gonna enjoy a nice IPA.”
“Why does that sound like dirty talk?” I wondered out loud. “Anyone else feel affected by the word beer?”
All hands rose.
Piper grinned. “I think I like you guys.”
“We’re super likable, just ask our wives,” Zane said smoothly, earning a smack in the back of his head by Drew. “What?”
“You literally slept on the couch last night because you wouldn’t get your wife ice cream.”
“It was four a.m.!” Zane argued. “The store wasn’t even open, and then she said if I was a good husband, I would make some. To which I replied, ‘From what? The goat next door?’ She straight-up pointed to the door and said, ‘Come back with the goat milk or you’re sleeping on the couch.’” He shrugged. “I attempted to explain to the neighbor, but the goat’s a pet, and then you have to like”—he made a pinching motion with his fingers—“do this weird tug and pull. It felt very uncomfortable watching those YouTube videos, so I came back and took the couch.”
“I miss Nat being pregnant,” Alec said dreamily. “She had so much junk food in the house, it was heaven. Now we have kale and vegan butter.”
I made a face. “What the hell is that made of?”
“Not food!” Alec pounded his hand on the table.
“Hear, hear.” Will lifted his cider, and everyone cheered. Piper just sat there slack-jawed.
I elbowed her. “You’ll get used to them.”
Her face fell a bit. I wasn’t sure why, but it was like some of the light had left her eyes. I hated that my words made her feel that way.
The rest of the night went by in a blur. We laughed, we ate, we each had one cider, and as instructed, everyone got home at a decent hour.
Us included.
And just like that, we fell back into our nightly routine, moving around the house like we’d lived together for years. I put on my sweats, she put on her sexy sleep set, and we fell asleep in the living room.
Me with a smile on my face, holding her hand.
Her with a smile on her face, holding my heart.
Chapter Ten
Piper
I woke up smiling, a first for me. Braden was still sleeping soundly, so I tiptoed around him to grab my phone and frowned.
My boss had called six times.
Panicked, I quickly dialed the number.
He picked up on the first ring. “Piper.”
“Larry.” I cleared my throat. “What’s going on? Are you okay?”
“Piper, I think you should sit down.”
My heart was in my throat as I sat down on one of the bar stools. Braden stretched his arms over his head then shot me a curious look.
I mouthed, “Boss.”
He nodded and then started getting up and moving into the kitchen.
“I’m sitting,” I said in a weak voice.
“Have you seen the news recently?”
“No.” I frowned. “I’ve been working.”
“That’s the thing, though. You know how the media can be. Maybe you are working, but the world now has you pinned as Braden Connor’s new girlfriend. It’s all over social media, as is our company name and speculation that you were sent to help him only to snatch him up yourself.”
I gasped. “I would never—”
“There’s pictures. Of you two kissing.”
I couldn’t deny that, not when I’d participated. �
�Look, I can explain. Just let me finish up with him and—”
“You aren’t getting paid to flirt with the client or to kiss him. You’ve always followed the rules, Piper, and you’re damn good at your job. I honestly thought you could handle this. You’ve worked with A-list celebrities before. Been hit on numerous times. As your boss, I’m disappointed, but as your friend, I can somewhat understand how it would be easy to fall for someone. You’re a fixer. When something’s broken, you do whatever you can to make it better. That’s why you’re good. But we can’t have our name attached.” His loud sigh sounded like static in my ear. “I’m going to have to let you go.”
Tears welled in my eyes and then quickly spilled over. “I…I understand.”
“I’m sorry, Piper. Like I said, you’re damn good, but this is bad for business. And for any future clients. I’ll have your assistant pack up your desk. I did convince the CEO to give you a severance package, even though you’re being let go, on account of how many clients you’ve helped. But as of now, you no longer work for LC Corporations.”
I almost dropped the phone as tears slid down my cheeks. “Okay, thank you for letting me work for you for so long.”
He sighed again like he wanted to say more but then said, “Piper, as a friend who golfs with your dad and has watched you grow from an insecure teen to the woman you are now, it has to be said. I’ve never seen you look as happy as you do in the pictures circulating around. Maybe, just maybe, getting fired is the gift, not the punishment.”
I couldn’t speak for a few seconds and then said, “Thank you for saying that.”
“Anytime.”
“Goodbye.”
“Goodbye, Piper.”
I hung up the phone and stared at it.
Within seconds, Braden was in front of me, cupping my face and wiping my tears with his thumbs. He didn’t ask what was wrong, he didn’t even ask what had happened. All he did was pull me into his arms and whisper, “I’m here.”
It was exactly what I needed.
I wrapped my arms around him and cried. Cried because it was my own stupid fault, cried because the writing was on the wall. But mainly, I cried because, for the first time in my life, I had no vision. How was I supposed to help Braden if I couldn’t even help myself?
After about ten minutes of sniffling against his bare skin, I pulled back and blurted, “I got fired.”
“What?” he roared. “How? Why?”
“Pictures of us kissing.” I shrugged. “I overstepped. The company can’t associate with an employee who basically sets fire to the rules about client and employee relationships.”
His face fell. “I pushed you, I pushed this. It’s my fault.”
I slugged him in the arm. “Trust me, I was very willing.”
He pulled me in for a hug. “Please tell me you’ll stay anyways.”
I sobered. “I don’t know, Braden. Technically, I’m not your life coach anymore—”
He put a finger to my lips and whispered, “You’re right. Now I’m yours.”
Stunned, I could only stare at him, but he just grinned and pulled me to my feet.
“Some really smart, sexy woman once told me to think about what happens when you lose your passion, or maybe even your way.” He led me over to the art supplies and pulled out a piece of white poster board. “I think it’s about damn time you create a new one. Just promise me I’ll be part of it.”
I kissed him so hard he fell against the glitter.
He flashed me a wicked grin and then devoured my mouth, pulling back only to say, “Maybe this will be the best thing that’s ever happened to you.”
“Being jobless and homeless?”
“We’ll figure it out. And fun fact, you’re sort of kicking back with a guy who’s worth like fifty million dollars, give or take a few million when I like to buy a new car. I think you’re gonna be just fine.”
I frowned. “I can’t mooch off you!”
“Sharing. Say it with me, we’re sharing. Plus, it looks like you owe me another fifteen days, and I owe you the same. You’re not going anywhere, Coach.” He brushed a gentle kiss across my lips and whispered, “You’re mine.”
Chapter Eleven
Braden
I felt so horrible that she got fired that I instantly went into fix-it mode, but I knew I couldn’t fix it. And I was part of the reason it’d happened to begin with, so all I could do was support her and help guide her along. In that moment, I realized that was exactly what she’d been doing for me. Guiding me, helping me figure things out. She’d been the rock I needed, the person who pushed me. She didn’t judge me, she prodded me regardless of how much I pushed back. So when I suggested she make a new vision board, I figured she’d push like I did.
Instead, she held out her hand and said, “Give me the glitter.”
“Roger.” I handed it to her and then tossed her the glue stick. “So, what’s first?” We had magazines all around us, books, newspaper clippings, crafts, letters. Basically, like a scrapbook store had shit itself on my favorite table. But it was for her, and I didn’t care.
She stared down at the board, and then I saw real fear, panic. I quickly squeezed her hand. “Hey, hey, this doesn’t mean you can’t change your board later. Maybe you just put down something you want to keep doing.”
“Helping.” She inhaled slowly. “I still want to help people.”
“Good. Maybe you write that in glitter to get started, and then we come back to it.”
“Okay.” She did exactly that, making my board look horrendous in comparison. And then she grabbed a little picture of a puppy that was in a magazine and glued it to the board.
“Um, should I be insulted that you put a puppy on there before my face?”
I was literally on the cover of Teen Beat sitting next to her.
“Rock star’s got an ego.”
“My face is next to your hand!” I pointed out.
She laughed and then eyed the magazine. “Yeah but it’s not the best picture of you. I mean, my vision board has to be pretty.”
I gasped. “Did you just call me ugly?”
She leveled me with a cool stare as she very slowly walked over to me and picked up a pink marker then straight up drew on my arm. “Sexy.”
“I may tattoo that,” I whispered. “Since it’s technically the only space I have left.”
“Ah, so people don’t walk up to you and go ‘I wonder if he’s good-looking or not. Oh thank God he wrote it down!’”
“Hilarious.”
“I thought so.” She tossed me the marker. “All right, so now what?”
I ran over to the window and looked outside in a panic.
She chased after me. “What? Is there going to be a waterspout?”
I slowly turned. “Do you even know what that is?”
“Yeah, like a water tornado!”
“Do you know where we are?” I said slowly.
She glared. “Why did you run?”
“Oh, that.” I smirked. “I was just seeing if pigs were flying. Alas, they’re not, so you really did just ask me for direction instead of giving orders.” I patted her on the head. “I’m so damn proud.”
She swatted my hand away. “Technically, I don’t work for you anymore.”
“Good.” I pushed her against the nearest wall and captured her mouth with mine. “Then you don’t have to feel guilty for enjoying this,” I murmured against her lips.
She pulled back with a coy smile. “Who says I’m enjoying this?”
I pressed my palm to her chest and found her rapidly beating heart. “This does.”
“Maybe I’m just excited about vision boards.”
“Maybe you’re a little liar,” I argued and then slid my hand up her shirt, feeling her bare skin and finding a nipple. I grinned. “Yup, she’s a liar.”
She let out a little moan, and then I was lifting up her shirt and sucking, swirling my tongue around my new favorite spot and wondering why we hadn’t already explored.
Guilt on my part?
Contracts on hers?
Hell, the heart wants what it wants. I’d always heard that from my mom, but I’d never understood it until now. I just wanted her.
Her head fell back, banging against the wall, and a picture crashed to the floor.
We broke apart. I laughed since I’d just been thinking about my mother. “It’s okay, it was just a picture of my mom, no big.”
“Oh no, really?”
“Yeah maybe just don’t mention that to her when you meet her. Like, ‘Oh yeah, he was totally sucking off my right tit and then bam, I nearly orgasmed, hit my head against the wall, and your picture just…died.’”
Her face flamed red like a tomato. “That’s…I would never!”
“You’re beautiful when you’re embarrassed and horrified because of me. It’s kind of a turn on, you know?”
She shoved playfully at my chest. “All right, so, we have the rest of the day, and you’re still not ready to go on tour. What are you ready to do? What’s going to get you prepared for the crowds, the noise, the stares?”
I tilted my head and really thought about it. “Maybe the dark?”
“The dark?” she repeated. “Like hiding out in the dark?”
“No. Like going to the movies dark. You can still see things, but you have to focus harder. It was really dark that night.” A tremor rippled along my spine until I started to shake a bit.
Warm palms settled against my cheeks as she cupped them gently, and I looked up.
“Sorry.”
“Don’t apologize,” she pleaded softly.
“It’s a vicious cycle, you know, re-living that moment.”
“The news said you saved a lot of people,” she whispered in comfort.
I scowled. “Saved? Saved?”
“Braden—”
“Fuck them!” I roared. “It was because of my music that the dickhead was even there. As if I would somehow send a fan a secret message to kill all my other fans! He was psychotic! No, I didn’t save shit. Five people still died, at my concert, with my music playing, with me singing on stage. I got fucking shot in the leg. I didn’t save shit. I might as well have been holding the damn gun, pulling the fucking trigger myself.” I shook my head and stomped away, pissed at myself for blowing up, pissed that I was talking about it, just pissed.
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