Live Like You Mean It

by Ava Stone

  “Thanks.” I shrugged. “Actually, I invited her to practice on Saturday. You can see what I mean about that sunshine thing.”

  “Lookin’ forward to it.” Daniel poked his head out of the unit and then yelled across the way, “Hey! You said you were going to be late, not that we’d be old fucking men by the time you got here.”

  “Sorry!” Cade’s voice drifted in from the darkness. “I got held up.”

  “You were getting laid,” Daniel grumbled. “Don’t be a dick, Cade.”

  He said he’d call me later. And he had, but I was signing someone in and couldn’t answer my phone. And when I called him back, I got voicemail. I did like the sound of his voice. I would have called back again just to hear it, but I didn’t want his phone to show two missed calls. That would scream desperation, and that was the last thing I wanted.

  After my shift was over, I took my tulips, went home and fell dead asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow. I probably could have slept for a whole day if Winston hadn’t decided sometime the next morning that my face made the best bed. I woke up sputtering black and white cat hair and pushing fifteen pounds of stubborn off my face. “God, Winston,” I complained as I sat up. “Why don’t you go smother Mom? You’re her baby.”

  He meowed and jumped off the bed like I’d offended him somehow.

  I stumbled out of bed and made my way downstairs for some coffee. Mom was sitting at the kitchen table, engrossed with something on her iPad. “Morning,” I mumbled as I padded past her toward the cabinet for a K-cup.

  “Nice flowers,” she said without even looking up from her device.

  “Yeah,” I agreed, retrieving a mug from the cupboard. “They’re real pretty.”

  “Where’d they come from?” she asked, finally lifting her gaze to look at me.

  “Brody Campbell.” I shrugged, turning my attention to the Keurig. “The guy from the other night.”

  “The guy from Jason’s band?”

  “Mmm-hmm.” I mean there’d only been one guy in a really long time. But saying those words out loud was bound to get her annoyed with me. “He brought them by the ER last night.”

  The Keurig whirred, and I breathed in the aroma of my donut shop coffee. I turned around with my mug in my hands to find my mother’s blue gaze trained on me like a TV police detective.

  “So you like this boy?”

  Brody was hardly a boy. But, I guess my mother might see him that way. Still, there was no reason for the Spanish Inquisition first thing in the morning. “They’re just flowers, Mom.”

  She nodded slightly. “You planning on seeing more of him?”

  I took a sip of my coffee to avoid answering her right away. Why was she giving me the third degree? Had Jason or Mike said something about Brody? After my sip, I shrugged my answer. “He asked me to go hear their band practice Saturday before work.”

  “Jason will be there?”

  “He should be.”

  She heaved a sigh. “Well, if you’re gonna start seeing him, then I want to meet him.”

  “Mom!” I frowned. “I’m not fifteen anymore.”

  “No, you’re not,” she agreed. “I should have done more meeting boys when you were fifteen. I’ve learned from my mistakes, have you?”

  My face burned from the accusation. That was the problem with families. You could never truly start over with your blood relatives. They always remembered anything bad you ever did in your life and they’d make sure you remembered too, right up until you were in the grave. “That’s not fair,” I replied, trying to keep my temper in check. “I’m not the same at all. I’m killing myself every day to do the right thing for Aiden, for me. You know that.”

  She nodded. “And part of doing the right thing, Leah, is surrounding yourself with people who want the best thing for you. If this Brody of yours is an upstanding boy, he won’t have a problem meeting me.”

  I glared at my mother. “You don’t think that sends a message, Mom? You really think I should ask him to come over and meet my family after one date?”

  “It absolutely sends a message,” she said calmly. “It says you have a family who wants what’s best for you. And I think that a boy who brings you flowers would appreciate knowing that.”

  More like chase him right off into the night. Was that what she wanted? For me to be dried up and alone for the rest of my life? “I’m not asking him to come over here.” That was ridiculous after one date. I mean, we hadn’t even had one date. It was more like a quarter of a date, if I was being honest.

  Her brow rose like it had my whole life, whenever I challenged her. “Then I don’t think I can watch Aiden for you.” She shrugged. “I suppose you could always take him with you on these dates, if you wanted. Might cramp your style a little bit, though.”

  Sometimes my mother really could be a cold-hearted bitch. “Thanks, Mom, for understanding. I really appreciate it.” Then I left the kitchen before I said something I couldn’t take back, something she wouldn’t ever forgive me for.

  I took my coffee and retreated to my bedroom, mad as I’d been in a long time. I knew I owed her. She helped me with Aiden every day. She let us stay with her when it would be easier to sell the house and move into something smaller and more manageable. But that didn’t mean she could dictate my choices from now until the end of time. I wasn’t fifteen anymore. I was almost twenty-one, for God’s sake.

  “No.” Aiden’s voice floated from my room. “I don’t know,” he said a half-second later.

  What was he doing awake this early? “Aiden sweetie?” I said as I walked into my room. “What are you doing in mommy’s room?”

  He was playing with my iPhone like it was an airplane. “Mommy!” he squealed, and dropped my phone on the bed before sliding off the edge.

  “Sweetheart.” I picked him up, one handed, careful not to spill my coffee. “What are you doing awake?”

  A soft voice emanated from my cell phone on the bed. “Leah?”

  Oh my God! Someone was on the phone? “Uh—” I called, “hang on a minute.” Then I glanced down at my son. “Were you talking on mommy’s phone?” I put my coffee on the dresser and then retrieved my cell from the bed. And then…

  Oh. My. God.

  A familiar 404 phone number illuminated my screen and my stomach plummeted. How was it even possible that Aiden was talking to Brody Campbell? I looked at my little boy once more, then I lifted the phone to my ear. “Brody?” I asked. My voice sounded nervous and uneasy to my own ears. “Is that you?”

  “Yeah.” He sounded raspy, like he’d just woken up.

  Shit, shit, shit!

  “Did you call me?” I asked, praying that was what had happened, that Aiden had somehow answered my phone and not the other way around.

  “Last night,” Brody said and then yawned.

  Last night? I cringed and bit my lip. “Oh my God. I’m so sorry,” I began. “He woke you, didn’t he?” It was my fault. I should keep my phone locked, but I never had. I’d never needed to until now, apparently.

  “No. I was awake,” he said groggily.

  “Liar,” I replied.

  He laughed and the sound warmed me from the inside out. “All right. You caught me.”

  “I’m so sorry,” I said again. “You were the last number I dialed. He must have hit the call button. I am so, so sorry.”

  “I was gonna call you anyway,” he said, sounding slightly more awake.

  “Hold on a sec,” I said. Then I put Aiden on the floor. “Go potty and then go downstairs for breakfast. Nana’s in the kitchen already.”

  “My phone,” Aiden said, pointing up at my cell.

  “My phone.” I stressed the my. “You can’t play with mommy’s phone. Go potty, sweetie.” Then I lifted the cell back to my ear. “Sorry. You still there?”

  “Yeah.” Amusement laced his voice. “You’re not gonna tell me to go potty are you?”

  My face warmed. “Shut up,” I laughed. “I’m so embarrassed that he called you.�
��

  “Yeah, well, I like hearing your voice in the morning. So it’s fine.”

  “Yeah?” My face got even hotter.

  “Mmm.” The sound of his voice rumbled over me and settled somewhere near my heart. “You have a good night last night?”

  “Yeah, it was slow,” I said, dropping onto my bed to sit cross-legged. “How was your practice?”

  “The same as always, but, uh—” I could hear him smile, “—we’ll make sure to be in peak condition on Saturday for you.”

  The Saturday practice I couldn’t go to. I winced as I said, “About Saturday…”

  “You’re not cancelling on me?” he asked, sounding even more awake than he had up to that point.

  I heaved a sigh. “The thing is, my mom isn’t being very cooperative. She says she won’t watch Aiden.”

  “Why?”

  “Because she wants to meet you first.” I sighed again. “I told her I wasn’t going to do that you, and she said she won’t—”

  “She wants to meet me?”

  “She’s being real stubborn about it.”

  “I’ll meet her,” he said. “You know, if you want me to.”

  Was he really offering to meet my blackmailing mother? “I just don’t want to put you in an awkward position.”

  “So if she meets me, and she likes me,” he began, “she’ll watch your son? Is that the deal?”

  That seemed to be the gist of it. “Yeah.”

  “Ok,” he said, and didn’t sound put out in the least. “I’ll just make sure she likes me then. When do you want me to come over?”

  I could not believe he was agreeing to this. I wouldn’t have in his shoes. “You’ll just make sure she likes you?” I asked, and I couldn’t help but smile. He did sound pretty sure of himself.

  “Mothers love me,” he replied.

  “Mothers love you?” I echoed.

  “Well, mine does anyway,” he chuckled. “Don’t worry about it, Leah. I’ll be on my best behavior. She’ll like me. I promise.”

  “You’re sure about this?” I asked, still not comfortable about the whole thing.

  “I’m sure I want to see you. So…”

  So he’d go through with Mom’s ridiculous demands. “Ok.” I released a breath and my heart lifted. “How about an hour before practice on Saturday, then?”

  “Sure. Just text me your address.”

  My hand hurt like hell, but I’d managed to get through the set, which was all I had to do tonight. Booster fundraisers paid like shit, but the events didn’t last long, and that was a blessing tonight.

  I was unplugging my amp from the speaker when a hand clapped me on the back. I looked over my shoulder to find Jack Price, the head of the business school, smiling at me. I must have been out of it. I had no idea Price was there tonight. If I had seen him earlier, I’d have been quicker about packing up.

  “Ah, Mr. Campbell.” He reached his hand out to me. “I understand your father’ll be visiting soon.”

  “Yeah, I understand the same thing,” I said. Though I’d only heard that through my brother. Maybe I’d luck out and the asshole wouldn’t want to see me while he was in town.

  “I keep expecting to see you in my office.”

  “Why?” I frowned at him. “Do we have an appointment?” I didn’t like Jack Price. I never had. He was an old acquaintance of my father’s, and for that reason alone, he wasn’t to be trusted.

  Price smirked in the same condescending way my father always did. Like I was a joke and only he knew the punch line. Prick.

  “Well, it’s your last semester,” he began as though this was new information to me. “I know Preston has some plans for you, but I might know of a few opportunities that could be better suited for you if you’re interested.”

  Was he seriously suggesting I not follow my father’s plans? Mr. Price just went up a few notches in my book. “Yeah? You have an in at DreamWorks?” I teased. Though it never hurt to ask, they were bigger star makers than Mein Music, one of the few.

  Price laughed. He must have been drinking at the open bar they’d had tonight. He’d never seemed even remotely jovial until this moment. “Nothing quite so entertaining,” he replied. “Something more traditional. Consulting firm in DC needs a few creative guys with minds for business.”

  I shook my head. I couldn’t be less interested if I tried. “Wrong coast,” I said. “I’m heading to LA after graduation.”

  At that, he frowned. “I thought Preston—”

  “Yeah, well,” I cut him off, “my dad and I don’t have the same plans for my life.”

  He smiled slightly and respect seemed to flash in his eyes. Huh. I wouldn’t have expected that. Maybe there was more to Price than I’d originally thought. “Well, let me know if you change your mind.”

  “Sure,” I said, then went back to winding up my amp cord.

  Pretty quickly, Daniel, Cade, Jason and I were finished packing up the equipment and then we started for The Closet to unload everything, pick up our cars and go our separate ways. I was glad Daniel was driving the storage unit’s van as it let me check my phone.

  A missed call from my mom and a text from Leah. It was too late to call mom, but only Leah’s text held my interest.

  Good luck tonight. :)

  Three little words, but they made me smile. She’d sent it two hours ago. Maybe I could swing by the hospital after we finished unloading. Thanks. We just finished. U working till midnight?

  “You were behind the beat most of the night.” Jason looked across the van at me.

  The jackass. He didn’t have a hand with fifteen stiches in it, did he? “No, you were ahead of it. If you ever bothered to show up for practice, you’d fucking know that.”

  He shook his head like I was the difficult one.

  My phone dinged and I looked back down at the screen. Yeah. Midnight.

  Perfect. I didn’t have anything else planned for the night. Can I swing by in an hour?

  I’ll get yelled at if u do :(

  From that bitch at the ER. I can meet u in the parking lot @ midnight. Grab something @ Dukes

  She couldn’t get yelled at for that, could she? Not if her shift was over. Besides, I was meeting her mother the next day, and Leah needed to give me some insider tips. The right things to say. Topics to avoid. That sort of thing.

  Yeah. :)

  Miss you. I probably shouldn’t have sent that last one, but I did miss her. We’d been texting and talking for a couple days, but it wasn’t the same as seeing her. I really wanted to see her. I really wanted to kiss her and whatever else she’d let me get away with. But I couldn’t do any of that in front of her mother. So seeing Leah before tomorrow was imperative to my mental health. My physical health too, for that matter.

  Miss you 2

  “You really ought to put some concealer on your eye.” Daniel turned his attention from driving to look at Cade in the seat beside him. “It looks like shit.”

  It did look like shit, all black and purple like he’d met the wrong end of golf club a couple times. But that’s what happens when you steal your next door neighbor’s girlfriend – or ex-girlfriend or whatever Kelly was to Sean – you get clocked in the face by a guy bigger and stronger than you. I’m just glad I wasn’t home when it happened.

  “Concealer?” Cade asked.

  “Yeah,” I added. “Makeup. Maybe you can borrow some of Kelly’s. She’s got it all over the fucking bathroom like a Mary Kay bomb went off in there.”

  “Fuck you.” He didn’t even bother to look over his shoulder at me.

  Jason stared out the window and tapped his leg to some beat in his head like he couldn’t wait to get away from the rest of us. The feeling was mutual.

  Daniel pulled up to the security gate at the storage unit, punched in the code and then drove through once the gate opened. We quickly unloaded our instruments, all of the amps and speakers and then locked the unit up.

  Jason was the first to leave without even a wave g
oodbye. Good riddance. Dickhead.

  “You wanna get something to drink?” Daniel asked as he started for his Jetta.

  I glanced down at my phone. 11:00pm. “I’m supposed to meet Leah in an hour.”

  “And Kelsey’s waiting for me back at the apartment,” Cade said.

  Daniel stopped mid-step, and I turned and gaped at our drummer. “I’m hoping you mean Kelly,” I said.

  “Yeah.” Cade looked at me like I was crazy. “That’s what I said.”

  “Uh. No.” Daniel shook his head. “You said Kelsey.”

  “I did not,” he protested.

  “Dude,” I couldn’t help but laugh. “You better not make that mistake in front of her.”

  “I did not say Kelsey,” Cade grumbled and sounded more annoyed than he should have.

  “You totally said Kelsey,” Daniel said.

  “Fuck you, Daniel. I did not.”

  Daniel and I exchanged a look. We’d both heard the same thing, but Cade was being stubborn again. I mean, it was an easy mistake to make on his part. Their names were really close. Though they couldn’t be more different in personality. For one thing, Kelly was sane.

  “Whatever,” Daniel muttered. “It’s your circus. You have to live in it, not me.” Then he slid into his Jetta and revved the engine.

  I started for my Jeep and waited for Cade to slide into the passenger seat. I’d drop him off at the apartment and then head over to the hospital to meet Leah.

  “Daniel’s a dick,” Cade grumbled as he buckled his seatbelt.

  “Uh, you said Kelsey,” I told him. “Not Daniel’s fault.”

  He didn’t talk to me most of the way home, which was fine with me. I’d rather keep my mind focused on seeing Leah anyway. I didn’t need any of Cade’s bad vibes affecting the rest of my night.

  Thank God Beth showed up to work. And on time. Not that it had been a bad night or anything, but Brody had pulled into the parking lot about ten minutes before my shift ended. And I was already nervous about seeing him again. If Beth had been late and he’d had to wait for who knows how long, I’d have been even more anxious.