He thought back on the first concert of this tour, the one his family came to and what his mother had said. “My entire family was hoping she’d marry Asher one day. While I was gone building my career, she was at his side, integrating herself into my family.”
“You think your brother is in love with her?”
“How could he not be?” Asher would have to be blind not to see the woman who’d been by his side. “She’s… imperfect, flawed in the best possible ways. She’s beautiful and talented and kind. But what if she’s his? What if one day he comes to take her away from me?”
“First, she’s a person, not a thing, so she doesn’t belong to anyone.” Piper crossed her arms. “Second, she gets to make her own choices. If Asher wants to take her away, it’ll only happen if she lets him. Maybe it’s not Asher’s feelings you don’t trust but hers.”
He scrubbed both hands over his face. “They’ve been friends for fourteen years. I can’t compete with that.”
“The way I see it, Drew, is you have a choice. You either let yourself feel something for her and risk losing her, or you move on. You can’t have it both ways.”
Choice.
What a terrible word. There was no choice when it came to her.
28
Lola
Good boy, Drew Stone, juggles women on tour.
The truth is revealing itself about Drew Stone’s activity on tour. Fans expect bad boy behavior from their favorite British rocker Noah Clarke, but it’s Drew that has us confounded. He was seen two nights ago carrying one of his dancers—not Lola Ramirez—into the back entrance of his hotel. If you’ll remember, he has been linked romantically to his lead dancer, so this comes as a shock to us all.
Is he playing them?
It’s no secret why women flock to the handsome singer, but from a man who usually keeps his private life under lock and key, it makes one wonder, why now? Why these women?
Lola stared at the picture accompanying the article of Drew helping Brooke inside after the charity ball. She couldn’t take her eyes off his tired expression.
There was nothing between Drew and Brooke. She didn’t believe the tabloid for one moment, but they foretold what would happen if anyone found out the truth about her and Drew. Right now, it was only a rumor.
Would the press ever leave them alone if they found out the truth?
Lola leaned back on her bed and scrolled through text messages she had yet to respond to.
Asher: I don’t believe anything they say about you and Drew.
Nora: How does it feel to be famous, chica?
Mom: Mija, someone left an article on my car at work today. Call me, please.
Penny: My new dance teacher stinks.
Lola felt bad about the last one. She’d abandoned her students to chase her own dream, but Penny would survive.
Would Lola?
She hadn’t seen Drew since the ball. Now that they were in New York, he was staying at his apartment in the city. Piper told the dancers it was because they needed to put some separation between him and them for a few days until the next concert so there couldn’t be any more speculation.
There’d been no contact, not like Lola thought there would be. She wasn’t worth causing a media storm over. A few kisses didn’t mean anything in the grand scheme of things.
Nolan and Brooke walked into the room in a flurry of chatter, stopping when they saw her.
“Lo.” Nolan’s brow creased. “Why weren’t you at breakfast?” He tossed her a banana.
She caught it and gave him a grateful smile. “I’m just tired this morning.” In reality, she wasn’t up to sitting around a table listening to the other dancers talk about their bar hopping in the city the night before.
Brooke, who now apparently thought they were best friends, crawled onto the bed beside her. Nolan sat on the other side, squishing her between them.
“Are you ever going to come out with us?” Brooke leaned her head on Lola’s shoulder because they were apparently hugging friends now.
“Probably not.” Lola shrugged, wondering how she could get them to give her some much needed space without being rude.
“But you miss all the fun.”
“Something is bothering you.” Nolan nudged her.
Lola sighed and showed them the article on her phone. “Have you seen this?”
“Yes,” Brooke squealed. “Isn’t it great?”
How was it great? “But you look completely wasted.”
“So.” Brooke took the phone, a smile on her lips. “I’m still in a tabloid.”
Nolan shrugged. “It’s her fifteen minutes.”
“But they think Drew is sleeping with both of us.” Lola looked from Nolan to Brooke.
“And?” Brooke laughed. “We know he’s not, but it doesn’t hurt to be forever connected to him like this.”
Lola didn’t understand this world, but now she wasn’t so sure she wanted to. Her gut clenched as she looked at the article again. “Can I have my phone back?” She held out her hand. “I need to make a phone call.”
Brooke handed it to her and took the banana. “If you’re not going to eat it…”
Lola squeezed out from between them and escaped into the hall. Without Drew staying here, there was no security waiting by the elevators. A few people passed her and nodded in hello, but Lola needed to talk to someone from her real life. Someone who wouldn’t judge her or ask her questions she didn’t want to answer.
She needed her mom.
The phone rang twice before her mom’s familiar accent rang out over the line. “Lola?”
“Hi, Mama.” Words clogged in Lola’s throat as tears poured down her cheeks.
“What’s the matter, Mija?”
Everything. Everything was the matter. She was exhausted from the tour, embarrassed by the tabloids, and unsure where she stood with the one man who was supposed to be in this with her. “You said someone put an article on your car at work?”
She could practically hear her mom nodding before she spoke in Spanish. “It was under my wipers. But I know the words are not the truth, Mija. This… Drew… he comes from a good family. I do not believe the lies about him or about you.”
“What if it were true, Mama? At least part of it. What if I felt something for him?”
“Oh, Lola. I would tell you that you went on that tour to dance, not to fall in love. And then, I would say to protect yourself.”
“Mama, I never said I loved him.” She didn’t. At least, she wasn’t sure if she did. From the moment they danced together, she’d lost herself, and she feared she’d never find her way back.
“I’m not finished. Protect yourself because there is never a convenient time to develop feelings, love or otherwise. Protect yourself because no road is easy, even if he was a regular man. Protect yourself because whatever the truth may be, it must be stronger than the lies.”
Lola wiped the tears from her face and leaned against the wall. “I love you, Mama.”
“You too, Mija. I won’t believe the lies if you won’t.”
She hung up, her mom’s words rolling through her mind. Her truths had to be stronger than the lies. But what were her truths? That was the problem, wasn’t it?
She didn’t know how she felt.
And part of her wondered if whatever they’d started was worth the cost.
“Lo!” At first, she thought she’d imagined the voice. Then, he called louder. “Lola.”
Lola turned to find Asher strolling toward her, a duffel hanging off one shoulder and a grin stretching across his face. He dropped the duffel and ran the rest of the way. Before she could even process his presence, he swept her into his arms and lifted her off the ground.
“Asher?” She pulled back to look at him. “You’re here?”
“I missed you.” As if those three words explained everything, she crushed herself to him, wrapping her arms around him, fearing he might disappear. For so long, she’d been surrounded by near strangers who only k
new her as one of Drew’s dancers. But this man… oh, this man knew her as everything she was.
“What are you doing here?” She couldn’t keep the skepticism from showing on her face.
He set her back on her feet, his face sobering. “I’ve been following the tabloids.” Sympathy entered his gaze. “I’m sorry you’ve been caught up in Drew’s media storm. It’s not fair to you. I figured you could use a friend. Plus, New York City, baby! I needed a night or two away.”
“Well, I’m glad you’re here.” Even after everything, seeing Asher was like being in the comfort of her own home.
Her old feelings tried to rise to the surface, but she squashed them as thoughts of Drew filled her mind and soul. Being with Asher had never lit her on fire that way. Never had her needing more like she needed her next breath.
That was how she knew. She didn’t love Asher except as her very best friend. He was her person and always would be.
“Do you have a hotel room?” She eyed his bag.
“Yeah, it’s a floor below this, but I wanted to see you first.”
That made her smile as she slipped her room key into the slot and pushed the door open. “Well, come in. Welcome to the Drew Stone and Noah Clarke tour.”
Asher lifted his bag and followed her in, stopping when he saw Brooke and Nolan arguing over a TV show.
They stopped arguing when they caught sight of Asher.
“Hello?” Nolan looked from Asher to Lola in question.
Lola gestured to Asher. “This is Asher. Ash, meet Nolan and Brooke.”
“Hey.” Asher shot them his usual confident smile. Unlike Lola, meeting new people didn’t bother him. He could be comfortable around anyone… well, anyone except his brother. “Is Drew around?”
Brooke lifted a brow. “You can’t just waltz into this hotel and expect to meet Drew Stone.”
Asher gave her an amused smile. “He’s my brother.”
Her mouth fell open.
Nolan stood. “Oh, you’re that Asher.” He stuck out his hand. “Good to meet you.”
Asher took it. “Likewise.”
“Are you in town visiting Drew?” Brooke crossed her arms. “Because he’s not staying at the hotel.”
Asher nudged Lola. “Nope, I’m here to see my favorite girl.”
Brooke and Nolan shared a look Lola couldn’t decipher.
“Well.” Brooke clapped her hands together, excitement in her eyes. “Now that you’ve come to see Lola, you can convince her to come out tonight.”
Lola groaned. She already knew what Asher would say.
“One drink,” Brooke pleaded.
Lola shot Asher a warning look, but he ignored her. “Going out in New York City? Count us in!”
Lola couldn’t dwell on her irritation because a knock sounded on the door. She pulled it open to find Noah grinning at her.
“Um, hi.” He wasn’t staying at the hotel either, instead bunking at Drew’s apartment, so she didn’t know why he was here.
“I need your help.” The pleading look he gave her made her curious.
“Come in.”
As soon as he entered, Asher’s eyes rounded. The room suddenly felt very crowded.
“Hey, Noah,” Brooke purred.
Nolan offered a fist, and Noah bumped it before turning back to Lola. “So, New York is my last stop with the tour.”
They’d all known this. Noah and Jo were leaving the tour to be replaced by someone else. Lola was inexplicably sad. She’d never warmed up to Jo—especially after Jo caught her and Drew. But Noah had become a sort of friend.
“What do you need?”
“I want to include a new song in my set, but it’ll require some dance steps, and no matter how hard I try, I can’t seem to come up with anything good on my own.”
“So, you want my help?” She looked to Asher, wanting to say no since he’d come all this way to see her.
Asher glanced at Brooke. “It’s okay, Lo. I’ll hang out with your friends. We’ll have tonight together.”
It shouldn’t have bothered Lola, but she couldn’t help her sigh. “Okay.” She looked down at her pajamas. “Let me change, and I’ll meet you down in the banquet room we’re using for practice.”
“You’re the best.” Noah flashed her a grin that would have most women falling at his feet. Lola only laughed and pushed him toward the door.
By the time she’d changed and walked down to the banquet hall, she tried not to think about Asher in her room with Brooke. Instead, her mind drifted to Drew and the fact he hadn’t called her. Not even a text. She wasn’t under any illusions they were anything to each other, but it still hurt.
Protect yourself. Her mom had said. Well, she was trying.
Jo sat on one side of the room, focused on her phone.
“Ignore her.” Noah shook his head. “She’s kind of cranky in the mornings these days, but even so, we go most places together.”
“Isn’t she cranky all the time?” The words slipped out before Lola could stop them, and she slapped a hand over her mouth.
A laugh boomed out of Noah.
“I heard that,” Jo called, not looking up from her phone. “And the answer is yes, Lola, I’m always pretty cranky.” Pink-tipped hair shielded her face from view.
Lola dropped her voice. “I totally didn’t mean to say that.”
“I’m glad you did.” Noah grinned. “And it’s not even the pregnancy. She’s always been cranky.”
Noah grimaced, realizing what he’d said. “I wasn’t supposed to say that. You need to forget it.”
“I already knew.” Lola shrugged. “It’s not all over the tabloids yet, is it?”
Noah stared at her for a long moment before nodding, seeming to accept her trustworthiness.
“Let’s start.” Dancing would solve anything.
“Jo,” Noah called. “Can you start the song?”
Lola listened to the opening beats. “Okay, show me what you have so far.”
Noah obviously wasn’t a choreographer. He did some kind of cheesy spin thing that Lola couldn’t help but laugh at. “Okay, stop.”
She showed him a few basic steps that would work. He wasn’t a bad dancer, but there were worlds between his and Drew’s skills. Dancing with Noah was fun, but it didn’t cause her hair to stand on end. There was a lot of laughter but little intensity.
Noah was a singer who danced.
But Drew… he was a dancer who could sing. His body was made for it.
Noah went through the simple combination of quick footwork that ended in a jump where he’d have to slide on his knees. “Just make sure to wear pants. No shorts or skirt or anything. You’ll hurt your knees.”
When they’d run through the song more times than Lola could count, Noah collapsed on the ground. “I think I have it enough to wing it.”
Lola sat next to him. “The point of practice is so you don’t have to wing it.”
He shrugged and threw a hand over his face. “Lola Lola Lola… It’ll look somewhat similar to what you taught me. I’m sure I’ll remember at least half the steps and definitely the move at the end.”
Lola shook her head with a laugh. “It’s your show.”
“Not only my show.” Noah lifted his voice. “If only I had a drummer with a single nice bone in her body and a complete love for her best friend that could tell when he was thirsty.” When no one responded, Noah removed his arm. “Being a rock star is such hard work. Not like being a drummer.”
A bottle of water came flying at his face. Noah snatched it out of the air. “It’s like magic.”
Jo pulled another bottle out of her bag. “You want one, Lola?”
“Please.” Jo brought it to Lola, giving Noah a light kick as she passed him.
Lola chugged the cool water.
“Lay down.” Noah patted the spot beside him.
Lola knew she should get back to her room, that she couldn’t abandon Asher for too long, even if she still couldn’t believe he was here.
But instead of walking away, she leaned back next to the British rocker.
He shot her a tired grin. “I don’t know how you and Drew do it. It’s like you’re tireless on stage dancing through every song.”
She shrugged. “We just do. I think the adrenaline keeps us going more than anything else.”
He hummed in the back of his throat. “So, who was that guy in your room?”
“Who? Asher?”
“Asher Stone?” Noah sat up. “That was Drew’s brother? Does Drew know he’s in town?”
“I don’t know. They don’t really get along, but Asher is a friend. I think. After all the…” She paused. “The tabloid stuff, he figured I needed him.”
“I’m sorry the media is doing that to you. You don’t deserve it. But…” He stopped himself.
“But what?”
“Okay, look, I know you and Drew are kissing friends.” He sat up to look down on her.
“Kissing friends?” She laughed at the term and looked across the room to Jo, the woman who’d seen her with Drew.
“Drew doesn’t have kissing friends on tour. Ever.”
Lola pushed herself to her feet. “I’m not talking about this with you.”
“Then, talk about it with Drew.”
She looked at him, wondering what he wasn’t saying. “I have been right here since we got to New York. It isn’t me who needed space from the dancers.” She turned on her heel and marched from the room, wanting to put as much distance between herself and any thoughts of Drew as she could.
She’d thought something would change after their kiss at the ball, that she’d have more clarity.
But his silence spoke volumes.
Maybe she was the one who needed to change.
Because she couldn’t keep letting the Stone boys control her feelings.
Love is a Dance Step (Rockstars Anonymous) Page 21
