Disappointment courses through me. I assume he means for his dad, and I squeeze his arm. “Sure. You want to talk aboutit?”
His expression softens. “Nah. But thanks forunderstanding.”
I want him, and more than that, I care about him. There’s still so much up in the air betweenus.
But it’s hard to be caught up in that. It’s hard to do anything but relax into his arms, surveying theroom.
“Just think. In another year, you could be on contract. On tour,” I say, even though the idea of him being gone tugs at myheart.
“You might have to come withme.”
My stomach flips over. “You invite a girl on tour with you, that’s serious,” Iwarn.
His gaze searches mine, his hands tightening around me. “I know this showcase is everything to you. But it’s not all that matters to me. Every time I picture my future, I think of you init.”
My heart squeezes as he leans in, brushing his mouth over mine. I kiss him back, putting all the words we haven’t said into it until he pulls back aninch.
“You need to tell your dad you’re here,” Tyler murmurs against mymouth.
My head drops back. “I will. I don’t know why it matters somuch.”
His expression. “I don’t want this hanging overyou.”
I sigh, tracing a finger over his parted lips. I want them on me again. “It almost seems as if this is bothering you more than it’s bothering me,” Itease.
Tyler stiffens under me, but before he can respond, an alert on his phone has us bothjumping.
“Thirty minutes,” he curses. “We betterwork.”
I’m already missing his warmth before he shifts me offhim.
15
Showcase auditions might be over,but as the limo that picked me up at DFW pulls up Jax’s driveway Saturday afternoon, I feel as if the real test isbeginning.
As I step out of the car, a stinging breeze sweeps past, lifting the hairs on my arms despite my sweater and denimjacket.
When I reach the top of the familiar stairs, my fist hovers over the door, but before I can knock, it swingswide.
“Tyler!”
Haley’s beaming face takes the edge off my nerves. When she opens her arms wide for a hug, I can’t resist. Even though I’m bigger than her, it feels as if she’s the one holdingme.
“We were so glad youcalled.”
“I know it was last minute,” I say against her darkhair.
“Not at all. We live minute to minute around here. We have a guest bedroom ready for you tonight. I only wish you’d staylonger.”
Something bumps against my legs, and I glance down. “Sophie?!”
A round face with amber eyes and dark hair peers up at me, breaking into a smile that’s too big, too earnest, to belong to an actualhuman.
“Holy shit, she’s big.” I grimace as I realize what I’vesaid.
“Jax says worse all the time. Soph, let Tyler in thedoor.”
I follow them down the hall toward the kitchen. It feels comfortable and strange atonce.