It’s not a lot. A lot is whatshould make you worry. This is nothing. This could be anything. You’re fine.You’re fine you’re fine you’re fine.
Withthat mantra repeating itself in my head, I left the bathroom. I had no idea howlong I’d been in there, but it must’ve been a while. Dinner was cleaned upexcept for my plate, still sitting on the table where I’d left it. Ty andGreyson had gone to bed. Sebastian and Molly were sitting on the couch,watchingCheaperByThe Dozenwith Steve Martin, and at the sight of me, their faces droppedwith immediate worry.
“Hey,bro. I, uh, I left your food there. Not sure if you wanted to eat—”
“Ican’t even think about food right now,” I cut him off, dropping down on theL-shaped couch. I laid a hand over my eyes and tipped my head back.
“Okay.I’ll just wrap it up for you. It’s cool.”
Ilistened as he got up off the couch and I muttered, “Thanks.”
Mollyshifted on the couch, edging closer, and I felt a cool hand lay over myforehead. “Chad. You’reburnin’ up,” she whispered. “Maybeyou caught a bug, maybe you—”
Droppingmy hand from my eyes, I shook my head. “No. It’s not a damn bug, Molly. It’snotsomethin’ I ate. It’s just how I fuckin’ am.” Mytone was short and irritated, and I immediately felt guilty. “Sorry,” I muttered.
“It’sokay,” she assured me, and I looked at her, only to find concern in her eyes.“You should be staying hydrated.”
Asif on cue, Sebastian reached over with a bottle of water. “Here, man.”
“Thanks.”I uncapped the bottle and took a swig, trying not to gag. The relentlesscramping and rolling pain warned me against putting anything in my stomach, butI knew I needed the fluids.
“Maybeyou should try to lay down,” Molly suggested.
Ishook my head. “I’ll probably just have to get back up again.”
“Yeah,but until then,” Sebastian said, sitting at the table, “you could be trying tosleep. You look like shit, man, and we have a show tomorrow. Yougottarest up.”
Myheart hammered against my chest at the thought of performing. Two hours onstage without any breaks. Would I be able to make it that long? I felt Icouldn’t trust my own body anymore. It was working against me, making itdifficult to live my life, and now, there was blood. It felt like a warning, ared flag, but all I wanted was to get through this damn tour.
“Youcan sleep in my room,” Molly offered quietly, and my heart hammered louder,faster, but for a different reason.
Ishook my head adamantly. “No, I can’t—”
“I’lltake your bunk. It’ll make it easier on you not to beclimbin’in and out of there.”
Shewas right about that, and dear God, I loved her for thinking of it.
Still,a gentleman couldn’t take a lady’s room from her. Not without a fight. “Icouldn’t do that to you.”
“You’renotdoin’ anything to me,” she insisted. “I’mofferin’.”
Andthat’s how I found myself lying in her bed. It was a Queen-sized mattress, abeautiful upgrade from the Twin I’d been sleeping on for the past month. I laidon my back, staring at the ceiling with the gentle rumble of tires rollingalong the asphalt beneath me. Molly’s scent surrounded me on all sides. Hershampoo on the pillow, soap and perfume on the blanket. Even the damn teddybear lying beside me smelled so much like her, it was torture to not bury mynose in its matted fur.
Asoft knock sounded at the door. “Chad?” Molly whispered from the other side.
Ilaughed. “You can just come in.”
Mollyquickly entered, like she was sneaking around and didn’t want the others toknow, and quietly closed the door behind her. “Well, I don’t know. You might benaked orsomethin’,” she said.
“I’dnever be naked in someone else’s bed.”
Mycheeks burnt something fierce in reaction to my stupid mouth, and Molly gigglednervously. “Well, okay, then. Too much info, thanks.”
“Youknow what I meant,” I muttered, sitting up in bed with her blanket draped overmy knees. “Not unless they wanted me to be.”
“Yeah,”she laughed again. “I think I got it.”
Smooth,jackass. “So, uh …” I swallowed my awkward nerves and encouragedmyself to calm the hell down. “What’s up?”
