Chapter One
AXEL
“All I’m saying isthat you should try dating someone for longer than a week.” My best friend Lainey wipes down the counter with a rag. “You’re twenty-five, Axel. That’s too old to still be playing the field.”
I roll my eyes at her.
“Oh, please. Plenty of guys my age play the field. And besides, you moved in with my dad after dating him for like a week.”
“That was different.” She points the rag at me like a weapon. “When you know, you know. And I knew your dad was it for me.”
“Gross.” I take a sip of my coffee to hide my smile. “And can we not talk about you and my dad’s relationship? I’m trying to eat here.”
Lainey laughs. “You’re not eating anything. You’re just torturing that coffee.”
She’s right. I’ve been sitting here for almost an hour, stirring this same cup of coffee and letting Lainey pester me about why I’m still single. It’s our routine. I come to the diner when I’m home from tour, she feeds me, and gives me shit about my life choices. I pretend to be annoyed even though these moments are the most normal part of my otherwise chaotic life.
“How was the tour?” Lainey changes tactics, giving me a momentary reprieve. “Did Colorado treat you boys well?”
“It was good. Exhausting, but good.” I finally take a real drink of my coffee. “We sold out most of the venues. Our label wants us to record another album before the end of the year.”
The tour had been a whirlwind of cities, faces, and hotel rooms. Highland Rye is finally getting the recognition we’ve worked so hard for, but sometimes I wonder if the cost is worth it. Three months on the road, sleeping on a bus, and dealing with grabby fans has left me feeling hollow and drained.
“I saw your performance on YouTube.” Lainey smiles proudly. “The one where you sang that new song about the mountain. You sounded amazing.”
I feel my face warm at her praise. “Thanks. That one’s getting a lot of attention.”
It’s strange being back in Fit Mountain after spending months in cities where people scream my name and try to tear my clothes off. Here, I’m just Marcus’s son who plays in a band. It keeps me grounded, even if part of me resents how easily everyone dismisses what I’ve accomplished.
“So.” Lainey leans her elbows on the counter, her smile turning mischievous. “Did you meet any nice girls on tour?”
And we’re back to this again.
“I don’t have time for relationships, Lainey. You know that.”
“You could make time if you found someone worth making time for.” She raises an eyebrow at me. “Unless you’re planning to stay single forever.”
The truth is, I haven’t met anyone who holds my interest beyond a night or two.
Women throw themselves at me after shows, desperate for a piece of the lead singer of Highland Rye. They don’t care who I really am. They just want the fantasy, the story they can tell their friends.
“Maybe I like being single.” I shrug, trying to look nonchalant. “No complications, no drama, no one telling me what to do.”
Lainey snorts. “Please. You’re the biggest softie I know, Axel Ruins. You want the whole package. The wife, the kids, the white picket fence. You’re just too scared to admit it.”
Before I can argue, the bell above the diner door chimes.
I glance over my shoulder to see my Dad walk in. His eyes immediately find Lainey, and his whole face lights up. I watch as he strides across the diner and pulls her into his arms, giving her a deep kiss right over the counter.
I avert my eyes, but I’m not actually grossed out like I pretend to be.
My dad and Lainey’s relationship started out as a town scandal. He’s more than twenty years older than her. Not to mention she’s technically my ex-girlfriend. But they work. They just fit together in a way that makes perfect sense when you see them together.
“How are my three favorite people today?” Dad asks, placing his hand on Lainey’s rapidly growing baby bump.
Lainey practically glows as she leans into his touch. “The baby and I are fine. Your son is being stubborn about his love life again.”
Dad chuckles. “Leave the boy alone, sweetheart. He’ll find his woman when the time is right.”
