“Because of my brother, my other brothers, and all of the rest of the guys.” I roll my eyes at herobnoxious obtuseness.
“Are you afraid of the guys walking in?” Josephine smirks.
“Oh God,” my cheeks flame at the thought. “Do you have any idea how absolutely traumatizingthat would be for all of us?”
“We can keep the guys distracted,” Josephine volunteers.“And we’ll watch Lyra until Jake can come get her.”
“Don’t you guys want to enjoy the shows?” I ask, not wanting to selfishly monopolize their time.
They both wave me off. “We’ll see plenty tomorrow.”
“All right,” I finally agree. “I’ll go change.”
A few hours later,I’m in line at a food stand. Another bandtuning their instruments can be heard in the background. Henry standsoff in the distance, watching me, but he’s givenme this time to myself. I suppose he can tell I just really need space right now. I think his presence is probably overkill, but I have to admit it does make me feel safer.
“American?” I hear a lovely, lightly-accented baritone voice ask behind me.
I turn to see a jaw-dropping six-foot-somethingGreek god standing behind me. His deep blue eyes are like sapphiresreflected in the sun. His nearly black hair shines even though the sun has set. He’s wearing a plain white t-shirt that stretches perfectly across his broad shoulders. Tattoos peekbeneath both sleeves and from his collar.
Even though I haven’t sought after any men, I can say that there have been plenty of mouth-watering eye candy to look at, especially around the pool area. But none looked quite like they belonged on the cover of a romance novel.
I give him a shy smile and nod in response to his question.
“Enjoying the festival?” he smiles,showing a beautiful set of teeth. Not perfectly straight, though. Just crooked enough to add character and make him more approachable.And his accent. I can’t place it, though I’ve never had an ear for languages or accents.But it’s so sexy, even if it is barely noticeable.
“I am enjoying it. Are you enjoying yourself?” I tilt my head a bit to look up at his tall form.I’m not short at five-foot-eight, but I’m used to looking up at the guys I’m around.Maddox and Ryder are the shortest amongst the guys, and they’re both six feet.This guy has to be as tall as Dane’s six-foot-four frame. If not taller.
“It just got a lot better.” His smile widens, and his eyes crinkle a bit at the corners.Something about him seems vaguely familiar all of a sudden. I have a strange sense of déjà vu or something, though I can’t put my finger on it. “Will you be here much longer?”
“I leave day after tomorrow,” I tell him.
“Pity,” he says with genuine disappointment. “I would like to get to know you better.I don’t suppose you’d be interested in some company for a while?”
I think for half a second, casting my eyes over to Henry, knowing he’s watching me. It makes me feel more comfortable, but I still shake my head no. His face falls pitifully. “But if you can find meduring Jacob’s Ladder’s performance, I might enjoy the company.
“They go on soon,” he muses. “I will do my best to find you. Shouldn’t be too hard. I just need to find the most beautiful woman in the crowd.
I feel flush at his flattery.There’s also this strange feeling of familiarity with him. I just wish I knew why.
Jake
After the big fallout on Maddox and Ryder’s bus, I wanted nothing more than to find Cara and make her listen to me. She didn’t have to talk, though I wish she would. But I remembered Ryder’s words.
If I push her, then I won’t be doing myself any favors. So I let her have her space.
Shortly after the conversationended, we were brought to a press conference and then a podcast.By the time we made it back to the buses, we barely had time to change. We weren’t technically supposed to perform tonight, but Dylan andWyatt, the guitarist and vocalist from Jacob’s Ladder,asked us to perform a couple of songs with them.
They were the latest up-and-coming bandand had lots of promise. Dylan was actually a good friend of ours from ourearliest club days. He was with a different band then. It was pretty obvious the fit was bad. Not to mention those guys just never seemed serious.It shouldn’t have been a surprise,given how young they were. They just thought it was an easy way to meet girls. But Dylanwas all about the music. I was glad he finally found his band.
I head inside my bus,expecting to find Lyra and Cara. I assumed Cara would’ve stopped hiding in her brother’s bus by now, but they’re still gone. I take aquick shower, change, and head to Dane and Angel’s bus.
I knock on the bus door because that is what my mom taught me,only to hear Dane yell to stop knocking. I walk in to see Lyrasitting on Dane’s back as he stretches across the narrow bus floor. Hislarge frame looks ridiculous in the small space. I suppose mine does as well at six-foot-three, but I don’t have the bulk he does.
Cami encourages Lyrato use him as a trampoline which my little girl has no problem doing. Shestands on her feet, jumping all of two inches, landing with her butt in between Dane’s shoulder blades.Josephine and Angel arejust as bad as Camilla as they cheer Lyra on. It takes meless than a second to realize Cara isn’t here.
For a second, I panic worried she did exactly what Ryder said. Hopped the first flight back to New York. Then I realize Dane is entirely too calm for his sister tobe missing.
“Get your kid,” Dane grunts as Lyra lands on him again with one of her exuberant, high-pitched squeals.
