TO SAY HIS text interaction with Madi had not gone well would be an understatement. He thought she’d be happy, maybe even excited, that he wanted to fly down to see her. The fact that she wasn’t concerned him. He started to wonder if he was screwing up their relationship, just like he’d done to every other one he’d had before her. Why was it that he was brutally honest with girls he didn’t have feelings for, but lied through his teeth to the one he loved more than anything?
He hadn’t slept well, if at all. After his call to Madi, he took a hot shower and tried to drift off, but he couldn’t stop thinking about Peter Markum. He closed his eyes, and in his dream-like state, he had images of Peter holding a knife to Madi’s throat. Madi was crying and asking him why he didn’t warn her. He jolted up and was unable to close his eyes again. Instead, he spent the night going over the information he had on Peter and searching for more on the Internet.
As he came to one roadblock after another in his search, he began to replay his conversation with Madi over in his head. Her words, “Promise me you’ll never lie to me,” sounded like an alarm in his mind. He had lied to her. He even lied about not lying. He was an ass. What they said about lying was true. One small lie snowballs until it swallows you whole.
Out of curiosity, he Googled his name. One report after another of him with Allison Gregory popped up on the screen. He cringed when he imagined Madi reading all the lies the press was reporting. No wonder she felt so uneasy. Jake wondered why he was suddenly getting so much attention. The paparazzi had found him so boring before, but now he was trending on Twitter. Ridiculous. He closed his laptop and rubbed his hands over his face. He considered what it would be like if his and Madi’s rolls had been reversed. Could he stand to hear reports ofherwith another man, whether they were true or not? He shook his head and pressed his fingers into his temples. He was lucky that she put up with as much as she did. He needed to be better. He didn’t deserve her.
After his morning texts to Madi, Jake picked up his cell and called Nate. He told him that Madi knew he was there to protect her, but to still stay out of her way. He told him that she believed he was there to keep press away, and that she was not to be told anything to the contrary. He advised Nate that she was not planning on going to the Halloween party after all, and that he would be spending the night in the lobby outside of her dorm wing in case she needed him.
Jake lay back down and exhaustion took over, allowing him to drift to sleep. A few hours later, Caleb knocked on his door to advise him they were in Vegas. Jake felt better after getting some rest. He stepped out the bus door and was greeted with warm sunshine and the buzz of the strip. He suddenly had an urge to play some blackjack.
“How much time do I have before sound check?”
Caleb looked at his watch. “About an hour. Why?”
“Feel like playing some tables?”
Caleb smiled and rubbed his hands together. Jake grabbed a baseball cap while Caleb called security for an escort. When Jake arrived at the MGM Grand, he was met by photographers and fans. Almost overnight, he had less privacy. He signed some autographs and made his way into the casino, dropping $500 a hand.
When he’d just about broken even, Caleb tapped his shoulder to say it was time to go. Several short-skirted, full-busted waitresses asked for a picture with him. He smiled for the cameras, but didn’t put his arms around a single one of them. He cringed at the idea of Madi seeing the picture and immediately pulled out his phone to text her.
Jake: Just broke even at Blackjack in Vegas. About to go to sound check before the concert. Had my picture taken with some scantily clad bar girls. Didn’t want you to see anything and worry.
After he walked outside, signed some autographs and slid into a waiting car, his phone buzzed.
Madi: Scantily clad? I’m sure it was torture!
Jake smiled to himself. She seemed feisty. He liked her that way.
Jake: Would barely dressed have been better?
Madi: Hmm… No! LOL. I’m glad you got a chance to do something fun for yourself, even if it was just for a little while. You work too hard. Just so you know, I DO trust you. While I love, love, LOVE getting random texts from you in the middle of the day, I don’t want you to think you have to explain everything to me. I have decided to avoid the Internet at all costs! The next scantily clad girl you see had better be me!
Jake grinned. He pulled on his sunglasses as the car began to move. He instantly felt relaxed and at ease. Talking to her always made things better.
Jake: Call you tonight. Thinking of you barely dressed is not good before a concert.
Madi: Break a leg, baby. You can think of me after.
Jake smiled and shoved his phone into his pocket. All thoughts of there being any problem between them left his mind. He exited the car and entered the arena. One more concert until he was home, even if it was just for a little while.
***
