There’s a large box in the corner, and I stride over to it. “You got me an art desk?”
“I had no idea what kind you wanted, but this was one of the few desks that was easily moveable. It collapses and can be carried with a handle, see? I hope it’s okay.”
“Okay? It’s great. And very thoughtful. I wasn’t sure you’d remember.”
He gestures to the suitcase. “Where do you want it?”
“On the rack thingy, I guess. It doesn’t make sense to unpack if we’re only here for a few days.”
“After this we go south to St. Augustine. I’ll text you the schedule.”
“Are you off tomorrow?”
“No. We play two gigs here. We’re opening for another band at an amphitheater by the football stadium. It seats over five thousand. It’ll be our largest gig here but the only one where we’re not the headliner.”
“I’ll for sure have to go to that one. Uh, if you can get me a ticket.”
“You don’t need a ticket, El. You’re with us. You can come backstage.”
“That could be fun.”
“I should warn you about Ronni.”
“Who’s that?”
“She’s our rep from our record label. Veronica Collins. She’s kind of like a manager, except we already have one of those—Jeremy. He’s cool. She’s a bitch. Might want to steer clear of her. She hates Bria. To be honest, I think she hates all women.”
“Got it. Stay away from the Queen Bee.”
He laughs out loud. “That’s exactly what she is. She’ll sting you if you let her. Don’t let her.”
“I can take care of myself.”
“She’ll only be here a few more days. She has to get back to her other clients in New York.”
“And everyone else? Anything I should know about them?”
He thinks on it and shakes his head. “Nope. They’re all good.”
I sit on the end of the bed, the day weighing on me. Being here is surreal. I gaze at Liam. He’s perched on the arm of the couch with an easy smile on his face. “Liam, what are we doing? This is all so strange. I don’t know you, but I’m sitting in your hotel room. The room you gave me so I can be here and what—inspire you in some way? I don’t even know how to do that. I mean, what am I supposed to do?”
“Just be here—at the hotel, the beach, and a few of our gigs. Doesn’t matter as long as I know you’re close.”
“But why do you need me here?”
“I don’t know. I just know I do.”
“I’m not sleeping with you.”
“God, El, you’re beginning to sound like a broken record. I told you that’s off the table. I’m not blind. You’re hot, and any guy should be so lucky. But that’s not why you’re here. There are plenty of women I could get off with if I wanted to. But none of them have inspired me the way you do. I told you, you don’t want someone like me. You deserve …”
“I deserve what?”
He goes to the door and opens it. “You deserve better,” he says, right before stepping through and letting it shut behind him.
Chapter Eleven
Liam
Thirteen years ago
Dad, Crew, and I are sitting in the stands at Luke’s baseball game. Dad and I only miss a game when I have one of my own. Dad coaches my team this year. He can’t coach Luke’s anymore, now that Luke is fifteen and plays on the high school team. He alternated coaching our teams every other year, because he didn’t want to play favorites.
Luke is on deck. He runs behind the dugout for a second. It’s because he has to throw up. He does it every time he’s going up to bat. He also throws up before taking a big test. Sometimes he throws up at home for no reason at all. Dad calls him Nervous Nelly.
Luke steps up to the plate and whacks the ball over the fence. Everyone stands and cheers. “You see that, son? That’s how a real man plays ball.”
I pout. “I’m a real man. I’m eleven.”
He laughs. Then he looks at me in a way he never has before. “You know, maybe you’re right. Maybe you’re becoming a man.”
For the rest of the game, I feel him staring at me. I’m proud of myself for bringing my maturity to his attention. I have noticed a few hairs down there recently.
“Your brother is really good,” Crew says.
Crew is my best friend. He comes to a lot of Luke’s games. I think he likes hanging out with Dad and me. His