I think of the picture on my phone. “It’s way more complicated than that.”
“When are you going to see him again?” Jenn asks.
“I’m not sure.”
“You didn’t make any plans?”
“He’s got a lot going on this week. He’s moving into a new apartment, and the band is switching rehearsal studios.”
They’re excuses I’ve made for him, but deep down I wonder why we didn’t make any plans. When we said goodbye at the airport, I didn’t want to seem needy by asking what happens next.
“I still can’t believe you went on tour with them,” Krista says. “No matter what happens, you’ll always be able to say you spent six weeks with Reckless Alibi.”
I’ll always have Florida.
“How about we order pizza and talk about what the two of you have been doing while I was away?”
A few hours later, they leave, and I get out my sketches and organize them. Jimmy’s face reminds me of Liam, and I realize I miss him already.
I put the drawings down and fall heavily on the couch. “What have you gotten yourself into, El?”
After wallowing in self-pity for a few minutes, I decide to go for a run to clear my head. It’s hard to turn my brain off, though. When did I become this clingy woman who needs to be reassured? What if everything has changed now that we’re back in New York? Maybe being on the road together was different—more romantic somehow. Now that we’re back, he’ll forget about the things we did. The words we said.
“Shut up,” I tell myself. “You’re overthinking this.”
Later, when I’m in bed, my phone pings with a text. It’s after midnight. My heart soars when I see who it’s from.
Liam: It’s strange, isn’t it?
Me: What’s strange?
Liam: Not being in the same room.
Me: Yeah.
Liam: Goodnight, Mrs. Campbell.
Me: Goodnight, Mr. Campbell.
I smile, put the phone away, and fall asleep.
Chapter Thirty-three
Liam
Moving day is here. I can hardly contain myself. Technically I moved out of Dirk’s house the week before going on tour, but it never felt real until now.
Crew picked up the keys this morning. We’re in the elevator, riding up to the eighth floor. “Are you sure you want my old bedroom furniture?” he asks. “I mean, you can afford to buy something new if you want. We all can.”
“I’m sure. I’m saving my money.”
“For what?”
I glance at Bria and Garrett. They wouldn’t understand. I shake my head.
“I hope you don’t mind. We picked out living room furniture and a dining table yesterday,” Bria says. “Everything is being delivered later this afternoon.”
“Better not be covered in flowers and shit,” Garrett says.
Crew snorts. “I think you’ll find them more than acceptable.”
The elevator doors open, and Crew leads the way to the apartment. We step inside and stand in silence for a moment.
“This is really happening,” Bria says.
Crew puts an arm around her and smiles.
The living room is larger than I thought it would be, which is nice, considering there are four of us sharing it.
“Wait until you see the kitchen,” Bria says. “They put in all new appliances. The refrigerator may even be big enough to hold all your beer.”
“Who needs beer?” Garrett says. “Where’s the liquor cabinet?”
Crew opens a cabinet under the kitchen bar and pulls out a bottle of whiskey and four glasses.
Garrett grins. “Now we’re talking.”
“At eleven in the morning?” Bria asks.
Crew pours us each a shot. “We have to toast our new place. Reckless on three?”
Bria shakes her head. “Not that. It doesn’t seem right without Brad.”
“He had his chance to get in on this,” I say. “He’s probably picking out china patterns with Katie or some shit like that.”
“Hey, now,” Bria warns. “Crew and I will be doing the same thing at some point.”
Crew looks like he’d rather be strung up by his balls. “China? Really?”
Garrett holds up his glass. “You’re leaving me hanging, guys. Can we do this?”
“To our new place,” Crew says.
“Boring as shit,” Garrett says, “but what the hell.”
We clink glasses and drink.
“Which room is mine?” I ask.
Crew points to some doors on the left. “You and Garrett can fight it out. Both bedrooms are about the same size. One has a bigger closet and the other has a better view.”
I get a guitar pick out of my pocket and turn to Garrett. “The side with the design on it is heads. The blank side is tails. Call it.”