thought it was great all along, but then you walked in and poof! It’s gone from great to amazing.”
I whisper to Bria, “I accidentally told him I was in love with him last night.”
Her eyebrows shoot up in surprise. “So that’s why he’s been in such a good mood today.”
“He has?”
“Oh, yeah.”
“He didn’t say it back.”
“Neither did Crew at first.”
“Really?”
“These guys are dark and mysterious. It takes a certain kind of woman to get to them. Don’t worry, I can see how he feels about you. He’s never looked at a woman the way he looks at you.”
“He doesn’t think he deserves me.”
“That’s why you’re the one for him.”
“Do you really think so?”
“Just listen to him, Ella. Since you came into his life, he plays better than he ever has.”
They stop, and Liam puts his guitar down and comes over. “What’re you grinning about?”
“Nothing. Girl talk.”
Garrett joins us. “Ronni was trying to keep Ella from coming inside.”
Liam stiffens. “Are you kidding me? What did she say to you?” When I tell him, his jaw tightens. “That bitch.” He stalks to the door, anger emanating from every pore.
I go after him. “Liam, don’t. You’ll only fuel the fire.”
“I’m sick of her shit, El.”
“Maybe there’s another way to get back at her,” Bria says. “A more passive-aggressive way.”
Liam stops. “I’m listening.”
“She’s coming to our show on Saturday. Remember those stunts she said we shouldn’t pull? Why don’t you do one?”
“But we’ll be fined,” Liam says.
“Stunts? Fines?” I say. “What are you talking about?”
“Ronni’s trying to keep us on a tight leash. She didn’t appreciate Crew’s public proposal. It wasn’t the first time he’s done something like that. She said we were going to be fined if anything similar happened again.”
I can only imagine what kind of “stunt” he might pull. He doesn’t love me. We’re not even technically a couple. But the thought of him doing something publicly has me tingling all the way down to my toes.
“It’s bullshit,” Crew says. “There’s nothing in the contract about fining us if we don’t behave a certain way. Just because she said that shit and wrote it into the so-called business plan, that doesn’t make it legal.”
“What are you suggesting?” Liam asks.
“I’m not sure,” Bria says. “I’ll think of something. We have all week.”
“Do you want to join us for lunch?” I ask them.
Bria takes Crew’s elbow. “We’re meeting my brother.”
“How about you?” I ask Garrett and Brad.
“I’m good,” they each say.
I turn to Liam. “I guess I’m all yours then.”
He grins. “Exactly the way I like it.”
More tingles ensue.
We pass Ronni on our way out. Liam gives her the evil eye. She looks at her watch. “I trust you’ll be back in an hour.”
“You’re not my mother, Ronni. We’ll be back in two.”
Bria and Crew, walking up ahead, snicker.
Ronni scoffs and turns on her heels, stomping away.
As we walk down the street to a nearby bar and grill, I say, “I don’t want you to get in trouble because of me.”
“Are you kidding? Irritating Ronni is one of our favorite things to do. As long as we’re stuck with IRL, we might as well have a little fun.”
“What kind of control does she have over you? She can’t really tell you not to date someone, can she?”
He takes my hand. “Hell no. She likes to think she can. Because we’re new at this, she attempts to dictate our every move. Believe me, IRL is making a lot of money off us. She’d be a fool to do anything to jeopardize that.”
I blow out a breath of relief. He doesn’t fail to notice.
“She really got to you, huh?”
“She said I’m ruining your image. She explicitly said, since we have the same last name, people might get the wrong idea.”
“Fuck her, El.”
I tell him what I left out earlier. “She said you weren’t the kind of guy to have a girlfriend.”
“I wasn’t.”
“I might have provoked her by calling you my boyfriend.”
He stops and laughs. “Oh shit, I would have loved to have seen her face.”
“You’re not mad?”
“It’s strange,” he says, skimming a finger down my arm. “I never thought I’d be anyone’s boyfriend.”
“So what are you thinking?”
“I’m thinking I might like the sound of it.”
Before I can react, a woman trots up next to us. “Are you Liam Campbell? Like, from Reckless Alibi?”
“The one and only,” he says proudly.
I’ve never been around him when a random person recognized him. It’s happened to Crew and Bria. Understandable, because they’re out in front, singing.