Hearts the Last Beat (Angel Fire #6) - Ellie Masters Page 0,59

of the table. It’s the closest I dare get to Spike. Ash laughs, encouraging little Zach in his mayhem, while Skye shakes her head and gives up.

“You…” She points at her husband. “You get to clean this up.”

“Oh, come on. It’s just a little fun.” Ash pouts, which is a really funny sight considering he’s all lean muscle with that fabulous tattoo crawling up the side of his neck.

Mitzy breezes in from outside and grabs some fruity yogurt as she rushes past. “Hi! Bye! Gonna be late for work!”

A few minutes later, Noodles joins us, plopping down across from me. He glances at the box of Cheerios and grabs a handful straight from the box. Little Zach watches and stretches out his hand, pouting when Noodles doesn’t surrender the box.

“Yo, you two going driving again? Can I catch a ride?” Noodles tosses a Cheerio in the air and catches it with his mouth. Little Zach squeals with delight.

“Actually,” Spike rubs the back of his neck. “I gotta ditch driving lessons today.”

“Why?” I blink at him, surprised. This is news to me.

“Something came up. I’ve gotta go.”

“Where are you going?” I try not to sound like I’m prying, but it comes out all wrong.

Noodles gives me a look. His gaze swivels to Spike. “You disappearing again?”

“Yeah.” He rubs at the back of his neck.

I’m learning Spike’s tells, and that one says he’s keeping something from me.

“Dude, we’ve got prep work to do.” Noodles rolls his eyes. Something about his posture says Spike’s done this before, not that Noodles likes it. Of course, that gets my attention.

“Do it without me.” Spike rises from the table. “I’ll be back in a few days.” Without another word, he leaves.

Twenty-Two

Angel

The urge to follow Spike wars with my need for discretion. In the scheme of things, Spike canceling my driving lessons means nothing. Therefore, I need to act like I couldn’t care less.

The only problem is that I do care. I care a ton, and it doesn’t matter we have to keep our relationship a secret. We’re still in one, and I deserve some sort of explanation. Like, where the hell is he going?

Discretion wins, but that doesn’t mean I don’t fish for answers.

“Does he do that a lot?” In the year I’ve lived here, I may have obsessed over Spike, but I never tracked his every move.

“Yeah, sometimes Spike just disappears.” Ash joins us at the table. He snags the cereal box from Noodles and lets little Zach grab the handful of Cheerios he’s been dying for ever since he saw Noodles do it. As his sticky toddler hand disappears inside the box, I make a mental note not to eat from that box in the future.

“What does that mean?”

“Just something he’s always done. Once or twice a year we lose him.” Ash shrugs. “Sometimes more.”

“Lose him? How do you lose a rock star? Don’t you keep tabs on each other? Don’t you know where he goes?”

“Not when it comes to our private lives.” Ash kicks back. “I don’t know. It’s always been that way with him. Hey, you remember that time in Berlin?” He looks to Noodles.

“Oh yeah, he up and left in between concerts. Didn’t tell us where he was going, if he was even going to be back in time to play the next venue, and kept us waiting until the last minute when he waltzed back in like he hadn’t been gone the past forty-eight hours.” Noodles rolls his eyes. “It happens. It’s kind of his thing. He leaves. Is gone for a few days. Comes back like nothing happened.”

“That’s weird.” Why aren’t they more concerned about where Spike disappears to?

“It’s Spike.” Ash gives another shrug.

“Well, I guess I have the day to myself.” I try to make that sound like no big deal. Except it is. It’s a very big deal.

“He’s not bugging you, is he?” Noodles asks.

“What?” I stop in my tracks. “Spike? He’s not bothering me at all.”

“Good. He can be a little intense.” Noodles gets up from the table. “I’m headed out. What time you want me back?” He looks toward Ash.

“Guess it doesn’t matter now. I wanted to run through the setlist and prep, but with Spike gone, that’ll have to wait.”

I slowly ease my way out of the kitchen. I want to find Spike before he leaves. Maybe he’ll take me with him. Or tell me where he’s going?

I’m snooping, and I hate it, but that does nothing to stop me from seeking him out.