Rock Me Deeper (Licks of Leather #5) - Jenna Jacob Page 0,35
her lips, Ross strolled by and abruptly stopped.
He arched his brows and a shit-eating grin curled his lips. “Good to see Daddy’s finally back in action.”
Instead of correcting him, I sneered. Ignoring the whines and cutting remarks the other women were flinging at Tina, I wrapped my arm around her lush waist and led her inside my dressing room.
Without hesitation she sat down on the fluffy, padded futon, smiling proudly.
“Would you like something to drink?” I asked, opening the mini fridge in the corner of the room.
“A soda would be great if you’ve got one.”
Inwardly cheering because she didn’t ask for a diet soda, I grabbed a couple of sugar-laced colas and joined her on the futon.
“Am I right to assume you’re now seeing someone?”
“I am. Her name is Dr. Shroyer. She’s phenomenal. I had no idea that my eating disorder was an attempt to get control of my out-of-control life.”
A wide smile speared my lips as I listened to Tina talk about her recovery from bulimia. I’d met her last year, when we’d played this same venue. She’d been standing in the hallway, thin as a rail and pale. I’d pegged her for a meth-head, but after I’d invited her into my dressing room to try and talk her into getting clean, she confessed her struggle with bulimia.
I didn’t know shit about eating disorders, but I knew purging and binging was as addicting as drugs. I didn’t touch her, kiss her, or attempt to drag her beneath me that night. She had enough issues to deal with. Tina didn’t need me using her as a come receptacle. Instead, we sat, like we were doing now, and talked.
“I’ve gained twenty wonderful, fluffy, fat pounds, found a full-time job, and three months ago I moved into my own apartment. I’m no longer living under my mother’s controlling thumb.”
“You did it!” I cheered. “You took control of your destiny.”
A soft giggle slid off her lips. “I did, but I couldn’t have done it without you. Thank you, Syd. You save my life.”
“I didn’t do anything but talk you into getting some help. You’re the one who’s done the hard work. I’m so fucking proud of you, baby girl. I’m fucking bursting at the seams with pride for how you’ve turned your life around.” I leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.
“There’s something else,” she whispered shyly.
“What?”
“I-I’m…I’ve been dating a guy for four months. His name is Brian. He’s a mechanical engineer, handsome, supportive, and he loves shar-pei puppies as much as me.”
My smile grew impossibly wider as I listened to Tina tell me about the new man in her life and the happiness she was discovering with each day. Her contentment was contagious and started smoothing the jagged edges of my raw, rejected heart.
Forty-five minutes later, my soul actually felt lighter as I ushered Tina to the door. She’d inadvertently lessened my anger and pain…inadvertently reminded me that I had to champion my own destiny, too. I’d lost sight of that over the past six days. I’d given Caris the power to steer my ship straight down the River Styx.
No more.
I’d tried to apologize to Caris. Tried to ask her for a second chance. Tried to show her I was no longer a scared teen but a capable man willing to do whatever it took to protect and care for her. But in the end, it wasn’t enough. Maybe we’d both changed so much we couldn’t exhume the past and grow forward. The reasons didn’t really matter. Clearly, I wasn’t the kind of man she wanted in her life now. I had to find a way to accept and honor her decision and take back my life, start living for myself again, like Tina had done.
“I expect an invitation to the wedding when you and Brian set a date.”
“Oh, my god. You’d really come to our wedding?”
“If you give me some advanced notice, the guys and I will even sing at it, too.”
Excitement and shock crawled across her smiling face. “You’re on.”
I pulled out my wallet and pressed Quinn’s business card in her hand. “This is my agent. Send the invitation to the address on the card. I’ll tell him to call me when it arrives.”
“Oh, Syd. Thank you. Thank you so much.” Tina threw her arms around my neck and kissed my cheek.
“You keep working on you. If I don’t see you before, I’ll look for you next time we come through Toledo.”