My cellphone pinged, but I ignored it. I had hours until Paige and Neil got home. I’d been picking up double shifts for the last week. It was my only day to write, and still, I couldn’t get a single sentence out due to the incessant daydreams. I didn’t know enough about Reid Crowne, aside from the fact that he grew up with two shitty parents, his only love was his music, and he was recently single.
Still, the image of his fuckable body blazed a hot trail through my thoughts and warmed me to the point of frustration. My phone pinged again, and I picked it up. Jaw hanging open, I read the first two texts.
Dylan: Hey, babe. Can you talk?
Dylan: I’m in Austin. I’ll be playing at The Snake Lounge and I really want to see you.
I leapt from the couch and spoke to my phone. “Oh, hell no!” Pacing while typing and deleting a handful of messages, I thought better of it and texted my judge and jury.
Dylan texted. He’s in Austin playing tonight.
Lexi: I’m not speaking to you.
Miffed for seconds, I chuckled when I remembered why she wouldn’t be speaking to me. I gave Ben her number. Things must have been going well because she liked him.
You can’t be pissed at me about that. He’s perfect for you. You’ll see.
Lexi: He’s a real poet. That was sarcasm by the way. Now I’ll be up there for his show next week. I’ve been lured.
I can tell you’re really pissed.
Lexi: So pissed. :O)
Can we talk about Dylan?
Lexi: Nothing to talk about. Tell him to fuck off. Besides, you have a thing for Reid.
I don’t have a thing for Reid.
Lexi: It’s me you’re talking to.
He’s hot. Doesn’t mean it’s a thing. And he’s totally moody.
Lexi: Perfect for you.
Can you come down?
Lexi: Can’t. I’m watching the super sperm.
I’m going to the show.
Lexi: You should, give him false hope and then kick him in the nuts. Medicine with no sugar.
Good talk.
Lexi: I’m your girl. Let me know how it goes. Ben. I like him.
I knew I made the right call giving him her number.
I do too. He’s pretty awesome and so talented. With that voice, he’s going places.
Lexi: I can’t believe Reid’s the drummer. Talk about freaky coincidence.
Right?
Lexi: Gotta go. Text me tomorrow. I want to know everything.
Will do.
Lexi: Do not have sex with him.
Which one?
Lexi: Either.
I won’t.
An hour later, I answered Dylan’s text, letting him know I would be at his show. I pulled out a black dress that highlighted my every curve and spent hours dolling myself up, waxing, straightening my unruly hair, and putting on heavy eyes and lips. By the time Paige and Neil got home, I was running on adrenaline. I was lucky enough to be afforded the chance to tell Dylan off in person. I wasn’t about to miss that opportunity. I deserved better from him. Two months in a rock star’s dating life is like ten years. I wanted a fair and proper divorce.
Paige walked through the door in the best of moods, her hands full of paper bags with Neil hot on her heels. “Hey,” she said as her eyes widened. “God, you look so pretty!”
“Thanks,” I said, taking a grocery bag from her hand. Tipping my chin up at Neil, I said, “Sup, Neil.”
“Little woman,” he said with a smile. “What you all dressed up for?”
My eyes shot to Paige. “So, Dylan texted.”
Paige opened her mouth, and I clamped it shut with my hand. “Hey, I love you. Shut up. I’m only going there to tell him off.”
She glared at me as I slowly took my hand away from her mouth. “I swear, Paige. But I need to—”
“Borrow my car?” she deadpanned. “No.”
“Take mine,” Neil said, tossing his keys on the counter before he waggled his brows. “Give him hell.”
“What? No,” Paige protested. Neil wrapped his arms around her and kissed her cheek. “Give her a chance, Paige.”
“Yeah, Paige, give her a chance,” I echoed as Neil smiled and buried his head in her neck. She squirmed with a smile and turned her face to meet his lips.
“I’ll be back before midnight and won’t drink. I swear,” I assured my smitten sister, taking total advantage of the situation.
“Fine,” she said with a sigh. “Just be careful, okay?”
“Promise,” I said before I mouthed a silent “Thank you” to Neil. Over the past week, Neil and I had gotten to know each other. As it turned out, he was a bit of a techie nerd. We’d stayed up late one night talking music—his favorite was country—and all the latest technology out there while Paige snored on the couch. He swore within the next ten years streaming video would take over mainstream media. He was a cool guy, my sister’s chosen beau, and I had to admit, after conversing with him for a few hours, I had a bit of a personality crush on him. I was in his corner when it came to Paige, and I knew he loved my sister by the way he kept bringing her up, with “Paige thinks this,” and “Paige likes that.” It gave me a lot of comfort to know he cared for her in that way. It also gave me the gumption to realize I had nothing resembling that with Dylan.
And he was about to get back as good as he gave.
With Neil and Paige in the kitchen cooking dinner together, I grabbed my keys and made my leave. I was at the foot of the stairs when I heard my name.
“Stella?”
I turned to find Reid with his mouth parted as he looked me over. His brow was covered in fresh sweat as he ran his fingers through his hair. I was already beginning to melt, but even more so under the weight of his stare. Hazel eyes scanned my face before they dropped to scour my body. I let him feast, and I was actually happy about the fact that he caught me all dressed up with some place to go.
“I wouldn’t go up there if I were you,” I said with a nod over my shoulder. “They kind of have a love fest thing going on. Things are about to get freaky!” I waggled my brows with a laugh while his gaze rested on my lips.
“And what do you have going on?”
“Sweet revenge, my friend,” I said lightly. “I’ll see you at work tomorrow.” I moved past him and was caught by the arm. His warm fingers seared my flesh, and I stared at them until he took them away.
“Look, uh. I was actually going to ask for a ride. You going downtown?”
“Yeah, my ex has a show.”
Reid’s lips twisted in a knowing smirk. “Revenge, huh? What did he do?”
I thought of the months I’d spent with Dylan and came up with the truth. “He forgot about me.”
“He won’t make that mistake again,” Reid said as he nodded toward my dress.
“Are we being nice now?” I asked before batting my lashes.
“We can give it a try.” He smirked and my pulse sped up. “So, how about a ride?”
“I can’t take you back here.”
He shrugged. “It’s cool. I’ll find a way.”
“Let’s go.” In Neil’s Chevy S-10, Reid gave me directions downtown, and I pressed my brows together when we pulled into a gas station.
“This is where you needed to go?”
He nodded before he pulled an envelope of money from his pocket. Curious, I got out with him with a lie about being thirsty. Inside, he walked straight up to the attendant, grabbed a MoneyGram form, and then started filling it out.
Taking a soda from the fridge, I stood in line behind him and peeked over his shoulder to see he’d addressed it to Courtney Crowne, his mother. He was sending her five hundred dollars.
Once I paid for my drink and we were back in the truck, I couldn’t help my question.
“Everything okay at home?”
“Yeah.”
“Sure?” I asked with an easy tone. “’Cause that was a lot of money.”
His jaw ticked and his eyes went cool. “Wow, you really need to practice the art of subtlety.”
“What’s the money for, Reid?”
He looked at me pointedly. “None of your damned business, Stella,” he snapped. Still idling, I slammed the truck back into park and turned on him.
“Okay, well, I’m not one to pry—”
“Allow me to call bullshit on that,” he said as he ripped his eyes from me and looked out the window.
“Okay, maybe I care about the fact that you can’t pay your rent and never have shit to eat and you just sent two weeks of tips to your alcoholic mother!”
“She needs it,” he said simply, his eyes still on the passing human traffic outside the window. I cranked up the AC as the dry heat filtered through the cabin.