Pulling up to the gates, they open immediately, which tells me that my best friend is waiting impatiently. I take in the huge house up on the hill, and my heart bursts with happiness for her.
I park in the circular drive and, before I can even get out the car, Logan is beside the door, bouncing with excitement. “I missed you,” she says, tugging on my hand to pull me from the car. Once I’m outside, she wraps her arms around me in a hug. “Come on, the guys are waiting.” She pulls me toward the front door.
“The guys?” I assume she means the band, but why would they be here?
“Yeah, they’re already on board.” She grins.
“Logan.” I pull back on her hand. “What the hell are you taking about? Already on board?”
She grins. “Come on in and we’ll tell you.”
I allow her to guide me into the house, still confused as to what’s going on. She leads me into the living room, where Kacen, Gavin, Tristan and, of course, Cole are all gathered around. They all wave, and Cole adds a wink for good measure. I’ve managed to stay away from him this week. A tough feat in and of itself.
Kacen holds his hand out for Logan and she takes it, settling on his lap. “Have a seat.” He motions to the empty space on the couch beside them.
“What’s going on?”
Logan beams. “Well, my husband and I have been talking.” Kacen kisses her temple, his hands resting on her flat belly. His smile is as wide as hers. “With the band getting ready to go on tour, he doesn’t want me to have all the stress of their scheduling on my shoulders. I’ve assured him that I can handle it, but he read that stress is not good for me or the baby.”
“I agree.”
“So do we,” Tristan chimes in.
“So, as my wife was saying,” Kacen starts, and I can already tell these two are going to be throwing that term around a lot in the coming days. Can’t say I blame them; they are newlyweds, after all. “I don’t want her to have all this resting solely on her. I tried to convince her to give it all up, but she refused. With that being said, she has agreed to let us hire her an assistant.”
“Let me get this straight. The band’s assistant is going to get an assistant?” I wonder if my best friend realizes how damn lucky she is to be in the fold of these tender-hearted rockers.
“That’s it exactly,” Gavin confirms. “We agree with Kacen and think this is the best plan of action. Logan is still in control, since we trust her, but she gets help.”
“That’s a good idea, but I’m still confused as to why I need to be involved in this decision.”
“Because I want you to do it,” Logan explains. “I know you’re not happy at your job, and it’s a great chance for us to spend time together. We practically share a brain, so working so closely together won’t be an issue.”
Wow! Not at all what I was expecting. “I don’t know how to be an assistant to a band. I have an education degree,” I mumble.
“We’ve talked about that too,” Kacen says. “When the baby gets here, I want them with me. We’re only doing a short tour this time, but who knows what the future will bring. It would be nice to know that we have a private teacher for Peanut.”
“Peanut?” Logan and I say at the same time.
“I refuse to call my child ‘it.’ Until we know the sex, I’m going with Peanut,” he states firmly.
I watch as my best friend melts at his words, her lips finding his.
“I don’t know.” I chance a look at Cole, who’s watching me intently. “Mixing business and pleasure is not always the best thing.”
“We want you,” Cole speaks up, and I whip my head around to face him. “Think of it as an adventure.” His eyes bore into mine, almost as if his words have a double meaning. I guess, in a way, they do. He’s made it clear he wants me beneath him, but if I do this, that can’t happen.
I open my mouth, but no words come out.
“Just think about it. It would mean a lot to me to have you with me. The guys will be busy most of the time, and we’ll get to spend a lot of time together. I miss my best friend.” My earlier thoughts fall from her lips.
“Can I . . . have a few days? This is a lot to take in.”
“Sure, but a few days is all we can do. If you decide against it, we need to start looking for someone else. I refuse to go on tour until we find someone,” Kacen informs me.
“Come on, girl,” Tristan says. “It’ll be fun. You get to see a lot of new places and spend time with us.” He points around the room. “What more could you ask for?” His grin is playful.
I nod. “I know. It sounds like an amazing opportunity, and I’m honored that you all would choose me, but I just need a little time to think this over. I’ve applied for a few teaching positions,” I confess.
“Where?” Logan asks, and I can hear the worry in her voice.
I shrug. “All over, really. Just waiting to see what happens.”
“We don’t have that much time, and besides, Logan needs you. She’s going to need her best friend in the coming months. You can’t leave,” Kacen says adamantly.