Total pages in book: 122
Estimated words: 116031 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 580(@200wpm)___ 464(@250wpm)___ 387(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116031 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 580(@200wpm)___ 464(@250wpm)___ 387(@300wpm)
With an album sitting on the charts, we’ve earned the spotlight.
Laird hits my arm. “Let’s go.” Turning to his sister, he asks, “Are you flying home with Tulsa or us?”
“Are you leaving now?” she asks. Laird and Nikki can’t be visually more different even though they’re twins, but Laird and I have a few similarities in our coloring and build. It makes sense that we didn’t fall far from the Faris family tree when it came to genes.
“I’m ready to go,” I respond, flexing my fingers so they don’t tighten up on me or scab over too quickly. “My hand is busted, and I barely have the energy to stand upright.” Seeing red snake through my fingers, I try to find something to wipe the blood away. “We haven’t had enough time between gigs to let it heal.”
She looks at me, and sympathy creases the corners of her eyes. “You guys go ahead. Get back and get some rest. I’ll fly back with Tulsa.” She studies my hand, and her expression falls into concern weaving through her forehead. “You’ll take care of this before you leave?”
“Yeah,” I lie, the blatancy needed to get back home quicker.
Laird and Nikki exchange a look before he says, “We’ll see you back in LA.”
They lean in to hug but then stop. “Ew.” She laughs, pushing her brother away. “We’re too sweaty for that. Safe travels.”
Laird and I head to the dressing room to grab our stuff. He asks, “You’re not bringing any chicks, right?”
Pulling a tee over my head, I then close my bag. “Nah, not in the mood.” I clean my hands to prep for new bandages, but I might let the fresh air heal me instead and deal with the rest tomorrow.
He chuckles, grabbing hold of his bag. “There’s a first for everything.”
“You’re rubbing off on me, asshole. I used to be fun, getting laid and then skipping town. Now I’m becoming as boring as you without the perks of going home to someone.” I follow him out the door with my bag thrown over my shoulder. “Don’t think I haven’t noticed how fast you’re ready to jet after each stretch of shows.”
“Since Poppy is pregnant with twins, the doctor ruled out flying to our shows.” Still walking toward the door, he looks back at me. “Not going to lie, I can’t wait to see her. I missed years loving that woman. I’m not going miss more than I need to for work.”
Work? If that’s all our struggles, efforts, and hard work are to him now, where does that leave me? I was warned about this part of growing up when I was a teen. My dad once told me to enjoy it now because one day I’ll look around and everything will have changed. I just never saw it coming.
The sun is finally setting, but the temperatures are still blazing hot. The desert is quite the sight at sunset. Shades of orange and yellow blend into the remaining blue skies as we head to the SUV waiting to take us to the airport. I toss my bag in the back. The driver dips in to straighten our bags while we take over the second and third rows. After we settle in, I say, “Can I ask you something without you giving me shit for it?”
“I can’t make that deal with you,” he says behind a laugh. When I look back at him, Laird throws his hand between us. I slap mine against his. He adds, “You know you can trust me, Shane. Family first, always.”
“I know.” I lower my arm, staying angled his way. “How’d you know Poppy was the one?”
“Is there a reason you’re asking?”
I’ve started searching for answers for a while now, unsure if I was going to blame them for how I feel or if I’m ready to make changes, like having someone waiting for me at home like he does. Nah, I’ll blame my cousins. “Curiosity is all.”
He turns his gaze out the window, seeming to ponder the question. “It was just different with her.” Looking back at me, he adds, “And I knew it inside.”
“Inside where?” I know what he means, but he still sounds like a fucking sap. And since I never promised not to give him a hard time, I’m obliged to take the shot.
Shaking his head, he chuckles again. “You haven’t met the one.”
“I’m not trying to. I don’t have any interest in what you and Nikki are doing—”
“You will.” He plugs in his earbuds, closing his eyes. “Now, if we’re done with this heart-to-heart—”
“Shut it.” I face forward, too awake to sleep on a thirty-minute car ride. I have an hour and a half ahead of me on the flight. But I can’t wait to sleep in my own bed tonight.
Three hours later, I’m dropping my bag on the floor. Finally home. I lock the front door and head straight for the bedroom. A constant throbbing has replaced the feeling in my hands and wrists. At this point, exhaustion is running through my veins. I’m too tired to fuck around. I grab some packs from the freezer to ice my wrists, then strip the shirt from my body, kick off my shoes, tug my jeans down, and fall into bed.