10
to admit.
11
But she didn’t miss the concern on Jules’s face and it agi-
12
tated her.
13
“Look. He’s a nice guy. We have smoking sexual chemistry.
14
I enjoy him. But he’s a rock star. His life is on the road and mine 15
isn’t. I can’t even imagine living like that. It’s fun to visit. I’ll 16
have a great time while we’re together. But this thing isn’t per-
17
manent and you know it.”
18
“You’re not the fl ing type. If he’s not your boyfriend, what
19
is he then? What does he expect from you, and can you give it
20
and walk away unscathed?”
21
Mary made a face at her friend. It shouldn’t have pushed her
22
buttons. She knew they all cared about her and said this stuff out
23
of concern. But it pissed her off that they assumed she was fragile.
24
“How do you know what type I am? Also, this is more than
25
a fl ing. Less than a relationship. I’m getting really, really tired 26
of people telling me what I am and am not capable of.”
27
“I’m just saying . . . his life is not yours. He’s not in a differ-28S
ent lane, he’s in a different hemisphere. I love you. I don’t want
29N
you to get hurt.”
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Lush
“Who wants to see a friend get hurt? My assumption is that
01
all of us would prefer that none of the rest get hurt. But back
02
when you were trying to work this thing out with Gideon and
03
Cal, I supported you. I trusted your ability to make it work, or
04
to deal with the outcome if it didn’t.”
05
“Cal and Gideon live here. They wanted to make something
06
with me that was permanent. It’s different with Damien. We
07
don’t even know him that well. A one- night stand is one thing.
08
But this is uncharted territory for you. He’s an expert here.
09
You’re not. This isn’t the same as what I have.”
10
“Didn’t I just say that? Like three minutes ago? We’re not
11
moving in together! And I’m saying this because I love you, but
12
if anyone else spoke to me the way you all seem to have been
13
lately, I’d punch them in the throat. Stop assuming I’m a moron.”
14
Jules blushed, speechless for long moments. “I don’t assume
15
any such thing. But you’re not their type of people.”
16
“Their type? This again? Like Adrian isn’t Gillian’s type?
17
Better hop on over there and tell her. Or is it only me? Only now
18
that you’re in a relationship that you feel so free to hand out
19
advice based on what you think I am? And you admitted you
20
didn’t know him, so how do you fucking know what his type
21
of people is anyway? When did you become so judgy?”
22
“Is that what you think this is?”
23
“I think you and Daisy like to believe this is about protecting
24
me. But in the end, it makes me feel like you fi nd me incapable
25
of being a big girl and having a nice fun thing with this guy until 26
it loses steam. I’m not stupid. I’m not a virgin. And you’re not
27
Dr. Ruth because you’re in a relationship.” It hurt that they didn’t S28
believe in her. That they didn’t trust her damned judgment.
N29
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Lauren Dane
01
“You’re being a bitch.”
02
“Maybe. I’m also right. You don’t like it. I’m leaving now
03
because I do love you and I don’t want to fi ght with you. I know
04
you care about me. I’m asking you to back the fuck off right now
05
because despite what you may think, I know what I’m doing.”
06
Jules sighed. “Don’t leave with this mad between us.”
07
Mary stepped to Jules, giving her a hug. “Tell Cal I said to
08
get his nose out of my business. I know where this is coming
09
from. He’s worried. But I have
always
supported his life and his 10
choices, and it’s supremely messed up that he can’t fi nd it in
11
himself to do the same for me.”
12
She walked out, frustrated.
13
The truck was prepped and loaded for the breakfast she was
14
catering. Her assistant would handle the cleanup so she could
15
get to the helicopter- pad thingy in time.
16
Her annoyance faded as she thought about that part. A heli-
17
copter.
18
She knew they worried. But Mary was having the time of her
19
life. They both had a good time. She wasn’t in love. She was
20
in like. He was in like. He wanted to shower some rock star in
21
her life; who was she to turn it away?
22
23
24
He met her at the helipad, helping her out with a big grin.
25
“Girl could get used to this stuff. Hope you don’t mind, but
26
I brought my camera.” She held it up after taking shots as they
27
fl ew over the venue. Over the river and then as they landed.
28S
He kissed her once they got away from the helicopter. “Hello
29N
there. Long time no see.”
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Lush
“Hello right back.”
01
“Take whatever pictures you want. We don’t mind. I doubt
02
Adrian will either.”
03
“Thank you.”
04
She wasn’t an artist like Daisy was. But she liked taking pic-
05
tures, and while they were in New York she realized there was
06
so much to the backstage world at a show that she thought
07
would be beautiful to photograph, so she remembered to bring
08
her camera this time.
09
“Wow. You know I’ve been here to at least ten different
10
shows. But seeing it from this perspective is pretty amazing.”
11
The Gorge Amphitheatre was in the middle of nowhere. A hot,
12
dusty parking lot. A venue with no real shade. And yet people
13
came out because of the amazing acoustics and the view. The stage
14
sat between the audience and the Columbia River just beyond.
15
Totally stunning, and once the sun went down the heat was a
16
memory. The breeze came up, the sky turned purple and you
17
were suddenly all right with the fact that it had taken you nearly
18
an hour to get the few miles from the freeway exit to the park-
19
ing lot.
20
She’d seen the tents and outbuildings she fi gured were for the
21
artists performing, but wow, they got a view too. A view not
22
only of the river but of the bowl the venue sat in. Up the sloping
23
hillside from the seats to the lawn, already dotted with blankets
24
and early arrivals.
25
“Last time I was here I sat way back there.” She pointed and
26
he laughed.
27
“Funny how short a distance it is, but how long the trip can
S28
be to get here.”
N29
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Lauren Dane
01
“You’re very down-to-earth about your success.”
02
“What else can I be? I could let it go to my head, but fame
03
is fl eeting. I want to appreciate every moment I have it, but be
04
grateful for it and know it could just as easily go away. We can’t
05
all be Adrian.” He snorted.
06
“He says pretty much the same thing. Not that everyone can’t
07
be him.” She quickly amended. “But that he wants to be grate-
08
ful and never take it for granted.”
09
“When you have people like him around you, it’s not quite
10
as hard to stay grounded.” He tugged on her hand. “Come on.
11
Let me take you back to where Gillian is. I promised her I’d bring
12
you when you got here.” He stopped and she nearly bumped into
13
him. “Though I would love to hog you all to myself.”
14
“We have a few days. You can hog me all you want when we
15
get to Bainbridge.”
16
He smiled. “Yeah. I’m counting on that.”
17
There was a labyrinth to get through, crammed with activ-
18
ity. He put a set of badges around her neck. “This will get you
19
everywhere you need to go. If you get lost or whatever, the num-
20
ber for our guy is on the back there. Call him and he’ll come
21
get you. He knows you’re here.”
22
It was . . . nice that he wanted to take care of her. Truthfully,
23
the whole thing was sort of overwhelming, even as it was excit-
24
ing. She wasn’t going anywhere anyway.
25
Vaughan strolled out and when he saw them he raised a hand
26
in greeting. But when she got close, he bent to hug her. “It’s
27
Mary. Nice to see you.”
28S
“Thanks. Excited to see the show tonight.”
29N
“Tour closers are always the best. Paddy had a cold, but he’s
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Lush
doing much better. Adrian is in high spirits. You just missed
01
Ezra and my parents. They came to see us last night in Portland.”
02
She wondered what, if anything, Damien had told his family
03
about her. Probably nothing. Maybe.
04
“Too bad. Did you guys get to visit a little at least?”
05
“Yeah. But we’ll be back home soon enough. Gonna be nice
06
to sleep in my own bed for a change.”
07
“Amen to that.” Damien waved and Mary turned to see Gil-
08
lian coming over.
09
She hugged Gillian tight.
10
“So glad to see you. I’m happy you were able to come.”
11
“We need to do sound check. I’m going to leave you with
12
Gillian, but I’ll come fi nd you once we’re done.” He gave her a
13
kiss, one that surprised her, but she liked it anyway.
14
“Okay.”
15
“Well now.” Gillian smiled. “I do believe our Damien is
16
sweet on you.”
17
“Speaking of sweet on, where are your men?”
18
“Nice way to change the subject. We’ll be back to that
19
momentarily. Adrian is off with Erin doing heaven knows what.
20
Probably plotting on how to buy Miles more guitars. As if he has
21
a shortage.”
22
Mary linked her arm through Gillian’s. “He’s one of
23
them now.”
24
“A Brown you mean? Or a musician?”
25
“Both.”
26
“This is true. He decided in New York that he wants to go
27
to the arts high school now. So I told Adrian he has to drive the
S28
boy to Seattle every morning and pick him up every day.”
N29
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Lauren Dane
01
“He’ll benefi t from it, you know he will.”
02
They went to sit in the shade cast by a fabric overhang. Some-
03
one brought them cold drinks and said food would be arriving
04
shortly. Gillian seemed to have adjusted to it, but Mary was a
05
little starstruck by it all.
06
“I know. I’m trying. He’s losing his anonymity. I’d hoped to
07
protect him better but once he got up on stage the pictures came
08
out and people recognize him now. He’ll be safer most likely at
09
the new school. But he’ll have to make new friends and spend
10
time commuting. But he’s quite good, isn’t he?”
11
Mary nodded. “He has a gift. It would be a crime not to
12
nurture it.”
13
“Which is why I agreed.” Gillian sighed, looking out over
14
the area. “He’ll thrive, like he should.”
15
Knowing Gillian had a lot to process, Mary left it alone for
16
the moment. Instead she indicated the drinks they’d been handed