Page 10 of Ballads of Lines Blurred

Hale walked toward us. He had on a pair of tight jeans and an even tighter gray top.

“I think you’re trying to show me up,” Dominic said. “I usually draw everyone’s eyes with my ass.”

“You’re not the only fine ass at the party, sweetie.” Hale pressed a kiss to his cheek before doing the same to me. He took a seat by my other side. We were on the sidelines of the party.

Between the two of them, I wasn’t sure who loved the attention more. Hale didn’t hang out with us as much as Dominic did, so I didn’t know him as well.

Hale put his finger beneath my chin and dragged my gaze back to his. “He’s not here yet.”

I groaned. “You know too?”

“If you think my brother is unaware of how you look at Slater, you’re wrong. Or how Slater is when he thinks about you. We all know.”

“One, I don’t want to think about everyone butting into my nonexistent love life. Two, Slater doesn’t think about me. I’m a kid to him. And three, Milo is bringing him as a date. This has nothing to do with me.”

“You’re wrong. Where Slater is concerned, so are you. At least for Milo. I love my brother, but he doesn’t know how to commit to anyone romantically. He’s never been enticed to do so. Yet. Now…” He shrugged. “It’s not just Slater on his mind. It’s you too. What that entails… Fuck if I know.”

I dropped my head into my hands. What the hell was I going to do with that information? Of course, I’d noticed Milo in the past, but it was lust, not more like I felt with Slater. I also didn’t give myself a chance to think about Milo another way. We were all aware he didn’t date or commit or have a relationship. Yet he was bringing Slater with him tonight. Out of Slater’s comfort zone with his band and their partners.

That made me think about Slater’s anxiety. I wondered if this was one of his triggers. While I didn’t suffer from it like Slater did, I’d had panic attacks before. I’d worked through them in therapy. I’d forever be grateful for Xaiden, Val, and Corbin getting Olivia and me the help we needed after what we’d been through. Without it, without them, I didn’t want to contemplate where we’d be.

Hale put his arm around me. “You’ll be fine. Slater’s like a skittish puppy looking for love, but unsure where there’s a safe place to settle. Milo… Well, Milo is the dog who’s lived his life on the run and enjoyed every second of it, until he gets a taste of what life inside a real home is like. Where there’s warmth and affection. You’re going to have to approach them differently, but I’d put money on them being open to what you have to offer.”

“How do you know I want anything to do with your brother?” I asked, my head still in my hands. It was this or continue staring at the driveway, which was getting me nowhere.

“I don’t. I was simply offering my unsolicited advice. You should know Slater looks at Milo though. When he’s at the club, he notices my brother. I’m not certain what any of it means, but him agreeing to a date with Milo is something. It’s up to you to put the pieces together.”

Dominic took a loud sip of his cocktail from my other side. “I agree with everything Hale said.”

“Thanks for your input,” I deadpanned.

I had no idea how to analyze what Hale said or figure out what my next move would be. I was hoping I could get Slater alone for a minute tonight to talk to him. Now, I was wondering if I should talk to Milo too. If they were interested in each other as more than a passing fling, did I fit into the equation?

5

SLATER

Showing up at a big gathering was daunting. I was good with crowds, but if I felt like I was being judged; I curled in on myself. My anxiety would appear. I knew how that song and dance went.

This was out of my comfort zone. On top of that, I was on a date with Milo, who I only looked at from afar and didn’t know beyond our quick phone conversation, as well as the neutral topics we’d discussed on the ride over. Neither of us knew what we were doing. Add Cody into the mix, who was going to be there, and I was completely lost. That should have occurred to me when I said yes to Milo, but it didn’t. I was too caught up in him calling and asking me out. I didn’t fully think through who would be there. At Xaiden’s house. A neon light should have gone off with Cody’s name on it. I got nothing.

The GPS said we were five minutes from the house. My nerves amped up the closer we got. What if I couldn’t keep my gaze from wandering to Cody? I already felt torn between him and Milo. I didn’t know either of them well, yet it was fucking me up.

I shouldn’t want Cody. He was much younger than me. He couldn’t even legally drink yet. I should have been able to push him from my mind. If only I could have. Cody was in there, growing roots, not making a move to leave. Why was I so drawn to him?

Then there was Milo. He was sweet and funny. Our conversation was kept light. I was at ease around him, more so than I usually was around new people. He brought me a beautiful bouquet of pink roses. When he said he was going to bring me something, I didn’t expect for him to follow through. I put them in a vase on my coffee table at home.

“We don’t have to go,” Milo said, glancing my way. “You got quiet and keep looking out the window. If you want to do something else, I’m game.”

“No.” I shook my head. “You should probably know before we get there, I’m not the calm guitar player I portray on stage.”

“Not for nothing, but I’ve heard you’ve been brooding in the corner of Untouchable for weeks. Yet I’m still here, wanting to spend time with you.”

“I didn’t mean to brood,” I muttered. “I have a lot on my mind. With it comes a heaping dose of anxiety.”

Milo turned his head toward me briefly, his lip ring catching the sunlight, drawing my attention to it. “You have panic attacks?”

“Yes, and I can’t always predict when I’ll get them. If I leave suddenly to go into the house or walk away from the crowd today, please know it’s not you. It’s me trying to head off the worst of it.”

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