Page 25 of Finding Emotion

Skylar chugged the last of the brownish sludge in her glass. “That’s that,” she said, setting the glass down again. “I should contact Jami about tonight.” She strode back to her room, and the door clicked shut behind her.

Her manager’s lips pressed together, and she pulled out her phone.

Jimmy leaned into his shoulder. “Man, I can’t believe you two actually—” He broke off when Damon turned a glare on him.

Damon was surprised at himself too. “I don’t want to talk about it.” He did, but only with Skylar. If he pushed past remembering his more than enthusiastic response, the initial reason he’d agreed to sleep with her made his chest squeeze instead of his balls. He’d considered it as a type of therapy move and hadn’t thought she’d take it that far.

His eyes strayed to the abandoned phone next to the smoothie glass, still sticky with brown residue. “Does Skylar get texts like that often?” he asked Mandy.

She looked up from her phone. Something about her studying him over the top of her glasses made him want to squirm. “Are you worried about her?”

He’d never imagined that past all the attitude Skylar threw around was a vulnerable fear that echoed against the voice inside himself. “Being shit on sucks.”

“Please!” Jimmy laughed as he slapped Damon on the back. “Like you’d know. You’re fucking perfect.” He shook his head, pushing up from the couch. “At least, the public has always thought so.”

Mandy’s eyes flicked to his manager as Jimmy crossed to the window, but then settled on Damon again. “Your images are very different. Do you remember that fan from the other night?”

The way Skylar’s husky voice had sung the sad chorus of her song to her fan had stuck with him. “Yeah. That was intense.”

“Situations like that make Skylar much more uncomfortable than a dozen comments calling her a slut. I’ve never understood it, but it’s not my job to understand, just to make things as easy on her as I can so she can focus on the work.” Mandy stood, but hesitated in front of him. “Be a little more careful, all right? For your own peace of mind.” She crossed to Skylar’s room and rapped on the door. “I’m coming in,” she warned the occupant before pushing inside.

Damon wasn’t sure how to feel about Skylar’s manager suggesting he was going to be chewed up, unless she was referring to the tape again. He flushed. When his friends had asked about her the night before, he hadn’t been able to imagine having sex with her, much less in such a public place.

He sighed as he rose from the couch to cross to Jimmy. He’d never seen the fun-loving guy quite so broody. “I’m sorry,” Damon said. “I should have told you about today.”

“Yeah, you should have.” Jimmy shoved his hands in his pockets as he continued to stare at the darkening twilight outside. “I can’t believe you, man, but I know it was probably all her.”

He studied his manager, whom he also considered a friend, and realized it wasn’t shock digging grooves near his mouth. “Shit, I fucked up. I knew you admired her.”

“Well, yeah. She’s a true rock star. And damn, can she sing.” His eyes narrowed at the bright orange of the setting sun. “That she’s into a dweeb like you kills it a little.”

Damon couldn’t deny the dweeb part. “She’s not really into me. It was more like I was there.” The truth of it was sobering. He remembered his own flash of jealousy when Skylar had mentioned seeking out Jimmy instead. Sure, he’d agreed to give her control because it had seemed like she needed it, but he wasn’t fool enough to think it was about needing him. He’d wanted her, though, he admitted to himself. What was worse, he wanted her even more now. “It’s not like she’s clamoring for a repeat performance.”

“Well, hell, you popped off in about a second on the plane.” Jimmy’s laugh grated on Damon’s ears. “I’m surprised she gave you another shot.”

“As I said, right place.” Damon turned his back, sick of his manager’s returned smile.

“I knew I should have taken up running,” Jimmy said behind him. “Hey, what do you need tonight? A place to practice?”

“No, one of my friends invited me out again.” More like in. Trenton had invited him over to meet their new addition. Damon rubbed his hands against his jeans at the thought of holding the baby for real. “I’ll need a ride to his place, though.”

“Got it,” Jimmy said, pulling out his phone. “You and fucking Skylar,” he mumbled under his breath. “Maybe I do have a shot.”

Damon wanted to snap at him, but the truth was he had no idea what Skylar thought of him or his manager. He glanced toward the bedroom door. They really needed to talk.

Chapter 13

Skylar climbed out of the limo at the address Jami had given her. She stared at the domestic-looking house. It was a sprawling ranch-style, whereas the one they’d grown up in had been a two-story. The comparison reminded her that her childhood home had burned to the ground and Jami hadn’t even bothered to tell her at the time. Not that she truly cared that any mementos were gone. Her mother had been all about her father, and he’d been an emotionless, logical man before the car accident turned him into an angry, forgetful prick.

That her sister had been willing to put her life on hold for so long to take care of him, when he really hadn’t been there, had irritated Skylar more than anything. There was no way in hell she would have been willing to do the same, and she’d never felt guilty for taking off when they were teenagers.

Well, except for leaving without warning Jami about Andrew Raneer, the supposed family friend who had a thing for those he could control—though that hadn’t been Skylar, thank God. One failed attempt had cured him of the idea. She hadn’t been worried for Jami back then. She’d always thought her older sister could take care of herself. Of course, she bet her sister thought the same about her.

Skylar studied the multiple cars in the driveway as she clomped to the front door. Her sister had mentioned she was having a couple of friends over. Nerves skimmed over her arms as she rang the bell. She’d always been the social butterfly back when they were kids, but she wasn’t so much anymore.

The door opened with barely any delay, as if her sister had been standing there waiting. “Skylar!” Jami hugged her.

Jami’s hugs had always been a lot warmer and more comforting than their actual mother’s. “Hey, Jame.” Skylar let the arms hold her a little longer before stepping back. “Shit, you look amazing.”

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