Page 11 of Never Have I Ever

“Laird?” My sister throws her arms around me. “Are you okay?”

“Um . . . fine.” I tip down to look at shorty pants. “Why, what’s going on?”

Her arm flies from her side. “You were just mauled by that fan.” As soon as I chuckle, she shoves me. Fortunately, the pipsqueak is much smaller, so there’s no damage. I don’t budge. “Usually, Nobu is stricter.” She huffs and then sits down at the table. “Where’s security when you need them?” Concern tugs at her eyebrows as she searches my face for wounds to heal. She won’t find any. They’re all on the inside . . . “Are you sure you’re okay?”

I glance toward the exit, knowing the woman is already long gone after her hit and run. It happened so fast that I didn’t have time to even get a good look at her. She didn’t hit higher than my shoulders, her blond hair was pulled back in a tail at her neck, and her blue dress billowed behind her as she ran away. But that stuff didn’t matter. How she felt so familiar in my arms had me standing there like an idiot holding her.

What the fuck was I doing?

I’m a total creep for holding on to a stranger like she’s someone I knew. I bet she was pretty. I wouldn’t know since the sun was in my eyes when she opened that door. “It’s no big deal, Nikki.”

Shane rocks back in his chair, my cousin grinning like an idiot. “She was hot.” He drums his fingers on the edge of the table. A drummer’s habit I’ve seen Nikki’s husband, a drummer in his own band, do as well. It’s annoying as fuck. “You know what that means?”

I take the bait, already knowing I’m going to regret it. “What?”

“She’s a fucking maniac.”

Nikki whacks him on the arm. “Don’t say that. She could have been.” She looks over her shoulder toward the door, seemingly to make sure the woman is gone. “We should call security just in case. Remember what happened to me?”

I was ready to crack a joke with my cousin, but Nikki’s right. Her situation may have been different, but shit happens to celebrities all the time. It’s not all sex, drugs, and rock ’n roll. Though that was what I imagined would happen once our band hit it big. “I’m okay, Nik. She’s gone. I’m here. Let’s order. I’m starving.”

As soon as the server leaves after taking our orders, Shane slurps the dregs of his soda. Nikki rolls her eyes. “We can’t take you anywhere.”

“Who are we trying to impress?” he says, chuckling.

She hates attention offstage. He loves it.

She adds, “Can we just enjoy a meal out without having the entire place staring at us?”

“They’re going to stare,” he says. “I’m not sure if you’re aware of this, but we’re kind of a big deal. Even famous in some circles.” He laughs. I’m glad to see her laughing as well.

Leaning forward, I rest my arms on the table, ready to get down to business. “What was the emergency?” Not laughing anymore, Nikki and Shane exchange a look, putting them on the same page. That in and of itself is unusual. “Care to fill me in, guys?”

Shane remains silent. Figures. I turn to my twin sister, who looks nothing like me—she’s blond to my dark hair, and her blue eyes are even a deeper shade than mine. She takes after our mom in looks and stature. Some say I twin my dad. I say, “Looks like you’re it, sis.”

“It’s about you and the tour.” She dives right into the deep end.

“And the album,” Shane interjects.

Should have known this was why they suddenly wanted to go to lunch. I sit back again, scrubbing my hands over my face before dropping them to my legs to hang. “What about me and the tour?” I pivot my attention to Shane. “And the album?”

Nikki takes a sobering breath. “You’re not ready, and we’re about to lose our spot on the tour because of it.”

Crossing my arms over my chest, I stare at her. “Who says?”

“Everyone.” Shane may act unbothered, but his shortened tone says otherwise. “That’s the problem.”

I glare at him. “As in Johnny Outlaw, Tommy, Jet—?”

Holding up his hand, he ticks off every member of the headliners, The Resistance, The Crow Brothers, and has the balls to include the two of them in the count before adding, “Even Dare and the Rock Star Heroes.”

“They shouldn’t have shit to say since they’re playing before us on the ticket.”

Shaking his head, he replies, “They do. You’re just blocking it all out, and we’re dealing with the bullshit.”

“Traitors. All of you, especially you two.”

Shane goes on like he’s had a red carpet rolled out for him to get everything off his chest. “Admit that you’ve not been yourself for a while now. Whatever it is, it’s time to put it behind you and focus on the music again.”

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