Page 17 of Tortured Tones

That had never bothered me before. So why now?

I loved my life.

I wasn’t ready to settle down.

Why did I feel like crap?

As I finished the bottle and hung out with my friends, the night disappeared.

Just after three a.m., I staggered out to our town cars with everyone in tow.

“You okay?” Flint swayed on his feet.

“Yeah, man,” I slurred. “Fucking peachy.”

He chuckled. “You want us to come with you tomorrow?”

A throbbing pain erupted in my temples. “No. Tia’s coming.”

“Okay.” He draped his arm around Sutton’s shoulders. “Call us if you need anything. Otherwise, we’ll see you at rehearsal day after tomorrow.”

“I’ll be there.”

Flint and Sutton jumped in their town car. Then I waved goodbye to Slip, Tia, and Lewis, who were heading back to Slip’s house.

I sank into my town car. Just me. By myself. In the back. Ava and the driver sat up front. As we took off, I stared out the window. The streetlights turned into blurry, hazy, glowing, fuzzy balls. The road passed by in a monotonous endless loop. The void in my chest threatened to return. I wouldn’t let it.

At my house, I clambered out of the car and stumbled toward my front door. I tripped up the step. But Ava caught my arm. She’d come out of nowhere. “Let’s get you inside.”

“I got it.” But I slumped against her hold.

“Clearly.” She punched in her access code and opened the door.

She half-carried me over to the sofa. I flopped onto the long seat, lay down and covered my eyes with my arm. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

I peered at her from beneath my arm. She straightened, but before she turned, I reached out and caught her hand.

I lowered my voice, trying to inject some playfulness into my tone but failing. “Min was something, wasn’t she?” Ain’t that the truth.

Ava tugged her hand free. “Not my place to judge or have an opinion, Mr. Tanner.”

“But don’t you? How can you just watch us and not form an opinion?” Was I looking for a fight? Someone to argue with so I could vent about Min not staying with me tonight, my world that was about to change tomorrow, my future that would never be the same? Fuck! I’d bottled shit up for so long—now wasn’t the time to crack. I was too drunk to be reasonable.

Ava grabbed a throw off the end of the sofa and unfolded it. “You pay me a lot of money not to.”

“So you do have one—you’re just not telling me?”

“Something like that.”

“Do you hate us? Celebrities?”

“No.” She draped the throw over me. “I know this life isn’t easy.”

“How?” Why was she taking care of me?

“I used to be in that world with my ex-husband. His life is similar but different to the one you’re in.”

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