Page 72 of Fractured Frets

Best feeling ever.

No more hiding. No more secrets. Nothing could go wrong, right?

Chapter 21

MADDY

THE PRESENT – EARLY JULY

“I’m so excited.” Sutton clipped in her seatbelt and pulled the strap tight.

“Me too. Italy, here we come.” I’d done it. I’d been granted ten days off work and could spend time with the band, Tia, Ava and Sutton in Italy. This vacation was just what I needed. My stomach had been a bundle of knots when I’d asked my producer and publicist for the time off. While they’d been shocked because I’d never asked for anything before, they were supportive and understanding, and had encouraged me—with a not-so-subtle plea to stay out of the tabloid headlines—to enjoy Slip’s mom’s sixtieth and sort out my personal life. Pity I couldn’t offer them any guarantees.

Not when new pictures of Slip and Harper had hit the gossip sites last week. They’d been photographed while talking in a hotel lobby, but my blood pressure spiked every time a new image of them emerged on the Internet. I’d been in this game long enough to not believe most of the crap printed online...but fuck, sometimes it was hard not to.

I’d made a pact with myself. This trip, I’d make an effort to get to know Harper—if she was up for it. Hopefully, that would help erase my fear of Slip leaving me for her.

“Hey?” Sutton leaned over the lowered divider between our first-class pods and held out her hand. I clasped it as if she were my grounding rod. She’d flown to Vancouver to join me for the flight overseas so we could keep each other company. Total bestie. “You okay?”

“Yeah.” I nodded. “Just anxious to get there.”

She jerked her chin back. “Are you worried about flying?”

“Me? Hell no.” I giggled and smirked. “I live on a plane. Nothing about flying makes me nervous. This thing could fly into a treacherous storm, fall in turbulence, fill with smoke, or lose an engine or two and I wouldn’t blink an eye.” I’d experienced all those things traveling back and forth to Vancouver from LA.

“That’s what I thought.” Relief flooded her eyes, but then she stilled. “But now you’ve got me worried.”

“Nah. Don’t be. We’ll be fine.”

“So what’s up?”

“Hold on a sec.” I pointed to the flight attendant with a red scarf tied in a bow at her throat, gliding down the aisle, carrying a tray of champagne. “Let’s get a drink first.”

The attendant stopped at our seats. “Ms. Summers? Ms. Reed? Welcome aboard. My name is Renee, and I’ll be looking after you during your flight this evening. Would you like a drink before take-off?”

“Yes. We would.” I swiped two glasses off the tray, handed one to Sutton, and then guzzled mine before Sutton took her first sip. The sweet bubbles tickled my tongue, slid down my throat, and warmed my belly. The buzz swam through my head. But nothing settled the jitters skipping through my stomach. In fifteen hours, via London, we’d be in Milan. I’d get to spend some much-needed time with Slip. This will be good. This is what we need. If the noise inside my head would stop, everything would be alright.

I handed the empty glass back to the flight attendant and took another fresh champagne off her tray. “Please keep them coming.”

“Certainly.” Renee nodded and handed us a few packets of peanuts. “Enjoy your refreshments. We’ll be taking off soon.”

“Excellent.” I leaned back and sank into the soft leather seat.

“Mads? Spill. What’s going on?” Sutton placed her drink on the console between us and rested her folded arms on the surface. “Is this about your mom? You were worried about her earlier this week. Is she okay?”

This would be the first time I hadn’t seen Mom in LA every couple of weeks for almost two years. I didn’t know who was more anxious about that—me or her. We’re even...definitely even.

“Yeah, she is. Health wise, she’s been stable for the past month. She wasn’t happy I’ve taken time off, but Bridget has promised to look after her while I’m away.”

“So if it’s not your mom...” Sutton swiveled her flute around on the console. “Has this got something to do with Slip?”

I smirked and puffed air through my nose. “Everything is about him at the moment.” I guzzled a mouthful of champagne, swirled it around my mouth, then swallowed. “I’m meeting his whole family in a couple days. The last time I was at a large gathering of family and friends, I was left at the altar.”

Humiliated. Embarrassed. Broken. My very public breakdown had been dragged through the media. Slip and I had already been slandered through the press, so surely nothing worse than that could happen at his mom’s party. This event wasn’t about us. So why did my breath quicken, my chest tighten, and my vision blur every time I thought about attending? Was this a mistake?

No. Slip and I would erase anyone’s lingering disappointment for not being at our wedding. There was nothing his family could say or do that would humiliate or embarrass me. “I’m sure I’ve just got the standard meet-the-relatives jitters.”

“You’ll be fine.” Sutton raised her glass, then took a swig. “I mean...how judgmental and harrowing can a large Italian family be?”

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