Page 38 of The First Chord

“Don’t you think it’s odd that they’re letting us be on the same bus?” I asked. “Bearing in mind what Jimmy has accused us of.”

“Well maybe they realise he’s full of shit. Or maybe,” he said with bite, “they don’t care what goes on as long as we’re making them money.”

He turned to me and smiled again, although it barely reached his eyes and I wondered whether he was regretting asking me to stay. I had caused so much trouble and I hated that he probably thought I wasn’t worth it.

CHAPTER19

RONNIE

It was the weirdest feeling watching Amber hand out plates of pizza. She’d only been under my roof for a few days, but it felt like she belonged. That was scary because she was married, she couldn’t be mine, no matter how much I wanted otherwise. She’d come to me for help as a friend, not the people she’d known for years, and it would be wrong of me to take advantage of our proximity. I’d tried to tell her once before, in a clumsy sort of way, and that had scared her off. That was why I needed to keep things within the boundaries of friendship, even if she looked at home chatting to my best friends. Yet, those lines of friendship were distorted.

“Did you speak to Elliot today?” I asked Beau as I settled down on the huge L-shaped sofa in my den room.

“Yep, and Belle.” He picked a piece of pineapple off his pizza, frowning. “Why the hell would you think that is normal?” he asked, pointing at the food on his plate.

Simone reached across and snagged it up. “You’re the weird one.”

“Whatever, you little freak.” He nudged her and then turned back to me. “Belle is fuming that she’s stuck in bed for the next few weeks, but I can tell she’s scared really.”

“Is she home yet?” I asked.

“No, she’s got to stay in a few more days while they monitor her and make sure everything is okay.”

“They must be petrified,” Amber said.

I turned to her and she blushed, looking down at her pizza, and the way she curled her bare toes made me smile. Everything about her made me smile.

“They are,” Beau said, his shoulders sagging. “I hate it for them.”

Simone reached for his hand and gave it a squeeze. “She’ll be fine, babe. Elliot said it’s just a precaution.” Beau nodded and went in for a quick kiss to the cheek.

“Yeah, I know. She’s almost six months now so…”

He trailed off because I knew he was worried about his sister. She’d lost a baby once before, much earlier on in her pregnancy, but I knew it scared everyone that it might happen again.

“We delay until the baby’s born, if necessary,” I added. It would certainly resolve the issue of Amber having to be around Jimmy.

“That’s what Ali said. That, she is adamant about.” Beau looked tentatively at Amber. “I’m sorry about you having to go back on tour, Amber.”

She shrugged. “It’s not your fault. I get why the record company have asked.”

“I don’t,” I scoffed. “I think you should have told them to fuck off.”

Beau let out a burst of laughter. “I agree, but I can’t imagine Amber saying that.”

Now he said that, I had to agree. She was so ladylike with her straight back, elegant neck, and long thin fingers. I’d never heard her swear but loved how beautifully she spoke. You’d think she’d been to private school or had elocution lessons. In fact, everything about her was classy.

“As long as I don’t have to spend any time with him.” She gave a little shudder, and I felt my spine stiffen.

“You won’t spend any time with him,” I snapped, tearing off a mouthful of pizza with my teeth.

“We can stick together,” Simmy said, flashing Amber a smile. “The last time I joined the tour, Belle had to go home before me, and I felt like a spare part the three days I was on my own.”

“I looked after you,” Beau replied, looking affronted.

Simmy grinned. “I know, babe.” Instantly Beau nuzzled into her neck, and they were lost in each other for longer than was comfortable.

I looked over at Amber, who was looking anywhere around the room except at Beau and Simmy. The way she chewed on her bottom lip made me wonder what it would taste like. She didn’t wear heavy make-up, but her lips were always shiny. Not overly slick, but just enough to entice me to want to kiss them.

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