Page 69 of Fractured Rhythm

“Sweet. Are you going?”

“He wants me to.”

“So you should go.”

“I have a job, Holly.”

“And you have a shit ton of vacation time because you go nowhere. It’s not like you’d need to take all three weeks out of work since the shows are local for the most part.”

“Yeah, he wants me to come with him when they play in our hometown. It would be a long weekend, and I definitely think I can get the time for that, but is this crazy? I can’t follow them on tour. Hell, that’s what got us into this mess years ago.”

“Please. It is so not the same thing. You were talking about dropping out of college to follow around your brother’s band that hadn’t made it big yet. This is completely different. A few shows, some deserved days off. You’re not a kid anymore, Cas.”

Everything she said made sense, but I didn’t want to lose myself in him again. I loved my job, and I worked damn hard to get it. I’d been distracted lately. Hell, I’d almost missed a video shoot deadline last week. If one of my production assistants hadn’t caught it, I would’ve signed off on a purchase order for five thousand figs instead of the fifty we’d needed for a shoot.

“I know, but what if we’re moving too fast?” I couldn’t stop voicing my fears and I was starting to annoy myself.

There was also the drinking. We hadn’t talked about it, and I didn’t want to talk about it with Holly, but Bash was rarely without a glass of whiskey when we were out. He never got drunk or obnoxious, but I hadn’t missed the empty bottles the last time I was in his apartment. He always said it helped him write.

I internally shook myself. Maybe it was nothing. But maybe it wasn’t.

“It’s a few shows and awesome sex. No declarations of love yet, right?”

“No. But I’m definitely there again. I don’t want to lose myself,” I said, focusing on Holly again.

“You won’t. You’re strong and you know what you want. That happens to be Bash. Be happy. Don’t second-guess everything. That shit is a waste of time, and you don’t need that in your life. None of us do.”

“You’re smart, you know that?”

“Duh. What have I been telling you since you met me?”

Holly grinned, and I leaned into her, chuckling.

“You’ll get me tickets, right? I’m not done with Tristan yet.”

“Want to tell me about that?”

“Nothing to tell. Yet, at least,” she said, wiggling her brows. “So, you going on this tour?”

“I’ll see if I can get the days off. I’ll at least take the time off for their hometown show. I haven’t been back there in ages. Bash said his mom would be excited to see me, but I’m nervous. I haven’t spent time with her in years. She was like the mother I should’ve had, you know?”

Holly put her arm over my shoulder and gave me a hug.

“I know. It’ll be like no time passed. This is a good thing.”

“After everything went down with me and Bash, I couldn’t spend time with her anymore. It hurt too much. You want to come with me?”

Holly let out a laugh. “Nope. You don’t need me there. You got this.”

I pouted. “Fine. Abandon me in my hour of need.”

“So dramatic. I thought that was my role. Now text that man back and tell him you’ll join him for at least part of the tour.”

Cassie:I’ll confirm days off at work tomorrow, but I should be able to swing at least Connors.

Bash:Yes. My mom will be happy to see you, Cas.

Cassie:I hope so. It’s been too long.

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