Page 45 of Fractured Dreams

Eden nodded. “So, will you be playing your new songs? You haven’t even finished recording yet.”

“Nah, we’ll only play our back catalog. But we’ll drop the album announcement straight after, when everyone is already talking. Then we can finish recording over the next few weeks and still have a few months before we release to keep building hype.”

“That’s awesome, Noah. You must be excited.” Eden smiled at her brother but had to press her hand against her stomach to ease the sudden hollow feeling spreading through her belly. She had no idea why talking about the impending album release had rattled her nerves, it was great news for her brother—for the band.

Releasing a breath, she pushed aside her illogical reaction, concentrating instead on the possibility of a trip to New York. “And Drew doesn’t mind if I come with you?”

“Of course not. Lexie’s coming too.”

“Yeah, but Lexie will actually be doing something useful.”

“You’ll be useful. You can carry the bags,” he deadpanned, then laughed when she punched his arm.

Still smiling, he rubbed his bicep. “It’s not a problem Eden, honestly. You’re my sister, first class travel with the band is a perk of the position.”

She rolled her eyes. “Finally, something to make it all worthwhile.”

Noah laughed again, and Eden hoped she was finally seeing a return to the easygoing brother she was used to. She was leaving it perilously close to her departure to tell Noah about her and Tex.

They needed to tell him soon, regardless of her concerns. Maybe after the weekend in New York they could finally all sit down and discuss it. Like adults.

She surprised her brother by wrapping her arms around him and giving him a hug. “Thanks Noah. I hate to say it, but I’m going to miss you when I go.”

He hugged her back. “Same. I might have to start actually learning to cook for myself.”

Eden laughed. “Maybe when… uh,ifI come back here after my internship, you can cookmedinner.”

“It’s a deal. I make a mean frozen pizza.”

She just smiled and shook her head.

???

Two days later, Eden was sitting in a comfortable leather seat on a private jet, with the band, Drew, and Lexie.

“I think I could get used to this,” she sighed, stroking her hands over the buttery soft leather.

“Believe me, it happens sooner than you might think,” Lexie said with a laugh. “And that’s coming from someone who traveled economy constantly when I was a full-time freelancer.”

Eden caught Tex’s eyes on her, and she flashed him a quick smile. He smirked back, then deliberately looked over her shoulder at something before meeting her gaze again and quirking an eyebrow.

Eden casually glanced behind her. The only thing visible back there was the airplane bathroom.

Oh.Oh.

She turned back to look at him; at the smile curling his lips. Now he was just teasing her. As much as she might like for him to initiate her into the mile-high club, it would be impossible on the small plane without making it obvious to everyone what was happening. As he well knew.

She smiled at him in return. Two could play at that game. “Mmm, I’m so tired,” she said, pretending to yawn, then stretching her arms up over her head, making sure to arch her back and let her tank top stretch over her breasts. When she sank back down into the seat and glanced casually back at him, his eyes were hot on her, his gaze full of promise. Two nights staying at a hotel. Two nights they could be with each other.

She couldn’t wait.

???

The band’s first interview was with a high-profile music journalist, who asked pointed questions about the band’s intentions, mentioning the recent successful Crossfire tour and what it might mean for Fractured. The band members were cagey in their answers but dropped enough hints about another album in the near future that Eden could see the glimmer of excitement in the interviewer’s eyes.

The second scheduled interview was on a late-night talk show. Eden and Lexie watched from the wings of the sound stage as the band charmed the host and the audience, trading anecdotes from their careers and what they’d been up to over the last year and a half, again dropping hints that a new album might be in the works.

It was just before the interview was due to end that the host asked, “So guys, now that Connor is engaged and off the market, what about the rest of you? Is there anyone special in any of your lives?”

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