Page 22 of Edge of Forever

“Yeah, but Kirsten isn’t me. And she’s already had a good bit of success. She has a hit single under her belt, she’s been on tour with one of the biggest bands in the world, and she has resources that other teenage girls don’t have. She can afford to fly out and see me, to?—”

“And that’s the other thing. Have you even discussed the fact that you’re dead-ass broke?”

“She knows I don’t have any other way of making money. She’s not stupid.”

He eyes me carefully. “Look, I’m not trying to be a dick. You’re my bro, and I don’t want you to miss out on what’s coming. I also don’t wantherto end up with a broken heart. I mean, we’re going on tour with her brother-in-law’s band… that could impact us if things go sideways.”

“I’m not going to let that happen.” I know he’s just trying to be a good friend, but this line of questioning is pissing me off.

“I’m hungry,” Mick announces, interrupting us. “You going over to Kirsten’s?”

I nod. “Yeah.”

“I need a Vegas girlfriend,” Mick mutters.

“No one wants to be your girlfriend,” Tate says, laughing. “You’re too much of a man whore.”

“I’m young and single—why shouldn’t I sample what’s out there?”

“There’s no reason,” Tate says. “I’m just explaining why no one wants to be your girlfriend and feed you every night.”

“I have a date later tonight,” Angus says, “so it’s possible to find ladies who like us enough to feed us. You just have to know where to look.” He winks as he grabs the car keys off the table. “Who’s ready to go?”

“You need one of the cars?” Tate asks me. “You can take it tonight. I’m gonna get something to eat and chill. I have a couple things to do anyway.”

“Yeah, take it,” Angus says to me. “I can drive the rest of us back to the hotel. Maybe pick up pizza on the way? I’m not going out until late.”

“Pizza sounds good.” Mick follows after him.

They disappear and I stand there for a few seconds, Jonny’s words echoing in my mind.

He’s right that I have a lot to think about, but more than that, Kirsten and I need to talk.

I just don’t know what I want to say.

I’m fine making sacrifices for us to make a go of things.

The question is whether or not she is, and since I’m older and have more experience, I don’t want to influence her or push her in one direction or another.

I need her to want this as much as I do.

NINE

Kirsten

Sam is quieterthan usual tonight, and though he participates in the banter at the dining room table with my family, I know him well enough to know there’s something on his mind.

Dumping me?

I don’t think so.

That’s not who he is.

We haven’t talked about the future too much on purpose.

We decided early on in our friendship that we would take things one day at a time, but things are changing now.

He didn’t know how long he would be in Vegas and now that we know it’ll be over a month—basically until he leaves to go on tour—that gives us a lot of time to be together.

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