Page 50 of Close to the Edge

I was struggling to breathe as he shrugged into his leather jacket and we left home without exchanging another word.

What could I say? That knowing he hadn’t slept made my panties wet? To hell with waiting for my stalker to be caught. I wanted him to pull over and bang me on the backseat.

Conversation became redundant as his phone blared to life. He reached for it, his brows creasing when he looked down at the screen.

“Ross,” he answered with a cool voice. “Yes, Maggie told me you’ve been trying to reach me. I’ve been a little busy.” His eyes flicked to me before returning to the road. “What can I do for you?”

Traffic was light, and with the radio in the SUV set to low, I heard the other voice on the line. “The band won’t take me back.”

Caleb suppressed a sigh. “Have you been showing up for rehearsals like we agreed?”

“Every day. I even blew off my weekend plans to put in some extra work. They said it was too little, too late.”

“It’s only been a week. Maybe they’re testing you to see whether you’ll disappoint them again. Where are you right now?” Caleb asked.

There was a moment’s hesitation before Ross-whoever-he-was answered, “At the Beverly Hilton.”

A muscle rippled in Caleb’s jaw. “Didn’t we agree you wouldn’t go back there again?”

“Yeah, but if the guys won’t take me back then what’s—?”

“You better not be thinking of pulling that stunt again or I’ll hang up right now and block your number permanently,” Caleb interrupted harshly.

“I won’t... But it’s hard, man,” the other man whined.

“That’s what happens when you let people down, Ross. They stop trusting you.” His voice gentled. “If you really want this, you just have to keep trying. They’ll come around eventually.”

“And if they don’t?”

“Then you have to find answers elsewhere. You’re talented. You just need to take a little more responsibility for your life. Ultimately, it’s down to you whether you want to succeed or fail.”

“I...want this. The band,” Ross said.

“Then you know what you have to do.”

A sigh echoed down the line. “Yeah. Umm...thanks, man.”

“You can thank me by checking out of that hotel and getting your ass back home.” He hung up and slid his phone back into his pocket.

Silence throbbed through the vehicle for a few blocks.

“You’re good at this... Being a fixer.”

The corners of his mouth lifted, but the smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Thanks. That’s high praise coming from you.”

“I mean it. It can’t be easy dealing with people who aren’t always receptive.”

He eyed me. “Are you including yourself in that?”

I hid a grimace. “Maybe. But what you said to him, just now...is that why you’re a fixer? Because people let you down?”

His face tightened. “That’s too heavy a conversation for this time of the morning, sweetheart.”

“You’re avoiding.”

“And you’re searching for something to take your mind off your meeting. This subject isn’t it, Lily.” There was a touch of warning in his voice.

“Why not? I’ve told you my secrets. You owe me something.Quid pro quo.Isn’t that what it’s called?”

---