Page 50 of Heart Break Her

“Here.” Merry slides a shot in my direction, tapping it with hers.

I pour the liquid down my throat and enjoy the way it makes my head spin. Exactly what I need to take my mind off things.

When I agreed to join the tour, I failed to process exactly what it would mean to immerse myself in Myth’s life. At the time Sebastian offered, it sounded like an escape, and that was what I needed. But the more I’m around the band, the music, the fast-paced motion of the tour, the more tiring it is, and the more I think of Myth.

I chase the shot with a long drink of my vodka tonic and hope it can swallow my thoughts.

“Another?” Merry eyes my glass, and I follow her gaze, realizing it’s already half gone.

I nod, even if it’s a bad idea. “Tonight, I’m either passing out from exhaustion or passing out drunk, and the latter sounds like more fun.”

“Don’t I know it,” Merry smiles, clinking her glass with mine. “Tomorrow, we head to Dallas. It’s going to be a long fucking day of sleeping in a bus anyway.”

“You don’t ever get tired of it?” I ask her. “Being cooped up all the time has me antsy.”

Merry shrugs. “Depends how you look at it. I think of it as freeing. Never in one place too long. Seeing the world.”

“I guess.”

Myth had the same mindset. Couldn’t be tied down, had to experienceeverything. Maybe I’m vanilla, or maybe I’m just looking at this all wrong, but I miss knowing where I’m going to sleep and wake up. I miss the quiet. I miss the expected.

I miss knowing how my parents are doing.

Tomorrow, I really need to call them.

“Hey, gorgeous, I don’t think we’ve met.” A man comes up beside Merry, but his hazel eyes are focused on me.

He looks familiar. I’m pretty sure he’s a roadie, and I’ve seen him loading up equipment. He definitely has the body for it. A strong build and thick, muscled shoulders. His dark brown hair brushes just over his eyebrows. When he rakes it off his face with his hand, I get the full hit of his blinding smile.

“Zane,” he says.

“Cassie.” I feel myself blushing because he has that affect; he’s gorgeous, and his attention is focused on me.

“I’ve—" Merry scans the room “—got to run, the band needs me.”

She hops off her stool and grabs my shoulders, giving me a wink that says there’s no way anyone needs her right now. But I don’t mind because Zane is the perfect distraction from the fact that Sebastian is getting handsy with his beautiful ex-girlfriend.

Zane slides onto the stool Merry vacated and tips his chin down to my drink. “Need another?”

“Merry just ordered one.” The bartender slides it across to me the moment I finish my sentence. “But thanks.”

I start on my next drink, and the alcohol starts sinking in. It might be that I’m tired or the whiplash that is my emotions on a daily basis, or it might be Zane’s ridiculously white smile, but my head is spinning.

“I’ve seen you with the band,” Zane says, edging closer in his seat so our knees are almost touching. I’m trying to read his face to figure out if that’s all he’s seen of me, but he’s not giving much away.

“Merry’s dragging me along. I’m on a temporary sabbatical at work, figured I had some time to kill.” I draw my straw between my teeth and take another drink.

I really need to come up with a better answer for when people ask why I’m on tour. I’m clearly not working for the band or doing much of anything. Most days, I’m not really surewhyI’m here.

“What about you?” I say to Zane. “I feel like I’ve seen you around.”

Zane grins. “A girl like you noticing a guy like me? I’ll take that as a compliment.”

His knee taps mine, and I smile, but there’s something noticeably missing.

Magnetism?

Electricity?

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