Page 278 of Rock Me All Night
Meg: You're gone. Take it things went well? Let me know when you're done fucking Drew.
I keep my reply short and sweet.
Kara: Very well. Will let you know if I'm ever done. I have lots of plans for the weekend. Brunch Sunday?
Meg: Only if we're actually studying. I'm way behind.
Kara: Deal.
I take the last sip of my tea. "Anything bad?"
"Wish they'd mind their own business." He shoves his phone to the other side of the table. His lip corners turn down. He shifts like he's shaking off his funk. "I want to take you to the beach. It's supposed to be ninety today. I know you—"
"I don't go to the beach."
"What if you got a swimsuit that covered your thighs? Not that you should. I recommend one of those Brazilian thongs."
"You'd punch every guy who looked at me."
"I can control myself."
My voice drops. "No. I can't... not yet."
"We don't have to do it today. But if you visit on tour, I always want to get away. We're stopping at a lot of cities near the ocean."
"I don't know."
"I'll go shopping with you."
"You're volunteering to shop?"
"If I get to see you try on swimsuits, fuck yes."
I do miss swimming, and there are options. Long board shorts or swim skirts or somehow channeling all the don't-give-a-fuck in the world and wearing a regular, scar-revealing bikini.
But I'm caught on something else. Drew wants me to visit on tour? He can't deal with talking to his friends about our relationship status and he wants me to visit him on tour. No fucking way.
"When are we tellingourfriends that we're together?" I ask. "We don't need a label for it. Just... hey, this is a thing. It's not like they don't know."
His eyes go to the floor. "I don't want to invite their commentary. It will only fuck things up."
"You need to tell them before the tour." I press my palm against the table. "It's about a month away, right?"
"Yeah."
"You do realize that everyone knows what's going on, right?"
He shrugs like he finds it plausible that Miles, Tom, or Pete has no clue that Drew and I are more than friends.
Maybe he's right. I'm sure everyone knows we're fucking. But that could be it. It's not like rock stars avoid no-strings-attached sex.
"I put them through hell with Vivian. I don't want them thinking it will be the same with you." He shifts, his expression softening. "After your midterms. That's two weeks, right?"
I nod.
He scoots closer. Runs his fingers over the inside of my wrist, tracing the faint scars. "You don't have to hide these, you know. They're not that noticeable."
"I'm not interested in your opinion on how I should cover or not cover my body."
Drew's lips curl into a smile. "How can you make telling me to fuck off sound so charming?"
"Practice."
He makes eye contact. "I do want to be with you. For a long time."
I push off the table and find my purse. "You don't have to say the word boyfriend. You have two weeks." I slide into my canvas sneakers. "After that, I'm not going to be patient."
"Deal." He shifts to his feet with a nod and follows me out the door.
