Page 51 of Forever Flames: Padraig & Stevie
“Maybe.” He shrugs. “Maybe not. Convince me.”
“I’m here.” I slam my hand on the armrest. “Every fucking day. Sacrificing myself to keep the peace so we don’t lose traction.”
“Sacrificing my ass. Fireball is ours, no one else’s.” Liam snakes his arm around my shoulders.
I flinch, not meaning to.
“I know what it’s like,” Liam whispers into my ear. “Standing next to a couple, feeling out of place. For years, it was you and Stevie and I was always on the fringe. I used to pretend it didn’t sting. Now Linus is in the thick of it with me, and I’m trying to make the band better. Future-proof. For us. For Connor.”
“I’m not jealous.”
“I didn’t say you were.” He releases me and leans forward. “My point is, as far as I’m concerned, Felicity doesn’t speak for you. Or me. Or for this band. She’s shifting the vibe and I don’t like it.”
I rub the back of my neck. “Her voice is second to none. She’s…familiar. Predictable. At least we know how to work around her.”
“Do we?” Liam asks. “I sure the fuck don’t. Are you saying you’d rather keep spinning in circles with someone you don’t even trust?”
My jaw drops. Is he right?
He nudges my knee. “You’ve always been the one who kept us steady. All I’m saying is, don’t let her pull you under and wreck things with Stevie as you sink.”
“What the fuck’s that supposed to mean?” I shove the pillow aside.
“You’ve been all over the place lately. Checked out in rehearsal. Fumbling lyrics you wrote. Pretending Felicity’s not a problem when she’s tanking morale.”
“I’m not pretending—”
Liam doesn’t push right away. He lets me breathe, even though the long silence stretching between us causes the air to thicken with everything unspoken. Then he leans over and rests his arms on his knees.
“Dar,” he says quietly. “You keep letting Felicity run the show because you think it’s safer than starting over. I get it. You don’t seem to realize it’s killing the thing we built and now it’s affecting your relationship.”
“She’s a pain in the hole.” I scrub my palm down my face. “The thought of auditioning someone else and resetting makes me want to crawl out of my skin. I don’t know if I’ve got it in me.”
Liam squints. “Really?”
“She got a job offer in New York.” I stare at my hands. My knuckles are pale from how tight they’re clenched.
Liam’s brow arches. “Stevie?”
“Yeah, a big hospitality group,” I add. “Entry-level, but solid. Great pay. She hasn’t accepted yet.”
He whistles low. “Fuck.”
“Yeah.”
“She’d have to move?”
I nod again. “This summer.”
“Ah, shit.” He leans back, eyes narrowing. “What’s she thinking?”
“She wants to go.” I try to stop my eyes from filling with tears.
“And you?”
“I want her to have the world,” I choke out. “I’d be lying if I said the thought of her leaving doesn’t gut me.”
He’s quiet for a long beat. “Ah, well that explains your reaction last night. You’re upset.”
