Page 18 of Reverb
Free from his concern? Maybe. That was his whole reason for being here, though. He rose and found Mish hadn’t gotten far. She stood a step away, a smile that was tired but not faked as the fans he’d seen earlier greeted her.
He waited while Mish chatted with them. A few selfies later, there was fatigue in her arm when she tucked curls behind an ear and nodded at a younger woman recounting a story of how she discovered Twisted Wishes. Sweet tale, and Mish’s smile was still genuine, but that earlier tension was back. If she’d gained any relaxation from her beer, it was long gone now.
David shifted to catch Mish’s attention, and she glanced his way, long enough for him to raise an eyebrow that he hoped read asdo you need an out?and not as him pushing her along.
“Oh god,” she said. “I hate to run on you, but I’ve kept David here waiting.” She pulled him closer into the circle. “He’s helping the band with the upcoming tour, and we still have things we need to discuss tonight.”
He could play along. Wasn’t a lie. “Well, but your fans...” He gestured to the group.
“No, no,” said the woman who’d been chatting with Mish. “We’ve taken up enough of your time.” They all murmured their agreement, and after another round of “Thank you so much” and “We love you!” Mish headed to the door. David did what he’d done all evening—trailed behind her.
A few patrons eyed Mish as she left, either because they were curious from the cluster of fans or because she was a stunning woman in her own right. None of them seemed to be watching with strong intent or malice. David’s skin pricked, though.
He slowed and looked over the last of the patrons, but no one stood out. Either his nerves were shot, or he’d missed something.
He schooled his expression and stepped outside, where Mish waited for him. She’d put her sunglasses on, hiding those expressive eyes. “At this point, you might as well walk me home.”
Best plan. If someone was following her, they’d have made him by now. Next time sussing a tail out would be a bust, because they’d be waiting for him. “All right.”
They walked in silence for a few blocks.
“I hate this,” she said, her voice crackling. “Not you. I like you. I hatethis.” She gestured around them. “Being paranoid. Needing to be walked home. Followed for my own good.” She slapped a hand on her thigh. “Stupid fucking patriarchy.”
Yup. He certainly knew that set of emotions. “I understand, especially since you can take care of yourself.”
“Yet you’re here, David. Watching me.”
“I am. But, Mish—” He didn’t know how to phrase what he wanted to say, so he just plunged in headfirst. “If you were a guy, I’d still be here. If you took out the stalker but got injured again, where would that leave the band?”
“Fuck.” She kicked at a loose stone on the sidewalk, sending it far up ahead of them. “Fuckingfuck, David.”
He didn’t say anything.
“I hate that you’re right.” She gritted out the words. “Because you are.”
“Band needs you whole. There’s only one of you, like there’s only one of each Twisted Wishes member.”
“I know.” Tight voice. “Stop talking, please.” Her voice was all breath.
He shut up. The hurt there, the unbelievablefrustrationreminded David all too well of times he’d been forced into corners he’d hated. And no, none of it was fair. This was why he kept to himself in his personal life. Didn’t make too many close attachments. There was only so much he could do to ease another’s pain.
When they got close to her apartment, she slowed and pulled him to the side to let others pass. “You know, I do wish this shitty business between us...wasn’t. You’d be a hell of a date.”
Once again, heat coursed through him. “I can’t go on a date with you, but I was serious about the beer. And you did promise me karaoke.”
She snorted. “The guys will kill me if I drag them again.”
“Then drag me,” he said. “As a friend.”
“Friend, huh?” Her smile had a touch of the devil in it. “You should ask Zavier about friendships sometime.”
He didn’t understand what she meant, but how she said it made every part of him take notice ofher. Every bit of her. “Okay.”
That lovely chuckle didn’t help at all. “Have a good one, David. See you later.” She took two steps backward on those heels of hers, spun with a grace he didn’t possess at all, and sauntered past Lorenzo into her apartment building.
He was so fucked. No way this was gonna end professionally.
For the first time in his life, David didn’t give a damn about that.
