Page 51 of Reckless

“I do okay. I was raised to listen more than I talked. Which is no mean feat in our family.”

He laughed. “No shit.” Miles glanced at his phone and saw the time. He had an interview scheduled in a few minutes and less than half an hour after that, they were due on stage. He and Poppy headed back into the warren of hallways to where he and the rest of Earthquakes had set up.

Omar had headphones on and watched a movie on his tablet in a far corner. Maddie was Facetiming with her parents so Miles waved at them as he walked by.

Silas was most likely off on a run. He liked to run the steps at whatever arena they were playing in as a good luck token. And to keep his cardio up because he was a monster beyond the drums and needed to stay in shape for it.

He’d find out whatever Harlow was bothered by later on when they were both alone.

“Gloria sent a cease and desist to me and your dad,” Jenna, her dad’s wife said after Harlow had been assured there was no emergency behind the call.

“What for? I don’t understand.” Harlow asked.

“He’s doing press. You know how it is on tour.”

Harlow made a sound to indicate she was listening, and yes, she totally knew.

“It came up that you were on tour now too. And he was talking about how proud he was of you and Above Me and then he told some cute story about how he taught you guitar as a reward for you getting your schoolwork done.”

That made Harlow smile. “He did. It was more that it was one-on-one time than learning guitar chords, but I hope it was nice for him because it was everything to me.”

“You’re going to make me cry,” Jenna said, emotion in her voice. “Yes, the way he told the story and the way the interviewer put it in the final edit made it clear it meant a lot to him.”

“So Gloria is mad that…we were happy? She wants you to stop talking about your lives?”

Jenna snorted. “He mentioned that you and Marcella went on the road with him. He didn’t actually say anything about Gloria, only that he was a single dad, and his sister was a huge part of why he could be out on the road with a young kid. Apparently, this set her off somehow. She considers it slanderous.”

“That is so rich coming from her.” Harlow was past being surprised when her mother did something terrible. But that didn’t mean she wasn’t seriously angry.

“You want to tell me what’s going on? This was out of the blue and your dad is beyond pissed off. His attorney is already on it. But he doesn’t want you put in the middle, so that’s why he didn’t tell you and I am.”

“I’m not in the middle. I’m always on his side. I saw her recently. It didn’t go well. But it had nothing to do with him.”

“I know there’s a really complicated history with her. I just want you to know your dad and I are always about you and Ry. I want to protect you. You can tell me anything.”

Harlow ran a fingertip under her eye to wipe the tears and deal with what she knew would be mascara smears. “I went to Hector and Mindy’s for dinner while we were in Atlanta. Gloria showed up and was a nightmare. I haven’t spoken to her since. I’ve barely spoken to her over the last fifteen years. I’m not entirely sure why she would decide to make some sort of fuss now with my dad. I’m twenty six years old and I can’t remember asingletime in my life when she treated me like she wanted me around. She dumped me off on him when I was two and that’s pretty much all the mothering I’ve ever received from her.”

“This strike at your dad was about how people would perceive her. This has nothing to do with anyone but Gloria. I’m sorry. I’m sorry she can’t be the mom you need her to be. You are loved. And you are valued.”

“I’m sorry this has seeped into your lives.” Like toxic waste.

“Sweetheart, Gloria doesn’t scare me or your dad. Our worry here is about you. And how this makes you feel. You didn’t tell him about the dinner in Atlanta? He wouldneverblame you, you know that, right?”

“He’s still selling out entire arenas! How many bands who’ve been around as long as AMJFJ has can say that? He’s got a real relationship with a person who cares about him as much as he cares about her. And there’s Ryder. Why would I bring anything about Gloria into that? He paid his dues. He gets to be done.”

“That’s not how life works, Harlow. You know that.”

“I didn’t tell him any of the details because he can’t change what happened. He can’t make her behave better. He can’t do anything that would make her love me more. Or less, for that matter.”

Jenna’s voice was thick with emotion. “I wish I was there right now to give you a hug. Let him help you sometimes. I understand why you’ve kept some of this to yourself. I love that you protect him the way you do. But I love you too. And not just as Richie’s kid or Ryder’s big sister.”

“Even if I’m a lazy slut?” Harlow said. She’d meant to tease but beneath that, she’d needed to say it out loud.

“She said that?” Jenna’s voice had gone very hard.

“Among other things. Apparently I was a flirty slut evenas a babyand I will trap a man into supporting me by getting pregnant so he has to marry me.”

“Like she did? Oh I shouldn’t have said that out loud. It wasn’t like Richie was unwitting. He fucked her without birth control so it’s not a surprise or a trick. Ugh, I’m sorry.Sheis terrible. And she is accusing you of things she perhaps feels she is or did herself. Thank god for Marcella. You got a way better mother out of the deal, but your heart still hurts and I hate that.”

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