Page 74 of Reckless

Well, he didn’t want to interrupt her work. He knew they’d begun working on songs for the next album.

“I’ll be back by the top of the hour,” she reassured him, and he felt better. Without waiting for him to reply, she looked around his body. “I’ll see you all later. I know Miles and Poppy are pleased to see you.”

“We don’t mean to chase you off,” his mum said.

“Oh no, it’s not that,” Harlow said. “My drummer and I are in the middle of something. I just paused to say hello.”

“She said she’ll be back by the top of the hour,” Miles said.

His dad said, “Understood. We’ll see you in a while.”

Miles followed Harlow into the hall. “Go be with your family,” she repeated, sounding annoyed.

“They didn’t mean to be overwhelming,” he murmured as he pulled her close. “They just are.”

Harlow kissed him quickly. “Everything is fine! I’ve got to go. Nora is going to kill me, and I’ll owe her a cookie.”

He reluctantly let go and watched as she jogged toward the end of the hall where Above Me was at.

“Jesus, did you fuck him or say hi? You’ve been gonefifteen minutes. And I don’t see any candy in your hand,” Nora said accusingly when Harlow walked in.

Brian was off in a far corner on a couch wearing headphones and a sleep mask, curled up napping.

Harlow said in a loud whisper, “Hiswhole fucking familyjust rolled in. All surprise, we’re here and look impossibly perfect!” And they did. Every one of them was beautiful and at total ease with one another. A tight, loving family who adored Miles.

And there she’d been, unprepared and looking like she slept in her clothes.

“Are we nervous about meeting them? Why?” Nora’s question was absolutely free of judgment. She would get the information and would support whatever Harlow wanted.

“What must they think of me?”

“Did anyone say something?” Nora’s gaze narrowed and it filled Harlow with relief. Her friend would throat punch anyone who hurt Harlow.

“No. No. They were nice. Friendly.”

“Tell me what you mean about that comment then? What do you mean what they must think of you? That you’re a successful musician their son is involved with? You’re ridiculously pretty and have great taste in best friends and men?”

“I’m on their son’s tour and sleeping with him. And that interview with all that stuff about his aunt. What if they think I had anything to do with it?”

Nora made a derisive sound. “Your band is opening on another band’s tour. I’m sure Mud Bay opened for other bands before back when Adrian and Erin were starting out. As for you and Miles, ma’am, it’s way more than just sleeping with him, and they must know that if they have any sense at all. As for that stupid bullshit from the interview, if they blamed you, they’d be wrong. But Miles doesn’t so why would they? They’re in this business too, they know how this works. But if they’re mean to you about it, Miles will address it. And if he doesn’t, I will kick him in the scrote.”

That started the giggles and before long they were both laughing.

“If I thought for even one second that Miles wasn’t the one for you? If I thought he didn’t see the absolute best in you, but also the worst and he loves you because it’s all you, the good and the bad? I would have said. I would have told you and we probably would have gotten into a thing over it because you are goofy for him right back. But I think he would go to the mat for you.” Nora shrugged.

“Loves me? Dude.” Harlow’s scoff was a poor attempt to cover her fear.

“Don’t dude me.”

“Dudetrix.”

Nora flipped her off. “You are physically tuned to one another. He comes into a room, and you light up. Same goes for him. He watches you, watches out for you. When you’re performing, he is so into it. He listens when you speak. He hates Gloria as much as I do. He loves you, Harlow. And you love him.”

“God.” Harlow tugged her hair free of the ponytail and put her hands over her face for long moments. “It’s not like I need to be with him every minute of the day. He does his thing and I do mine. We work on our own stuff. And while I’m doing my stuff, I’m not pining for him. I like sleeping in the same place every night, but I don’thaveto. But I find myself thinking a dozen times a day about him. What he’d think of something. That he’d like this or that song or coffee or hat. It’s…I thought it would be different. Falling in love, I mean.”

Nora just watched, not interrupting.

“I thought it would be all consuming and that I’d suffocate or not measure up. That I’d need my own work and my own successes and my own friends and art, but it would come second to someone else’s. I expected it to feel like I didn’t know where he ended and I began.”

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