Page 76 of Reckless

Erin shook her head. “Well, that won’t do at all. I’m not blaming her for any of that. God knows we’ve all had interviews worse than that one where things came out we were mortified by. Tell her we aren’t upset with her at all. I’d tell her, but Ben informs me I can be a littlemuchfor a newcomer.”

Ben chuckled. “You tend to leave people looking like a deer in the headlights when you’re on full Erin mode.”

A minute later Poppy started telling them a story about what had happened in Edmonton and Ben leaned closer to Miles.

“I know Erin mentioned that I could help look into Gloria’s story. Whatever help I can give, you know I will. I did a quick internet search a few minutes ago on her mother. She put up some rambling video about Harlow. Looks like it went up yesterday. It only has four views at this point so there’s no reason for alarm. Especially until we can listen to see exactly what it is she says. I just got a few highlights, but I’ll watch it in detail.”

“Please don’t mention this until after the show. I don’t want her to get upset before she performs. She’s already nervous about meeting everyone. I did mention you, let her know you could help. There’s a lot she doesn’t know. It hurts her. Maybe if we found some answers, it would be easier to let go.”

“That’s not always how it works, Miles. Sometimes, hell, more often than it should be, people just do shitty things because they’re shitty. And theirreasonsaren’t really reasons at all. It’s some imagined sleight from twenty-five years back or whatever. Some people are just bad parents. Selfish and narcissistic. I’m sorry. I just want you—and more importantly Harlow—to know that going in. If that’s what she decides. It may not make it easier, but it’s a step toward closure of one type or another.”

“You’ll watch it? And tell me?” Miles knew he should probably watch it, but he didn’t have the control not respond and he wanted to keep the knowledge about the video away from Harlow until he knew exactly what it was.

Ben answered, “Yep. There’s no reason for you to watch it at this point. I’m not connected to it the way you are so it won’t bother me the way it might you.”

Relief washed over him. “Thank you.”

Ben gave him a one-armed hug. “That’s what family does.”

Miles came straight to her as Earthquakes left the stage. He kept an arm around her shoulder like he worried she’d run away. Where the hell would she go where Browns, Keenans and Copelands weren’t going to just pop up?

There wereso manyof them! She’d thought the group that had shown up earlier was a lot, but by that point there were at least twenty or so of them and all seemed turned up to twelve on the dial.

They milled around backstage, so full of love for Miles and Maddie and by extension Omar and Silas too that it made Harlow wish it weren’t already so late so she could call her Marcella to tell her she loved her.

“We’re headed back to the hotel,” Miles told her. “We’ve got some space reserved so we can all have some dinner and visit a while. You okay with that?”

She wanted to snort. So badly. What if shedidhave an issue with it? What could she do that wouldn’t wreck this thing she and Miles were building if she didn’t want to be around his family? This giant cast of characters came along with Miles. Part and parcel, and if she didn’t like being around them, she may as well break things off right that night.

Yes, they were loud and full of energy and obviously adored Miles, and that was why she knew that no matter what, Harlow would find a way to get along with them all. Whether she truly liked them or not—and so far she really did like them—they were part of him. And as she’d admitted hours before, she loved Miles, and that was that.

“Go with them back to the hotel. I’ll ride with Nora and Brian.”

He frowned at her. “Plenty of room for everyone to ride together.”

“Miles, it’s a fifteen-minute trip. We’ll be right behind you all. I’m going to change clothes before I go to dinner with everyone anyway.”

He gave her a long look and she rolled her eyes at him. “I’m just worried about you.”

She snorted. “Why? Did something happen that I don’t know about?” Harlow had been teasing but then it hit her that maybe that was actually true. Then it was her turn to give him scrutiny.

“I want you to get to know them,” he told her softly. “But I hate that you’re overwhelmed.”

He hadn’t really addressed her comment but as it had been put in a teasing manner, she wasn’t concerned.

It wasn’t that she was overwhelmed by their presence. She’d grown up around crowds of people and was fairly used to them. And his family had been nice to her. But she’d gone from having a regular day to admitting she was in love and then meeting not just his parents, but pretty much his entire family at once all in the matter of a few hours.

All while she was terrified they’d feel she was responsible for the things in that interview. Would they think she was using him for the spot on the tour too?

That’s what the interview had done to her head. Sure, it was complimentary for the most part, but that last bit about Miles had left her unsettled. Yes, she did think about what others might assume about her relationship with Miles. But it was different now.

If Sophia had felt it enough to toss it out like it wasnormaland acceptable to trade her pussy for fame, that meant she hadn’t been imagining it from others. Not every time, at least. People out there would assume it, no matter how hard she worked. Gloria assumed it!

He framed her face with his hands then and kissed her with such softness a swell of emotion thickened her voice. “I’m not overwhelmed by your family. I’m not running away. There are lot of them, yes. But we’re okay. I just want to change my clothes and give myself ten minutes to prepare.”

“Baby,” he murmured, “you’re riding with me and that’s that. Then you’ll change your clothes, and we’ll catch up with everyone shortly after.”

They were going to think she was the type who couldn’t do anything unless their boyfriend was there. Ugh.

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