Page 6 of Wild and Bright

My brow furrows. “Is this a recent thing? I thought you guys were doing the whole Europe thing again?”

“We were. Now it’s cancelled. We’re doing a handful of shows in the US, but that’s it.” His faint smile doesn’t reach his eyes. “Cam’s idea, of course.”

“Did something happen?” My question is vague, because I never know how to approach Hunter’s sobriety, and I sensed that something was off the last time I talked to him. It’s a difficult topic between us. I never know what I’m going to get with him. Ever since he started recovery programs a few years ago, he wavers between total openness and vulnerability and a sort of detached cynicism I don’t quite buy.

“You mean did I get wasted at an after-party and go home with an influencer, make out with him for a few minutes before I passed out and pissed myself on his couch?” He smiles lazily. “Yes, I did.”

Ah, the detached cynicism.

“That sounds embarrassing.”

He shrugs. “When you’ve done enough shit like that, it’s amazing what you can let go.”

“I support that. No reason to dwell on it.” I reach out and set my hand on his arm. “I hope you can get this figured out. It’s so shitty.”

He smiles affectionately before placing his hand on mine. “It is.” A notch forms between his brows. “What’s going on with you? You seem kind of…down. What did you want to talk to me about?”

My gaze drops to the sidewalk. “I just got into a horrible fight with my mom, and it made me forget about everything. Shit. I had a whole speech prepared for you, and now…” I sigh heavily, lifting my hands to my head and running my nails along my scalp. “It’ll all be messed up because I’m going to reek of desperation. I need a job from you because I have to get out of that fucking house.”

“Ah.”

Even that small sound out of the back of his throat makes me want to wince, because it has a wealth of meaning behind it. He already knew I was going to ask him for a job, and he already knows he can’t give me one.

Because of Cam.

“You were going to ask if you could do social media for us, huh?”

I know my smile doesn’t reach my eyes. “You sound really excited about the possibility.”

His face falls. “You know I can’t give it to you.”

I can’t keep my eyes from closing. Of course he can’t. Not when Cam hates me.

“And not because I don’t want to.” I feel the pressure of his hand on my shoulder. “I know you’d be good at it, but it’s not in my control.”

My eyes pop open. “Why not? Why does he get to decide everything? Aren’t there three people in your band? Why don’t you or Janie ever have a say about anything?”

He sighs heavily. “It’s complicated.”

“I don’t think it is.” I can’t keep the accusation out of my voice. “I think he has all the control because you both let him.”

“Partly,” he says right away. “But he also writes ninety percent of our songs, and we literally have no band without him.”

I lower my gaze to the concrete, not wanting him to see my expression. “And he takes full advantage of both of you, even though you’re family, and Janie is practically family.”

“Yeah, he’s a fucking dick.”

My eyes snap up, and the fire in Hunter surprises me. I’ve hardly ever seen him angry with Camden, even when we were kids, and I’ve certainly never heard him call him a dick before.

“And an absolute control freak,” he says. “And he’s been driving me insane lately… But I can’t change the decisions I’ve made. I can’t change how much I’ve fucked up. I wish I could give you this job. I really do.”

The compassion in his eyes makes guilt wash over me. I reach out and grab his hand. “I’m being selfish. I’m sorry. I have no clue what it’s like to struggle the way you have. I know it must be so shitty.”

“Don’t apologize. All of my problems are of my own making, and it’s not like you haven’t had it hard, too.” He shoots me a probing look. “You haven’t even told me what your fight with your mom was about.”

I smile tightly. “Oh, you know, the usual. Except this time she’s threatening to stop paying my student loans and kick me out of the house. Oh!” I shoot him a bright humorless smile. “And call child protective services and have Cadence taken away from me. The trifecta.”

“Shit,” he mumbles. “Is she really serious?”

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