Page 22 of Holiday Hookup

“So, you don’t love Dane?”

I knew this question was coming but when I hear it said out loud the room stills. Dane’s eyes meet mine from across the room, a small smirk peeking through his lips.

“No, sweetie, I don’t love Dane.”

Jaxon’s face falls, and yet, like nothing just happened, he jumps up and runs toward the living room.

“Jaxon, come back here, please.”

He stops, turns, and runs back to me.

“What would you think about Dane spending more time with us? Like Jessica does with Daddy?”

He cocks his head to the side, his little fingers resting against his chin like he’s thinking really hard, causing Dane to chuckle.

“Yeah, that’s okay.”

“Yeah? You’d be okay with that?”

He nods his head and then runs back into the living room as if what I asked didn’t change a thing.

But it did. It changed everything.

Chapter 16

BRENT: We have a problem. Meet me at Bruno’s in an hour.

That text from Brent sent chills down every limb of my body when I read it this morning. I knew Frankie being this quiet was too good to be true, I knew the final shoe was going to drop, and I have a feeling this is it.

When I walk into Bruno’s, Brent’s already sitting at a table in the back, away from the windows and secluded. He looks the same, except for the heavy bags under his eyes and the posture of someone that looks almost defeated.

“Dude, you look like shit,” I joke, sitting across from him, that sense of dread washing over me when his eyes meet mine only to find all humor gone.

“And you look disgustingly happy.” We both laugh as I clasp his hand, taking the coffee he ordered for me and taking a sip.

“I’m not gonna lie to you, man, life’s been pretty decent.”

He nods, still not saying much, realizing I’ve missed him these past few weeks. The longer we sit in silence, the more the guilt permeates under my skin as I silently curse myself for being a shitty ass friend.

“What’s going on, man?” I ask, knowing there’s a reason for me being here, and a reason he looks like complete shit.

“Frankie is still pissed.”

I roll my eyes, not surprised at all, but the desperate look on Brent’s face puts me on alert because both of us are used to Frankie being a drama queen, but I have a feeling this is on another level.

“He went to the label.”

My heart stops. I knew he’d be pissed, but going to the label and tattling on me for wanting to leave? That’s fucking low, even for him.

“Seriously?” I shake my head, lowering it into my hands and taking a few deep breaths. “Was that really necessary? It’s only been a month.”

He doesn’t need to know that this month has pretty much secured my decision of not going back, instead, I want to try and build a life with Nellie and Jaxon.

“Yeah, well, apparently that’s a few weeks too many. They’re pissed, man, talking about a breach of contract.”

I scoff as he just shakes his head.

“We have one more album under contract Dane, that means it has to be made or we’re fucking screwed. You get that?”

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