Risky Rockstar: A Hero Club Novel, стр. 43

Chapter 19

Kade

I try a different chord on the piano, and the transition is better; it’s also easier on the vocal chords. I pull my iPad closer and add the notes on the bars, then move on to the next line of lyrics. I’ve been writing through the night but don’t have much to show for it. I can’t get Hayley out of my mind, and last night…well, last night was…interesting to say the least. One minute I was sitting on the floor in Hayley’s living room, turned on and confused when I opened my eyes to catch her pretty much eye-fucking me, and the next I was helping her drunk boyfriend into her bed.

My phone vibrates on top of the keyboard, and speak of the devil: Hayley’s name flashes over the screen.

“Hey.” I frown as I answer the phone. Hayley’s the last person I expected to hear from this early. She had a helluva night.

Her voice, quiet and hesitant, comes through the line. “Hey, Kade. It’s Hayley. Shit, you know who it is. I’ve called you before.”

I want to chuckle, but she sounds stressed, so I hold back.

“I…uh…wanted to thank you for last night, uh…for helping with Kevin.”

“Yeah, no problem. Is he doing okay? You okay?” Fuck, none of this is my business, and I have no right to ask her any of these questions, but I haven’t slept a wink since I left her last night, and I doubt I will tonight unless I know she’s fine.

“Yeah…uh…I’m fine. I need to talk to you about something. Could we meet for coffee or something?”

My stomach knots because she’s obviously not fine, so I try to add some levity. “Sure. How do you feel about fairs and cotton candy?”

She laughs, and I like that I get to ease even a small amount of her stress, if only for a second. “How do I feel about cotton candy? I think you might as well sit down with a sugar bowl and spoon. It would save you and the vendor some time,” she teases.

The chuckle that pulls from my throat is easy, and I’ve come to realize that it’s pretty common when I’m with Hayley. I don’t like that the thought of seeing her makes my whole day. I should stay away. But I can’t seem to. “Can I interest you in a walk on the pier?”

“Sounds great.” If I’m not mistaken, she sounds shy—not at all like the Hayley I’ve come to know.

“Great. I’ll see you in thirty minutes.”

♫♫♫

It’s colder than I expected at the Newport Beach Pier, so I pull the hood of my favorite Linkin Park hoodie—which I’m currently using to give myself some anonymity—a little lower on my forehead. Hayley is bundled in a beanie and a coat so big I could fit in it too, so when the temptation gets too strong to do just that, I distract myself with more cotton candy and guide us to an open bench near the Ferris wheel.

“How the hell can you eat ice cream when it’s nearly freezing out?” I say to chase away thoughts I have no business having.

She takes a scoop of mint-choc out of her cup and pops it in her mouth, talking around the creamy mixture. “Because it’s ice cream.” She grins.

I bet she tastes fucking delicious right now. I bet she tastes delicious without her tongue covered in minty chocolate. Guilt sucker punches me in the gut. Or maybe it’s not a sucker punch because I shouldn’t be thinking about another guy’s girl.

She takes a deep breath and looks at me, her brow furrowing, and I’m brought back to Earth with a thud as I remember we’re here because Hayley has something on her mind.

“You wanted to talk to me about something?” I prompt, giving her the opening I think she needs.

Hayley pauses midway to her mouth with another spoonful and chews on her lip. “I owe you an explanation for what happened last night.”

I pull more of the spun sugar and fill my mouth again. “You don’t owe me anything, Hayley.”

She smiles ruefully at me “Firstly, I can’t take you seriously with your mouth that color, and secondly, I do. I haven’t been entirely honest with you.” She whips out her phone, taking a photo and turning the screen to show me what I look like. The dye from the cotton candy has stained my mouth a brilliant blue. Shit! I look like a tool. Maybe I should’ve had a corn dog instead.

I pull a strand from the bag and hold my fingers out to her. “Help a guy out?” When she shakes her head, I shoot her a grin, showing off all the blue. “You’re not gonna leave me looking like an ass, are you?”

Hayley laughs but then surprises me as she leans in to take the cotton candy from my fingers. Goddamn, this was a mistake. When her cool lips cover my fingers and she sucks the treat into her mouth, my cock twitches so hard, I have to think about ticks on sloths to stop from tenting my jeans. I retract my fingers so fast it’s like she burned me. Something flashes across her face, and I immediately feel a mix of regret and confusion. Regret for the flash of…something I saw, and confusion because why am I seeing it?

Hayley blows out a breath. “Now for that confession.”

She looks so nervous I want to put my arm around her shoulders and pull her to me, but I don’t. “You can tell me anything.”

“Kevin and I aren’t together.”

My stomach sinks. Fuck! Last night must’ve been worse than I thought. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

Her brow furrows, and she swirls the ice cream around in her cup, making a milkshake out of it. “Well…actually, there’s nothing to be sorry about.”

This confuses me even more, and my frown matches the one she had