The Rocker’s Muse

CHAPTER 34

TRISTAN

A week later, Ronan and Atticus had left Shady Hills for L.A. to get back to their lives. I still had a little time before promoting the new album and other band obligations that would require me to join them. I’d renewed the lease for this house for another month and was putting off leaving Shady Hills. I couldn’t figure out if I wasn’t ready to leave Jacob or Emily-or both.

I’d arranged things so Emily and I hadn’t been alone again since the night of the barbecue. She’d left that evening soon after Ronan had come home from the bar. I’d taken the interruption as a sign that I needed to slow my roll when it came to her. So, we’d met at some of the remaining places she wanted to take me, but we hadn’t gone back to my place again. While Emily seemed open to exploring things with me again, I held out. Deep down, I knew I was fighting a losing battle because I’d done nothing but fall harder for her with each passing day. But I hadn’t yet figured out how I’d handle the guilt of betraying Jacob, or the worry of not being what she ultimately needed.