Chapter 21
The air from the open fridge did nothing to cool Damon’s cheeks as he stared down at Skylar’s responding text. He’d regretted sending her the sappy ‘thinking of you’ message as soon as he’d hit send, even if it was true enough.
‘Me too. In my mouth.’
And was that an eggplant? It looked like something else, and the kiss-blowing smiley face emoji that followed winked at him.
“Whatcha looking at?” Erin asked, already peeking over his shoulder. She snickered. “That chick is hilarious.”
“I forgot you met Skylar.” Damon’s mind whirled but came up blank on how to respond to the text.
“Here.” Erin grabbed his phone, snapping a picture right in his face. She turned it, showing Damon his own blush. “Great reaction photo. Send her that.” She started to hand his phone back, but grabbed for it again instead. “In fact, send it to everyone. Even Nick will get a kick out of this.”
“Goddammit, Erin!” Damon wrestled for his phone and thankfully won. He checked to make sure the picture hadn’t gone through before shoving his phone back into his pocket. “Stop helping.”
“Suit yourself.” Erin shrugged as she shoved him out of the way to close the fridge. “Dad said never mind about dinner.”
“He’s not hungry?” There hadn’t been much in the fridge anyway, and Damon had never cooked, not since he lived there.
“We’ve been here all day.” Erin glanced toward the door, her voice lowering as she did—at least by her standards. “He likes being alone. I think we tuckered him out.”
Damon had stayed at his childhood home longer out of guilt over wanting to leave as soon as he had arrived. He hated the hollow look of his father, a man who used to be strong and robust. It wasn’t just out of loss. Their dad lived with regret. He had avoided the hospital as much as possible when their mom was sick. Damon had spent the most time with her, since their mom had encouraged Erin to attend every sports activity she could. Erin hadn’t been able to deny her wish, just like Damon hadn’t been able to when it came to his music.
“Come on.” Erin dragged him by the arm back to the living room. “Hey, Dad, we’re going to hit up the tavern instead. Want us to bring you back something?”
“No, honey.” Their dad smiled at Erin. Then his gaze shifted over to Damon. “Thanks for stopping by. I know you’re busy with that music stuff.” He stared back at the television that had never been turned off the entire time they were visiting. “Your mom would have been proud.”
“She is.” Damon had no doubts about that. His mom had believed in Christ, and Damon had felt the Holy Spirit enough to follow in her footsteps. He didn’t push the idea with his father, who firmly believed death was the end.
Erin leaned down to kiss their dad’s cheek. “See you soon.”
“Yeah.” He cleared his throat, rubbing his hand over his thinning hair.
Damon followed Erin toward the door. “We’ll lock up!” she called back as they left. She wasn’t joking about eating at the tavern, and drove them straight there only to find it closed.
“Oh, shit, it’s Sunday! The tavern’s closed on Sundays.” Erin frowned. “I really wanted to share a beer with you.”
“It’s not the only bar in town,” Damon said.
“I know, but that’s like cheating on Big Bro or something.”
Damon sighed. “I can’t believe you’re still calling him Big Bro. Shouldn’t that be my title?”
“Whatever. I’m taller.” She put the vehicle in drive again.
“It’s not about height, Erin.” She liked to lord that over him.
“I’ve got it! We’ll pick something up and take it back to my place.” Erin pulled out of the parking lot. “It’ll stop Nicky Boy from working too.”
“As long as we grab food as well. Your cooking sucks.”
“Hey! I’ve been getting better.”
“That means nothing. The bar you set was already pretty low.” He remembered eggs with pieces of shells in them the last time he’d stayed with her.
“Nick isn’t much better,” she admitted. “Okay, food and beer.”
“How’d your job take you being off for your honeymoon?” he asked.
Erin talked about her new stint coaching at the high school during the drive. Damon had never pictured his potty-mouthed sister around teenagers, but the grin she sported as she joked about their antics suited her. He let go of the small kernel of worry he’d had over her life changing so drastically. The one she’d run toward full tilt ever since she’d promised their mom—just like he had—was gone, but she didn’t seem to be troubled by it.
The driveway she pulled into wasn’t in front of a house like the one they’d grown up in, but it wasn’t in front of a mansion either. The modern flavor and stone pathway were nice. Inside, there was still very little clutter for two people jumbling their lives together.
Erin waved toward the dining room. “You put that stuff in there, and I’ll grab Nick.”
Damon figured her husband had already heard their arrival. His sister had never understood the term ‘inside voice.’ He pulled out his phone while he waited. Unable to figure out an appropriate response to her earlier message, he’d ignored it and texted Skylar about heading to the tavern instead. A quick follow-up about it being closed was easy enough, but after he sent it, no typing dots appeared on the screen. Even the prior message remained unread, and he wondered what she was up to.
“How’s Skylar?” Erin asked.
“I was just checking in.” Damon shoved his phone into his pocket again.
Erin slumped into a dining chair and propped her head on her hand as she studied him. “Checking in, huh? I caught one of her videos. She made you look good.”
“She did?” Damon’s fingers itched as he pulled out his own chair.
“Well, there was still a lot of attitude, which fits, but she smiled when she talked about you, Dame.” Erin poked at his cheek, and he pulled away.
“Smiled?” His heart thumped. “Don’t you mean smirked?” If he’d sent that picture Erin had taken, that would have been her reaction. He could picture that same expression on her face when she’d sent him the eggplant text.
“Nah, Dame, a sweet, loving smile. The fans are going apeshit over it. Hers especially.” Erin grabbed for the six-pack of beers, handing him one before twisting the top off of her own. “Something about her never looking like that when she was with that prior douchebag. What was his name? He was in that band with her.” Erin frowned, but shrugged and tipped back her beer. “I mean, he and her best friend got married while she was still in rehab. The one that was in that interview last night.”
Damon sipped at his own beer, finding it not to his taste. “I didn’t realize you followed the gossip that closely.”
Erin laughed. “I’ve got your name as a Google Alert, and the videos popped up. As for the Skylar stuff, I looked it up.” Her eyes slid to Damon. “Don’t think I didn’t notice that face you’ve been making.”
Damon flushed. “There’s no face.”
Nicholas Bryant took that opportunity to join them, but it wasn’t much of a saving grace as Erin pointed at Damon with a laugh. “That one right there! Back me up, Nick. Doesn’t Dame have a look?”
“I know better than to answer that. It’s good to see you again, Damon.” Nicholas shook his hand before leaning down and kissing his wife. The kiss lingered longer than just a peck before her husband moved to his own chair.
Erin’s face was flushed. “Oh.”
Damon felt embarrassed to see that expression on his sister’s face. He couldn’t quite picture Skylar ever looking like that. He wondered if his promise to her about not watching the interview extended to today’s recordings.
They dug into the food and drank the beer. His sister surprised him by bringing up Skylar again. “I always liked her songs, but you know me, I’m not much of a music buff. I remembered following her rehab, though, when she brought it up the other night. I gave you a hard time around then.”
Damon reached for his beer, regretting it when the flavor hit his mouth again. He coughed. “You didn’t have to worry. I’m not one that will ever turn to drugs.” He’d seen the damage they could do, even the medical kind that were supposed to help.
“Well, right after Skylar’s rehab, she came out with that ‘Cravings’ song and was pushed to make the video romantic. It so isn’t.” Erin emptied her beer, wiping her mouth with her hand. “I still listen to that one while I run. I remember being pumped back when she did the video she wanted, which focused on the rehab and not some stupid guy.”
“Mrs. Bryant is always a romantic,” Nicholas said, leaning back in his chair to smile at her.
Erin laughed. “Hey, the honeymoon was pretty damn romantic. I mean, we stayed in a castle and everything.”
Nicholas closed his eyes. “I still cannot believe you involved Kirpatrick.”
“Come on, Larry Boy is kind of your partner now. He’s not all bad, and he had connections.” Erin shrugged. “I ran it by Katie first, but she’s so far gone about her own perfect life that she’s over everything that happened. People make mistakes.” Erin leaned toward Damon. “I mean, the way Skylar responded after her rehab when she was asked about her best friend moving in on her ex made her seem like the bigger person too. No one’s said shit about it since then, so that bitch’s interview last night must have surprised Skylar. How’s she holding up, really?”
Damon remembered how Skylar had looked staring out the windows the night before. Almost fragile. “She’s hard to get a read on.”
“In the interview—”
“Let’s not talk about it.” Damon fiddled with his fork as his sister frowned at him. “I actually haven’t watched it.”
Erin blinked at him. “The bitch mentions you, too, Dame.”
“Skylar said she’ll handle it. I trust her.” His heart sped up at the admission.
“You, Dame?” Erin put her empty bottle down with a smack. “Trust a woman? Shit, how long has it been since that other bitch, What’s-Her-Name, screwed you over?”
Damon’s hands fiddled with the label on his own bottle. “I didn’t talk about her with you.”
“I came to your concert that one time, remember? Nearly knocked the bitch out.” She frowned. “What was her name? I hated her for messing with my little brother.”
The label ripped. “For God’s sake, I’m a year older, Erin.”
“Whatever. You’re shorter and sweeter.” She scowled. “Damn, that’s going to bug me. When I came home and vented to Katie, I called her Ms. Sneers-A-Lot. The bitch ragged on you the whole time. The way Skylar acts, I was worried—”
“Skylar’s nothing like Karyn.” The name made his lips twist.
Erin snapped her fingers. “Karyn! That was it. You haven’t dated since then, besides all the groupie stuff.”
Damon wondered what his sister would think if he admitted he hadn’t done much with the groupies either.
Erin studied him. “I heard this stuff with Skylar is fake. All a media thing?”
Damon squirmed. “I like her,” he admitted.
“Well, hot damn.” Erin laughed. “I knew it! You two are totally getting it on, aren’t you?”
Heat filled Damon’s cheeks. “Come on, Erin. Give it a rest.”
“But—”
Nicholas reached for her, settling his hand over hers. “Not everyone is as open as you about these things, treasure.”
Erin sighed. “Fine. I’ll just ask Skylar at the girls’ night tomorrow. She seems pretty open.”
“A lot of that is a bluff.” Damon wondered if he should warn Skylar about his sister, but figured she could handle herself. “Honestly, I’m not sure how she feels.”
“Well, hell, Dame, did you ask her?”
Damon’s shoulders hunched. “It’s not that simple. There’s some stuff—”
Erin sprang up, dragging him out of his chair. “Don’t be stupid. Just go ask. Everyone complicates shit like this.” She herded him toward the door. “Come on, I’ll drive you.”
“I remember you adding your own complications, sis,” Damon accused, “so don’t act so high and mighty.”
Nicholas laughed. “He has you there, Mrs. Bryant.” He wrapped his arms around Erin, pulling her back long enough for a quick hug. “You hated whenever I wanted to talk.”
Erin’s hands moved to squeeze his arms. “That’s because you always had to talk way too much before fucking me.”
“Christ, Erin. I’ll wait in the car.” Damon wasn’t surprised when she didn’t immediately follow. He knew way too much about his sister’s sex life.
He pulled out his phone, already knowing Skylar wouldn’t have responded, but it looked like she still hadn’t even seen his texts. Hell, knowing her, she’d left her phone somewhere again. He wondered if she’d even be at the suite when he returned, but there was only one way to find out.