Chapter 32
Chapter Thirty-Two
Ryan
“ G ood morning, sunshine.”
My eyes peel open after what might have been an hour of sleep. I’m so tired, I’m delusional, because I swear I just heard Knox wish me a good morning.
“You awake in there?”
Okay, maybe not delusional.
I answer, pulling my blanket over my head. “Shh... go away. It’s too early.”
He chuckles from the other side of the curtain, awakening some parts of my body quicker than others. All it takes is a smile in his voice and I’m wet, even if the rest of me is still craving sleep.
“Well, we made it to the City. We should be in front of the hotel in a few minutes. ”
“Okay. Thanks for letting me know.”
“See you in there.” He’s still talking from the other side of the barrier protecting him from my morning breath.
“At some point, yes. I’m gonna go home for a while first though. I’m up against my deadline and need to focus.”
“Understood. Well, see ya when we see ya, then.”
Is that disappointment in his voice?
Did he want me to stay at the hotel?
It makes no sense when I have a place only a few train stops away. Why add the expense? I knew it was part of the deal when I signed on the dotted line, but now that we’re here, the math isn’t mathing.
I wish I could see his face, so I had an inkling of what’s going on in that mind of his. But we’ve had this entire conversation like Dorothy meeting the wizard. It would be silly to pull back the curtain now. Wouldn’t it? I reach up but chicken out when my hand touches the material.
“Okay, see you soon.”
I wait until after the bus comes to a halt, the doors open and feet stomp down the stairs to the street outside, to emerge from my cave, pulling my bag down behind me.
“There you are.”
Startled by Trevor’s voice, my hand flies to my racing heart. “Shit. You scared me.”
“Sorry, but I’m glad I caught you. Can we chat for a minute?”
“Of course. Everything okay?”
I take the same seat I sat in last night. Trevor takes Knox’s spot. Self-conscious about not having brushed my teeth yet, I sit as far back from the table as I can. Hygiene is something I can easily become obsessed with. I don’t like morning breath, body odor, or other people’s sweat.
Yet, I still made out with Knox on the side of the stage while he was dripping in sweat. If anything, it turned me on.
Interesting.
It’s so early the sky is still a dark blue, the moon fighting the sun for center stage as the faintest hue of orange paints the horizon.
“Everything’s fine. I wanted to talk to you about part one of your piece. You’re turning that in tonight, right?”
“That’s right.”
Trevor always gets straight to the point. Right now, he seems at a loss for words. His furrowed brows and narrowed eyes give me the distinct impression I’m not going to like what he’s about to say.
“Listen, I’ll cut to the chase. We both know what you overheard the other night. I need to know that was off the record and there won’t be any surprises when the article goes to print.”
A rush of heat burns up my chest and neck. I’ve never been able to hide my emotions. My reactive skin relentlessly gives me away.
“You’re serious right now, aren’t you?”
“I am.”
“Did Knox ask you to warn me?”
I promised him I would never betray him that way. My hands shake at the possibility that he doesn’t believe me.
“No. He assured me you were trustworthy, and we had nothing to worry about, but I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t ask. So, are we good?”
Sagging in my seat, relief drowns out most of my anger .
“Off the record, Trevor. You’re kind of an asshole.”
“You’re not the first and won’t be the last to remind me of that fact. But you still haven’t answered the question.”
I stand, no longer giving a shit if he’s infected with my morning breath, “Listen, I’m exhausted. I’m gonna head home. Everything I overheard was strictly off the record. I would never do that to Knox or Mia. Hopefully, one day, you’ll know me well enough to know that isn’t the way I work.”
“Glad to hear it. I’d say I’m sorry to have offended you, but I’m not. It’s my job to take care of the band, but more than that, he’s my friend.”
As I hike my bag over my shoulder to leave, he stands, a concerned look on his face.
“What do you mean, you’re going home? There’s a room for you here.”
“But why? I have an apartment in the city.”
“So does Knox, but he’s staying here as planned.
” He gestures toward The Domonic Hotel where the crew members are currently lugging suitcases into the lobby doors.
“The documentary crew starts today. They filmed everyone getting off the buses. Since Knox is the only one with a place in the city, the band have all agreed to stay together for the duration of the next four weeks. There will be press junkets, morning shows, late night shows, and meet and greets leading up to the run at The Garden. We all think you should be there to document it.”
“Okaaaay. But why do I have to sleep here?”
“He’s been better since you came around.
Knox was going through hell since finding out about Sawyer.
He was a ghost of himself. But the last couple of weeks have been different.
You saw that show last night.” He rubs his bald head with hands before dragging them over his face. His eyes huge. “He twerked, Ryan!”
I chuckle under my breath. “Yes, he sure did.”
“That’s because of you.”
Now my skin flushes for an entirely different reason. “You give me too much credit.”
“He upgraded your room. Well, he gave you his penthouse and he’s taking a junior suite on a different floor.”
“What?” I pull on the front of my sweatshirt, trying to cool myself.
“He wants you near.”
“He said that?”
He shrugs. “You settle him. And it’s not just Knox. The whole family enjoys having you around.”
I take in Trevor’s words. Unsure what to say.
Knox hasn’t kept his feelings a secret last the twenty-four hours or so, but I’m still surprised. Upgrading and paying for my room may not be a grand gesture to Knox, but for a girl who has built a fortress around her heart, it’s pretty damn grand.
It scares me.
“Can I have tonight? I’ve got my deadline, and I’d like to do some laundry. I appreciate that the band wants me around, and I will spend most of my time at the hotel, but if I need a break, I reserve the right to go home for a night.”
Because I may need a break from the long-haired conundrum of a man who gave me his room. No, his penthouse.
“That sounds reasonable.”
“So glad you approve,” I huff on my way to the exit.
“We’ve taken over most of the building, but the band will be on the 42nd and 43rd floors. Check in when you’re ready.”
“See you tomorrow.”
Stepping off the bus, my gaze scales the glossy skyscraper where Knox will be residing for the next month and a brick from my well-structured fortress tumbles to the ground.