14. Hayden
HAYDEN
Iwake from a delicious dream, wrapped in strong, muscular arms. Last night, Río was amazing. The way he kissed and held me as if I meant something to him was intoxicating. More than any Gold Rush he’s ever had, I imagine.
The guilt I felt over inviting his father to the awards ceremony was awful. He and his stepmother were only there for the media, certainly not to see their son. They were light years apart from how my parents treated me.
Most telling, though, was how Río takes every single monetary item for granted. Hotels, flights, restaurants hold no meaning for him. For me? I’m always amazed at the level of opulence. Which he—and perhaps all of Untamed Coaster—considers a given.
Río turns and flings his arm over his head.
Freed, I take this opportunity to watch him.
In rest, he seems much younger, closer to maybe two years older than me rather than our actual five.
His jaw is square, lined with some stubble, which only enhances his good looks.
Even his blond hair tousled across the pillow is endearing.
Stop it, Hayden.
Last night was a one-off. I’m only here to keep him out of trouble. So what if he gave me a tiny bit of insight into the rest of the band? I’ve seen enough of his past to know this isn’t something that lasts. No, thank you.
I have a job to do. That pays good money. I check the time, and—how did this happen?—it’s already ten o’clock. Time for me to stop lounging about and make sure the press from last night’s award ceremony is correct. Update UC’s website. In other words, get to work.
My gaze travels back to the sexy drummer next to me.
In an alternate universe, perhaps a relationship between us could be a thing.
This is real life, however. He deserves to sleep the day away while I need to buckle down.
Before I can make a move out of bed, my phone rings.
I rush to pick it up, spurred on when I see the caller. “Hello?”
“Miss Vaughn?”
“Yes.” My heart pounds. I only ever get calls from this number at my sister’s school when there’s an issue.
Slipping from the sheets, I walk into the empty second bedroom, quietly closing the door behind me.
“Is Mila okay?” As I speak, I open the closet door and find a robe and slippers.
Definitely not something I would ever see at the budget hotels on my typical list.
“Miss Vaughn, Mila’s been having one of her episodes. It started yesterday. We’ve tried to calm her down using all of the usual methods, but nothing is working. We fear her well-being requires your personal touch. When could you get here?”
I shrug into the robe, tying it around my waist. This happens maybe once or twice a year, where my sister becomes overworked and unable to settle. I do a quick calculation. “I think I can be there in a couple of hours.”
“Great. We’ll restrain her until then.” The line goes dead.
My shoulders slump. Restrain? Oh, Mila, what is going on inside your loving brain?
If my parents were still here, they’d already be at her school and rocking her back into a good state.
They’d also visit her once or twice a week.
It’s been what? At least a month since I’ve seen her.
When she gets like this, phone calls don’t count.
Fortunately, I’m in Pennsylvania and not Barcelona. The flight to North Carolina will be quick. All Mila really needs is to see me, and she’ll quiet. I knew my going away could be an issue for her. What choice did I have, though?
I race over to my suitcase, thankfully still located here, and take a record-breaking fast shower. I’m tying my shoe when Río walks into the bedroom. “There you are! I woke up and your side of the bed was cold.” He looks at me. “Whoa. What’s going on?”
I don’t have time for his seductive charm right now. Mila needs me. “I have to leave. I’d like to take UC’s jet, if that’s alright. I promise to get it back here well before you have to return to Spain later.”
He makes a T with his hands. “Time out. You’re leaving and you want to use the jet. My jet?”
I tie my other shoe. “If it’s too much, I’ll fly commercial.”
“You’re not making any sense.”
I stand, looking around for my purse. “Easy question. Can I use your jet or should I make a reservation?” Moving into the living room area, I spy my purse. Next to a bunch of buttons from Río’s shirt. Great.
“So you’ll leave me in Philadelphia all alone? To my own devices?”
“Sure.” I stuff some papers into the purse, checking for my sister’s medication list. The school has this, but it always makes me feel more comfortable to bring a list with me.
“I can hit a bar?”
“Fine.” I scroll through my email to find the last tuition payment receipt.
“Start a massive call-and-repeat on the Rocky steps for all the media to cover?”
Where is Mila’s immunization records? Do I need them? “Yeah.”
“No.”
Río’s one word cuts through my mixed-up brain. “No… what?”
He stomps his foot. “You’re not leaving until you tell me what’s going on.”
I raise my palm. “I don’t have time for this. I’ll fly commercial.”
He plants his bare feet wide, hands on his hips. “If you leave me here alone, I can’t guarantee I won’t fuck up in the media.”
“What?” I stop moving, trying to comprehend what he said. “Just lay low.”
“I don’t think so. Not after last night, where Pop hogged all the press. My guess is the media is lying in wait outside this hotel.” He crosses his arms over his bare chest.
The one I explored in bed last night. With all its hard muscles.
“Listen,” I expel all the air in my lungs. “I don’t have time to explain, but I have to get to North Carolina in the next two hours. Stay inside and you’ll be fine.”
“When have you ever known me to stay in a hotel room? Not when there’s a great big city outside waiting to be explored.”
“You grew up here. There aren’t any new shiny objects around the corner. Please don’t do anything to get the press’s attention for a couple of hours, okay? Can you do that?”
His head cocks. His lips move to one side. “I can’t guarantee it.”
What can I do with this guy? No way can I leave him here. If he agrees to come with me, that’ll end the debate over private versus commercial. “Fine. Want to go with me to North Carolina? There’s nothing to see there either, but I’ll be able to keep my eye on you.”
“Thought you’d never ask.” He takes a step toward his bedroom. “Why are we going there, anyway?”
His choice of pronoun doesn’t go unnoticed. “Get dressed and I’ll tell you all about it on the plane.”
Dread at how he might react rises from within. All of my other boyfriends pushed back regarding Mila. I’m sure Río won’t be any different.
The nice flight attendant offers me a drink, but I’m too wired to accept. Río and I got to UC’s jet about twenty minutes ago, after packing everything so we can fly directly to Spain later. While Río was in the shower, I made all the arrangements. Can’t say I’m not efficient.
“How much longer?”
Ashley, the flight attendant, replies, “We should be there in about an hour.” Sensing my nerves, she places her hand on my arm. “Let me get you both a cup of tea.”
Leg bouncing, I look from my cell to the tablet to the window and back. Cell. Tablet. Window. Cell. Tablet. Window.
“Alright, Babysitter. Talk.”
I turn my head to the intruder on this trip. “About what?”
“About what the hell’s got you so spooked.”
Guess I can’t delay any longer. “I need to get to my sister.”
“Excuse me?”
“Mila’s school called this morning.” I pause. “Mila’s my sister.”
He blinks and looks to the ceiling. “I figured.”
At a loss about how to respond, I simply say, “She needs me.”
“Did the strap on her sandal break? Her pen run out of ink? How about, she wanted advice on the right skirt to wear on a date?”
Ashely arrives with our drinks, which she places on the table. “Tea always cures whatever’s ailing you.” When neither one of us says anything, she puts a plate of cookies next to the mugs and leaves.
Río doesn’t know my sister. I never explained to him about her. Given how his parents are, I can only imagine how poorly his sister has been brought up. This one thought gives me the courage to explain. “You’re wrong. Mila’s a great little sister.”
He rolls his eyes. “Got one of them too, remember?”
“Mila’s not like that. She has”—I reach for the tea and take a healthy swallow.
Putting it down, I continue, “Down syndrome.” I suck in all the air on the plane and rush forward.
“I think I already told you that my parents got pregnant with her when I was eight. The whole family was elated. I was included on every doctor visit, including the one where we learned she was going to have this genetic condition.”
His hand lands on top of mine. “Hayden. I didn’t know.”
I nod. “It didn’t matter to my parents and, therefore, to me. Mila was special. Mom used to say when you love someone, you take on their burdens.”
I sniffle. “When Mila was born, I wore a t-shirt that said, ‘I’m the Big Sister.’ We were all so proud.”
“Sounds wonderful.”
Lost in my memories, I continue. “Mila’s a good kid.
She has some health issues, which we always addressed.
As she got older, though, it was more difficult for her to stay in our local school system, especially when she has one of her episodes.
The Haverford School has been a godsend.
Expensive, but still amazing with Mila. She loves it there. ”
“Is that where she is now?”
“Yeah.” Río doesn’t need to hear about all my financial worries.
How my parents’ insurance is almost gone, and how much I need UC’s job to keep Mila at the school.
What her next steps will be once she ages out of Haverford next year and how I’ll pay for it.
Right now, her tuition’s covered and she’s in good hands.
Río sips his tea. “What happened this morning?”
I pick up a cookie. “Once or twice a year, Mila gets into this state, I guess you’d call it.
No one at the school can get her to focus.
She acts out, hits people, and cannot be controlled.
When my parents were alive, they would go to her right away and calm her down.
At the beginning of your US-leg of their tour, I had to make an emergency run there.
I hoped she would be calm for the European leg.
” I drop the cookie on the plate. “Guess I was wrong.”
“Hey.” Río’s finger lifts my chin. “You did everything you could to make Mila comfortable while you were away, didn’t you?”
“Yes.”
He smiles, kindness emanating all the way from his brown eyes. “And you’re going to see her now.”
“Thanks for lending me your jet.”
His hand flips. “No biggie. My jet is your jet.”
This right here proves we live in different universes. “I’m hoping it won’t be too difficult to calm her down. There’s something in her that when she sees a family member—” I pause. “Well, me, now. When she sees me, this calmness settles over her.”
“I think it’s called love.”
His words sink into my soul. “You may be right.” I can’t ponder Río’s lack of love in his life right now.
He’s succeeded to the highest level of his profession despite his parents, not because of them.
If mine were here now, what would they make of this talented drummer?
Would they see him as a poor little boy whose only outlet for attention was to act out?
Or rather as a super-successful musician ready to use their daughter and toss her away? A shiver runs through me.
“Here. You’re cold.” Río hands me the tea and wraps his arm around my shoulder.
I snuggle into his embrace, shooing any bad thoughts away. After taking a sip of the soothing tea, I tilt my head back. “Thank you for being so understanding. Most men don’t want to hear about any sister, let alone one with Mila’s challenges.”
“First,” he bops my nose. “I’m not ‘most men.’ And second, I envy your close relationship. Lord knows, my own stepsister and I don’t have any desire to be in the same room. I apologize for assuming Mila was like her.”
“Totally understandable.” I get lost in his brown gaze for a moment. “However, you don’t have to come into the school with me. There’s plenty to do in the town.” Where he’d be all alone.
I don’t have to worry about this possibility, as he says, “I want to.”
How can this be the same man who got kicked out of Italy? He’s so warm and … real. Nothing like the drunk, playboy, rabble rouser the paparazzi portray him. Has no one ever allowed him to find his own footing?
Río reaches over and kisses me. It’s not passionate—rather at kiss that conveys his support for me and what I’m doing.
If anyone had told me Río, of all the members of UC, would be the one who has the most depth, I wouldn’t have believed them.
Coop, for sure, would’ve gotten my vote.
Based on what Río’s said, I’m probably not wrong.
However, the drummer is the one who makes my heart pound.
More as a warning not to get ahead of myself, I struggle into a proper sitting position and finish my tea. Ashely collects our cups and informs us we’ll be landing soon. I square my shoulders. I hope Mila will settle when I’m there.
I glance at Río and wonder how he’s going to react to seeing my sister, rather than merely hearing about her. Only time will tell.