Chapter 27 You…Lied
you…lied
HAYDEN
“I need to call my manager.”
I set a mug of green tea on the coffee table then assess Riley, who’s still curled up on the couch.
We spent a long time holding each other in silence. It hit me then, as my mind raced, that it’s now my responsibility to take care of her, so I offered to bring her tea.
With her knees pressed to her chest, she eyes me warily. “Why?”
I sit beside her, though I leave several inches of space between us. “Once we officially announce the new album, the media will probably descend. I want to make sure you’re safe. If my management knows about our situation, they can help us.”
“Okay. Thank you. I have no desire to be in the public eye.” She sighs. “All that attention…it’s not for me.”
“Glenn will help us figure out how to handle that aspect,” I say. “And you’ll need to see a doctor.”
She dips her chin. “I scheduled an appointment with my OB-GYN. Thursday is the earliest they can see me.”
I wince, hoping she won’t fight me on this next part. “I’m talking about going to a private clinic. It’s where I go. Everyone there has signed an NDA. This way, there will be no journalists, no risk of the news being leaked.”
She presses her lips into a tight line. Clearly, she’s not loving the idea.
I continue, giving her more context. “I want to be with you every step of the way. That won’t be possible if you go to an office where I might be recognized. If another patient or a nurse gets chatty, the media will be all over the place.”
She picks up her mug and brings it to her chest. “I like my doctor.”
“I understand.”
“I want to have control over my decisions. It feels like you’re taking my choice away.”
“Never.” I place my hand on her knee. “I’m merely suggesting. I’ll go with you no matter where you decide, and I’ll be there for every appointment. I promise.”
She rolls her eyes but gives me a slight nod. “Fine. Let’s try it your way for now. I can always go back to my doctor later.”
“Thank you. You won’t regret it. This clinic is one of the best.”
“With the money you probably pay them, I can’t imagine it being terrible.”
A bolt of uncertainty hits me. Shit. “You sound judgmental.”
“Because I am.” She takes a sip of her tea and sighs. “A little. Mostly, I’m annoyed you’re right.”
Chuckling, I stand. “I’ll be back soon. Just need to make a few phone calls.”
Glenn can be a handful, and he’s going to ask invasive questions, so I’d rather not call him in front of her. I don’t want to worry her further.
I schedule an appointment with the doctor first and then navigate to Glenn’s contact.
“Didn’t expect to hear from you yet,” he says when he answers. “Figured I wouldn’t until closer to the release day announcement.”
“What are you talking about? We saw each other last week.”
“And you were as friendly as a cactus.” He barks a laugh. “So forgive me for being surprised by your call. What’s the occasion?”
“I’ve got a personal matter that needs to stay under wraps. Before I tell you, though, you need to promise there will be no publicity, no using it to gain hype for the album. It’s not up for discussion or negotiation.”
“Color me intrigued.”
Here goes nothing. “Someone is pregnant with my child.”
For a second, he’s silent. Then, there’s shuffling on the other end of the line. “Someone? One of your fans? Is she underage?”
I flinch, and my lip curls into a sneer. “Fuck you, Glenn. Do you really think I’d have sex with an underage girl?”
“I’ve been in this business way too long. Nothing surprises me anymore.” He sighs. “I had to ask, Hade. Sorry.”
I lie back on my bed. The implication makes me nauseous. Story is sixteen, and even imagining some prick with her… The thought is fucking disgusting.
“So? Who’s the baby mama?”
“Piper’s sister.”
Another second of silence. Then, he clears his throat. “Isn’t Piper married to your brother?”
“Correct.”
He whistles. “Wow. The family ties just got more interesting.”
“Fuck off.”
“Sorry, sorry. So she’s pregnant, and you’re sure it’s yours,” he clarifies. “Are you going to see the doctor?”
“Yes. I made an appointment for tomorrow.”
“Does that mean you want to keep the baby?”
My heart skips a beat. I haven’t even considered that. I just wanted to make sure Riley knew she could count on me. And because I’m a selfish jerk, I didn’t bother to ask Riley how she felt.
I lick my dry lips. “We’ll make that decision together.”
“Just want to confirm,” he says, pen scratching in the background. “You want to make sure no one knows about the pregnancy, and if you decide to keep the baby, you also want to keep the mother’s identity under wraps.”
“Yes. For her safety, I want her to stay out of the limelight. I don’t want Riley to have to go through what Owen and Ines did when fans found out they were married.”
Glenn sighs. “Fuck, that was bad. And for you…the uproar would be so much worse. You’ve never dated anyone for longer than a couple of months. The fans like thinking you’re a playboy. They’ll lose it if they find out you’re tied down.”
“That’s why it needs to stay under the radar.”
“Got it. Let me know when the two of you decide, and we’ll go from there.” He clears his throat. “If you decide to keep the baby, does that mean you and this girl are going to be together?”
I close my eyes, reminding myself Riley can’t hear me now. I knew Glenn would ask this question. “No. We’re just friends.”
“Okay. If anything changes, let me know.”
“Thanks, Glenn. I appreciate your help more than you know.”
“And I appreciate the heads-up. Accidental pregnancies and surprise weddings are the stuff of nightmares for a manager.”
I rough a hand down my face. “Happy to help.”
“Go fuck yourself, man. It’d be better than fucking your best friend’s sister.”
With his thundering laughter in my ear, I end the call. He’s a great manager, but his sense of humor needs work.
In the living room, Riley stands in front of the window. She looks so fragile. All I want is to hold her, make sure she knows I’m here for her.
But it’s safer for both of us if I keep my hands to myself.
“We have an appointment at ten a.m. tomorrow.” I stop beside her, my shoulder brushing hers.
“Okay,” she says quietly. Then, she turns to me. “Why did you lie to me?”
My heart thuds uncomfortably. Lie? “What are you talking about?”
“While I was away, you kept saying you were busy, that you were spending time in the studio and at Ines’. But I know this place. I know how your penthouse looks when you’re in one of your moods. When you’re letting your depression win.”
“Riley, look around—”
“And see what?” she asks, her eyes hard. “It’s too clean. Even the piano you haven’t touched in months. Did you clean up to create an illusion for me? To make me believe you were doing fine while I was on vacation?” She jabs my chest with a finger. “Don’t lie to me. I know you too well.”
I stare at her, at a loss for words. How is it possible she sees right through me? Past my bullshit? Past the facade I so carefully crafted?
Head low, I admit, “You’re right. I did go into the studio, and I did spend time with Ines and Santi. But most days, I was home, trying to survive, barely functioning. That’s what I did.”
Her lip trembles slightly. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I didn’t want to worry you. I didn’t want to worry Hunter or Piper.” I shake my head. “I didn’t want to bother any of you.”
With her arms wrapped around her middle, she takes a step back. “Why would you think I’d tell them? You know I don’t tell my sister everything, right?”
I open my mouth then close it. When I open it again, no sound comes out. I never even considered she didn’t report back to Piper every time she checked in on me.
“I saw you falling apart. I saw you drowning in your grief. I recognized all your fake smiles. I saw your depression, all too familiar to my own. I’ve lived with it. I lived through it. There were days when I was tempted to end it all because the pressure, the expectations, felt like too much.”
Her words land like sucker punches. What she said makes my heart ache. I didn’t know about any of that, and I don’t think Piper knows either. She would’ve told me. She would’ve asked me to look after Riley the way she asked Riley to look after me.
“I never told her how low you really were, and I didn’t just check on you because they asked me to.
No, I was here because I was worried, because I wanted to make sure you were alright.
” She waves her hand at me, tears streaming down her cheeks.
“And you lied to me… Time and time again, you lied to me. And now, you stand there telling me you didn’t want to bother me.
That you didn’t want to worry Hunter and Piper.
It was me who was asking. It was me who was worried, and you just… lied.”
My heart cracks in two. I reach out, wanting nothing more than to touch her, to share my warmth with her. To ask her about her past, about her hard truths. To ease her pain.
But she takes a step back, dodging my touch.
The hole in my chest widens. “Riley…”
“No.” She purses her lips. “I thought the connection we built meant something to you. I thought you’d be honest with me because I’ve seen all sides of you, that you’d care enough not to betray my trust…but I was wrong. About all of it.”
“Ry, please listen to me—”
“You know what? I’m too tired for this.”
With that, she walks away from me…and I swear it’s never been harder to see her do that.