Chapter 2 Mabel
MABEL
“Do you have to leave?”
I roll over and wrap my arms around Kat’s waist.
“I was really looking forward to you coming with us. I’m going to be lonely without you.”
She laughs and lies back down on the bed, turning to face me.
“I’ll see you in Auckland.”
“That’s too far away.” I poke my lip out in a pout, bringing a smile to her face. “What if you stay for a few more hours? Have coffee with me, at least. It will help soothe the ache of you bailing on our trip last minute.”
My girlfriend’s smile turns sympathetic. “You know I can’t. I’ve got the event. I have to get to glam.”
“The event with Kaz?” I try to keep the jealousy out of my voice, but the look on Kat’s face tells me I did a shit job.
“Yes, with Kaz.”
I purse my lips and nod slowly. Of course.
She spends more time with him than she does with me, and while I know it’s not the same, I can’t help but feel envious at how open they can be.
Kat and Kaz can grab coffee or attend premieres together, and it doesn’t have to be a secret. Not like with me and her.
“Don’t do this.” She leans over and kisses me. “I was looking forward to Australia, too, but I can’t turn down this brand event. I was lucky my manager could get me in. In a few weeks, I’m all yours again.”
I release a slow breath and bounce my eyes between hers. She’s got these dark brown eyes, so dark they almost look black, and impossibly long, full eyelashes. I run my gaze over her face, taking in each feature. It’s no wonder she’s a model. It’s like she’s molded from clay.
“Okay, you’re right. I’m sorry.” I kiss her again, then release her. “Have fun at your event. Laugh and smile for the cameras. Charm everyone. Then soon, you’re mine again.”
I watch as she climbs out of my bed and gets dressed, then shoves her long black hair into a baseball cap and slides on a giant pair of sunglasses. The extra precautions make me want to roll my eyes, but I don’t. I’m just bitter, is all. It’s important that she isn’t spotted. I get it.
Just before Kat leaves, she turns that cover model smile on me. “See you soon.”
I force a smile back. “I’ll miss you.”
“It’s not that long,” she says in a singsong voice. “It will be here before you know it.”
Then she lets herself out of my bedroom. I listen as she moves through my house. The door to my garage opens and shuts, and soon, I get a notification that my private gate has opened.
If I check the security stream on my phone, I’ll see the dark car pulling out of my driveway with Kat sequestered behind tinted windows in the back seat.
I’m alone again.
Aside from my band members and close friends, Kat’s bodyguard might be the only other person who knows the extent of our relationship.
That was going to change if she came on this trip with us, and I had Hammond draw up a non-disclosure agreement months ago just to make Kat feel safe.
The crew, the Caveat boys, and everyone else coming on tour have already signed them, but maybe it wasn’t enough.
Maybe Kat is bailing because she’s still not ready for more people to know about us.
We’ve been off and on for three years, but as far as the world knows, we’re barely acquaintances.
That’s all I can think about as I get dressed in the silence and make a toffee latte.
This espresso machine is one of the few luxuries I’ve splurged on outside of the necessities.
Necessities being the house close to the rest of my band, my car, my drum set, and the occasional accessory for award shows and appearances.
I have no issue dropping money on gifts, either, but most of my personal wardrobe is thrifted or discount brand, and I bargain shop literally everything else.
Kat makes fun of me, but I spent eighteen years counting pennies just to survive. After over a decade, it’s a mindset I still can’t kick. She grew up with an investment banker father and an actress mother. Frugality isn’t in her vocabulary.
The espresso machine, though? I have yet to regret it.
I do a quick check of my email, and aside from an updated schedule from Ham, there’s nothing of note.
Except for the unopened message I have pinned to the top of my inbox, but I’ve been avoiding that one.
My eyes stick on the bolded name of the sender, and the longer I stare, the more anxious I become, despite having a pretty good idea of what it says.
Something along the lines of, hello...we’ve tried to reach you via phone...please contact us at...
No, thanks. Not yet.
I sigh and shut my laptop with zero intentions of opening it again until tomorrow morning, then head to my studio space. Another big expense that I do not regret.
I take a seat behind my kit and pick up my sticks. I don’t bother with backing tracks. I just close my eyes, create a beat in my mind, and play until the only thing left is the music.
Sav’s house is a hive of activity when I let myself in the front door, and the tension in my body lessens the moment I’m hit with the noise.
Her house is never quiet. It’s never been quiet where Sav is. She’s always buzzing with energy, and for someone who hates being alone—who feels her skin start to crawl the moment silence descends—Sav is the most welcome kind of chaos.
I release a sigh of relief and start to kick off my shoes, then I’m nearly bowled over by her troublemaker of a dog.
Chaos. Always.
“Good God, Ziggs.” I drop to my knees and give her some scratches while her whole body wags along with her tail. “You are such a menace, aren’t you, you big moose. Yes, you are! You’re a big lovable pain in the ass.”
“Oh, you’re talking to Ziggy. I thought the Caveat boys were here.” I glance up and find Brynnlee, Sav’s fiancé’s daughter, smirking down at me. “Although you said lovable, so I guess I should have known.”
I laugh and push to standing. Sav’s soon-to-be stepdaughter is nothing but sass and snark these days. Twelve going on sixteen. I find it entertaining, but I know it’s not always the case for her parents.
“You ever think you’re too hard on them?” She curls her lip, and I laugh louder. “Okay. Point taken.”
“Honestly, I don’t mind Rocky and Beckett. Heck, even Crue is tolerable most of the time.”
“But Ezra,” I say knowingly as I follow her into the house.
“But Ezra,” she says with a sigh, her voice matter-of-fact in her assessment. “He’s the most irritating and immature person I’ve ever met.”
I don’t get a chance to respond because it’s travel prep mode the second I step into the living room.
Sav’s on the phone giving orders to someone.
Torren is loaded up with two duffel bags and two rolling suitcases, and Jonah is standing at the kitchen counter, cutting up some fruit for the two-year-old strapped into a booster seat beside him.
Torren glances at the door, then at me. “Kat outside?”
I force a smile and shake my head. “Nope. Something came up last minute. She’ll meet us in Auckland.”
I don’t miss the sympathy in Torren’s eyes or the complete lack of surprise. Everyone probably saw it coming but me. I’m grateful when he changes the subject.
“Your stuff loaded?”
“Already at the airfield.”
He laughs. “Should have guessed. You’re always the first ready.”
“Hey, I only have to worry about me. I don’t have to wrangle and pack for any significant others, kids, or pets.”
“I miss those days.”
“Liar.”
He winks at me, then lugs the baggage out the door, so I join Jonah in the kitchen. Teddy, his daughter, is all smiles, with a face covered in goop. I give her some love, careful to miss the mess, then snag a grape from the bowl in front of Jonah.
“No Kat?” he asks.
I ignore his question and pop the grape in my mouth, then nod to the food-wearing two-year-old.
“Snack time?”
“First dinner.”
“First dinner is my favorite dinner.”
He gives his daughter some grapes just as Sav joins us. She plants a kiss on Teddy’s head, making her giggle that adorable baby giggle, and then she turns her mischievous smile on me.
“Ham’s going to meet us at the jet. He had to pick up his niece from the bus station.”
My eyes go wide. “His niece? Why?”
“She’s the tutor he found for Brynn.”
“No shit.” I bounce my eyes between Jonah and Sav. “We get to meet the mysterious niece?”
Jonah nods. “I’m surprised he’s letting her come, considering Caveat Lover is touring with us.”
Hammond’s always been protective of his niece.
So much so that we know very little about her.
When we were first starting out, he’d leave to visit her several times a month.
Then it transitioned to only holidays and touring breaks.
I don’t know when or if he’s gone to see her recently, though. Not in the last year, at least.
“Those boys will learn quick,” I say on a laugh. “Ham’s nowhere near as tolerant of their shit as he was with you and Tor.”
“Because he knew we were joking when we asked about her. Tor and I never would have”—Jo stops and flicks his eyes to Teddy before continuing—"messed with our manager’s niece.”
I can’t help but smile at the way Jonah censors himself so he doesn’t cuss in front of his daughter.
It’s adorable and vastly different from the guy he was just a few years ago.
I always knew Jonah was a nurturer, but I can’t say I ever thought he’d become a family man.
Having seen him at his worst and struggle for over a decade, it’s a really beautiful thing to witness.
“You sure about that?” Sav teases with an arched brow. “I don’t remember you being very selective about who you messed with.”
“Positive. Even when I was at my lowest, I respected Hammond too much. Torren did too.”
“Wouldn’t say the same for Ezra and Crue, though,” I add.
“Beck and Rock are probably fine,” Sav says, and I nod in agreement.
“If anyone’s going to try to make a move on the boss’s pride and joy, my money’s on Ezra.”
“Not Crue?” Jonah asks while taking the cutting board to Sav’s sink and washing it off. “He fancies himself a Casanova.”