He plopped down, and I couldn’t help but stare at every little move he made as if seeing him for the first time—this time with both eyes open, fully facing him rather than half turned away.
“You okay?” he asked around a bite of bacon.
“Yeah.” I blinked, snapping out of my daze. “Just still baffled how you can eat that.” I pointed at his plate, and the same disgusting grape jelly smeared all over it.
“It’s delicious. I think it’s the cheese that really makes it,” he said around a big bite.
“So fucking gross.” But still, I smiled because it was one of the first memories I’d created with him, and every time I saw him on tour eating it, I couldn’t help but smile.
We sat in our folding chairs, enjoying our eggs and bacon in the unusually warm weather, in the middle of a desert. No one was around but us, and all I could think about was when we got back. With a deep breath, I closed another door on any chance of backing out. “Will you take me on a date when we get home?”
He faced me slowly, my words so much more than asking him on a date, and he knew it. “Are you sure?”
The hope in his eyes lit a fire in my heart, and I couldn’t help but smile and nod. “Yeah. I want you, and it may take some work, but you’re worth it, and I’m done losing you. I want to be wined and dined by the Parker Callahan.”
His answering smile was everything. “I can do that.”
“But let’s take it slow, okay?” He tipped his head, not understanding. “Can we maybe try low-key places—maybe keep things quiet for now? Give a little time for the Sonia debacle to settle.”
“Of course,” he answered easily. “This life isn’t for everyone, but I think if we both work at it, we can make it for us. We can meet halfway.”
“I can do halfway.”
He smiled through the rest of breakfast, and I couldn’t help but smile right along with him. Before he got up to throw everything away, he took a deep breath like he wanted to say something big, too.
I froze, bracing for the impact of whatever had him looking so cautious.
“Listen, I know this is like giving an inch and taking a mile, but I was wondering if…” Another deep breath and his hand shot through his hair. “I was wondering if you could go to the Grammys with me?”
“Uhhh…” I didn’t want to turn down his first offer, but that was also one of the biggest, most public events to go to.
“No red carpet. You could meet me inside at the table,” he rushed to explain.
I considered my options. The Grammys were in a month. A lot could change. And the idea of skipping the cameras and questions was very appealing. It also gave me time to move forward with Aiken’s plan and slowly start revealing Nova Hearst to the world—or at least those interested in me.
“I think I can do that,” I finally answered.
“If you can’t, I understand. I know it’s a lot. I would just…love to have you by my side. I’ve never gone with anyone I really cared about.”
I remembered how jealous I was when I saw the pictures of him and Sonia walking the red carpet last year, and a petty part of me jumped for joy that he hadn’t really cared if she was there.
“We’ll take it slow, and I’ll make a plan, but I can do that.”
He beamed brighter than the sun, making any nerves one-hundred-percent worth it. “Like I said, everything.”
Twenty-Six
Nova
I dated more in the past three weeks than I had in my entire life. I imagined this is what the women on The Bachelor felt like. Exclusive dates in a different city every few days. Figuring out creative ways to remain isolated, which sometimes led to extravagant dates like a hot air balloon picnic or bungee jumping. Although the guys came with us on that one. All squeezed in between traveling and shows.
It’d kind of been the most amazing three weeks of my life. When we’d come back from our trip, boarding the bus hand in hand, everyone had been sitting around, including some of the crew. They’d taken one look at us, and a mix of cheers and groans followed. I’d been thoroughly confused until everyone started pulling out their wallets and exchanging money. Apparently, a bet had been going on for a while.
It’d been…nice. Almost too good to be true. The intrusive thought reared its head at random, and I shoved it away each time, living for the moment.
Like tonight. We got into Chicago this morning, and the guys had practice, but the night was ours before the show tomorrow. Parker was wining and dining me like a true date. I’d bought a special dress approved by the girls.