Me: Listen, I'll get up early and leave you two to have the bus tomorrow, so you can work it out. Then, I'll talk to her later in the afternoon. We’ll make this right. We have to, or if she goes home early, you know she won't be there, when we get back.
Landon: Yeah, that's not happening. We’ll fix this.
I wait a few more minutes and enjoy her cuddles and her being pressed against me, before I carry her to her bunk and tuck her in. She snuggles right into her bed and looks so peaceful. I kiss her forehead, and then send Landon a quick text that she's asleep.
I will fix this, because losing her now that I've decided to make her mine just isn't an option.
Chapter 11
Austin
You would think the threat of a hangover would be enough to deter me not to drink like that anymore, but no. Here I am, head pounding, and I know if I were to do it all over again, I'd still pick up that drink.
Flashes of the night come back to me. Talking with Ivy, and then yelling at my brother and that girl. That makes me cringe, because there were so many people around, and I can only imagine how it went down. If it's not the front page on some gossip rag right now, I will be shocked.
Then, there was Dallas, carrying me over his shoulder to his dressing room. Did he really ask me to wait for him? There really hasn't been anyone, since I've been back? All the questions make my head hurt more. We need to talk later, but right now, I plan to follow the smell of coffee and bacon out to the main living area and kiss whoever is cooking.
I didn't expect it to be my brother. I was thinking maybe Tony, as he's good at making sure we eat in the morning, after we drink. Then, he lectures us to death about not drinking again.
"Hey, this is almost done, but coffee is ready." He looks at me almost shyly.
Damn, I don't think I'm ready for the conversation. The last thing I need with my head pounding is my brother lecturing me. I hesitantly make myself a cup of coffee and go sit down at the booth across from the small kitchen.
I sip my coffee, as Landon plates our breakfast and sets it down on the table. Omelets, and bacon, and biscuits. This is a suck up breakfast. He slides in to the booth across from me and gives me an unsure smile.
I glare at him and pick up my fork and start eating. No point in letting good food go to waste, when I have to sit through a big brother knows best lecture, right?
"So last night?" He starts.
I just shrug and keep eating.
"We have to talk about this, Austin."
"Why? No one has wanted to talk to me for a week. Why start now?"
"That wasn't on purpose. I assumed you didn't want to talk to me and would talk to Dallas, and he assumed you were trying to work things out with me and took a step back."
"And all week neither of you talked about it and realized it?"
He ducks his head to look at his hands in his lap. "No, we avoided the topic. I did it, because I didn't want to fight, and I assume it was the same for him."
"Can't say I blame him. Hell, I'm surprised he talked to you at all, after you basically shit on everything he's been doing to get his life in order."
"I did not! I told him I was proud of him."
"Then, in the next sentence, said he wasn't good enough." I huff.
"For you. Come on, do you really want to be with a former player? Do you know how many girls he's been with? I doubt even he knows."
"Wow, great words of praise for your best friend. Does he know what a backstabbing asshole you are?"
That seems to shake him enough that he shuts up and thinks about his next words.
"I won't apologize for being protective of you." He levels me with his 'I mean business' gaze.
"Well, I won't apologize for being protective of you either." I lean back and cross my arms over my chest. He tilts his head to the side and looks at me but doesn't say anything.
"That girl..." I start.
"Daisy." Ha! I knew it was a flower name.
"Fine, Daisy. She has been bragging to people of 'nailing you,' and how she’ll make a great trophy wife and knows just how to spend your money."
His eyes darken, and I can tell he isn't happy. He hates gold diggers, even if it's just something casual. When he's in a relationship, he likes to spoil his girl and has no problems spending money on them, but the parasites that are there just because of his money are a deal breaker for him. He's been burned by them one too many times.
Finally, he sighs, and I know he's letting his guard down. "Thank you for having my back."
"Always. I just wish you would trust me," I say.
"Of course, I trust you."
I shake my head. "No, you don't. Not in the way you expect me to trust you. Thank you for breakfast." I go to stand up and take a shower, but he reaches for my hand.
"Hey, there are two more weeks of the tour. You’ll stay, right?" He asks.
"I don't know. I can't do two more weeks like how this last week has been."
"I swear it won't be. I’ll be stuck to you like glue, if that's what it takes."
I just shake my head and stare out of the front bus windows.
"We’ll see. I still need to talk to
