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“Just like you and Tia?” He arched an eyebrow at me.

“That’s news to me.” I grinned over the rim of my glass.

“You had a smear of pink lipstick on your lips when you came into the dressing room. It just happens to be the same shade she’s wearing.”

Warmth touched my cheeks. “It was nothing more than a friendly hello kiss.”

“Yeah, right. Just like Maddy and I are just friends.” He grimaced as worry flooded his eyes. “Fuck! Can you ignore I said that?”

“No. But I won’t tell anyone.” Seemed like we both needed someone to talk to. I missed my friends, especially Hayden and Reg. Thanks to time zones and schedule clashes, they were no longer just a quick phone call or subway ride away. Sharing a room during promo, I’d gotten to know Slip better over the past few weeks. We got along well. And clearly, we both had secrets. “So, how long have you been with her?”

He swiped his hand back and forth across his chin, then rubbed the back of his neck. “Since we met last year. I’m running out of excuses to spin to everyone when she’s in town. I feel guilty if I chat to another woman. I hate sneaking around behind Sutton and Flint’s back. Neither of them know. It’s totally fucked up.”

“Why don’t you just openly date?”

“It’s...complicated.” He lowered his voice; heartache tore through his tone. “She’s Sutton’s best friend. I’ve been burned by a similar situation. I used to date Flint’s ex’s best friend. It didn’t end well, for any of us.” Sadness flooded his eyes. “Maddy and I were never supposed to go beyond a one-night stand. We agreed. I told her upfront I didn’t want a girlfriend because I like my freedom. I didn’t want to be casual because it causes problems. But when she’s in town, she texts, she calls, and I end up on her doorstep.”

“You’ve got it bad for her.”

“Maybe. But I don’t want to hurt her. I don’t want to cause problems between friends. I don’t want to get to that stage where we’re awkward at parties or one of us doesn’t go to places to avoid seeing each other.”

“You’re doing that right now. You’re here talking to me, avoiding her.”

A glint shimmered in his eyes. “Just like you and Tia?”

I grinned, downed a mouthful of beer, then placed my glass on the table. “Now that’s complicated.”

“I thought you were into dudes.”

“So did I...I mean, I am. I’m not sure what is going on between us, but we’ll figure that out. It’s been really hard to change. We don’t want everyone to know until we know what we are.”

Slip shot air through his nose and shook his head in warning. “You like playing with fire, don’t you?”

“Not at all, but somehow, I’ve landed in the center of one.”

“You certainly have. Do the other guys know?”

“No. I’d like to keep it that way for now.”

Slip leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. “Fine by me. Flint won’t care. But Cole? That could go either way. He’s very protective of her thanks to his own messed up relationships and what’s happened to her in the media.” Concern mixed with too much vodka and beer flooded his dark eyes. “Tia’s like a sister to me, too. I didn’t know Rhett well, but I knew Phil. He broke her heart. I don’t want to see her hurt again.”

I straightened. “You knew about Phil?”

“Yeah,” he said like it was no big deal. “I caught them together on more than one occasion.”

I pinched my brows together. “And you never told the others?”

“Nope.” He shrugged and swayed. “I’m not one to cause unnecessary drama. I’m not a gossiper. Tia and Phil had their reasons for wanting to stay on the down-low—they didn’t want to cause more issues between Flint and Phil, and they loved their secretive games. But once we signed, things changed. Phil couldn’t keep his dick in his pants.” He pointed at me. “So if you’re going to be an asshole and screw around on her, I will say something.”

My former bandmates had never looked out for each other like that. My siblings would never have protected me like this. “I’ve never cheated on anyone. I’ve had my wild times, my fun, but every time I’ve met someone special, being with another person has never entered my mind.”

“I’ve never cheated either.” He sighed as he slumped back in his chair. “That’s the thing—Mads is special. She’s fucking awesome. I haven’t been with anyone else since we hooked up. But after being burned in the past, I’m not sure I want to go down the relationship road. Got any pointers on how to get out of this fucked up situation?”

I chuckled and waved my beer at him. “Sounds like you’re in a relationship but won’t admit it.”

“I’m in a mess, that’s what I’m in.” He wiped his hands back and forth on top of his jeans. “It’s not just about being afraid of screwing up or being hurt; it’s about priorities.” He jutted his chin toward our group. “My world is this band. I love what I do. I’ve worked hard to get here. I love this lifestyle and everything that comes with it. The travel. The attention. The fans. Music will always come first. It always does.”

My breath jarred my chest. Slip was right.