Page 44 of Beyond the Stix
“Who is it?” I ask, but I know exactly who’s texting him.
“Nobody.”
“Connor,” I warn.
“It’s nobody, John.”
Before I confront him on his outright lie, someone is knocking at the door.
Connor has no problem saying, “Who is it?”
“It’s me,” Danny calls out. “We’re turning back around and heading to Ron’s. He wants to talk to us first, before we take off to Black Rock.”
“We will be right out,” I reply, my eyes never leaving Connor’s face.
“Will you?” Danny counters with another knock. “I don’t trust you two alone. Connor.”
Connor chuffs. “He knows me all too well,” he whispers to me. Then he calls over his shoulder to his bandmate, “Fine, we’re coming out.”
I want to tell him that I know about Jessup’s text messages, and more. Tell him how I feel, but Connor sidles up to me and plants a kiss on my lips. “Later.”
That tender touch has me wanting to throw the man onto the mattress and show him that I do care about him. But I push that urge away, and stay professional. I clear my throat and agree, even though my dick says otherwise.
FOURTEEN
Connor
When we goton the bus this morning, Danny and the guys hauled me into one of the bedrooms and closed the door. Once they started talking, I knew I shouldn’t have said a thing to Danny the other night. The last thing I wanted were my friends to bethatworried about me.
But I’ve been a fucking bear around them since John and I hooked up, so I spilled my guts.
“I’ve been pondering what you said and I think you misunderstood John,” Danny begins, always seeing the better in people.
“I think you should stay clear if you think he’s using you,” Callum adds, rubbing at his temples.
“Are you getting another headache?” Rafe asks, concern pinching the corners of his eyes. “Did you take your meds?”
“No man. They make me fucking loopy.”
“How often are you getting them now?” I worry for my friend since Callum has been getting these headaches since last year.Though I’m also trying to deflect this conversation about me and John, Callum’s health is more important than my sex life.
“Too many,” Callum confesses. “I took something else, so I should be good. But we’re not talking about me. Tell us.”
“Yeah, you can’t avoid this or John. Between the long drive there, the time at Rocktoberfest, and the drive home, we’re going to be on the bus with these security guys for five days. Might as well just jump right into the deep end and finish it,” Bobby says before sticking a pixie stick into his mouth.
“What’s with the pixie stick? Do we need to send you to S. A. A?” Yep, I’m still trying to deflect.
“What’s S. A. A? Sex Addiction Anonymous?” Bobby’s eyebrows furrow in confusion. “I’m not a sex addict.”
“No, dumbass. Sugar Addiction Anonymous,” Rafe chuckles.
“Can we get back on track, please,” Danny admonishes, then turns to me. “You need to clear whatever bullshit you have with John. Either end it or fix whatever you two have going. Whichever, I just want you to be happy, Connor. But we have Rocktoberfest and I don’t want any more crap affecting us on that stage. Got it?”
The rest of the guys agree.
“You’re right. I’m going to end it. It’s for the best.” Except, I don’t know what to end. It’s not like John and I are dating—far from it. It was a one-time hookup. Nothing more.
Now as I’m standing next to John, contemplating whether I should open the door and face my best friend—who’ll see plainly on my face that I didn’t end it with John like I set out to do.