Mia looks down at her phone. “Is it okay if Hollis meets us here?”
“Here, here?” I ask, pointing a finger to the mall store floor.
“Not here, but at the mall in general.”
“That’s fine,” I reply. “Tell him to meet us at the food court. I’m starving. I think I could kill someone for one of those pretzels—oh my God I have to get Cinnabon.” I grab her arm.
She laughs. “Is this your first craving?”
I frown. “Possibly. Don’t deny a pregnant woman, Mia.”
She shakes her head and types something back to Hollis. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”
We look through the store for a few more minutes before I can no longer resist the call of salty and sweet goodness.
Mia gets in the pretzel line to get our order and I hop in the one for Cinnabon.
Armed with food we take a seat at one of the tables against the row of windows overlooking the theater and parking lot.
I rip open a packet of sauce and dip a pretzel bite in it. “Oh my God,” I moan, my eyes closing with pleasure. “That’s the best thing I’ve ever tasted.”
Mia laughs at me, breaking apart her full-sized twisty pretzel. “You’re funny when you’re hungry.” She glances down at her phone. “Hollis is here.” She looks around and spots him coming in the doors. She waves madly, like it’s impossible for him to find her. I’m pretty sure Hollis could sniff her out anywhere like a bloodhound.
He grins when he sees her, his eyes lighting up with love. I selfishly hope one day someone looks at me like that. I’m sure as a single mom it’ll be harder to find the one, but not impossible.
Jesus, what’s happening to me? I never wanted to settle down before, what’s with this newfound desire? I’m blaming the spawn.
He pulls out the chair beside her, placing a kiss on her cheek as he sits down.
Hollis Wilder, quintessential bad boy, is now wrapped firmly around my best friend’s pinky finger.
He swipes one of her broken apart pieces of pretzel and she swats at him. “Get. Your. Own.”
“You’re so mean to me,” he says around his mouthful. “Why can’t we share?” He mock-pouts.
She glances at him in disbelief, her lips slightly parted. “You should know by now I don’t share.”
Hollis steals another bite and pops it into his mouth with a grin. After he chews and swallows, he points somewhere behind my shoulder. “Mia, do you know that guy? He’s staring at you.”
Mia looks where he’s pointing and pales.
I glance over my shoulder and mutter, “Oh, shit.”
“Who is it?” Hollis asks, looking lost.
“Her ex,” I answer in a biting tone.
“Which one?”
“The worst one,” I mutter, rolling my eyes dramatically.
As I watch, Todd the Turd starts heading our way with his usual cocky swagger. He’s a good-looking guy, shaggy curly blond hair hanging down past his ears, tanned skin, and dimples—but he’s a complete asshole so it ruins the whole façade.
“Mia Hayes,” he says, stopping beside the table. “Long time no see.”
“Todd,” she says shortly.
“The Turd,” I add under my breath.
He glances at me and I give him a wide smile that’s anything but friendly.
I eat little boys like you alive, my look says.
“Kira,” he replies cuttingly, “always a pleasure.”
“It’s really not,” I say in a deadpan tone.
He clears his throat awkwardly. Tipping his head at Hollis, he says, “Does she make those little noises when you fuck her too?”
Rage overcomes Hollis’s face and he stands abruptly, his chair slamming into the one behind. “Did she scream my name when she was with you too, then?”
Todd’s face contorts in rage.
“Hollis, I’ve got this,” Mia says in a deadly calm tone, as she too stands. She presses a hand to his chest, urging him to stand down and let her handle this.
She moves in front of Hollis to face Todd.
“Todd,” she says sweetly, and I stare at her in confusion because I know she hates his guts. “There’s something I’ve wanted to say to you for a really long time.” She smiles, the picture of innocence.
He tilts his head in confusion. “What?” he asks, unsure if he should dare to placate her.
Her whole face changes, contorting in rage. Before Todd can process the change, she says, “Fuck you,” cocks her arm back and punches him square in the nose.
“Holy shit,” Hollis chortles, clapping. “That’s my girl.”
“Never,” Mia points a finger at Todd as he clutches his nose—he’ll have a wicked black eye I’m sure, “speak to me ever again.”
Todd mumbles, “Bitch,” and stumbles to the bathrooms nearby.
“Fuck, that was hot,” Hollis tells her, practically drooling.
I glare at him. “Don’t eye fuck my best friend in front of my food. I’m eating.”
He chuckles and Mia moves back into her seat. Hollis pulls his chair back up to the table, plopping onto it. You wouldn’t know only a moment ago Mia pulled off one of the most badass things I’ve ever seen.
“Who was that guy exactly? There has to be more to the story than just an ex,” Hollis inquires, stealing another bite of Mia’s pretzel. She glares, but doesn’t scold him this time.
“Todd,” she answers.
He snorts. “I gathered that.”
She sighs, glaring at her food. I know Mia’s upset when she doesn’t even want to eat. She always wants to eat.
“We went out a few times, had sex once, and he spread it all around campus that he bagged a rock star’s daughter,” she mumbles, looking at the table. “Not to mention, while I thought we were together he cheated.”
Hollis’s mouth widens in a surprised O-shape. “Is that guy who your dad had his car crushed?”
She snorts, her lips slowly but surely rising in a smile. “The very one.”
“Savage.” He drapes his arm along the back of her chair. “Do you feel better?”
She looks at her knuckles, there’s not even a mark left behind—though I guess she would know how to punch someone and not hurt herself. “Much,” she replies, and smiles fully at Hollis.
My heart pangs at the love shining in her eyes for him.
I’ve never wanted to look at someone like that, but as I think about the life growing inside me, I wish my child could grow up with two parents who love each other like that. Rush and I aren’t those people. Maybe I shouldn’t have given up on the idea of adoption so quickly, but I know in my heart I do want to keep this baby.
I might not be the best mom, but I know I’ll at least be a good mom. I had trouble believing it in the beginning, but I know I can do right by my child.
Finishing my pretzel, I wipe my hands on a napkin and toss the wad at Mia.
“Stop looking at your boyfriend with googly eyes. You’re my ride home.”
She picks the napkin off her sweater and drops it on the table. “I should make you walk home for being mean to me.”
I wave my hand dismissively. “You’d never make a pregnant woman walk home. Oh, shit.” I slap my hands over my mouth.
Hollis’s eyes widen in surprise, his mouth gaping in horror. “You’re pregnant?”
I practically dive across the table and grab his wrist in my hand. “You cannot tell anyone,” I hiss. “I know how to hide a body and get away with it.”
“I take it by anyone, you mean … Rush?” he finishes, looking awkwardly out of place. Nothing is ever awkward about Hollis Wilder, so clearly I’ve shocked him.
“I haven’t told him yet,” I whisper brokenly.
“This is why you’ve been ignoring him, for what? Three weeks now? The guy is going crazy, and it’s because you’re pregnant?”
I stretch my arm up and cover his mouth. “I mean it, Hollis, you can’t say a word.” He mumbles something behind my hand, I let it drop, and ask, “
What was that?”
“Why shouldn’t I say something? He’s my best friend and … wait,” he turns to Mia, “you’ve known this whole time, haven’t you?”
“I was sworn to secrecy.” She shrugs, holding up her hands innocently. She looks completely apologetic, and I’m sure she was torn because of how close Rush and Hollis are, but at the end of the day she always has my back. “Girl code.”
“Fuck,” Hollis breathes out, low and slow, his eyes shifting from side to side. “You have to tell him.” He raises his head, leveling me with a serious look that raises the hair on my arms.
“I know,” I hiss, sitting back down in my seat. “I have a doctor’s appointment Wednesday. I’ll tell him after that.” He lowers his head, giving me the look. You know, the one of complete disapproval and doubt. “I will,” I defend. “Do I look so untrustworthy?”
“Oh, I don’t know, maybe I don’t believe you since you’ve known for weeks and haven’t told him.” He raises a brow, daring me to argue.
“I didn’t know what I was going to do,” I admit, biting my lower lip.
“You didn’t know what you were going to do?” he repeats. “What does that mean? Oh.” He glares at me and I didn’t know easy-going Hollis could ever look so rage-filled. “You mean, you thought about getting an abortion without ever telling Rush you were pregnant with his child?”
“It’s my baby too,” I defend. “And my body, and my life because I’m the one ultimately responsible for caring for the baby.”
Hollis snorts humorlessly. “You know, guys get the raw end of the deal—yeah, I get there are a lot of assholes out there who knock up girls and don’t give a damn, and it’s your body and choice as a woman, but the guy should still be considered in the decision. Rush deserves to know, he deserves a say.”
“I’m keeping it,” I bite out, “and stop looking at me with such judgment. You have no idea what it’s like to be a woman, so just don’t.”
Hollis shakes his head and sighs. “I’m sorry. I’m not trying to judge you, but I’ve seen the downward spiral Rush has been going through for almost three weeks. He was doing so good after we got here. Now he’s going back to that dark place, just when he was finally getting out of it.”
“What do you mean?” I ask softly, hesitant and unsure if I actually want an answer.
He shakes his head and stands. “It’s Rush’s story to tell.” Tapping the table, he says, “I know you guys had a sex only deal or whatever, and never talked about anything personal, but this,” he glances down in the direction of my flat stomach, “changes things. Rush has been through a hell of a lot and it … it makes him not the best person at times, and it’s rare for anyone to know the real him, but I promise the real him is worth it.”
“Worth what?” I ask.
He shrugs. “That’s for you to decide.”
He says goodbye to Mia, kissing her on the cheek before he goes.
Even as I follow her to the car, I can’t stop wondering what Hollis meant. I think I know, and it scares me even more than having a baby.
16
Rush
“Why the fuck are you looking at me like that?” I ask Hollis. “Why the fuck are you even here?” I spread my arms to encompass the hotel suite. “All your shit is at Mia’s.”
He stands there with his hands shoved into his jeans’ pockets looking at me like he’s never seen me before.
“Is something growing on my face or are you finally realizing you’re in love with me? If I was going to go gay it wouldn’t be for you. Possibly Fox.”
“Hey, don’t bring me into this.” Fox raises his hands dismissively, sprawled in the chair beside the couch I’m currently laying on, a tumbler of scotch dangling from my hand. It’s only my first drink but of course Father Cannon has already bestowed me with a scornful look. Judgmental asshole. He didn’t spare a glance at Fox’s drink.
Hollis shakes his head and mumbles, “Sorry.”
“Seriously, man, what’s wrong with you?” I ask, my brows furrowing in confusion because the guy looks seriously tortured by something.
“N-Nothing,” he stutters awkwardly, not quite meeting my gaze. “What are you making in there?” he asks Cannon, who’s making dinner in the small kitchen, wearing an apron and everything. He’s fucking Martha Stewart.
“Nothing for you,” Cannon retorts. “Why are you here?”
At least I’m not the one who has to ask again.
Hollis shrugs. “I can’t hang out with my friends?”
I snort in disbelief. “You’re too busy fawning all over Mia to have time for us anymore.”
“That’s not true,” he defends a little too forcefully.
I raise my glass slowly to my lips, giving him a look that tells him exactly what I think of his bullshit.
He shakes his head. “I’ve only seen you guys in the studio these past few weeks and thought we could hang out.”
“We might not have even been here,” I retort in response, sweeping my arm wide. “I might’ve been balls deep in some much needed pussy, Martha Fucking Stewart might’ve been hitting up the local knitting ladies—I hear Maddox knits, maybe you two can be besties,” I toss in Cannon’s direction, “—and Fox here could be nerdgasming out at the nearest comic book store.”
“You’re impossible,” Hollis says with a shake of his head.
“Thank you.” I grin like it was a compliment. “It’s the very essence of my personality.”
Hollis drops onto the other end of the couch and I lean back.
“What’s going on, man?” I ask him, serious this time. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“No, no, I’m fine.”
“You don’t act fine,” Fox adds, taking note of Hollis’s troubled appearance.
Hollis runs his fingers through his shaggy brown hair.
“Mia’s not pregnant is she?” I ask suddenly, connecting the dots of his behavior.
Hollis chokes on his own saliva. “Mia? P-Pregnant? Noooo.”
I exchange a glance with Fox.
“Are you lying, bro?” Fox asks him.
“No, I swear.”
“Always wrap it before you tap it.” I tip my drink toward him and wink.
“Why don’t we go do something?” Hollis prompts.
“Because I’m cooking fucking dinner, that’s why,” Cannon says from the kitchen, wearing fucking oven mitts now. I don’t even know where he got them, because there’s no way they came with the room. At least I don’t think they did. It’s not like I checked. Cooking is not my forte.
“You said I couldn’t have any,” Hollis defends.
Cannon huffs a breath. “Fine, you can have some if it gets you to stop acting weird.”
“I’m not acting weird.”
“I’m not drunk enough for this,” I retort.
“You’re not getting drunk,” Cannon warns with a dark glare. “I shouldn’t have to spend my life being your fucking babysitter.”
“Didn’t ask you to,” I grumble under my breath.
“Are you okay?” Hollis asks me. “Really, okay?”
I inhale a breath and it’s shakier than I intend. “Just peachy.” Running my fingers through my hair, I add, “I’ll be fine.”
I don’t even know why I’m still so bent out of shape over Kira. I used to have a different girl in my bed every night, there’s no reason why I wouldn’t have moved on by now. Except I’m completely fucking baffled by what I did to her. I’m used to ghosting girls, not being the one ghosted.
Did I get too attached?
I mean, I like Kira. She’s a nice girl. She’s pretty cool actually. But I don’t know enough about her to be in love with her, if that’s what she thinks was happening. I counted her as a friend, my first real friend outside of Cannon, Fox, and Hollis. I like to take care of my friends, but maybe I took care of her too much and it scared her away.
I’m sure Cannon would tell me I’m the one who needs to be taken care of anyway. He doesn’t ge
t it. The alcohol makes me forget who I am for a little while, and sometimes, okay, lots of times, I need the distraction. Any sort of pain I feel, emotional, physical, it doesn’t matter—it takes me straight back to that dark place I was in after my parents died. I guess, I never really got out of it. Now, I’m only trying not to drown in it.
“Dinner’s ready,” Cannon announces. “I don’t know why I cook for you sorry asses.”
“Do you enjoy insulting us, Dad?” Hollis asks him.
Cannon cracks a small smile. “I’ll admit I get some joy out of it.”
“Dickwad,” I mumble, and he whips off his oven mitt to give me the finger. I press a hand to my chest. “I’ve been blessed.”
He shakes his head and grabs plates, setting them on the table.
“Dig in.”
We all sit down and pile steaming lasagna onto our plates. I grab two pieces of garlic bread and add them to my plate.
Shoving a heaping forkful of lasagna into my mouth, with no concern for the temperature, I give Cannon a thumb’s up of approval.
The man can cook. All those days spent in the kitchen with his mama paid off.
Honestly, Mama Rhodes is the fucking best. I miss her, but like hell am I going back home. I left that place behind when we moved to L.A. and swore to never go back.
You could say my coping mechanism is avoidance.
Maybe that’s why I haven’t searched out Kira.
If she doesn’t want anything to do with me anymore, I’m not going to impose myself on her.
“See, this is nice,” Hollis says. “All of us hanging out together.”
I point my fork at him. “You’re full of shit and I still don’t believe you came over here to ‘hang out.’” I add air quotes for good measure.
Hollis frowns. “I can’t miss my friends?”
“You see us practically every day,” Fox argues.
“In the studio,” he defends.
“Which you can’t leave fast enough so you and Mia can bone. Where is she anyway? If you’re here I’m surprised she’s not lurking about.”
Wild Flame (The Wild: A Rock Star Romance Book 2) Page 12