Fame

by Meghan Quinn

  “I need to call the chef and make sure he’s still coming over to make a dinner for everyone. Who do you think will be coming?”

  “Well, you have you, me, Quinn, Rook, Maisy, our parents, Quinn’s parents, and I think Willow and Kaid. Cruz, I’m pretty sure has a date with that one chick, who, by the way, have you met her?”

  Holding up his hand, Landon said, “Dude, I can’t worry about Cruz’s latest conquest right now. So, if I counted correctly, that’s eleven?”

  “Sounds about right.”

  “Okay, I’ll let the chef know.”

  “What are we having?” Grey asked, rubbing his belly.

  “Salmon with cheese polenta and asparagus.”

  “Fantastic, so we’ll all be peeing out battery acid later. Something to look forward to.”

  “You don’t have to eat with us,” Landon countered.

  “And miss a free meal? No, thank you. I will be there. Plus, don’t I have to make some sort of speech?”

  “I think that’s only at the wedding.”

  “We’ll see,” Grey winked at him, making Landon feel incredibly nervous all of a sudden.

  “Don’t do anything stupid,” Landon warned.

  “Now, does that sound like something I would do?”

  “Yes, it does.”

  “Fair enough.” Grey got off the bed and walked toward the door. “I’m going to take these candles downstairs and start lining them up. Why don’t you take a shower so you actually smell good? I’ll round up Rook and Maisy for some help.”

  “Find out where Kaid is,” Landon called out to Grey as he left.

  “Ah, that’s right, you have to get your boyfriend’s permission as well,” Grey teased.

  Even though Grey couldn’t see him, Landon flipped him off.

  As he surveyed his outfit, he took a deep breath, while his hands rested on his hips. This was it, this was the outfit he would be proposing in. The thought made him shudder, and not from the significance, but how much he really was turning into a girl. He took a peek down his pants and confirmed his balls were still intact, but they were one more thought like that away from detaching themselves and rolling on down his pants leg to find a man more deserving.

  Shucking off his shirt, he headed toward his shower; he had a proposal to get ready for.

  Chapter Sixteen

  **Grey**

  Grey checked for blood on his body as he was shoved out of Cruz’s room. Apparently, things didn’t go over well with Maelani. Now, Cruz was without the girl he was actually starting to fall for, and he was pissed…mostly at Grey for feeding him thoughts about Maelani possibly using Cruz.

  The conversation Grey had with Cruz about helping Landon propose went over just as well as a Boston Red Sox fan trying to convince a Yankee fan to wear his hat; it just wasn’t happening.

  Grey felt bad about his conversation with Cruz, because, clearly, he was hurting, even though he didn’t want to show it. He cared about the girl, which was surprising, because Cruz never cared about anyone besides himself, and, of course, his band mates, but that was only on occasion.

  From what little Cruz would tell Grey about the conversation, Grey came to the understanding that Cruz accused Maelani of using him, which wasn’t even close to what she was doing with him, and that insulted her. Grey wanted to tell Cruz that he meant to talk to Maelani about her feelings for him, not straight up accuse her of anything, but that was how Cruz handled things; he was very cut and dry. There was no changing his personality.

  From the fury in Cruz’s eyes, Grey was almost positive he was going to lose his nuts just standing in Cruz’s room, so he fled quickly, not even trying to convince him to help out with Landon’s proposal. There was no use poking the bear, especially when his teeth were bared.

  Instead, he walked up to Rook and Maisy, who were sitting outside, playing silently on their guitars. They were a short distance away, where they could say something to each other if needed, but they weren’t close enough where you would think they were working on the same song. The set-up was a little awkward and weird, but at least they weren’t clawing each other’s eyes out.

  “Hey, you guys.”

  “Hey,” Maisy and Rook said at the same time, as they looked up at him with smiles on their faces.

  The energy between them was positive, not dark and dreary like it had been. They must have talked or come to some sort of agreement, because there was no way they were just this happy.

  “What’s going on here?” Grey asked, while pointing at them.

  Rook smiled brightly and looked at Maisy as he spoke. “We’re working on some music together while learning to be friends.”

  “Friends?” Grey asked with a quizzical look on his face.

  “Yes, friends,” Maisy smiled back at Rook.

  “Okay, well you guys are making me a little sick. Are you ready to help me with Landon’s proposal? We have a lot of candles to set up.”

  Rook set his guitar down and stood up as he brushed off his pants. “I’m ready. What do you want me to do?”

  “Can you start sweeping the pool area? Those leaves are not going to help with the ambiance.”

  Rook playfully hit Grey in the back of the head as he walked toward the broom and said, “Say ambiance again, and I’m going to shove this broom up your ass. Come on, dude, we don’t say words like that.”

  “I thought it was a lovely word,” Maisy winked at Grey, making him smile.

  The tension that was once between Rook and Maisy whenever they were in the same room together had now dissipated, and in its place was a positive atmosphere full of hope. Grey liked it, especially when he saw his friend smiling the way he was.

  Rook had a rough life growing up, and even working his way through the music industry. People used him; people only cared about him for his fame, and he had been burned multiple times, but once Maisy came into his life, Grey knew something in Rook changed, and now that they were trying to be friends, Grey only had hope for their future. If anyone deserved a happily ever after, it was Rook. He may be a bastard at times, a complete fuck-up with good intentions, but he was a good guy; he cared and he was soulful. He had a heart, and when he put it to use, he accomplished great things.

  “We’re putting out all these candles?” Maisy asked, slightly overwhelmed.

  “Yeah, that’s why we have to get moving. I think Quinn is due back in an hour or so. Landon is upstairs right now, taking a shower and washing up. You should have seen him trying to pick out an outfit; the dude has shot nerves.”

  “Aw, how cute,” Maisy cooed. “She’s going to say yes.”

  “He knows that, and I even told him that, but he’s still nervous. It’s a nerve-racking thing us guys have to do. Be lucky that you just have to sit back and enjoy the ride whenever you get proposed to.”

  Grey eyed Rook, who was standing behind Maisy a couple of yards away, eyeing and listening to their conversation, while he mindlessly swept the pool area. Grey knew that if everything worked out between Rook and Maisy, there would be another wedding in their near future.

  “He’ll be fine,” Maisy said, completely oblivious to Rook’s staring. The man was hopeless. “I can’t believe he’s proposing. How did he get the camera crew to leave him alone?”

  The cameras had been in the house for the past couple of days, capturing everyone’s odd and uncomfortable moods. Grey figured they would either give up from the lack of material or start making them do some scripted work. They weren’t a very lively bunch, as of late. They did a few interviews, but that was about it.

  “It’s their night off, and Landon knew it, so he planned everything around it.”

  “Rob is not going to be happy,” Maisy warned.

  Grey shrugged his shoulders. “What’s he going to do about it? We’re his two bestselling bands; you guys are even selling over Meyer’s Men. He’s not going to do anything but possibly give us a slap on the wrist. He doesn’t want to lose us.”

  “I hope you’r
e right,” Maisy said nervously, as she started to set out candles.

  “Don’t worry, Boo, nothing will happen,” Rook reassured her with a soft smile.

  Grey could see the corner of Maisy’s lips twitch as she bent down and started arranging candles. Rook wiggled his eyebrows at Grey and started sweeping again. The man was too damn cocky. If only Grey had half of that confidence when it came to Willow. He wished he could just go up to her and take her like he wanted, but he was too afraid of her rejection. He was going to fight for her, but in a different way. Maybe he should try the whole friends approach as well, might do him some good.

  “Where’s Kaid?” Grey asked, looking around.

  “Probably helping Landon,” Maisy responded, as she tossed some lit floating candles into the pool, which started to beautifully light up the intimate area.

  “I’ll go check on him. What about Willow?”

  “Last time I knew, she was in her room.”

  “Alright, I’ll go get them; we have a lot of candle lighting to do and some flowers to set up. You guys keep working on everything out here while I get Kaid and Willow.”

  “What do you want me to do when I’m done sweeping?” Rook called out, as he started to finish up his task.

  “Help Maisy unwrap candles, but let her place them around the pool. I don’t trust you to be romantic.”

  “Oh, what little you know of me,” Rook said, while sidling up next to Maisy.

  “Prove me wrong, Tyler.”

  “Any fucking day, Cross,” Rook shot back, making Grey smile to himself. It was good to see his friend back on the right track.

  Grey walked back into the house and ran directly into Kaid, who had a sour look on his face while he looked at his phone.

  “What’s going on?” Grey asked, pulling Kaid away from his phone.

  “Nothing much, just getting rejected, that’s all.”

  “By who? I didn’t know you were interested in anyone. Last I knew, you liked someone named Jodie, who was actually obsessed with Rook, but settled for you.”

  Kaid flipped Grey off and said, “You need help or not?”

  “Tell me about this girl first.”

  “Nah, it’s fine. It wouldn’t have been anything anyway.”

  “Doesn’t seem like it.”

  “God, you’re a pestering fucking hen,” Kaid said, running both his hands over his face. “It’s Harper.”

  “Our producer?”

  “Yes, our producer, now just fucking drop it, alright?”

  Kaid’s tone of voice was one Grey had never heard from him before, so he dropped it. Kaid was the fun-loving, easygoing kind of guy in the group, who sat back and observed everyone. He very rarely talked about his problems, and was usually the one everyone relied on, so to see him distraught was confusing to Grey. He wanted to help him, but he had no clue how.

  “Well, if you ever want to talk about it, let me know.”

  “Thanks.” Kaid took a deep breath and looked out the glass door behind Grey. “Looks like those two are getting along,” he nodded toward Rook and Maisy.

  Turning to look at the “friends,” Grey agreed, and said, “They’re trying to be friends right now.”

  They looked at each other and laughed.

  “We’ll see how long that lasts,” Kaid teased, as he started to walk out the door. “I’m going to just get direction from Maisy.”

  “Might be best, man.”

  With Kaid, Maisy, and Rook on candle duty, Grey went to go get Willow. Even if she said she didn’t want to join in on the festivities, he was going to make a hard push for her to join.

  The hideous, out of tune voice of Landon came flowing through the hallway as Grey walked by his room. He was singing Sam Smith’s “Stay with Me,” and he was doing a piss poor job. He was never the one to have a good high-pitched voice, and right now, he was showing it.

  Shaking his head at his brother, Grey walked up to Willow’s door and knocked on it. He waited patiently for her to open it, but when he didn’t hear her footsteps approach, he knocked again.

  Still silent.

  Growing a little worried, Grey pushed her door open and called out her name. Her room was dark, but the light from her bathroom filtered under the closed door, making the hairs on the back of Grey’s neck stick straight up in the air.

  He rushed to the door and, without knocking, wrenched the door open. He almost threw up at the sight in front of him.

  Willow was lying on the ground with blood coming out of her nose and a white substance covering her face. There were lines of coke on her floor and a razor blade in her open hand. Her body was lifeless, just stretched across the cold tile of the floor. Her hair was plastered across her damp face and her body lay still.

  “Willow,” Grey cried out, shaking her, but her body was cold. “Landon,” Grey screamed at the top of his lungs, as he pulled Willow into his chest and started to carry her into her bedroom.

  “Landon!” Grey called again, as tears started to stream down his face.

  Wearing only a towel, Landon came barreling into Willow’s room with his face half shaved.

  “What are you screaming…?” his words died as he saw Willow’s lifeless body in Grey’s arms. “Holy fuck, what happened?”

  “She overdosed on cocaine.”

  “What?” Landon practically screamed.

  “Call for an ambulance, Landon. Just fucking call,” Grey screamed, as he held Willow into his chest and rocked her back and forth as he sat on her bed; the blood from her nose started to stain his shirt.

  Grey could hear Landon calling 911 and the other bandmates, but nothing registered in his mind; the only thing running through his brain was how he couldn’t lose Willow…there was no way he could lose her. Not after everything they had been through. He hadn’t even had a chance to make her his; he hadn’t even had a chance.

  **Landon**

  “They have no clue what’s going on,” Landon said to Grey, whose hands were covering his face. “How can they not know what’s going on? She didn’t have a pulse in the ambulance; shouldn’t that tell us something?”

  “Just shut the fuck up,” Kaid screamed to Landon, who was holding Maisy. “She’s not dead.”

  “Kaid,” Landon said, surprised. “I wasn’t implying, I just…fuck, I just want to know what’s going on.”

  “We all do, but talking about it isn’t helping,” Kaid shot back.

  Clearly, their bro-mance was on a hold at the moment.

  The moment Landon heard Grey’s cry out for him, he knew something wasn’t right, but what he didn’t expect was to see Willow lifeless in his arms. How come they didn’t know about her drug problem? That was what Kaid was beating himself up about the most. He felt responsible for not taking action sooner, and then Grey mumbled something about seeing her with a bag full of a white substance, but didn’t press her because she was already shutting him out. Grey was probably in the most pain.

  Then there was Maisy, who hadn’t said a word, or even shed a tear. She was just as still and cold as Willow was. Her eyes glazed over as she just stared straight ahead. Rook tried to hold her, to comfort her, but she didn’t even change her posture when he placed his hand on her shoulder. It was as if she was transported to another world.

  Landon was in such a hurry that he wasn’t even able to grab his phone to cancel the plans with Quinn’s mom, so he sent Quinn a text from Maisy’s phone to meet them at the hospital when she got back.

  “I can’t fucking believe this,” Grey said, while shaking his head. “This is all my fucking fault.”

  “It isn’t; you can’t say that,” Landon tried to reassure his brother.

  “It is,” Grey said, pushing away. “I was the one who pushed her away, who blamed her for what happened between me and Quinn. I made her hate herself. Fuck, I killed her,” Grey cried into his hands. “I should have stopped her when I saw that bag she had. I should have told Rob about it. I should have taken more action, but instead, I was too muc
h of a pussy and let her do what she wanted.”

  The room fell silent at Grey’s outburst. No one really knew what to say, because if they tried to reassure him, he wouldn’t believe them, so they just stayed silent.

  “When is the doctor going to come through the doors?” Kaid asked, growing more and more frustrated with each passing second. “I can’t fucking take this.” He stood and started pacing.

  “Maisy, do you want me to hold you?” Rook said softly, but Landon still heard him.

  Instead of answering him, she just stayed still, not making a noise or movement. Rook looked at Landon with concern filling his eyes. Landon just shook his head, not really knowing what to say.

  Leaning back in his chair, Landon ran his hand over his face, feeling the rough cuts from his razor he endured while trying to quickly finish shaving and put clothes on while they waited for the ambulance.

  The plans for tonight were officially put on hold, and he wasn’t even mad about it. All he wanted was for Willow to be okay, especially since Grey would blame himself for whatever happened to her.

  His thoughts were put to an end when a hysterical woman came flying through the doors, telling the doctors, who were wheeling a covered up body down the hall, “You have to keep trying, please keep trying,” the lady screamed, making Landon’s gut twist.

  Hospitals were always so awful, and for that one reason…you could go in one day with your loved one, and walk out the next without them. Life could be vicious that way.

  “Ma’am, please, you have to let them take her away.”

  “That’s my baby!” the lady screamed again, while falling to the floor. The only reason Landon knew she fell was because he heard the clash of her purse against the cold tiles. He tried to be polite and give the lady some privacy, but when the nurses helped her up and took her over to a private room, Landon’s stomach dropped to the floor.

  “Myrna, what are you doing here?” Landon asked as he stood up, looking Quinn’s mom in her tear soaked eyes.

  “Landon, Landon!” she cried, as she flung herself into his arms. “Wh-what, who told you?”