When the stretching exercises were done, Dalton showed Elliot how to use the treadmill. It was abundantly clear this was all new to Elliot, but Dalton kept encouraging him as he climbed on the elliptical to do his own workout there.
“Are you…going…to Kenton…and Avery’s…tonight?” Elliot asked between gasps of air.
“Yeah. Can I get a ride?” Dalton still hadn’t figured out what to do about his dependence upon others to get around. He’d thought about hiring someone to teach him how to drive, but he didn’t feel too comfortable with that. The last thing he wanted was for someone to realize who he was and sell the story of him learning to drive to some tabloid.
First, he needed to get his learners permit, then he could cross the bridge of getting someone to teach him. Maybe Danica or JD would be willing to help him out.
Elliot stopped the treadmill and leaned on its handles for a minute before responding. “Dinner’s at six, so we should leave around five-fifteen.”
Dalton wished that Sierra could join them, but he knew that she had another two nights on her current shift schedule. He wasn’t even sure he’d see her at all on the days she worked the overnight shift.
“Sounds good.” Dalton finished his time on the elliptical and stepped off.
The other man was currently sprawled on the floor. “I think you’ve killed me.”
Dalton chuckled. “Doubtful. Especially if you’re still talking to me.”
“Okay. It just feels like you killed me.”
“It’ll get better.”
“I may have to just take your word for it because I’m not sure I want to do this again.” Elliot lifted his head and glared at Dalton. “You didn’t use to be so into this kind of thing. Scrawny dudes need to stick together. You’ve defected.”
Dalton tossed a towel at him. “We’re not scrawny, just a little under-muscled.”
“Under-muscled? Is that like my mom saying she’s not overweight, just under tall?”
“You need to give it a chance. Trust me, it took me awhile to get used to it too. You just have to push through the pain and discomfort.”
“Your brothers must be so proud,” Elliot said with a groan as he pushed up to a sitting position, looping the towel around the back of his neck.
“I haven’t told them, to be honest. The last thing I need is for them to gloat about it. JD was bad enough.”
“Well, I hope the elevator isn’t out at work today, or I’m going to be in trouble.”
“C’mon, buddy. Up you get.” Dalton held out his hand and helped him up.
“Say, are you interested in Sierra?” Elliot asked as he brushed his hands on his pants.
“Interested?”
“Yeah. Like…interested in…uh…dating?”
“Oh.” Dalton mulled it over in his mind for a moment. “I guess I haven’t really thought about it. Why?”
“I don’t know.” Elliot shrugged as he used his towel to wipe his face. “I was just wondering.”
“Oh, are you interested in dating her?”
“No way,” Elliot said. “We’ve been friends for ages. I’ve never seen her in any other light, and I’m pretty sure she’d say the same about me.”
As they left the workout room, Dalton asked, “Has she been dating?”
“Not that I’ve ever been aware of. I mean, Danica dated a guy for a lot of years, but I don’t think Sierra ever has. At least, none serious enough that she brought them to any family things.”
“From what she’s said, it sounds like she was busy studying for her degree and then getting her career off the ground.”
“Yeah, these have been busy years for all of us, but now that we’re all settling into our careers, I suppose it’s logical to assume serious relationships might come next.”
“Are you dating anyone?”
“Nah. Not at the moment. I did date someone for a bit during university, but it didn’t work out. We were too busy to really give a relationship the attention it needed.” Elliot glanced over at him as they reached the main floor where his apartment was situated. “How about you?”
Dalton sighed. “I’m not sure you could call what I did dating. And I’m certainly not proud of that, but that’s how it was.”
As they parted ways for the day, Dalton found Elliot’s words floating in and out of his thoughts throughout the coming hours. It had been quite awhile since he’d even contemplated having a relationship. Of course, trying to find a woman who wanted him for him and not for who he was or the money he had felt nearly impossible.
Maybe that was why he was so comfortable with Elliot and Sierra. They knew him from before all the fame and fortune that had come his way. He was pretty sure they weren’t hanging out with him because of what he could do for them. Well, maybe they were coming to dinner so they didn’t have to cook for themselves, but Dalton was okay with that.
Besides, even if he was interested in Sierra that way, he was pretty sure Ethan would have something to say about that. Maybe even Danica and JD would feel protective of Sierra. And Dalton wouldn’t be able to blame them, or any woman’s family, for feeling that way when it came to who he was and the life he’d led.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Over the next couple of days, Dalton picked up his guitar a couple of times and even sat down at the piano, but nothing came. He could play the songs he’d already written, but nothing new was coming to him. It frustrated and even scared him a little, and he didn’t know how to get past whatever it was that was causing the block.
Dalton hadn’t shared his struggles with anyone. Not even Jesse. He didn’t want people to know that he was failing in this area of his life. It wasn’t like he needed to write more songs. He didn’t need to write or sing another song in his life. The money in his bank account would last for a lifetime even if he wasn’t all that careful with it.
He had Jesse to thank for that, too. The man had been a whiz with money, and he’d made sure that each of them had hired a reputable financial advisor.
Dalton was pretty sure that the band management viewed hiring Jesse as one of their worst decisions. He may have been a super talented musician that had been an integral part of the band, but he had held the management accountable for things that the rest of them would have let slide as long as the money, alcohol, and drugs had kept coming their way.
Still, for his own peace of mind, Dalton had to write. Had to feel like he had some purpose in his life. His music had always been what defined him. He was praised for his ability to write songs that moved people. Others looked up to him for his ability to play the guitar and piano well. If he didn’t have his music, what did he have? Who was he?
Most days found him pacing the living room, sometimes with his guitar strapped on, sometimes with his notebook and pen in hand. What he never had were words. And without words, he had no songs.
A knock on the door one afternoon had him turning from his path around the living room. He lifted the strap over his head but kept his hand wrapped around the neck of the guitar as he stalked to the door and jerked it open.
“Oh.” He tried to roll back his frustration when he saw who his visitor was. “Hey, Sierra.”
“Am I interrupting?” Her tone was hesitant as her gaze went to his guitar.
“No, sorry,” Dalton said with a sigh. “C’mon in.”
“Is everything okay?” Sierra asked. “You seem a bit agitated.”
“Yeah. Just music stuff.” He went back into the living room and leaned his guitar up against the piano then turned to face her, running a hand through his hair. “What’s up?”
“I was wondering if you wanted to go to the airport with me to pick Danica and JD up,” Sierra asked.
Dalton stared at her for a moment. “Is it Saturday already?”
“Yep, it is.” Her brows drew together. “Do you usually lose track of days?”
“It’s not drugs or alcohol,” Dalton said, trying to keep the annoyance from his voice. “It’s how I get when it comes to mus
ic. The rest of the world can cease to exist for me.”
Sierra gave a small laugh. “Yeah, I remember.”
“You remember?” Dalton asked.
“Yeah. You were definitely in a world of your own when you had your guitar or the piano in front of you.”
“Hmmm.” Dalton had known he was that way even back then, but it was weird to hear someone outside the family mention it. “Well, I do apologize if I ignored you in the past.”
Sierra laughed again and waved a dismissive hand. “It was just part of what made you…you.”
“I suppose,” Dalton said. “I try to do better now that I’m an adult, but as you can see, I sometimes still get lost when it comes to the music. But to answer your question, yes, I would like to go to the airport. When are you leaving?”
“In about forty-five minutes,” Sierra said. “It’s not too far away since they’re arriving at St. Andrews airport, just north of the city. They’re coming back on Maya’s dad’s plane.”
After Dalton promised to be ready on time, Sierra left. He turned back to stare at the guitar but didn’t bother to pick it up. It had given him enough grief already that day.
He decided to take a quick shower to freshen up and hopefully shake off the frustration that had taken hold of him. His hair was still slightly wet when Sierra knocked on his door again, but he was dressed in a pair of jean shorts and a short sleeve cotton shirt that he left unbuttoned over a T-shirt.
Sierra wore a pair of white capris and a light green blouse and had white sandals on her feet. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail, no doubt in deference to the warmth of the July day.
“Ready to go?” she asked as she gripped the strap of her purse with one hand and dangled the keys to her car in the other.
“I am.” Dalton stepped out of the apartment and closed the door. “Is there a chance their flight is late? I suppose you can’t track a private flight like you can a commercial one.”
“Actually, I had the number of the plane and found there’s an app where you can put it in and track it.” She pulled her phone out as they walked down the stairs and focused on the screen. When they reached the back door, she handed her phone to him. “You can keep track of it while I drive.”
“Um…you need a new phone,” Dalton said as he stared at the cracked screen. “How do you read anything on this?”
“I read between the cracks. It still works just fine.”
The locks on Sierra’s small car beeped as they got close, and Dalton walked around to the passenger side. He opened the door then stepped back as heat poured out of the car.
“That is a sauna,” Dalton said.
“It will cool down quickly,” Sierra said as she slid behind the wheel. “Just be glad I don’t have leather seats.”
If Sierra could brave the internal heat of the car, Dalton figured he should too. He climbed into the passenger seat and closed the door as she turned the ignition. Warm air shot out of the vents making the interior even hotter.
“How on earth do you stand this?” Dalton said, pressing the button to lower the window. Hopefully getting some air moving through the car would take the temperature down a few degrees.
“Stand what?” Sierra asked as she pulled out of the parking lot.
“The heat in the car. Don’t you have remote start?”
“Yeah, I do, but I only use that in the winter.” She shot him a glance. “Do you never have hot days in Toronto?”
“Sure we do. I just don’t get into hot cars.”
“What? How do you not get into a hot car?”
“They’re always cool by the time the driver picks me up.”
Sierra laughed. “You’re spoiled, dude.”
“No doubt, but a little spoiling never hurt anyone.”
“True, but a little toughing it out never hurt anyone either,” Sierra said with a grin. “Hang around here long enough, and a hot car will be the least of your discomforts.”
Dalton knew that she was laughing at his expense, but he found he didn’t mind. At her request, he went to look at the flight information again, but the screen had gone dark. “You’ll need to put your password in again.”
“Oh, it’s 224485.”
He punched it in then said, “Why did you give me your password?”
“First of all, I trust you’re not going to get into my phone, crack my banking app and then empty my bank account. Second, I’m pretty sure you’re not going to remember it in about ten minutes.”
Dalton had to laugh. “Well, you’re not wrong about either of those things, but just for that, I’m going to try my best to remember it, though I will leave your bank account alone.”
Looking at the screen again, Dalton figured that they would be at the airport just a few minutes before JD and Danica’s flight arrived. He was looking forward to seeing them again and having someone else to distract him from the fact that the music still wasn’t coming to him.
As Sierra pulled into the parking lot of the airport, Dalton was reminded of his arrival from Toronto with JD. It seemed a lifetime ago, not less than six months.
“I guess we can just wait in the car until the plane lands,” Sierra said. “And I’ll even keep it running so you don’t sweat.”
Dalton angled a couple of the vents toward him now that they were emitting cooler air. “You know what would make this better?”
“A driver with a car that spits ice cubes?” Sierra asked.
“No,” Dalton said as he shook his head. “An ice cream cone. Don’t you think?”
“Ice cream does sound good. Danica said that she and JD wanted to grab something to eat before going home.” She undid her seatbelt and shifted to face him. “I suppose I should have mentioned that before we left.”
“Yeah because I have so much going on, I might not have time for eating out.”
“You never know,” Sierra said with a shrug. “It’s not like you’ve just been sitting in your apartment every day. You have been getting out.”
“You keeping track of me?” Dalton asked, arching a brow.
“Yep. Danica said I had to keep a journal of your comings and goings, and then report to her.”
She said it with a completely straight face, but Dalton laughed. “I wouldn’t put it past Danica to make the request, but somehow I doubt you’d carry it out.”
“Well, she might have hinted that I should keep an eye on you,” Sierra said, a smile teasing her lips. “But no journal was mentioned.”
Dalton sighed. “I’m sure she’ll want a full report.”
“Just because she wants one doesn’t mean she’ll get one,” Sierra said, her expression turning serious. “There’s no reason why I should give her a report. If she wants to know what you’ve been up to, she can ask you herself. I truly haven’t been keeping track of you. The only time I’ve known for certain where you are is when we’re in the same place as me.”
The sound of a plane approaching distracted him from responding, and he peered forward through the windshield. “It looks like they’re here.”
Sierra turned off the ignition as Dalton shoved his door open, bracing himself for the wave of heat that greeted him. “Maybe I want to stay inside the car now.”
“No worries, we’ll be back in it before you know it.”
“And by then, the car will be hot as a sauna once again.”
Together they walked in the direction of the small building where the plane had taxied to a stop. It didn’t take long before JD and Danica joined them, pulling their suitcases behind them.
They looked happy and relaxed, which made Dalton happy. After all they’d been through, together and apart, it was nice that they had finally gotten to this point in their lives.
After hugs had been exchanged, they headed back out to Sierra’s car. “Are you going to be able to fit those suitcases in your trunk?”
“Do not disparage my car,” Sierra told him. “She’s going to get a complex.”
“Has he been making mean co
mments about your little chariot?” Danica asked.
“He’s been trying,” Sierra said with an exaggerated nod.
“Just because I don’t like riding around in a sauna, I’m not being mean.”
Sierra opened the trunk, and JD lifted both suitcases in without a problem.
“See, they fit just fine.”
Dalton grinned. “It’s a magic car. It must be bigger on the inside.”
“That was one of the selling points,” Sierra agreed as they climbed back in. “JD? You okay for leg space back there?”
“Luckily I sat behind you,” JD said. “You’re so short that your seat is pulled up enough to give me plenty of space.”
“Already with the short jokes?” Sierra said. “You’ve only been back five minutes.”
Dalton enjoyed listening to the banter among the three of them. Their dynamic had obviously changed since they were teens, as he didn’t remember Sierra being quite so vocal back then.
“So, are we going out to eat somewhere?” Sierra asked as she turned onto the highway outside the airport.
“Yes,” Danica said. “I’m starving.”
After a bit of debate, they settled on a place not too far from the apartment building. Because it was early for dinner, the restaurant wasn’t busy, so they were seated right away. When they got to the booth, Danica and Sierra slid in first, across from each other. As Dalton sat down next to Sierra, he realized that it felt weirdly like a double date.
The booth wasn’t very big, so when he opened the menu, his elbow jostled Sierra’s. She didn’t seem to notice that they were in close quarters since she didn’t comment on it or try to move away.
After a bit of discussion over the food, they gave their orders to the waitress. Their food was delivered quickly, and as Dalton inhaled the aroma, his stomach growled in appreciation.
“Tell us all about the honeymoon,” Sierra said. “Oh, well, not all about it. Just the parts we’d enjoy hearing about. Was the island nice?”
“It was beautiful,” Danica said. “And being on a private island was definitely a rare treat.”
“So you were the only ones on the island?”
When He Returns Page 7