by JL Paul
The fiery pot of anger in Ally’s stomach boiled over and she bit her lip to keep from lashing out at the other girl.
Cole smiled at Stephanie and shook his head. “Sorry, no. There’s a reason why I play in a band – I don’t dance.”
Ally watched Stephanie’s smile fall and gloried in the twinge of satisfaction in her heart. A touch of guilt hit her but she didn’t dwell on it.
“Oh, I didn’t mean to interrupt,” Stephanie said, glancing briefly at Ally.
“You didn’t,” Ally said, grabbing at her nearly empty water bottle.
“Okay,” Stephanie said uneasily. “So, um, what are you guys going to say tomorrow when everyone gets together?”
“I’m not sure,” Cole said. “We haven’t really had a chance to talk about it.”
“I’m anxious to see what they have to say,” Stephanie said.
Ally snorted causing the boys to look at her curiously. “What?” she asked, eyeing them all individually.
“What’s your problem?” Cole asked softly.
“Nothing. Well, except, I don’t know why she’s anxious to be there. It’s not like it’s her dad’s band or anything. And it is my father everyone is talking about.”
Cole sat back and studied her, amazement taking over his face. “That’s a really crappy thing to say.”
“I didn’t mean it that way,” Ally protested.
“My dad is her stepfather now, you know,” Cole said with narrowed eyes. “If the band does break up, it will have an impact on her life.”
“Not like it will on ours,” Ally said, knowing she sounded spoiled and rotten and all those other horrible things but hoping that Cole, who knew her better than anyone else, would understand. She was scared, damn it, and she didn’t know what would happen when they all confronted their parents the next day.
Cole leaned forward. “Does that matter?”
Ally lifted her chin, hurt. “To me it does.”
“Why?” Cole challenged.
Ally sat back, eyes still furiously intent on his. She couldn’t answer him; not without sounding even more petty and childish than she already had. “You wouldn’t understand.”
“Try me,” he told her.
She gave a bitter laugh. “No, because it’d be a waste of time. The old Cole would have listened without prejudice. But not the one before me now.” She got up and grabbed her crutches.
“Where are you going, Ally?” Jamie asked, shaking out of his stupor.
“Back to her fairy tale world, like a good little princess,” Cole shot out.
Ally glared at him and hobbled away, eager to get to the exit so she could call her dad to come pick her up and get her as far away from Cole as possible.
Chapter Eighteen
Cole replayed the argument with Ally over and over in his head all the way to her house the following evening. He was only vaguely aware of Stephanie in the passenger seat as he concentrated on the tail lights of his father’s car in front of him. He couldn’t for the life of him figure out how things had soured, again, so quickly. And what had he done wrong?
“Are you listening to a word I’m saying, Cole?” Stephanie asked.
“No,” he muttered truthfully, raking his fingers through his hair. “I’m sorry.”
“Maybe you can talk to her as soon as we get there – before you guys confront your dads,” she suggested.
He barked a sardonic laugh. “Not a chance in hell. She’s so wired as it is.”
Stephanie turned her head toward her window. “Maybe I shouldn’t have come.”
“Yes you should have,” he said firmly, anger swelling up inside. “She may be a little princess but she’s not a queen. She can’t dictate other people’s lives for them.”
***
Everyone had already arrived by the time Cole and Stephanie followed Nate and Stacy into the house. He spotted RJ and Jamie near the French doors, feigning interest in the frozen grounds outside and hurried to join them.
“Where’s the princess?” Cole asked, wanting them to all get on the same page before they cornered the parents. “She needs to be here.”
“She’s in the kitchen with Liz,” RJ said, frowning. “She’s been busy helping Liz with all the food. I thought this was just a casual gathering before we went back to school and they resumed the tour?”
“Aunt Liz always makes a big deal out of these things,” Jamie said. “So does my mom.”
“Well Ally needs to get over here so we can figure out what we’re going to say,” Cole said, his anger growing. “What the hell is she playing at, anyway?”
“She’s still mad at you, obviously,” Jamie said with a smirk. “You two need to draw me and RJ a chart or something so we can keep track of things – you know, like if you two are together or if you’re not.”
“Ha!” Cole laughed sarcastically. “Why don’t you guys draw one for me? I can’t keep track either.”
“What’s going on over here?” Nate asked as he sauntered up to them, amused expression in his eyes. “Some sort of secret meeting?”
Cole took a deep breath and glanced at his friends as he released it. “Actually, Dad, we sort of wanted to talk to you guys.”
Nate grinned and clapped his son on the back. “Yeah, we kind of figured.” He twisted and scanned the room until his eyes landed on Jay. “Hey, Jay!”
Jay smiled and joined the group. “Ah, it’s time, huh?”
“Yep,” Nate said.
Cole’s stomach rolled as he realized that they’d been waiting for this moment. So much for cornering them and forcing them to talk and tell the truth. They probably had already worked out a speech, something to ease their children’s minds. Cole shot a disgusted look at his friends. They nodded, feeling the same as he.
Just then, Ally entered the room with her mother and hesitated, her eyes darting from Cole to Nate to her dad. She dropped her gaze and followed her mother into the living room.
“Hang on, Liz,” Jay said, winking at his wife. “I think the kids would like to talk to us. I think we’ll head down to the rec room. Will you send Richie and Mark?”
Liz nodded and patted Ally’s cheek, gesturing her to follow her father down to the basement.
Cole, RJ, and Jamie huddled together, standing against the wall, Stephanie lingering nearby as Ally took a seat close to where her father stood next to Nate.
“All right,” Jay said, glancing up as Richie and Mark pounded down the stairs. “What’s up?”
“Just be straight with us,” RJ said. “Just spit it out.”
Jay grinned. “There’s not much to know, actually. We’ve talked about this before and you guys know better than to listen to rumors.”
“Yeah, but this one wasn’t on some tabloid television show,” Jamie said.
Jay ran his hands through his hair. “Look, I’ve had lunch with Rhys Redden a few times and some reporters spotted us. They automatically assumed I was up to something since I was alone.”
“So, are you thinking about going solo?” RJ asked.
“People still love you guys,” Stephanie added. “You’re one of the hottest bands out there.”
From the corner of his eye, Cole saw Ally snort quietly and roll her eyes. She stretched out her casted leg and rubbed her thigh, seemingly not affected whatsoever by the conversation.
“We’re not splitting up,” Mark said. “Nor are we retiring.”
“And I’m definitely not going solo,” Jay said, grinning at Richie. “That would be a disaster.”
“Yeah, who’d keep him out of trouble?” Richie said with a laugh.
“The thing is,” Nate said, looking directly at the boys. “You’ll probably hear more rumors but you can’t just panic. Yes, we have talked about retiring but it’s just been talk and we haven’t decided if we’re ready for that yet.”
“If we decide that’s what we want to do, we’ll tell you guys before we go to the press,” Jay added, carefully.
“Look,” Mark continued. “Y
ou guys don’t need to be so concerned about this. It was just a rumor – Jay never has had any desire to be a solo act.”
“Well, we are concerned,” RJ muttered. “This does affect us all.”
Jay smiled. “I think we realize that now. But don’t worry about it.”
“But you’ll tell us if you do decide to retire or split up or whatever, right? Before you go public,” RJ asked.
“Yeah, definitely,” Nate answered with a smile.
“What about you, Ally?” Jay asked, causing everyone to look at her. “Don’t you have anything to ask or say?”
She shrugged. “It’s your decision; you and the rest of the guys.”
Cole, Jamie, and RJ looked at her in disbelief but she ignored them.
Once the discussion ended, the adults went back upstairs, probably to share the conversation with their wives, while the kids remained in the rec room. Cole glared at Ally, a mixture of anger and confusion swirling in his gut.
“What was that all about, princess?” he asked as he hovered over her.
“What?” she asked, blinking up at him, her blue eyes wide and innocent.
“You were all torn up about this when we first heard the rumors yet you sit here and don’t say a word the whole time,” Cole said, narrowing his eyes.
She shrugged nonchalantly as she collected her crutches and hoisted her body to her feet. “What did you want me to say, Cole? It seemed like the four of you had things under control.”
“We thought that you wanted to be a part of this conversation?” Jamie asked.
She lifted a shoulder as she started to hobble toward the steps. “I was. I was here. I listened. I believe them – sorry if you guys don’t.”
“I think they’re telling us the truth,” RJ mumbled, his eyes glazed in thought. “But I don’t think they’re telling us everything.”
“What are you talking about?” Jamie asked. Ally paused by the door and leaned in the frame to listen to RJ’s idea.
“Well, Jay told us that the rumors started because he was spotted meeting with Rhys Redden alone,” RJ said, his eyes darting to Ally. He flashed an apologetic smile. “But what was Jay doing meeting with Rhys Redden, the band’s producer and the owner of Redden Records, alone in the first place?”
Ally shook her head and turned as quickly as she was able with her crutches. “No. I’m not going to sit here and listen to conspiracy theories about my father. I’ll see you guys later.”
Cole watched her go, his heart aching a bit, but he had no clue what to do or say and wasn’t even sure if he wanted her to stay.
***
Ally rode quietly back to school with Jamie and Alec. She gave Alec the front seat, claiming she wanted to stretch her leg across the back, but in reality, it gave her a chance to keep out of the main conversation.
She was relieved that her father had informed them that he had no desire to strike out on his own – though in the back of her mind she’d known he’d never do that. But it did bother her that RJ was still suspicious and she wondered if his suspicions had any merit. She didn’t want to think that her father was up to something but she did have to admit that RJ had a point.
She stifled a groan as she allowed her head to fall back. She closed her eyes as the miles hummed beneath the tires, lulling her into a light doze. She’d deal with it all later when she was alone.
Since they hadn’t started back to the school until after lunch, they were the last to arrive. As Jamie helped her carry her bags back to her room, they both nearly ran into an obstruction in the hall near her door.
“What the hell?” Jamie muttered.
“Quit cursing and help me, damn it,” a voice said from behind a large box.
Jamie snorted. “Sure thing, Cole, but does RJ know you’re moving into the girls’ dorms?”
“Shut up and open the door,” Cole ordered, voice straining from the weight. “I swear that woman’s got her whole damn wardrobe in here along with a million bricks.”
“Give me my bag, Jamie,” Ally said quietly, just wanting a quick escape. “I can handle it from here.”
“Hang on, Ally,” Jamie said as he scooted behind Cole. “What door, man?”
“The one across from Ally’s room. It’s supposed to be unlocked,” Cole said.
Wonderful, Ally groaned to herself. Stephanie would be just across the hall, probably breathing down her neck, forcing her friendship on Ally like she’d already done with the boys. Well, Ally wouldn’t stand for it. If they wanted Stephanie slobbering all over them like an over eager puppy, that was their problem.
Jamie pushed the door open while Ally unlocked her own door. She turned back to watch Cole maneuver the box inside the other room while waiting for Jamie to deposit her bag in her room.
“Hey, Ally girl,” Nate said as he sidled up next to her and tossed an arm around her shoulders. She gave him a bright smile as he kissed the top of her head. “Steph’s going to be right across the hall from you and Jeana. Cool, huh?”
“Yeah,” Ally said, forcing the right amount of enthusiasm in her voice. Stephanie and Stacy approached and Ally frowned at the dark look Stephanie shot her. She ignored it and glanced up at Nate. “Do you need any help?”
“Nah,” Nate said. “I think that’s the last of it.”
“I’ll throw your bag on your bed,” Jamie said as he emerged from Stephanie’s room. She nodded, remaining close to Nate. He was one of her most favorite people in the world and his nearness was oddly comforting – almost like having her own daddy there, hugging her.
“I’m relieved Steph’s going to be rooming close to you,” Stacy said as she patted Ally’s shoulder. “She’s a little nervous about finding her way around.”
“She’ll get the hang of it quickly,” Ally said politely.
She felt Nate’s eyes on her so she tried to relax and appear light and nonchalant. But it wasn’t working very well. “Hey, Ally? Will you come with me to make sure we got everything out of the car?” he asked.
“Okay,” she agreed and hobbled behind him down the hall.
“What’s up, kid?” he asked once they reached the outside.
“Nothing, why?” she asked as they walked toward the Admin building.
Stopping, Nate turned to face her, arms crossed over his chest. “You were very quiet yesterday and today you’re obviously waiting until it’s the polite time to tell us all that you’re either very tired or you have a lot of homework to do.”
She shrugged and leaned against the wall, toying with her crutches. “Actually, I do have some reading to do for my English class.”
“Allyson, did my son do something to hurt you?” Nate asked, gently grabbing her shoulders.
“Of course not, Nate,” Ally answered, looking him straight in the eyes. “You know he never would.”
Nate released her and ran a hand through his hair. “I know, but something’s off between you two. I had to ask.”
“Maybe things aren’t going so well right now,” she admitted, tears burning her eyes again. She wanted to cry desperately – wanted to fall into Nate’s arms and sob, allowing him to comfort her – but she couldn’t. “But we’ll figure it out. Don’t worry.”
He lifted her chin and kissed her forehead. “I know you two will. I’ve always been very fond of you, Allyson Jane, and it would be wonderful to have you for my daughter, legally, someday,” he teased, a tiny grin on his lips. “But no pressure.”
She laughed genuinely. “Gee, thanks for the confidence.”
He grinned. “Seriously, whatever you two decide, I hope neither of you gets hurt.”
She put her arms around his waist, letting her crutches fall to the ground, and hugged him, loving him more than ever at that moment. “It’ll work out,” she said, tears stinging her eyes.
“Come on,” he said, scooping up her crutches before leading her back to the dorm. “It’s cold out here.”
They walked quietly down the hall and found RJ and Ren hovering around Stephanie�
��s doorway. Jamie and Cole’s voices could be heard inside.
“You coming in?” Nate asked.
Ally shook her head. “I really do have reading to finish.”
He kissed her forehead again and watched as she hobbled into her room.
***
Cole kept an eye out for her all during dinner, but the seat beside Jamie remained vacant throughout the entire meal. Stephanie chattered away excitedly beside him while the other guys introduced her to their friends that approached the table.
After dinner, they took her to the Student Center and Cole scanned the crowded rooms looking for any sign of Ally but again, she remained missing. Fed up, he pulled out his phone and dialed her number. It rang a few times before going to voice mail and he nearly heaved it across the room.
“Al,” he said, voice restrained. “Call me.”
But she never did that night.
***
The next weeks seemed to fly by in a whirr of activity. Everyone was busy preparing for the holidays and doing their last minute homework assignments. Football season had ended but Jamie and Stephanie both had made the basketball teams and were often away conditioning or practicing. Cole, RJ, Ren, and Parker were rehearsing as many times a week as their schedules would allow.
Ally showed up for meals again, sitting in her usual seat, but she rarely offered anything to the conversation unless she was asked. And the rift between her and Cole widened.
The week before Christmas break, Ally was overjoyed when she left her doctor’s office minus that annoying cast. Her doctor had outfitted her with a walking boot and instructed her to take it easy for a while yet, but it didn’t damper her mood at all.
She returned to school before dinner and rushed over to the gym, only depending on her crutches slightly, and sought out her basketball coach.
“Hey Coach Morgan,” Ally called out breathlessly, entering the gym. The girls filed out of the locker room, greeting Ally on their way to dinner as the coach collected loose basketballs and tossed them into a deep basket.
“Hey, Ally,” the coach smiled. “No cast? Wonderful!”