Avery bit down on her cheek. “That’s the big expense I haven’t figured out yet. We can always resort to an iPod and speakers.”
“Or my sister, who’s dating a rock star, can ask him to sing,” Olivia said, then began whistling and looking around innocently.
“Oh my God, yes!” Sienna squealed and practically flew out of her seat at the idea. “I saw the picture of you and Grey Kingston in the paper. That is so cool!”
Avery winced and grabbed her sister’s wrist. “Sit and shh.” She glanced around to make sure nobody was paying attention.
“Sorry.” The younger girl lowered herself into her seat. “But it really is cool.”
“Yeah, so cool his stalkers are now my stalkers,” Avery muttered under her breath.
“What do you mean?” Olivia asked, leaning across the table.
Avery closed her eyes and sighed, then explained about this morning’s events and Grey’s offer for her to move in with him.
“Crap,” Olivia said helpfully.
Avery shot her a look.
“What are you going to do?” Sienna asked.
“I don’t know. Ella’s away on business, which is good, because I don’t want to have to worry about her getting hurt. I also don’t want to be alone in my apartment right now, but moving in with Grey? Isn’t that … I don’t know. Extreme?”
“I’d do it in a heartbeat.” Sienna shrugged, but Avery knew that was a young mind speaking.
Sienna had missed a year of school thanks to her illness, and she was just going into her senior year of college now. All she was thinking about was Grey Kingston, rock star. She didn’t have a clue the damage Grey could do to Avery’s already shaky sense of trust.
“You can always stay with us,” Olivia said, reaching out and clasping Avery’s hand.
Avery shook her head at Olivia. “Thank you. But I don’t want to bring trouble to your door. Same with Mom. Scott and Tyler offered me a place to stay too, but I think I’d kill them both within a day.”
Olivia snickered. “Point taken.”
“You could take a room here,” Sienna suggested.
Avery mulled over that idea, then discarded it. “I think Grey’s feelings would be hurt if I chose a hotel over the apartment next door to him.”
Olivia pursed her lips and met Avery’s gaze.
“What? Just say it,” Avery said.
“Fine. You can’t move in next door like you’re best friends. It’s not like he’s a one-night stand. You two have history and—”
“He said he loves me.” Avery hadn’t meant to say the words out loud. She’d been pushing them away ever since hearing them, but they’d kept coming back. Echoing in her head. Pecking away at the shields around her heart.
“Holy shit, that’s huge!” Sienna said.
“Not helping,” Avery said, shooting her younger sister a grin.
Sienna blushed and shrugged. “Still cool,” she said under her breath.
Avery shook her head. “Anyway. You see my issue.”
“I see a guy who’s got it bad. What’s holding you back?” Sienna asked.
“It’s complicated but mostly fear,” she admitted. “I don’t think he can really know how he’ll feel about living here in Miami and giving up the spotlight until he does it. And I don’t want to give everything to him only to lose him all over again. So I’ve been telling myself to live in the moment, and it’s worked … until now.”
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