“I know. It seems mad, doesn’t it? That things got so screwed up between us.”
I gulp and nod, needing to brush passed this quickly before we get sucked in again.
“It also seems mad that I’m here having dinner with a famous rock star. I’m surprised you don’t have groupies everywhere, trying to mob you.”
He darts his eyes everywhere in an overly dramatic fashion. “Shh, don’t say that! You’ll jinx it.”
I am glad actually. I’m sure if we were in LA, not that I’ve ever been to LA, we wouldn’t have this privacy. Actually, I imagine his entire life is a little crazy and under the lens. I reach out automatically and take his hand in mine, just wanting things to be like this for a while. Just him and me.
“Sorry, that must suck actually. Having people all over you at all times.”
“Hmm, yeah. I like it like this. Just you and me…” He pauses and peeps over my shoulder. “But there are a group of teenage girls over there and I think they might have recognized me. They haven’t worked up the courage to come over yet, but they’ll egg each other on and it will happen eventually. It always does. That’s when they start wanting autographs and selfies, they want to spend time asking me a million questions and they’ll do what they can to shove you out of the way. If you don’t want our date ambushed, I suggest we get dessert elsewhere.”
I start to turn, to peer at them, but Jace grabs me and shakes his head. I think he might be trying to protect me from having my picture taken. The last thing I want is to end up all over the Internet where I can be judged and torn apart for how I look.
“Okay yes, I think we should get out of here now. We can go to Chloe’s Cakes anyway.”
“Ooh yeah, I remember them! Let’s go now. My mouth is watering. The chocolate buns they have there are delicious… actually, they better still have some or I will be requesting them made.”
“They do, I had one recently.” I don’t tell him that they made me think of him but they do. Always.
The girls make a disappointed sound as we go but thankfully, they don’t disturb us. I have a feeling that my name is mud to them, especially since Jace is hugging me close and holding me like I’m something precious to him, but even that isn’t enough to get rid of the warm glow surrounding me. I’m in heaven right now and there isn’t a damn thing in the world that can change that.
“Sorry, I know it’s a pain,” Jace mutters to me. “But you get used to trying to hide. I don’t have much privacy at all in LA, there isn’t anywhere I can
escape, but here it’s easier. Much easier.”
Again, I can tell that there’s something here. More to this, but I can’t press just yet. I have to try my hardest to be patient for a little while longer until the moment is right.
16
JACE
“O h my god, these cakes are everything,” I groan. “I’m in heaven right now.”
Addie laughs, her cheeks turning an adorable shade of pink. She’s so lovely right now all I want to do is wrap my arms around her and hold her tight. “I’m sure you’ve had other nice cakes in LA.”
“Oh my god, are you kidding me?” I chuckle. “No one in LA eats anything, it’s a nightmare.”
I can barely even remember LA anymore, it isn’t real. It’s more like a distant memory that happened to someone else or in a movie. Even my mansion barely feels like it belongs to me. I suppose it hardly ever did really, I haven’t spent a lot of time there. I just needed a base and it seemed silly to get something small when I had so much money at my disposal. But honestly, it wouldn’t trouble me if I never went back there again. I wouldn’t miss it, which is sad really since that’s supposed to be a big part of my life.
But right now, as I look at the sweet little beauty in the intoxicating red dress, I know that I would give it all up for her without any hesitation. When I’m with Addie, the choice seems simple. It’s only when we’re apart that it gets confusing because I don’t know how straight forward the decision is.
“It seems like you just want to come home,” Addie teases. “You must miss your mom.”
“Oh my goodness, you have no idea how much I’ve missed her while I’m out on the road. You must get it, I mean, you have been away from your parents for years now.”
Her eyes fall to the ground and I instantly panic that I’ve stepped on to something that I shouldn’t have discussed. She’s been so good at not asking me questions about the band which I’m sure she must want to, so I need to do the same. I need to change the subject quick before she gets upset. Tonight is supposed to be all fun.
“I don’t miss them too much, to be honest,” she says quietly, answering me before I get the chance to change the topic. “When I transferred college, I was near them so I saw them a lot, but it just showed me how much I’ve changed. There’s a distance between us now that we can’t fill in. I still talk to them a lot on the phone, but we barely see one another. It’s okay though, I think it’s a relief for all of us.”
I don’t know what to say to that. I don’t have any experience. Sure, I don’t have a father around but I never did. It was always just my mom and I and we’re so close. Even now after I’ve been away for so long.
“They must be proud of you though, right?”
“I think so.” She offers me a one-shouldered shrug. “I don’t know.”
“Well, my mom thinks your amazing. She’s impressed with how far you have come.”