Hard Freak

“Damo’s a control freak. No pun intended. And he’s way too bossy,” Jax said. “Even if he is hot.”

“And he’s heaps better than Miles,” I said. “Miles was the worst kind of jerk. Crazy and controlling and full of petty jealousy. Crow is nothing like that. He just likes keeping to himself.”

I said that, but I wondered if there was more to it than that. He’d said as much, but my faith in him was unshakable.

“She’s got you there,” Jax said. “Not only was Miles a jerk on a personal level, he let his jerkiness interfere with the band. We’d be screwed now if it weren’t for Fay and my fast thinking.”

He shot me a self-satisfied grin.

“No one has actually told me what the problem is with dating Crow,” I said. “Everyone keeps saying to stay away from him, but he’s a good guy. He’s not a player like Elijah. He’s not going to run around and cheat on me. He’s not going to lie. Those are very important qualities in a man.”

I folded my arms, but my gaze went to the room service menu. I’d been too stressed about facing Polly to eat the whole morning, and now that that was over, I was starving.

Polly relaxed a little. “He’s got a darkness in him.”

“Yeah, well, that’s just part of being human. It’s not a violent darkness or anything like that. There’s some sadness in his past, and I think I can cure that.”

Jax sighed. “You can’t cure people, Fay. That’s a myth. You have to accept them.”

He might say that, but I knew I could make Crow forget that past sorrow. I made him smile and laugh. Not many people were capable of that.

“All this philosophical talk can wait for another day,” Polly said. “Since you’re back, we have rehearsal to do.”

Jax and I both huffed.

“And you said Damo was a control freak,” I said to him, glancing over at Polly.

“They’re an evil couple,” he replied. “If they weren’t in music, they’d probably run a sweatshop or something. Not even a regular sweatshop, but the kind that the other sweatshop owners think overworks their staff.”

I grinned at him. “Yep, they’d be the definition of evil sweatshop owners.”

“Fay, you’re the one who wants to play the big crowds like the Freaks,” Polly said. “You don’t get to do that sitting around having love life chats with Jax. So, are you serious or not?”

I stood up. Of course I was serious. Well, mostly serious.

Despite my complaints, my heart buzzed. I’d gotten over the hard part with Polly, and it hadn’t been too bad at all. By the time Crow talked to her tomorrow, she’d have become accustomed to the idea. Jax had really helped, bringing Miles into it. Why hadn’t I thought of that argument? It was something Polly couldn’t disagree with.

“Can we eat before rehearsal?” I asked. “My belly is about to collapse in on itself with starvation.”

“Burgers?” Polly said.

“Burgers,” I agreed.

Chapter 17

I SLEPT MOST OF THE way to Paris on the train. A late night of rehearsals and an early morning start weren’t my idea of fun. But soon we’d get to the hotel, and I’d see Crow again. This would be the start of our life as an official couple. Maybe we needed to buy matching rings or something to celebrate that. I liked that idea.

Polly nudged me awake when we hit the outskirts of the city.

“You’ll be nice when Crow talks to you, won’t you?” I asked her. “Don’t mess with him.”

She just smiled. It was pretty much a given that she’d approve of our relationship now, but that didn’t mean she wouldn’t toy with him. Polly liked to do that sometimes, but I wasn’t sure if Crow would stand up to her teasing.

“It seems very formal,” she said. “Like he’s asking for your hand.”

“He wants things all above board and out in the open, that’s all.”

I stared out the window. So far, there was nothing especially Parisian about the city. I guessed cities were all the same on the outskirts.

“He doesn’t want to look like a creeper, especially considering how young Fay is,” Jax said.