Unwritten (Woodlands 5)

“Only that you had one and that Davis didn’t want to leave you behind, which Ian totally understands.” She eyes me speculatively. “Old boyfriend?”

I sigh and rub a finger where the bruise once was. The cut is scabbing over and I have to force myself not to scratch. Revisiting Marrow’s attack is more embarrassing than painful. “I wish, because then it might be a little understandable, but no. Just another student who built up a grand romance in his head. When I didn’t acknowledge him and started dating someone, he felt…” I push up my glasses and struggle to find the right word. “Betrayed? Hurt? I don’t even know. Anyway, my therapist said that his focus on me wa

sn’t about me, but what I represented.”

“That sucks. You’ll be safe here. I can’t imagine that with all these guys around, he’d try anything.”

I hope that’s true, but my stalker doesn’t think like a rational person. In fact, if he finds out I went off with a bunch of guys, it’d probably set him off. Hopefully he doesn’t find out. Pressleytold me she asked Marrow’s parole officer to check up on him and give him a little reminder about the terms of his early release.

“Honestly? I’d be so much happier if there was another woman on board. You sure you don’t want to hang around? Even for the first week or so?”

“You’ll be fine.” She hesitates, running a hand down little Jack’s body. “Can I give you a piece of advice, though?”

“Absolutely.”

“My number one piece of advice is to not catch feelings for Adam. I know it’s going to be hard because he’s hot as sin and as sweet as candy, but he’s not even close to settling down.”

“No warnings about Rudd?” I joke.

She gives me a knowing look but doesn’t call me on my obvious bullshit. “Rudd’s harmless. Adam, on the other hand, would cause a nun to sin. Put him onstage with a guitar and it’s impossible not to be turned on. Oh, I can see that you’re a little confused since I’m married to Ian. Ian and I have been together since we were sixteen. Can you believe it?”

“No. I can’t even remember half the guys I went to high school with.”

Jack pops off the boob and without even looking, Berry switches her baby from one side to the other. Jack latches on immediately and Berry continues talking. “Ian’s my one true love and this little guy makes us even closer, but I’ve got eyes and a working vagina. Adam’s got star power or charisma. Whatever it is, he has it. That’s why Ian’s been playing with Adam for the last five years. One of these days, Adam’s going to catch fire and Ian wants to ride along.”

“Ian’s a great musician,” I say, although I don’t know what makes a good drummer versus a bad drummer, but Adam sounds like he’s very particular so Ian must be good.

She waves a hand. “Of course he is. And he’s ambitious. But he doesn’t write lyrics or compose music. And while he’s crazy—all drummers are—he’s also shy. He prefers sitting behind the wall of drums and cymbals. Adam’s different. You know the difference because Davis is your brother.”

She’s right. Both Adam and Davis have some quality that draws the eye. “I’ll be careful,” I promise. I bring up another subject that has me worried. “What about drugs?”

“What about them?”

“In Davis’s old band scene, there was a lot of hardcore use. Not weed, but other stuff.” I study my nails, as if this isn’t important to me.

“What’s music without coke?” Berry jiggles Jack lightly. “It’s there. Just like it always is when you get a bunch of people together late at night who want to do nothing more than play music and party. The guys here aren’t into it, because that’s a quick way to ruin your career. But there’ll be plenty of temptations on tour.”

“As there are everywhere,” I grimace.

She gives Jack another pat. “Yup. The other piece of advice I have is to stay the hell away from Hollister.”

“I don’t know him,” I admit.

“He’s the promoter slash manager who set up this whole tour.” Jack finishes gnawing at Berry’s poor boob. She swiftly tucks everything away and flips the baby onto her lap. “Grab me a towel, will ya?”

I reach inside the small bag she threw onto the table and pull out a Winnie the Pooh printed towel, which she places on her lap. Turning the baby to face me, she performs a strange series of pats and thumbs against the baby’s back. Jack’s tiny mouth opens and he gives the cutest burp.

“Hollister hates it when the guys hook up. He thinks that the relationship drama fucks up the chemistry of the band. All the boys should be focused on one thing—music. If there’s a distraction, then the entire band isn’t firing on all cylinders. Women—or guys, depending on the band member—belong in the category of booze and drugs. To be done recreationally but not so much that it interferes with the music.”

I stare in fascinated horror. “What about female bands?”

“Hollister doesn’t like them and actively avoids booking bands with women. He’s a total misogynist. If anything goes wrong on tour, it’ll be your fault. Stay as far under the radar as possible.”

“He sounds like a real prince. Anything else I should know about? Things to watch out for?” I try to hint at whether she wants me to report back to her any shenanigans involving Ian.

“You mean, do I want you to make sure that Ian doesn’t stray?” Her dark eyebrows arch over pretty brown eyes.

So much for delicate hints. “Not that I think he would, but would you want to know?”