Dangerous Rock (Dangerous Noise 3)

We could pick up the tradition.

Only we can't.

We can't do anything.

We're ending our relationship. By the end of the day, we will no longer be married.

This will end, and I'll fly back to New York, and Joel will become that interesting story I tell my friends. Did you hear the one about how I accidentally married a rock star? And we'll all laugh about how improbable it is that I did anything bad. Because I'll have some new clean cut doctor-slash-lawyer-slash-MBA husband.

No.

I can't do this. "Joel, I don't know—"

A voice interrupts. "Sweetheart, how are you?"

That's my dad.

I look up, and sure enough, he's there, in a sleek black suit, standing next to the man who must be my lawyer.

The other man extends his hand. "Nice to meet you, Ms. Chase. I'm Leonard Shaw. I'll be your counsel."

"Nice to meet you." I pull my hand from Joel's to shake his. I can feel Joel's posture stiffening from the change in the air. It gets colder, harsher. Or maybe I'm imagining things. "Daddy, what are you doing here?"

"You think I'm going to let you do this with a stranger?" he asks.

"Oh." That's fair. As far as Dad knows, Joel is my one-week mistake.

Neither one of us is calling this off.

Which means…

I guess Dad is right.

My stomach churns. I look into Joel's eyes. I can still see all that affection in them, but I guess that's not enough.

He's silent.

I'm silent.

There's another lawyer coming towards us. He's not as neat as Mr. Shaw. His hair is shaggy. He almost looks like Joel's brother, but Joel only has a sister.

He nods hello to Joel. "Nice to see you again, Mr. Young."

Joel nods back. His mood must be as shitty as mine, because he doesn't make a joke or ask the guy to call him Joel or your highness. He doesn't even smile.

The lawyer turns to me. "You too, Ms. Chase. I'm Adrian Lux." He offers his hand.

I barely manage to shake.

That's Joel's lawyer.

And this is my lawyer.

And that's my dad.

I motion from my dad to Joel. "Oh, I'm sorry. Daddy, this is Joel. Joel this is my father."

Dad offers his hand. "Vincent Chase."