I stared at the stage and the crowd of people who were listening to Payne Addiction’s performance. Randy and his band were on a special promotional tour for the soundtrack of a hot new movie release. It explained why I hadn’t seen him around Music Haven for the last few months. He and his band were busy recording their song for the soundtrack.

  We hadn’t run into each other despite him being in town. Perhaps we would have if I hadn’t spent the last three days sulking in my suite. I had little choice when I knew what leaving meant. At some point, I would run into Mia.

  Resisting the urge to go to her wasn’t easy. I proved that after she ran away from me at the masquerade ball. She never answered the door when I pounded on it and begged her to talk to me. It was a massive blow to my ego.

  As I knocked back my glass and consumed the rest of my drink, I returned to my seat at the bar. Max was waiting to refill my bourbon, but he wasn’t the only person there. Chris was sitting in the spot where Bentley usually sat, sipping on a beer. When he realized I was looking his way, he waved.

  “Hey, Ayden. You got a minute?”

  “Yeah. What’s up, Chris?”

  After we shook hands, I took a drink from my glass. Chris played with his beer bottle, staring at it for the longest time. He gave me a sideways glance a few seconds later.

  “Do you want the good news first, or the bad news?”

  My stomach knotted. “Save the best for last, I guess.”

  “I don’t blame you,” he laughed half heartedly. “After you texted me when you returned, I called the lab to see what was taking so long on the DNA results we had done before you left.”

  “And?”

  Chris looked at me with a somber expression. “The results were inconclusive.”

  It wasn’t the answer I wanted to hear. Not knowing was worse than knowing. Was the universe working against me?

  “That’s just great. I should have known I wouldn’t get answers. It’s like I’m being punished for something.” I took a long sip from my drink as Chris cleared his throat.

  “Just because the results were inconclusive doesn’t mean you can’t get answers.”

  I lowered my glass back to the bar and frowned. “You’re confusing the shit out of me. How can I still get answers?”

  “I have samples frozen in my lab. We can send one to another facility. I have a colleague that works in a state-of-the-art laboratory. He’s assured me he will not only get the results, but he’ll also give them with the highest accuracy available on the market.”

  “Why didn’t you send the sample to him first?”

  Chris glanced at me again. “The test is expensive. I didn’t want to burden you with the expense.”

  “So what’s changed?”

  “Someone else volunteered to cover the cost.”

  I straightened my back at his response. “What do you mean, someone else covered the cost? Who was it?”

  Grimacing at my question, Chris took a few long drinks of his beer. Then he returned it to the bar. “I’m not at liberty to say. It's confidential information, but I assure you the person was more than willing to pay for the test. I sent out the samples before I left the office.”

  It was bad enough to think someone had paid my portion of something. Not knowing who made it worse. Would the mysterious person use it as blackmail against me?

  Lies surround you, Ayden McAllister. You’ve received false information…

  The text I received the night Izzy lost the baby played through my mind. Was the person who paid for the test the one who sent the text? It seemed possible, and it also made me curious to know if that person was the real father.

  “How long will the results take?”

  I waited for Chris to finish his beer and wipe off his mouth before he answered me. “Unfortunately, these results will take longer. The lab subjects the sample to stringent testing to get the most accurate results. That takes time.”

  “I don’t care how long it takes as long as I get answers.”

  “You’ll get them, Ayden,” Chris replied. “I promise.”

  I heard someone moving behind me. When I glanced over my shoulder, I found Darius frowning. He didn’t acknowledge me until he gave Max his drink order.

  “Glad to see you among the living.”

  I nodded. “Figured it was time to have a drink and sulk outside my suite.”

  Max handed Darius the drink he ordered, then turned to his next customer. Darius lifted his glass, motioned for me to raise mine, then clinked them together. “Cheers, man. Here’s to us for landing on Mia’s shitlist once again.”

  Growing speechless, I said nothing as I mimicked my friend and took a drink. The rest of the liquor poured into my mouth before I returned the glass to the table. Max grabbed it on his way through.

  “Ayden, I gotta go,” Chris said as he patted my shoulder. “The hospital just called. I have a patient I have to see, but I’ll be in touch.”

  “Thanks, Chris.” I waved goodbye as he made his way toward the exit. Once he was out of sight, I refocused on Darius. “You wanna talk?”

  Darius stared at his half-empty glass and shrugged his shoulders. “Discussing the problem doesn’t really change it, does it?”

  “Depends on what the problem is.”

  Chuckling at my reply, Darius waited as Max handed me another drink and walked away. Once he was out of hearing range, Darius looked at me again. “You’re not the only person Mia is ignoring. She won’t talk to me either. I tried calling and texting, then I finally went to see her.”

  “What did she say?”

  Darius swirled the drink in his hand, then pressed the glass to his forehead. “She said she didn’t want to speak to me right now. I asked when we could talk, but she said she would find me.”

  At least he had that much. Mia hadn’t even spoken to me since the night of the party. I didn’t know if she would, and I was to blame.

  Damn it.

  “I’m sorry, Darius. It’s my fault she’s pissed at you.”

  “Bullshit.” He played with the rim of his glass and stared across the bar. “I’m the one who suggested we do this. Mia’s just being stubborn right now. She’ll come around and realize that you love her, you’re not going anywhere, and the two of you belong together.”

  It pained him to admit such a thing. He didn’t have to tell me he was still in love with Mia. I saw how he looked at her. Some guys would take advantage of the situation between Mia and me and try to steal her away. Not Darius.

  “I hope you’re right, but I don’t know. Mia hasn’t tried to talk to me, and she hasn’t answered my texts or calls, either. Maybe I’ve screwed things up one too many times.”

  “We’ve all made mistakes, bro. At least you didn’t cheat on her like I did.” Darius studied me for a moment and then scoffed. “Believe me. She’ll forgive you for what happened. Why don’t you try talking to her after the show tonight?”

  “She didn’t take my calls or texts. What makes you think she’ll talk to me?”

  “Because it’s harder to avoid someone when you’re face-to-face with them.”

  “It didn’t matter in your case.” I wasn’t trying to be a smartass, but I had to prove my point.

  “What does it hurt to try? The worst she can do is ignore you.”

  I thought about what he had said. I kept telling myself he was wrong, no matter how much I wanted him to be right. He had to be right. The thought of my life without Mia…

  “Guess who just showed up?”

  I glanced at him, then at my glass, fighting the urge to look toward the main entrance. Every part of me ached to see Mia. Three days without communication was too long. Still, I had to keep my distance and allow her time to sort out her feelings.

  “This is harder than I thought.”

  Darius nodded. “It’s difficult to resist someone when your instincts are screaming at you to go to them. I get it, but have patience.”

  I snorted. “Patience isn’t one of my strengths.”

  “Trust me. I can relate. But try to understand Mia’s point of view. She’s angry. Don’t forget how upset you were when you thought Mia had cheated on you? You didn’t want to talk to her or anyone. I’m sure she feels the same. She just wants to be alone and think.”

  It was a time in my life I wanted to forget. Just like my relationship with Izzy. I wish I had never met her, just like I wish I had trusted Mia and believed in her. While we may have gotten past those problems, the memories still hung over me like a storm cloud.

  Slamming back the rest of my drink, I hoped the alcohol would settle my anxiety and help me relax. No such luck. My buzz increased, but so did my courage.

  Without giving it another thought, I shifted my eyes to the entrance. Mia was standing a few feet away, with Andi by her side. They were speaking to a group of women seated at the bar.

  After a moment of gawking, I noticed the women wave goodbye before they walked toward the dance floor. Mia and Andi remained at the bar. Andi ordered a drink as Mia smoothed her hand over her pants. She looked amazing, as always. Yet, something about her was different.

  She was glowing.

  “Dude, what the hell are you doing?” Darius’s voice invaded my thoughts, but I didn’t turn around. I couldn’t.

  “The thought of not talking to her drives me insane. What can I say? With Mia, I’m weak.”

  The urge to run to her was difficult to resist. I jiggled my leg, trying to divert my attention. It wasn’t working. When I finally looked at Darius, he shook his head.

  “Not until after the show.”

  ~Mia~

  * * *

  “You look amazing, Mia.”

  I glanced at Andi as she sipped her martini and shook my head. “If you say so.”

  “Seriously. You haven’t shown this much skin in… I don’t know how long.”

  Smoothing over my pants, I drew in a deep breath, regretting my decision to help an old friend. “If Dean hadn’t asked me to replace Missy tonight, I wouldn’t have this on. Maybe I should have declined.”

  “Decline a duet with Dean Dorsey? Uh, hell no. I would love to perform on stage and sing with him. It sucks that Missy has strep throat, but enjoy the moment for what it’s worth.”

  Andi used to have a huge crush on Dean. They flirted frequently after he and his band came to Music Haven to work with my grandfather. Even though I knew how much she cared about Bentley, her fascination with Dean still existed.

  “Are you sure I look okay? I feel bloated.” I turned toward the right-hand bar to give her a better view of my stomach. She examined every inch of me before shaking her head.

  “You’re barely showing. I can see a tiny bump, but it’s because I know it’s there. You feel weird because you’re hiding the truth from a certain someone.”

  I placed my hand above my navel and twisted my body toward her. “Are you sure you can’t tell?”

  Shaking her head, she opened her mouth to say something, but her eyes moved past me. Whatever caught her attention didn’t hold it for long. When she finally looked at me, she leaned closer. “Don’t look behind you. Ayden’s at the corner of the other bar with D. He’s staring at you.”

  Doing the exact opposite of what she asked, I peered toward the corner of the bar. My eyes locked with Ayden’s. A moment later, I faced Andi. “I gotta go. We’ll chat later.”

  My legs burned as I quickened my steps and spoke with a few guests on my way past them. I sensed Ayden’s eyes on me, but I didn’t acknowledge him, at least not until I was at the corner of the bar. That’s when I made the mistake of looking his way.

  He stood from his stool, but I didn’t wait to see if he would speak to me. I walked as fast as I could and headed to the staircase that led backstage.

  As I wedged myself through the crowd gathered near the stairs, I felt a hand grasp my shoulder. When I stopped, I was face-to-face with Ayden. We stared at each other before his eyes lowered to my stomach.

  When he looked at me again, his face creased. “Is chemo getting the best of you?”

  Relief flooded me. He didn’t suspect my pregnancy. He believed I had cancer. I needed to tell him the truth, but I wasn’t ready. He returned earlier than expected, and I didn’t have time to think about my options.

  Who was I kidding? I had plenty of time. I just couldn’t decide.

  “I’m not on chemo, Ayden, and I don’t have cancer.”

  “Then why were you holding your stomach? I know chemo makes people nauseous.”

  “So does stage fright.”

  His head tilted to the side. “Beg your pardon?”

  Before I could answer him, I heard someone call my name. We turned in the same direction and found Dean Dorsey walking our way. He was sporting a cheesy grin as he looked at me.

  “There you are. Oh, wait a second…” His gaze shifted to Ayden, then back to me. “Did I interrupt something?”

  I responded with a quick no, but I heard Ayden say yes. Our mixed responses caused Dean to frown. “My bad. You’re Ayden McAllister with Breaking Silence, right?”

  When Ayden nodded, Dean stuck out his hand. “It’s nice to meet you. I’ve heard a lot of positive things about you guys.”

  “Likewise.” Ayden shook this hand.

  His quick response had Dean grimacing. “Dude, I’m sorry that I interrupted, but I have to steal Mia for a few. Maybe the three of us can hang out after the show.”

  Things turned from awkward to uncomfortable quickly. The idea of the three of us getting together after the show caused every nerve in my body to pulse. I was sure it was what Ayden wanted, so it didn’t surprise me when I noticed him nodding.

  “Cool, man. We’ll see you then.” Dean shook his hand one last time, then wrapped his arm around my shoulder, escorting me further backstage.

  If I had to lie through my teeth, I would avoid the plans Dean made. I had no other choice. Hanging out with Ayden wouldn’t end well. Every second I was around him, my guilt increased. I had to quit stalling.

  Did I forgive Ayden and tell him the truth about our baby, or was it time to pack my bags and leave Music Haven?

  Chapter 4

  ~Ayden~

  The last time I sat at the corner of the bar staring at Mia, she’d gone on stage to perform a duet with Dean Dorsey. Seeing her sharing a microphone with him while their bodies were mere inches apart ate at me like a deadly disease.

  Andi swore there was nothing between them. I didn’t think there was. It was just the idea of them singing together and being close. Why wouldn’t Mia sing a duet with me?

  Guess that would require her talking to me. We hadn’t spoken since the night the guys and I returned from our tour two weeks ago. I couldn’t blame her for avoiding me. Not after pretending to be Darius so I could spend time with her.

  Andi assured me that Mia was busy with her accountant. Each year, he and his firm came to do their audit. They hadn’t finished with the paperwork until yesterday.

  Apparently, Mia took the rest of the day off. I asked Andi why, but she mumbled something about exhaustion and late nights. They were searching through filing cabinets and computer files for information the accountant needed.

  It was plausible, but I still sensed something more was happening with her.

  “Uh oh. I know that look.”

  Darius’s voice broke my focus. I turned to look at him just as he and Bentley joined me. Each sat on the stools beside me.

  “What look?” I asked as I watched him and Bentley nod at each other and scoff.

  “You’re thinking about talking to Mia again, aren’t you?”

  I shrugged. “So what if I am? We haven’t spoken in two weeks.”

  Bentley snorted and ordered a round of drinks.

  Darius massaged his temples. “You and Mia would be together now if you’d listened to me. You’re a stubborn shit.”

  “Occasionally.” My response was snarky, but I didn’t care. While I appreciated them looking out for me, I couldn’t ignore my gut. Something was wrong with Mia.

  “What’s churning through that thick head of yours today?” Bentley teased.

  “Same shit as every other day. I know Mia’s hiding something from me.”

  Bentley slid a shot glass to Darius and the other to me. “What kind of proof do you need to know it’s not cancer?”

  “I need Mia to tell me the truth. Her behavior and actions tell me something’s wrong. Cancer is the only reason that makes sense. I feel like she’s pushing me away because she’s afraid of dying and she doesn’t want to put me through the pain of losing her.” I laughed as I considered the irony of the situation. “Doesn’t she realize I’m already in pain? Each day we’re apart…”

  Unable to finish, I lifted my glass and took a long drink. I sounded like an old sap. I’d never been open about my feelings for a woman. Bentley was around when Izzy and I broke up. Of course, that breakup was different. I hated her for what she did to me, but I didn’t hate Mia. I loved her.

  “So, what are you plotting?” Darius asked this time.

  Bentley chuckled. “He has that wild look in his eyes, doesn’t he?” When he glanced away from Darius, he peered at me. “What’s your game plan?”

  “I’m going to talk to her.”

  Both of my friends observed each other before they refocused on me. “What makes you think she’ll talk to you this time?”

  I hesitated before I gave them an answer. “I don’t know if she will. Even if she doesn’t, I know she still loves me.”

  “What finally convinced you?” Darius glanced at Bentley as both waited for my response.

  “Despite what’s happened between us, Mia’s still wearing her engagement ring. That has to mean something. Right?”

  They seemed lost for words when they nodded. I didn’t need them to agree, and I sure as hell didn’t need their approval. Mia and I had spoken harsh words to each other. Yet she hadn’t removed my grandmother’s ring. Why else would she wear it if she didn’t plan on marrying me?

  “I know what I need to do. I’ll catch up with you guys later.”

 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23