Page 15 of Living on the Edge

Chapter4

Ryleigh

I’m sittingin front of the TV with my laptop open when there’s a knock on the door. I look up in surprise since I’m not expecting anyone and pad over to the door curiously, peering out of the peephole.

What the hell does Angus want?

I look down at the little sleep shorts I’m wearing, but it should be fine. I’m more covered up than I would be at the beach, and my top is loose and baggy.

“Hey. What’s up?” I ask politely.

He holds out a bag. “I brought you dinner.”

“What?” I blink in confusion. “Why would you do that?”

“I felt bad that you were the one who wanted steak and then I picked a place you couldn’t afford.”

I sigh. “Kirsten shouldn’t have told you that.”

“But she did. So I’m sorry if it’s overcooked, but I chose to be safe and got the steak medium.”

“I generally eat it medium rare, but I’ll be gracious and not complain. You didn’t have to bring me anything, though.” I reach for the bag and realize I should be polite. “Do you, uh, want to come in?”

I really don’t want him to.

Well, maybe a little. I hate eating alone.

“I guess for a few minutes. I’ll keep you company while you eat.”

I move aside so he can come in, and I put the bag on the desk against the wall. It smells amazing, and I see he went all out. I unpack a baked potato with everything on it, mixed vegetables, a salad, bread, and even dessert.

“Wow… you really didn’t have to—” I turn to him. “It’s a lot of food. I don’t think I can eat all of this… it was very thoughtful.”

“I apologize if my restaurant suggestion made you uncomfortable because you couldn’t afford it,” he says. “It never occurred to me that you didn’t have some kind of expense account.”

I snort. “Well, I do, but it’s twenty-five dollars a day.”

“Twenty-five…” He stares at me like I just spoke in Swahili. “Who the hell can eat three meals a day on that?”

“They assume the band will feed me sometimes and I can save up the rest of the time.” I shrug. “There’s an assumption that if I was at home, I would be buying groceries, so I’m supposed to take my grocery money into account. It’s a whole complicated formula that made no sense to me, but they weren’t willing to compromise. I asked for fifty, they gave me half.”

“It seems unfair.”

“Everything about this business is unfair. You of all people should know that. You can’t be making much money yet.”

Something flickers in his eyes that’s hard to read, but whatever it is disappears before I can decipher it.

“Sure, but we don’t starve.”

“Well, I also believe my boss is testing me. Because I’m new and because he only hired me as a favor to my dad. Who asked him right before he died.”

Angus grimaces. “I’m sorry for your loss, but that’s between the two of them, isn’t it? He shouldn’t make you suffer because your dad was no longer going to be around to help you.”

“My dad never helped me professionally,” I say. “But even if he did, Rich marches to the beat of his own drum. I’m okay with paying my dues since I managed to get in the door ofRock Harder. It’s a pretty big deal. I just didn’t think it would mean sacrificing meals. Luckily, I’m still able to do my social media stuff, which means there will be money?—”

“Social media stuff?” He stares at me blankly.

I’d been up front with Sasha about Rockin’ with Ryleigh, and she said it was fine as long as I got permission before I recorded videos of or with the band. I assumed she’d spoken to them about it.

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