Page 11 of Home Coming

It took forever for him to get back to her. That was nothing new but today, after what had happened, she really needed her boyfriend.

Finally, the cell vibrated in her hand with a text alert.

AXEL

Sorry. In a session. Later?

She’d stopped physically shaking but she was still shaken and she really needed to talk to her boyfriend. Hugging him would be even better. But she knew that his sessions with the band could last for hours and he’d be pissed if she asked him to make the other guys wait while he talked to his girlfriend on the phone.

They’d already reached his street so asking him if she could come over was moot at this point. She was already here. But she should probably at least ask about tonight.

Okay. Can I stay over your place tonight?

Sure. Gotta go.

She’d been dismissed.

That was okay. She had his spare key. She’d just let herself in.

She was supposed to meet him at his apartment before heading out tonight anyway so she knew he’d be home right after his practice or whatever happened at these mysterious and oh so frequentsessions.

The car came to a stop and she knew even without peering past Xander that they’d be in front of Axel’s building.

Axel lived in Williamsburg, currently the hottest, hippest neighborhood in Brooklyn. Unlike Bailey who lived in the non-trendy part of the borough. But at least it was fairly close and convenient.

Extra convenient when he’d been away meeting with his record label and she’d offered to feed his fish, which is why she had a key to his place.

His tank of piranha had freaked her out at first but she’d gotten used to them. Even started to see the toothy creatures as kind of cute and misunderstood.

The driver opened her door, which was when Xander finally looked up from his cell. “You going to be okay?”

“Yes.”

He eyed her then finally nodded. “Okay. We’ll talk tomorrow. I’ll interview bodyguards if you don’t—”

“I’ll interview my own bodyguards, thank you. I’m the one who’s going to have to be with him or her.”

He cocked up one dark brow skeptically. “Will you actually do it?”

“Yes.”Eventually.

“Okay. I’m trusting you and I will be checking in.”

“Yes, Dad.” She lobbed that shot over her shoulder as she stepped out of the car.

With an indulgent shake of his head, he said, “Goodbye, Bailey.”

The driver took her large roller bag and the smaller carry-on out of the trunk and placed them on the sidewalk. “Can I help you upstairs, miss?”

“No, thank you. I got it.”

With a nod he returned to the car and Bailey felt completely alone.

Strange how she so often felt alone in one of the busiest cities in the world.

Ridiculous since she was on a sidewalk surrounded by people, next to a street crowded with traffic, in front of her boyfriend’s apartment building where she’d spent the night dozens of times with him.

She shook off the feeling and reached for the strap of the carry-on with one hand and the handle of the roller bag with the other.

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