Page 88 of Tracing Holland

“Um…”

“Just think about it.Maybe after the tour we can deliver it in person.Or mail it, whatever.”

She shakes her head, and I’m still not sure what she’s thinking.

“Hey, Luke,” she says after a long pause.“You know what I thought about you those first few weeks?”

“What’s that?”

“I always wondered how amazing it would be to know the rest of you.To see the world react to you when you broke free, when you escaped your prison.”

“Yeah?Do you still wonder that?”

She grins.“I’m starting to believe I’m about to find out.”

“How wasyour date with Callie this morning?”

“Probably much better than your date with Wes,” I tease, pulling Holland against me on the couch when I’m sure we’re alone in the lounge of my bus.Eli, Sweeny, Jesse and Parker are in the back playing video games, but their enthusiastic hatred for the zombies they’re hunting behind the closed partition indicates we should have plenty of privacy for now.

She grins up at me.

“I’m not the one he despises, remember?Not a single punch was thrown.”

I smirk.“Has he mentioned anything about our phone call since we’ve been back?”

She shakes her head.“Not a word, which comes as a relief and scares the crap out of me at the same time…”

“Me too.I guess as long as he doesn’t jump me on stage.”

She gives me a look, and I grin.

“Don’t even joke about that.”

“Aw, come on.Chorus two of ‘Crash Down,’ here comes Wes with a devastating sucker punch to the head?Hopefully to my right side this time.Left eye is still a little sore.”

I love the quick transition of her scowl into a smile.“Nah, then he’d have to come out stage right.Too awkward getting past Sweeny.”

I laugh.“Good point.”

“That’s just what your Label wants, more headlines.”

“Eh, they’re used to it.I’m a permanent headline.I’m pretty sure my name is on the meeting agenda template at this point.”

“Wait until news breaks about us.”My gaze shoots to hers, and she shrugs.“What?I mean, eventually we’ll have to go public, right?I’m not letting you take other girls out for your public appearances, so you’re either going to the Grammy’s alone, or taking me.”

I can’t tell if she’s joking or not.“You really want to go public with this?”

“Well, not right now, but yeah, after the tour.Why?You don’t?”

I almost laugh.“I mean, it’s totally your call.You’re a lot better for my reputation than I am for yours.”

She rolls her eyes and smacks my arm.“So, what was your plan then, genius?Keep it a secret forever to protect my sweetheart status?”

I shrug.“I don’t know, at least until I save a busload of puppies or something and fix mine.”

She laughs.“A busload of puppies?That’s your plan?”

“I don’t know.It doesn’t have to be puppies…”

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