Page 44 of Edge of Heaven

“You know you’re torturing me, right?” I murmur.

Her smile vanishes. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t?—”

“It’s fine.” I put a hand on hers. “Really. Torture away. I’m a grown man. A little teasing never hurt anyone.”

“You know that once we get back to the tour I have to… pretend like I barely know you, right?”

“I know the rules,” I say gently. “Don’t worry about me, okay? We’re going to ride out the next four months. You just focus on taking care of yourself and making sure Toby has everything he needs.”

“Thank you.” She looks like she’s getting emotional again, and the last thing I want to do is make her cry. We only have about an hour before we have to leave for the airport, and I want our limited time together to be lighthearted.

“Hey, listen to this. I sent my dad a couple of the outtakes from yesterday’s shoot,” I tell her. “This is his response.”

I hold out my phone so she can read my dad’s message.

DAD: You look good with makeup. Maybe wear it more often? You’ll probably find a girlfriend faster…

She throws her head back and laughs. “He sounds like ahoot.”

“He is.” I chuckle too. “He thinks there’s something wrong with me that I’m in a rock band andstillcan’t manage to find a girlfriend.”

She cocks her head, squinting slightly. “He understands that youcan, right? You just haven’t found the right one?”

I hesitate but figure I have nothing to lose in laying it all out there for her.

“Oh, I’ve found her,” I say. “I’m just waiting for her to be ready for me.”

“I’m ready,” she whispers. “I’m just not… available.”

“And I’ll be right here as soon as you are.”

Chapter14

Taryn

The momentI get to the hotel, I’m swept into a party the band’s management decided to throw in a private suite. They want to celebrate the new album going gold, which is a big deal because this album hasn’t sold as well as the last few, so they’ve been stressed about it. The fact that it took four months to hit gold is a little disappointing, but you wouldn’t know that by the way they’re behaving tonight.

Champagne is flowing, there are journalists and several record company reps in attendance, as well as their manager and a bunch of people I’ve never seen before. Callum is in his element, working the room and being loud and boisterous. Within the music industry, people like that about him—and seem to like him—so he appears to be in a good mood.

He has his arm around me now, keeping me tight against his side as if he genuinely missed me. I know it’s an act, but at least he’s not trying to embarrass me. Or even hinting about going upstairs for a quickie or something.

“Taryn, I hear you’re working with Rock Vibe,” one of the record label reps says to me. “We’ve been trying to get them to respond to us for a while. You have an in for us?”

I can’t say no, but I’ll have to give Hettie a head’s-up and explain that they put me on the spot. I’m sure she can take care of herself, but I don’t want to do anything that might piss Callum off since he’s been in such a good mood tonight.

“Sure,” I respond easily. “I’ll get you Hettie’s contact info. She’s crazy busy right now getting the summer collection ready, but I’m sure she’ll reach out.”

Or not.

“Great, great.” He nods happily. “We’d love to use some of their clothes in the next video—there’s a lot of buzz about them right now.”

“They’re great to work with,” I say diplomatically.

“Do you get to keep the stuff you model?” someone else asks.

I shake my head. “Not really. Just the thong panties. Obviously, they wouldn’t want anyone else to wear them after me. Everything else goes back in the wardrobe closet.”

“Bummer. But that’s good for you, right, Cal?” He makes a big show of winking at Callum and then the two of them laugh like it’s the funniest thing ever.

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