Page 95 of Edge of Heaven

“What’s going on with the tour?” I ask Ryleigh once we’re settled at the hotel.

“It’s done,” she says. “Karnal Death has cancelled the remaining dates, and Crimson Edge starts their club tour in just under two weeks.”

“Oh, so is everyone already on the way home?”

“They just made the announcement this morning, so we’re flying out tomorrow. Although, I’ll stay here with you until you’re ready to leave. I’m not leaving you, so don’t start that ‘you don’t have to’ bullshit. This is what friends do. I don’t know what kind of shitty people you’ve had in your life since college, but I’m not like them.”

I smile. “No. You definitely are not.”

“Okay, here’s the plan: I’m going to run down to the deli around the corner and get us lunch. Angus is in a band meeting, so you’ll have a little time to relax. Then we can eat and if you’re not too tired, come up with a plan for what you need going forward. You also need to go through your stuff and make sure we got everything.”

“I’m going to need a favor,” I begin.

She stops me with her hand. “Whatever you need. But first, you relax and let me get food. I’m starving. You want turkey and Swiss or a meatball sub?”

Those were my two favorite sandwiches in college, and she remembers.

“Turkey and Swiss,” I say. “Lettuce and tomato. No mayo or mustard.”

“You got it.” A minute later she’s gone and for the first time in two days, I’m alone.

And I can finally turn on my phone. It’s not charged but she grabbed my charger so I plug it in and give it a minute to power up.

Holy crap.

Two hundred text messages.

A dozen missed calls.

And hundreds of notifications from my social media accounts.

I’m nervous about reading everything, but I might as well start with the ugliest.

There are two from Callum demanding to know where I am—apparently he was so high he forgot he took my phone away from me.

Then there are voicemails from my mother, asking why I haven’t answered Toby’s video calls or called to check in.

But then there are other messages.

STEVIE: Hey, I saw what happened online. Are you okay? Do you need anything? Please reach out. You know I’ve been where you are.

HETTIE: You okay, hon? I saw you on the news with that shithead of a boyfriend. If you need anything, call me. And when you’re feeling better, let’s talk about the next shoot—I’m looking at mid-July if you’re healed by then.

CHEY: Hey, if you need a place to stay while you’re healing, Ivan and I are right on the beach and have plenty of room. We’ll be traveling, so you’ll have the place all to yourself. And Stevie has a key. Offer is open-ended if you need it. Callum isn’t invited, though.

I cover my mouth with my hand as sobs escape me.

I never expected this type of support. I thought sure my modeling career was over, but even if it’s not, I don’t know what I’m going to do. How can I prove to my mother and to Toby that I’m capable of being his mom? Of taking care of him, both physically and financially. L.A. is expensive so I don’t know how I can live on my own, not right now anyway, but if we moved somewhere else, I wouldn’t have any support.

And now I don’t even have Mick.

It’s been twenty-four hours since I asked him to leave my hospital room, and I haven’t heard from him. Ryleigh and I haven’t talked about him in any detail but she did mention that he’s hurt and frustrated.

But that’s the thing—so am I.

Hurt that I thought I had a plan and then it blew up in my face.

Frustrated that I have to borrow money from Ryleigh even though I don’t want to.

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