Page 31 of Legendary Rock Star
“Yeah?” she said, but didn’t sound convinced. “I thought they were just trying to set us up.”
“That too.”
Her eyebrows raised and she curled closer to me, letting me smell her light floral perfume.
She said, “So you didn’t ask them for this to fix up your bad boy image?”
“No, definitely not.”
The host came out and gave us a thumbs up. I ignored how my stomach had little knots growing inside it and headed in, with Maggie beside me.
As we neared the table, Maggie’s face whitened and she slowed down.
I waited beside her and stared at the older couple sitting there. I had a quick memory of the first time I walked into the hall and saw her hug them. They must be her parents. I offered my hand to shake immediately and spoke faster than normal, “Mr. and Mrs. Carrigan, nice to meet you.”
The man patted the back of my hand as he shook it and I relaxed. He was clearly confident when he said, “Phoenix, please call me Paul and my wife Effie.”
Good names. I held Maggie’s chair and waited for her to sit. Once she was seated, I said, “Thanks for letting me crash the family lunch.”
At least it wasn’t my parents. But then, I hadn’t seen them in years.
The waiter brought a plate of rolls, handed out the menus and left. I folded my napkin on my lap as her mother, Effie, said, “You’re kissing our daughter on television. Is it just for the cameras?”
“I hope not.” I froze and stared at my water glass like it had the answers for today’s show. “I don’t know what happens next with Maggie and me.”
Her father asked, “What do you mean by that? Does this end when the cameras go off?”
First, if I said no, the cameras knew I liked her. And second, if I said yes, the viewers at home now hated me. And third, I already hated myself for having these thoughts. I didn’t intend to betray my vow to never hurt another singer. My nerves raced like there was something about to happen.
I said, “I’m not sure what Maggie wants with me, once the show ends. So she decides.”
Maggie said, “What I want?”
Just then the waitress came over. Her blonde ponytail was like a hazy memory, but I focused on Maggie.
“Yes, you make that choice,” I said. And I absolutely didn’t mean the food options.
I ordered a chicken that was probably rubber and Maggie chose the non-carb chicken plate. And then it hit me.
The waitress was my ex. Samantha.
My skin electrified. She was the second surprise. Who knew what was next?
Once the waitress left, Maggie said, “Well, I’m hoping we can find out what it’s like to hang out, away from the cameras and the studio.”
Samantha’s scoffing sound and the flare of her nostrils caught my attention. Tension rocketed through me as she put her hand on her hip.
Guess she was a better actress than I remembered. We hadn’t been together long enough for her to be jealous of Maggie, but I thought she was an opening act to more. I ignored how the hair on my skin stood on end and said, “That sounds good.”
Her mother said, “So Phoenix, you grew up on TV and away from a normal family life …”
Samantha came back and met my gaze as she served the Carrigans their meals.
My only normal times were summers in the normal Steel family house in Pittsburgh. When we were kids, sometimes all twenty of us cousins stayed in the big house at the same time, so it wasn’t much different from having handlers on a TV show.
Once the waitress left, I focused on Maggie’s kind face again.
She was inspiration wrapped up in a perfect package I’d want for Christmas. But I concentrated on the question.
