Page 22 of Love is a Lyric
7
Ben
Words swam in Ben’s vision, but he struggled to remember them. He squeezed his eyes shut and tried again, but it was the same, it had always been the same. In school, they’d been quick to tell him he wasn’t stupid, that he only needed to work harder than other people because he couldn’t seem to memorize things on his own.
But as the years went on and their extra study methods failed, he couldn’t help wondering if he really was stupid after all. Every time Quinn wrote a new song it excited him, but that excitement always came with a bit of dread. Before he could write the accompanying music, he had to memorize the words, and only one person could help with that.
The same person who’d been in her room claiming illness for days.
At first, Ben was worried about Piper and wanted to take her to the doctor, but she refused. He’d brought her meals, leaving them outside her door when she wouldn’t open it. And she ate.
After three days of this, he’d started wondering if she wasn’t sick at all.
With a sigh, he picked up his phone and tapped the name of the one person who might be able to give him answers.
Drew answered right away. “Is the great Ben Evans calling little old me? How did I get to be so lucky?”
“Anyone ever tell you you’re obnoxious?”
“Every day of my life.”
Ben couldn’t help laughing at that.
The sound brought Quinn out onto the deck. “Who are you talking to?”
“Erm… Chase.” Admitting he’d called Drew would provide a peek into Rockstars Anonymous that he refused to give. It was his safe space away from the band and the life, something he wasn’t ready to share with anyone other than those in the group.
Quinn gave a bored shrug and removed her swim cover up before walking to the edge of the pool and lowering herself in.
“Still there, bro?” Drew chuckled. “Let me guess… Quinn is there in her bikini. Is that something Chase would say?”
“Well, my brother is gay, so he’d probably just roll his eyes. He’s not her biggest fan.”
“Smart guy.”
Ben let that slide. He knew what the guys—and especially Jo—thought of his girlfriend. “So, I called for a reason. Is your assistant there?”
“Matt?” Skepticism entered his voice. “What do you want with him?”
“You know Piper, right?” He already knew the answer to that.
“Sure. Piper’s my girl.”
He ignored that. “Well, she went out with Matt and now hasn’t left her room in three days. She says she’s sick, but I just wanted to see if he knew what was up.”
“She didn’t seem sick when I saw her.” He issued a muffled curse. “I shouldn’t have said that.”
“When did you see her?” Ben’s voice darkened with suspicion. Had Piper been out with Drew instead of Matt? And why did the thought of Drew Stone’s hands on her shock him so much? Piper was awesome, one of his best friends, kind of like a sister. And girls fell head over heels for the All-American Drew.
“Chillax, bro. I’m not going to tell you why I saw her, but she was fine when I left. If something happened, maybe look to that woman you worship so much. My money is on Quinn doing something. You’d see she was heinous if you weren’t so blind when it came to her.”
“I’m not blind.” He knew Quinn was tough, she always had been. But they were connected through the music, and that wasn’t so easily breakable. “I try protecting her.” He always had. Not that Piper needed his protection.
“Try harder. Look, I’ve got to go. I’m in New York, and Mel is going to gut me if I don’t get off the phone and walk into this event. We’re announcing tour dates. You know how that goes.”
“Yeah, man. I do.” Pre-tour events were a whirlwind of promotion almost as exhausting as the tour itself.
“Just… Piper is strong, but even the toughest nails disappear if pounded enough.”
