Page 76 of Love is a Lyric
Drew was the first to break the silence. “We’re going to prove you wrong, Joey.”
She snorted. “Good luck.” Turning her gaze on Ben, she sighed. “Look, Ben, we don’t know everything that has happened between you and Piper, but whether you want to admit it or not, we’re your friends, and we’re rooting for you. If it would make you happy to return to L.A. and recordFate’s new album, great. But if there’s a chance you’ll regret leaving without telling this girl how you really feel, then you can’t go. Not yet.”
Ben pushed out a breath, replaying the conversation he’d had with Piper, her talk of half-finished songs destined for the trash. She didn’t want to be with him in his crazy world, but could he accept that? Piper had never wanted the spotlight, now whether she chose him or not, it found her.
Drew’s chair thudded as he scooted it closer to Ben and dropped his voice. “Just remember, Piper is my assistant now. I want her. I need her. Matt leaves me soon and no matter what you say to her, she’s coming on tour with me. She deserves a shot at something more than working for her sister. This job will be good for her. Tell her you love her, claim you want to make it work, but don’t make her hurt her future in favor of yours.”
Ben would never have imagined depth in Drew Stone, or caring. Because that’s what it was. He barely knew Piper, but he cared about her, wanted to protect her and support her.
And he was right.
Piper had an opportunity that could lead to something bigger. A larger position on a bigger tour than Ben had ever been on. Once she excelled at this job, people would take notice, opening doors for her at every chance.
Could he really force them closed again?
“I’m not willing to give upFate.” The words hurt coming out but only because they were true. His band was everything. No matter what Dax said about the music, playing inFatewas all he knew, the only thing that gave him worth.
If he wasn’t willing to sacrifice something so integral to who he was, how could he ask Piper to do the same? To become the hidden woman, not allowed to be seen with him for fear of sparking controversy within the band and without.
He rubbed his eyes. “Jo, I know you think I’ll regret it, but I have to walk away. I know what they’ll do to her.” The media. His fans. “I do love her. I don’t know how, but I feel it in every part of me. And because of that, I have to let her go.”
Drew squeezed his shoulder, but no one spoke because they all knew he was right and there was nothing left to say.
* * *
“Mel?” Ben glanced at the house behind him to make sure the door was shut. Inside, Drew, Dax, and Noah slept on air mattresses in the living room, and Jo was sound asleep in Chase’s old room. His parents hadn’t batted an eye about having a house full of rockstars, his mom instantly going into hospitality mode.
Tomorrow, most of them would leave on an early flight, with only Drew staying to fly to L.A. with Ben. Normally, he wasn’t sure how he felt about them when leaving a meeting, but something had changed.
Mel coughed on the other line as she woke herself up. “I’m here.”
“Thanks for sending them.”
“Who?”
Ben sat on the edge of the deck, his legs hanging over as he looked to the full moon above. “Rockstars Anonymous.”
She was quiet for a moment. “They’re all there? Drew is in Ohio right now?”
“Yeah. They showed up this morning to act like the support group you’re always claiming we are.”
“When you don’t have other obligations, Ben. Rockstars Anonymous was never supposed to interfere with the work.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I’ve been trying to reach Drew all day. He missed his pre-tour meeting with the execs.” The kind of meeting they weren’t ever supposed to miss.
Ben shook his head in disbelief.
Melanie wasn’t done. “Noah and Jo never showed up to meet their new guitarist in New York. And Dax…” She released a breath. “He was supposed to meet John Legend at the recording studio to work on a song they’re collaborating on.”
Ben almost dropped the phone.
“Do you realize how much harder they all made my job?”
And yet they were here inside his house. “They dropped everything to help me.”
Her tone softened. “Yes, and I’ll smooth everything over for them, but Ben, it’s time you faced your obligations too. I can only hold off the label and the media for so long. Come home. Let everyone see the reports aren’t true. Make your beautiful music. The world will forget this episode. You’re a man. They always do.”
