Page 93 of Hard Rock Love
“Oh really?” Everly scoffed. “And when exactly are you going to be with her? At two in the morning after you’re done rehearsals for the day? In the one half hour you have between radio interviews and TV appearances? Are you going to be with her when you’re in the recording studio twenty-four seven laying down tracks?”
Everly was projecting her own experiences onto Seth and me, but it wasn’t entirely inaccurate. Those things were going to be obstacles for sure. But Seth was worth it. Besides, we’d already dealt with having busy schedules, and we’d made it work.
But Everly wouldn’t see it that way. She’d only think about the troubles she and Julian were going through. She would only care about her sister not getting hurt in the same way she was. In the same way she’d done to me as a kid.
“How are you going to be with her when you’re gone for months on tour?” Everly continued, her face turning red with anger.
“Actually…” Seth started.
I knew he was hesitant to tell Everly his plan about inviting me on tour. She had been so adamant about keeping me away from the rock star lifestyle. Having her walk in on us was one thing. If we told her I was going on tour, she might have an aneurysm.
“You need to leave,” she told Seth. “I don’t want to see your face right now. Maybe not ever.”
Seth looked miserable, but nodded silently.
“You don’t have to,” I said.
“I think you and your sister should talk without me.” He lowered his voice and spoke only to me. “I’m just going to make her more angry, but there’s no way she can stay angry with her little sister for long.”
Seth gave Everly a cautious look as he edged around her to reach the front door, as if she might strike out like a lashing snake. She folded her arms and glared at him.
See you soon?he mouthed to me just before he shut the door behind him.
I nodded with a small smile. Then he was gone.
“When did this start?” she demanded, starting the interrogation. “At that party? I knew there something weird going on.”
“We didn’t get together at the party. We’d been hanging out before then, but just as friends.” My face turned red, thinking of that kiss and how he’d pushed me away. But I didn’t feel bad about it anymore. I knew why he’d done it.
He’d done it for exactly this reason.
Everly was frowning.
“Why were you hanging out?” she asked.
I tried to think of an answer that didn’t betray Seth’s secret.
“I just ran into him one day,” I said vaguely. “We wanted to catch up. That’s all it was. But then we started getting closer and…” I shrugged helplessly and met my sister’s eyes. “I really like him, Everly. He’s thoughtful, and he’s kind, and he’s sweet.”
Everly snorted.
“You know he is,” I insisted. “You’ve been friends with him for a long time. You know the guy he is behind all those dumb jokes and massive ego.”
Everly narrowed her eyes.
“Are you sureyouknowhim?” she asked. “How much time could you possibly have spent together? I know his schedule. I know how crazy things have been. You couldn’t possibly have gotten to know the real Seth.”
“How long after meeting Julian did you know he was the one?” I countered. “I remember you gushing about the hot guy at the music store only weeks after you met.”
“That’s different,” she said.
“How is it different?”
“Back then, Julian wasn’t the guy he is now.”
“What does that even mean?”
“I love Julian,” she said. “But dating a guy in a band like Cherry Lips…” She heaved a breath, looking put out. “Everyone always says they’re the most hardworking group in the industry, and it’s one hundred percent true. But they also play hard, too.”
