Page 61 of Cadence
I release a surprised breath. “Oh, yeah?”
He nods. “Was at this festival my grandma dragged me to. I didn’t even want to go at first.”
“Your grandma?”
“Yeah, she raised me.” He rubs at the back of his neck. “After my mom died. The band wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for her.” He chuckles lightly. “Always was our number one fan.”
My step falters.Oh god.
The guys mentioned Maddox’s grandma before. How they’d practice in her garage, how Eli’s parents lived on her street, the inheritance. But I guess I never thought more about it. Never thought about what that meant. About who raised him…or how much he’s lost at twenty-eight already.
“I’m sorry,” I say quickly, the words almost catching on my tongue.
He shrugs again, tighter this time. “It was a long time ago.”
I want to ask more, ask about all the things I still don’t know about him, but I don’t. We walk in silence, my head full of questions I don’t know how to ask, our steps back in rhythm as we reach the parking lot.
He reaches for the bus door and pulls it open, and I don’t miss the way he lets me go first again. Stepping inside, I sigh, the gentle whoosh of the AC enveloping me as the door hisses closed behind us.
I feel Maddox behind me as I head for my bunk, slinging my bag onto the mattress with a soft thud. Running my fingers along the shape of his notebook still where I stashed it earlier, they skim the fabric, pausing over the slight rise it makes beneath the comforter.
I could pull it out now, let myself fall straight back in, but the heaviness that’s followed us onto the bus feels like it needs clearing first before I go digging into his thoughts.
Before I can say anything, though, to check if he’s okay, if he maybe wants to talk, he disappears into the bathroom, coming out minutes later dressed in a t-shirt and a pair of gym shorts.
“I’m gonna go for a run,” he says, grabbing his headphones from the table.
I blink, caught off guard. “Oh.”
The faint glow of the setting sun filters through the window, painting everything in muted pinks and golds.
“Is this your thing? Night runs?”
Lifting my necklace, a stupid nervous habit, I run thePpendant along the chain, oddly disappointed that he’s barely spent two seconds with me and he’s already leaving. His eyes latch onto my movements, nostrils flaring, and I still, forcing my hand to stop.
“Helps clear my head while on tour.”
The words feel like a placeholder, a safe answer, and my lips part to speak, but he’s already sliding his headphones over his ears, thumbing toward the door. “I’ll be back in twenty.”
He doesn’t wait for a reply, his footsteps fading down the metal stairs, then out of the door, the automatics closing it behind him.
Grabbing my phone, I pull up my thread with Olive, my heart pounding as my fingers punch the screen.
I’m in trouble. I don’t think I can do this whole being cramped up on this bus with him.
Olive
I KNEW IT.
Just bang already. What goes on tour, stays on tour and all that.
Until you come to New York and you can tellmeall about it ;)
I tap out a quickGod, I miss you,before pressing send, but I don’t put the phone down straight away. Her message makes it all sound so easy. Like giving in would simplify things. Like this…thingwith Maddox could stay neatly boxed in with the rest of the tour chaos.
If only.
Chapter Twenty-Five
