Page 116 of Of Heartbreak and Harmony
Jonah.He must be readying to take a shower, judging from the towel in his hand.
“No road legs yet?”
I huff a confused laugh. “What?”
“You should be a little less wobbly at this point.”
I arch a brow. “You’ve had a decade of riding on tour buses to get yourroad legs. I’ve had a few weeks. Cut me some slack.”
“No can do. Rope’s pulled tight. I’m fresh out of slack.” His lips curve up slightly, just a hint of a taunting smirk. He’s definitely flirting, and I have to fight my own smile. He leans in a little closer, blue eyes clearer than I’ve ever seen them. “Though I don’t mind you bumping into me.”
I roll my eyes and step away from him, my smile threatening to break free. He can tell. I know it.
“Cute,” I say flatly. He shrugs.
“Take as long as you need, sweets.” Then he brushes past me and heads into the bathroom.
I blink a few times and shake my head.Sweets. He called me sweets, and I’m instantly transported back to those two nights four years ago in the desert.
She’s with me.
You sure you want this, sweets?
Honestly, any possibility of Jonah remembering me from ArtFusionhas never crossed my mind. He was so obviously on something both nights, and given everything I’ve heard about him...Well, it just didn’t seem like something to be concerned with. Plus, Torren might claim I wasn’t just a groupie to him, but Idefinitelywas to Jonah. Jonah doesn’t strike me as the type to remember groupies.
But this...
This is so fuckingweird. All of it.
I don’t think I’ll ever get used to being submerged in the Heartless universe. There’s still so much I don’t understand, and the band dynamics are at the top of the list.
The relationship between Sav and Mabel, I get. They’re best friends. They act like best friends, talk like best friends, and willingly spend time together outside of band-related things. They’re almost like sisters, actually. It feels like the strongest, most solid relationship among the four, and I’ve come to really like them, even if I didn’t want to.
Sav and Torren are a little more complicated.
Their past is messy, and their present feels so...muddy. One day, I think I have it figured out, and the next, I’m clueless. Do they still have feelings for one another? Will they get back together? I know Sav is with Levi now, but how long will it last? How long will my...thing...with Torren last? Another months and a half, at least. That’s what I’m contracted for. But after that?
My brow furrows at the thought. Everything he’s said and done recently suggests this fake dating thing isn’t sofakeanymore, but fuck me...
I used to think Torren and Sav were a ticking bomb. That it was only a matter of time before they fell back into bed together and everything else imploded. But now...well, now, I just don’t know what to think.
And then there’s Jonah.
He’s an anomaly. A complete and total mystery on how and where he fits into this band. Sure, he’s the lead guitarist. Sure, he’s been here from the beginning. But I rarely see him talk to Sav and Mabel. Other than wary glances or the occasional failed attempt to be playful, they don’t interact with him, either. I can tell they care about him, but I get the feeling that he doesn’t care about much of anything. The music, yeah. The lifestyle, definitely. But what else?
Jonah is obviously closest to Torren, but even that relationship seemsoff. Fractured and precarious. Not for the first time, thoughts of him and Torren with groupies flit into my mind, and my face and chest flush involuntarily. The way my stomach flips is different than how it reacts for Torren alone—for them together, it’s more lust and curiosity than anything else—but the acrobatics are still shocking. I’m embarrassed by how quickly it turns me on. By how often I’ve thought about it.
When I hear the shower start to run, it jolts me out of my thoughts, and I walk into the main room of the bus. I need a cold drink and some food, and then I need a distraction.
Torren is sitting on the couch with a guitar on his lap and a notebook open beside him, but his eyes are on me. I can tell from the smirk that he knew I was coming, which makes me think he heard my conversation with Jonah in the hallway.Thatgives me pause. Every interaction with Jonah so far has been met with anger from Torren.
A smirk—which isalmosta smile—is...confusing.
These guys are so fucking confusing.
“What?” I ask, narrowing my eyes at him quickly before switching my attention to the fridge.
“Youdoneed to get your road legs.”
