Page 77 of Reckless
24
Kelly
The green of Central Park softened the harsh edges of the city of New York from the floor-to-ceiling window of Gage’s penthouse. Nothing about it was like New Hope. It seemed to buzz, never silent, like a living thing.
I hadn’t yet decided if I liked it or not.
“Your place is amazing.” I spun from the window, admiring the high ceilings and wide space of the living room. “It’s massive. And the view is something else.”
“I love Central Park, it’s a little bit of nature in the manic rush of the city. I needed it as my view. It might not be anything like home, but it gives me a little sense of it all the same.” Gage watched me, his hands in his pockets, hair curling almost to his shoulders.
I suppressed a shudder of excitement. “Yeah, I could see that. The green gives you a bit of peace.”
Strolling through the room as if being in his space didn’t make my pulse trip, I stopped at the group of platinum records displayed on the wall, a swell of pride consuming me. Gage had done so well. It was incredible to associate this fame and success with the boy I once knew. I’d missed each step to this. And the damn pheromones he was putting out from across the room didn’t make it any easier to process.
Since the band was in their hometown, instead of getting ready in a dressing room, they were each preparing for the night at their own homes and meeting at the venue.
Next to the records was a sixteen by twenty photo of Babs in what was obviously a concert crowd, her face painted neon like she was at a rave. She looked incredible and like she was having so much fun. In another universe, I could’ve been there alongside her, just as painted-up as she was. Dancing, screaming Gage’s name.
“Did Babs come to see you play often?” I instantly stiffened, wondering if mentioning his mom was the best idea, but my shoulders relaxed as his face burst wide with a grin. The spark in his eyes was proof. He really was living his dream.
“All the time. Especially in the beginning, I couldn’t get rid of her. She loved coming to all the closer shows. She always had to be in the crowd, and I could hear her, screaming louder than the fans.”
“She was a bigger fan than any of them. I never saw much of her until she started coming to the hospital, but Gage, she was so proud.”
His eyes developed a mistiness as he gazed at the photo with me. “I want to keep on making her proud. All the damn time.”
I moved behind him and wrapped my arms around his torso, leaning into his back. “She’d be proud of you if you were singing on the street corner for tips. She’ll always be proud of what you’ve done with your life.”
“Except for what I’ve done with you.” He turned to me, his eyes damp. “I should have come back. Even though you shut me out, I should have come back and made you let me back in. Can you ever forgive me?”
Forgive him? Before I could respond that it hadn’t been his fault, that I’d iced myself over for years, not letting anyone in, the phone rang.
He sighed loudly as he glanced at the screen. “Ron.” He took the call, stepping into the other room. In a moment he was back. “I know it’s quick and we haven’t been here long, but I have to go help set up for the gig tonight. Sorry to abandon you.”
“The infamous Gage Strickland helps set up?”
“I pull my weight. The shows go better when we’re all involved in the setup, make sure things are the way we like it before the sound check. I’ll send a driver for you later.”
“I’ll come with you now if I’m allowed? I’d love to see what happens before a gig.”
“Would you, really?” He cocked his head, his eyes running down my body, making the tiniest of aches awaken in my lower regions.
“Of course I would. It’ll be fun to see a concert setup in action.”
“I don’t think it’ll be as fun as you think.” He frowned, wavering.
“It will be fun because I’ll be with you.”
“Hmm, okay, but I may have to have you in my dressing room.” His cheeks took on a ruddy tone. “I’ll get a car to pick us up.”
I laughed, bombarded with a fantasy of going down on him in his dressing room, sobering as I wondered how many times that had actually happened. I ground my teeth. “I keep forgetting about the cars you so ably call. For some reason, I was expecting to take the subway or a cab.”
“Have you read the headlines about me? If I’m seen on the train, the whole world will wonder whether I’m broke.”
“Oh yeah, and they’ll be especially vicious if you’re with the taboo possible girlfriend.” I would probably be hidden away every chance there was. I blew out a slow, silent breath. “It must be hard to have your every move watched.”
He shrugged. “It’s different here. There’s an app for practically everything in New York. I don’t need to go out for anything, most of it can be summoned to my door with little effort.”
