Something to Believe In (The Renegade Saints Book 4) (5 page)

She nodded, eyes wide, as she took a step back and let us have our space. I appreciated it because aggressive salespeople were not cool.

Flynn was on a mission to find just the right thing for his woman. Normally I’d have been fucking around and throwing bras around or some shit, but I was too keyed up to be funny. Instead, I stood at his side quietly as he went through the racks and pulled a few things out.

“Hmm,” he said as he walked toward a wall display. “No jokes from you today and you’re quiet. You haven’t even tried to be inappropriate. Either you’re dying, or something is really up.”

“Still kicking,” I assured him. “Plan to be kicking for a long time. And nothing is up.”

When we got to the display, he pulled a see-through yellow lace nightie off its hanger. Turning my way, he held it up.

“You should get it for Daisy ‘cause you’ve clearly got a major fuckin’ thing for her,” he said dryly.

My eyes went wide and my mouth opened. For countless seconds, I had no retort. All the while Flynn looked at me like the cat who had just cornered the canary. He knew he had me dead-to-rights.

“I don’t… she isn’t…
I don’t have a goddamn thing for her
!”

I yelled the last part, which meant the few people in the store turned our way.

“Sorry,” I called out with a fake laugh. “Just joking around.”

Everyone smiled and looked away as they kindly accepted my excuse. The great thing about being a rock star was the way people wrote off weird behavior as being normal.

Turning back to Flynn, I frowned. “I wouldn’t ever buy someone underwear, asshole. I don’t want a girlfriend. Not now, not ever. I can barely have one of you in the room when I sleep,” I reminded him. “I can’t do the whole relationship thing. It wouldn’t work.”

“No one is saying you have to jump right in with both feet, but I bet it would work just fine if you let it happen.”

“Based on what? My stellar history and track record?”

He pinned me with a look. “When you tackle something head-on, you conquer it. You’ve never tried to sleep in the same room as a woman before. We all know what the issue is, but it’s—”

“A big fuckin’ deal,” I reminded him.

“It is,” he agreed. “But it can be addressed. You’re stronger than you give yourself credit for.”

He was one hundred percent serious; I could tell by the expression on his face. It wasn’t like I could be pissed at him for being a friend.

“She makes me uncomfortable,” I said after a few seconds. “It would never work.”

“She makes you uncomfortable
because you like her
. Maybe if you stopped treating her like she was a chemical weapon you’d be able to start something.”

“Yeah,” I said, “maybe.”

“That’s classic Ty for fuck off, I don’t want to talk about this,” he laughed.

“Yep,” I admitted. “So let’s do what we came to do and put this issue way on the back burner. I’m getting anxious.”

He finally let it drop, and I was grateful. I didn’t want to talk about Daisy, feelings, or trying to change anything. I’d learned to live in my bubble, and I liked it there. I was content and didn’t want for anything.

At least, I hadn’t.

Before she came along.

Daisy was like the smell of freshly baked cupcakes calling out to be eaten. You couldn’t fucking ignore it no matter how badly you wanted to.

When we got back to the car, Flynn tossed a small bag at me. “For Daisy, when you get up the balls to be nice to her.”

I didn’t even have to look inside to know I was in possession of the yellow lingerie.

“Look, I’ll be nicer, but I’m not fuckin’ giving her a nightgown, asshole.”

“You better fuckin’ keep your word,” he said. “It’s not cool the way you’ve been acting. Enough is enough.”

“I’m on it,” I assured him as I tossed the bag back at him, “but I don’t need this.”

He tossed it right back.

“You keep it,” he said. “Maybe you’ll change your mind.”

I very much doubted it. I stared at the bag like it held nuclear weapons, silently willing it to disappear. Of course, it didn’t.

“Why yellow?” I asked after a few minutes of silence.

Flynn didn’t say anything until I looked up and met his gaze.

“It seemed fitting.”

I cocked my head to the side and looked at him quizzically.

“How?”

“Daisy could be your sunshine.”

“Fuck, Flynn—”

“I see what I see, Ty.”

I rubbed my suddenly sweaty palms against my jeans as I turned away and looked out the window.

“Might be time to get some new glasses,” I said gruffly.

“Or it might be time for you to come out of the dark for good,” he murmured.

I didn’t have a response.

When I got back to my room I threw the lingerie in the garbage.

A
fter I finished talking with Violet, I set myself up in bed to watch the Harry Potter marathon on TV. It was far too early for bed, but since it wasn’t a show day I had nothing to do. There were nightly dinners in the hotel, but I avoided them after the first couple of days. I did so because whenever Tyson showed up, he sat so far away from me it was like we were having our own version of the east coast west coast rap war. I couldn’t handle the level of discomfort I felt so I tapped out of the dinners.

Between the lack of outside entertainment and my anxiety about going to dinners, I spent a lot of time holed up in my room. I’d heard word of Tyson’s mythical theme nights, but since I’d started, there had been very little fraternization. I was afraid to ask Lacey if the fun nights out stopping coincided with my arrival since I was all but positive it did. I figured she’d probably lie and say it wasn’t true, but I’d still know and be mortified. I was already struggling with my self-confidence because of Tyson; I didn’t need to go looking for reasons to make it worse.

I assured myself it didn’t matter. Chilling in my bed was just as fun as going out. Okay, obviously it wasn’t. It was, however, better than being glared at by the asshole I was attracted to in spite of myself.

I decided when I got hungry I’d order room service and maybe get a big ass bowl of ice cream to make myself feel better. Pre-tour it would’ve been a treat, but to be honest after a mere ten days on the road I was already losing interest in hotel food. Those silver dome covered plates were less and less exciting with each order, and I was fairly sure I consumed a yearly sodium quota with each meal. The Chamber of Secrets had just cut to commercials when there was a knock at my door. Confident it would be Lacey, I hurried to answer it.

“I’m so happy you came,” I exclaimed as I flung the door open. “I told you I’d be more fun than Skype sex…”

My words trailed off as it dawned on me that Lacey wasn’t the person at my door. No. It was a six-foot-two male-model-looking rock god. I knew Tyson would only be at my door for something negative, so I mentally prepared myself for something shitty. Like being fired, or drawn and quartered in the underground garage. I licked my lips nervously as I crossed my arms over my chest defensively. He looked pissed, which had me leaning toward being fired. His eyes flared as he looked down at me and I swear it made him even sexier. Still, I reminded myself, he was a prick—and very likely about to give me the ax.

“Skype sex?” he barked. “Who the fuck did you think I was?”

My eyes went wide as I gaped at him.

“What?”

“Who did you think was at the door, Daisy? You were clearly expecting someone.”

I was mortified.

“I um, wanted Lacey to watch Harry Potter with me? But she said Ben wanted to Skype with her? We all know what that means,” I babbled.

For half a second I thought he might actually crack a smile in my presence. He didn’t, but I believe it was close.

“Skype sex,” he answered after a pause.

I nodded my head and tried hard not to stare at his lips while I waited for him to enlighten me as to why he was at my door.

“A bunch of us are going to go to a fifties-style burger joint,” he announced. “You can come if you want.”

It wasn’t the most effusive invitation I’d ever gotten, to be sure. But it came from Tyson, and a non-glaring-at-me Tyson, which was huge. I stared at him in shock, no reply immediately forthcoming. Tyson avoided me like I was dog crap on the sidewalk yet suddenly he was borderline friendly?

“For real?” I squeaked.

“I’m fuckin’ standing here aren’t I?” he asked gruffly.

Far be it from me to reject an olive branch, even though I immediately suspected he’d been forced into it. I told myself if I said no, he’d probably never ask again. I wanted out of my hotel room.

“Well alrighty then, I reckon I’ll go,” I said. I cringed at the southern twang in my response. My accent was far more pronounced when I got nervous.

“I just need to change real quick,” I told him. “I’m sure no one wants to see me in this stretched out Hogwarts shirt.”

I immediately regretted calling attention to my well-worn Hogwarts Alumni tank top when Tyson’s eyes dropped down to my chest. My nipples pebbled as goosebumps broke out on my arms.

“Where are we meeting?” I asked, hoping he’d stop looking at my boobs. If he didn’t, I was pretty sure I was going to combust.

His eyes came back to my face. “Lobby,” he murmured. “Ten minutes.”

“I’ll be there.”

“Wonderful,” he said unenthusiastically.

He might’ve been less than thrilled, but I was over the moon. I was getting out of my room and the hotel to eat burgers that didn’t come from room service. I hoped Tyson’s mini-thaw was a good sign of things to come. I spent a few minutes choosing an outfit before deciding on a pale coral dress I paired with some cute white sandals. I didn’t have time to do anything other than put on lip gloss and toss my hair up into a messy bun, but since we were going for burgers, I was sure it was okay. When I left my room Lacey was coming out of her room across the hall.

“How great is this?” she asked excitedly. “I’ve been dying to get out and do fun stuff again. I can’t wait for you to see this place. You know how I love the fifties!”

I sure did. It was a casual night, and we were going for burgers, but she was wearing a poodle skirt with a pink cardigan belted at the waist. With her perfectly coiffed hair and dark red lipstick, it looked like she’d just stepped out of a fifties magazine. I loved her style.

I smiled at her as we stepped into the elevator. “Are the burgers as good as the place or is this more about the ambiance?”

“It’s not just the ambiance,” she said with a grin. “The burgers are unreal. They’re more than just regular burgers, too. There are bison burgers, venison burgers, and turkey burgers. The turkey is my personal favorite. I get mine with Swiss cheese, coleslaw, and thousand-island dressing. It’s the best thing ever.”

“I’d go for the venison or the turkey in a second but the bison burger doesn’t sound appealing at all.”

“I agree, but Flynn says it’s delicious.”

I made a face. “To each his own, I guess.”

Everyone was lining up to get into different cars as we arrived in the lobby. Lacey and I wound up in the back of a Suburban with Gavin and his girlfriend, Leah. They were an adorable couple—so laid back and
always
together. He stayed at her side like a bodyguard, always watching. As for Leah, she was an absolute angel, so sweet and personable.

Walking into the restaurant was like stepping back in time. All of the waiters and waitresses were in fifties attire, right down to their saddle shoes. The walls were covered in movie posters and memorabilia, and each and every table had a mini jukebox on it. There was even a sign that advised that cell phone use was prohibited. Next to the sign was a giant arrow pointing to two walk-in wooden phone booths. I loved every bit of it. I’d been to some dive fifties themed places before, but this one wasn’t like that at all. There was nothing uncool or tacky about it.

I grinned like a dork as the hostess walked us to our booth. We placed our orders—I went with a regular cheeseburger and onion rings, no bison for me—and a black and white milkshake. Closing my menu, I looked around the room. As soon as I turned my head to the right, I found myself meeting Tyson’s gaze. I blushed when he inclined his head in acknowledgment. Before I could do the same, he turned away. I figured it was par for the course and did my best to push down my disappointment.