“Oh, that’s nice.” Was that why Rhys looked disgruntled? What did Kirstin think of the lessons?
“We didn’t tell her about you,” Bethany whispered.
Hannah nodded solemnly. “Your secret’s safe with us.”
Rhys refused to meet my gaze. More like I washissecret.
Disappointment sank heavy inside me. I’d keep mycoffee shop stop a solo endeavor. My days of being seen at Rhys’s side were long over. “Thank you, and thank you for the invite, but I won’t interfere with Grandma time. Have fun.”
I forced a sunny grin and trotted across the street. Bethany fell in step next to me, Hannah on the other side. A wall of moody heat followed me. This wasn’t very solo.
“The girls want to surprise Kirstin with a concert next time they see her,” Rhys explained.
Oh. My spirits lifted. Rhys probably hadn’t wanted to break the news to his ex that a woman was hanging around him and the girls, but the idea of a surprise for their mom was sweet.
Before I reached the entrance, Rhys rushed around me and grabbed the door. We piled in and he crowded in behind me. The move was so familiar. My daddy used to hold doors for Mama and all of us. He’d take us out and show off his family.
That wasn’t what was happening here though. My emotions had to settle down. Rhys and I were practically strangers.
The scent of roasted coffee surrounded me. The familiar, eclectic vibe of Mountain Perks was comforting. There were three kids ahead of me in line. Two boys and a girl. The girl and one of the guys were bugging the third about what he wanted to drink.
When the girl looked back at her friend, she did a double take. “June Bee?”
My shoulders tightened. I would not act like a diva who couldn’t bother to be recognized. I put on my winning smile. “How’s it going?”
I was swarmed by the kids in the shop. I maneuveredto the side and the crowd followed. Someone shoved a pen in my hand, but I dug my blue Sharpie out of my bag and signed whatever was put in front of me while fielding questions.
The ones from kids were different than press.What’s your favorite song? Are you on vacation? What’s the coolest place you’ve been to? Who’s the meanest celebrity you’ve ever met? The nicest?
My cheeks were aching from my smile. “The nicest people I’ve met haven’t been celebrities. The stadium crews at the venues I played have all been A-plus.”
“What’s Finn Calhoun like?” the girl who’d first spotted me asked.
My smile faltered.He’s a self-absorbed prick with nothing but a nice voice and some muscles. And he was selfish in bed!“He’s...” I could be professional. “He’s, uh...”
“He’s an asshole who cheated on her,” Rhys growled at my side.
The girl’s eyes widened. “Did he really? I thought they say that about every breakup.”
I gave her a sympathetic smile. It sucked when reality shattered admiration for a celebrity, but it wasn’t my fault or the young fan’s. The knot in my shoulders loosened now that I didn’t have to cover for a cheater, thanks to Rhys. “He’s a good singer. But a trash boyfriend.”
She wrinkled her nose. “That sucks. Who are you dating now?” Her questioning gaze lifted to Rhys.
He tensed, and I wanted to laugh. Was this the reaction to being seen together he’d been worried about?
“No distractions for me while I work on my next album.”
Her face brightened. “You’re writing ithere? In Bourbon Canyon?”
“It’s the best place in the world.” I meant it with my whole soul.
“But you have, like, three houses.”
A house, a condo, two apartments, and the cabin. Five total. “I like to have options, but there’s no place like home. I get to see old friends and family.” That should put any speculation about Rhys to rest.
The last of the crowd filtered away, except for Rhys and the girls and an older woman with smile lines. Her sun-kissed blond and gray hair was pulled back in a bun.
“Junie,” she said, warmth radiating from her expression and her voice.
