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I tilt my head. “How does a legion of fangirls work out in your favor?”

She smiles. “More hot groupie chicks with big boobs for us to pick from.” My mouth falls open, causing her to cackle. “So what do you say, Joe College? You in or out?”

I debate her offer. It’s almost like it’s been sent to me at the right time, because I desperately need to get out of this town. The truth is, though, I don’t know this chick from Adam. She could be completely insane—well . . . that’s probably true. I mean, look how easily she approached me on campus and then invited me out on the road with her even though I’m a complete stranger. Who does shit like that? Crazy girls, that’s who.

She is easy to talk to, and it seems like she’s batting for the other team, so I don’t think she’s inviting me along as a come-on. Maybe I should go. Maybe this will be a good way for me to stop inflicting pain on the ones I love and refocus while I’m away—get my head right again.

A tall blond with cropped hair slams the doors to the van shut and turns in our direction. “All loaded up. Let’s roll!”

The rocker chick turns back to me and raises her eyebrows, waiting for my answer. “Time’s up.”

“I’m in,” I tell her without any hesitation.

She grins. “Awesome. Follow us, and try to keep up.”

Without another word, she turns and heads toward the van. It hits me then that I don’t even know the first thing about this girl, and if we’re going to be in a band together, a little introduction would be good.

I stick my head out the window. “What’s your name?”

She turns but keeps walking backward in her Doc Martens. “Suzie Q! Yours?”

“Jared,” I tell her.

She gives me a thumbs-up as she skips off to the van, and I fire up my truck, ready to head out and start a new life—one that if I screw up, the only person it hurts is me.

THEN

LONDON

Follow the light with your eyes,” the doctor in the white lab coat instructs as I sit on the edge of the gurney in the emergency room.

He moves the penlight up and down and side to side before bringing it in to almost touch my nose, causing my eyes to strain.

“Good,” he says as he steps back and then shoves the penlight into the pocket of his jacket. “It doesn’t seem like there are any long-term effects. That must have been some fall. It’s crazy that you hit your head just at the right angle to knock yourself out. Try to be more careful and limit your alcohol intake.” He writes something down on a little notepad and then tears off the sheet of paper before handing it to me. “Here’s a prescription for ibuprofen, eight hundred milligrams, for pain. You can take one every four to six hours.”

I take the paper. “Thanks, but like I said, I feel completely fine.?

?

“I want you to follow up with your family doctor in the next two to three days, and if you notice any odd changes in vision or motor skill, report back here immediately so we can do that CT scan that you refused.” The doctor pats me on the shoulder. “Take care, London.”

The second he leaves the room, I hop off the table. Wes puts his arms around me to make sure I’m steady. “You good?”

I nod. “I’m completely fine.”

Wes frowns. “Why did you lie to the paramedics about what happened to you?”

I shrug as we make our way down the hall of the hospital toward the exit. “It was an accident, Wes. I don’t need anyone questioning Jared about it. He’s gone through enough.”

He shakes his head. “Always protecting him. At some point, London, Jared is going to have to take responsibility for his actions. Both you and Mom coddle him far too much, and it’s not helping. It doesn’t force him to face things like a grown adult. It’s like he throws little tantrums and gets out of things, but when the law steps in—there’s no getting out of that.”

I’ve never heard Wes talk about his brother like this before. “You act like Jared has always been this way. He’s not a spoiled brat, Wes. All this—the things he’s going through—he’s never been like this before.”

Wes pushes open the thick glass door to the outside and holds it for me. “He’s always been selfish, London. You just didn’t allow yourself to see it before because you were blinded by your love for him. You always gave in and did exactly what he wanted you to do.”

We make our way to Wes’s car, and I furrow my brow. “Name one situation where I sacrificed something I wanted to make Jared happy.”

“That’s easy. College.”

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