Molly looked at the singer sitting across from her, waiting for him to respond, and again, I was gripped with this fear that he was going to be nasty to her. Instead, he shrugged and said, “Almost three now. It’s all due to our social media manager, Christina. She understands the strategy inside out.” After a moment, he added, “Do you want me to introduce you two? If you have any questions or want to get career advice, I’m sure she’d be happy to help.”
My jaw dropped. Who the hell was this, and what had he done with the jerk who’d yelled at us over the past two days about not playing well enough?
Molly beamed, her eyes literally sparkling. “Oh my God, that would be amazing. I’d love to chat with her.”
Abel smiled, and I discovered that this made the dimples on his cheeks even more pronounced. “Cool, give me your email, and I’ll set it up.”
While Molly scrambled for a pen in her purse, Abel’s eyes locked on mine, as if he were gauging my reaction to this personality change.
The smile I returned was wobbly and uncertain. Over the past few days, I had begun to assume that Abel was cold toward everyone. That it was his personality, rather than a personal dislike of me. Now, I wasn’t so sure.
An uncomfortable feeling swept through me. The guys were talking to Molly, but I was deep in my own head, going over every interaction we’d had in the past few days. Abel had said no more than a handful of words to me while we worked together, and when he had said something, it had usually been a curt comment about my playing or instructions on what we were doing next. I didn’t think him capable of the generosity he was now showing Molly, because he sure as hell never showed it to me. What had I done to make him dislike me so much?
Rubbing at my nose, I forced myself to once again pay attention to the conversation. I wasn’t going to let this affect me. I sure as hell wasn’t going to go out of my way to get Abel to like me as a person. As far as I could tell, I hadn’t done anything bad to him, so if he had an issue with me, that was his problem.
The table was cleared for dessert, and Molly took the opportunity to get her Instagram-worthy shot.
“Could we stand up and take it with the wall as the background?” she asked, pulling out her phone and waving it around to find the perfect angle.
The guys, so obedient to my seventeen-year-old sister, stood up and arranged themselves in a row.
“Give me the phone, Mol. I’ll take it.”
My sister handed me her phone before taking her place in the middle, flanked by Abel and Ezra.
I took a few pictures, despite telling Molly she’d only get one.
“Okay, now you gotta get one with us and Adeline. She told us you’ve been on her butt for not taking one at the show,” Cole said.
“Yeah! Get over here, Ade.”
I switched spots with Molly and handed the phone back to her.
“Stand a little closer,” she directed, waving her hands for emphasis.
We squished together until I could feel both Ezra and Abel pressed up against my entire sides. Ezra curled his arm around my waist, while Abel snaked his around my shoulders. I glanced at the lead singer to find him looking at me, his face mere inches from mine. His long eyelashes fanned across his cheeks when he blinked.
Why couldn’t this man who seemed to hate me be a tad less attractive?
“Look here!” Molly said, and I flicked my attention back to her, plastering a smile on my face.
A minute later, we were sitting back down and digging into the tiramisu.
“By the way, Molly,” Ezra told her when we were halfway through dessert. “I know we’re keeping Adeline away from you during your last few weeks at home. If you ever want to swing by the studio, you’re more than welcome.”
“Thanks, I may take you up on that,” she answered. “When she’s not with you guys, she’s at the gym or at the bar, so I need to try to get as much time with her as I can somewhere.”
“You work out?” Silas asked, glancing at me.
“Yeah. Helps me clear my mind,” I responded with a shrug.
Molly laughed. “Don’t let that overly casual response fool you. Adeline’s a gym rat. She says it’s her church. I say she goes there to ogle the hot guys.”
I wanted to kill my sister. Instead, I gave her a tight smile that I hoped was effective at communicating how dead she was going to be when we got back home.
“To be fair, I’m sure they’re all ogling her, too,” Cole chirped, and I turned my attention to him.
He sat leaning back in his chair, a devious smirk on his face, and leisurely surveyed whatever he could see of me.
