Page 140 of Finding Storm

“Nothing.”

Cash frowns. “You’re walking around like someone killed your dog.”

“I don’t have a dog.”

“Shut the fuck up. You’re as moody as a preteen who hasn’t discovered what his dick is for. Does it have to do with this girl? The one you met in Arizona.”

My eyes go immediately to Raze, who shrugs. He’s the only one I’ve talked to about Stevie. And I haven’t told him a lot.

“They asked what I thought was up with you. I figured it has to be the girl. Not that you’ve told me much about her.”

Because talking about her makes it real … reminds me that I no longer have her. And it hurts like a motherfucker.

“So, you met this chick and what?” Levi asks.

I fell in love.

Holy. Fucking. Shit.

I fell in love with her.

How am I only just realizing this now?

I love Stevie.

I’m in love with her.

“Well, it was … awesome. Stevie’s fucking amazing. She’s different to the kinds of girls we know. She’s just real. Smart as fuck and so beautiful—but like a natural beauty, you know? She doesn’t take my shit. If anything, she gives it to me. And she doesn’t care about the stuff other girls do. She had no fucking clue who I was when I met her.”

“What?” Cash looks confused. “She didn’t know who you were?”

“Nope.” I shake my head, smiling at the memory. “Stevie’s not into … recent music. She likes the old stuff.”

“Huh,” is Cash’s response.

“Yeah,” I say. “And when she did find out who I was, she still didn’t give a shit. I guess”—I sigh—“I was myself around her, and I really fucking liked who I was when I was with her.”

They’re all staring at me like I’ve lost it.

Maybe I have.

“So … basically, you love this Stevie chick, and you’re walking around like you lost your dick because you miss her.” That’s Cash.

And he’s just hit the nail on the head.

“Basically, yeah.” I take another swig of my beer.

“Well, go back there and get her. Bring her back to LA.” That’s Raze.

“I can’t …” I swallow down my embarrassment at admitting this. “I already asked her. She said no.”

“She knocked you back?” Levi looks like I just told him Santa wasn’t real.

“She runs a B&B with her grandmother,” I’m quick to explain. “Stevie pretty much runs it now. But she’ll take over full-time when her gran is ready to retire.”

“Okay … but she knows you’re loaded, right?” Cash asks.

I shrug. “I guess so.” I mean, I figure she knows I have money from the car I drive and then when she found out what I did for a living. “We just never really talked about it. Stevie’s not really into money.”