Page 21 of Collide

I nod, instantly thinking of Ivy. She’d have nothing to gain from someone like me. As Kit’s daughter, she’s already lived the life of a sidekick to a rock star. She has plenty of money off the royalties alone from her mother. There isn’t anything she’d take from me.

I took advantage of you again. The words tumble through my head, but she didn’t. I gave her what I wanted to give.

“I’ll keep that advice in mind if I decide to marry.”

Tommy turns his face toward me, sizing me up for something.

“Speaking of advice…” I begin. “I’d like to ask some of you.” I rub my hand along my jeans-covered thighs. “Actually, I’d like to ask you for all the advice.”

Tommy snorts before taking another sip from his glass. “Kid, we’d be here all night.”

“Then I’d like to start tonight but continue tomorrow and the next day.”

His head shoots up, and his thick dark brows squeeze in question.

“I’d like to know if you’d consider being our manager.”

His mouth pops open, and I raise a hand. I prepared a speech, figuring he’d immediately reject the idea.

“You told me once that I remind you of yourself at my age. Eager. Hungry. Willing to do whatever it takes. But that’s the thing. I don’t want to be taken advantage of, and I don’t want to make stupid mistakes that I could have avoided had I known not to take those steps.”

“Look,” Tommy says rather sharply. “That’s how it goes. You’re gonna make mistakes. You’re gonna fall on your ass. And then you’re going to pick yourself up, along with your guitar, and continue to play.”

If only it were that easy, and he and I both know it isn’t.

“I get that. I’ve already made mistakes. Poor choices. Followed the shiny things. But I figured with you as a mentor, a manager, you could guide us down the yellow brick road.”

“Looking for all the emeralds, huh?” Tommy smirks.

I chuckle, wiping my palms on my pants again. “Actually, it isn’t really about the money. I mean, sure, I could use it. Where I’m from, we never had much, but I’ve already earned more than I ever thought I would. It’s more about the music. I want to be heard. I want to change our sound a bit.”

Tommy’s brows furrow farther. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, we’ll still be considered rock, but I don’t want all the screaming and such we used when we opened for your band.”

“It’s what took you up the charts,” Tommy reminds me.

“But I think we can go higher with something a little…different…better.” I look down at my knees. “I’ve already been working on some new stuff. I’ve been inspired here.” My thoughts drift to Ivy again, but I can’t tell Tommy I’m having impure thoughts of his niece and it’s what fuels my creative fire. He’d make me swim back to the mainland.

“Okay,” Tommy states, nodding once.

“You’ll do it?” I ask, my voice rising, incredulous with the fact it was so easy.

“Nope.” He shakes his head. “But it’s good you’re writing something new. If you want to keep going minus Cash, it makes a statement that you’re a new entity without him. Different.” He leans toward me and winks. “Maybe even better.”

I nervously chuckle. “So why not? To the manager.”

“Kid, I don’t need to manage a band. I’ve already lived the life. I have family to take care of right now.”

“Ivy told me.”

Tommy nods again. I was a mess when I found out, but I’ve settled into the fact the girl I’m crazy about is carrying the baby of my best friend…and I finger fucked her a few hours ago. Without thinking, I swipe my fingers under my nose, hoping for another whiff of her. Her scent is long gone, though, and I’m sorry for it.

“I have to make her my priority right now, being without her mother and all.”

I agree. Ivy’s scared. She told me, but Ivy’s stronger than her uncle gives her credit for. She survived her mother, for one thing. Kit could be a raving bitch. She had expectations and standards, and God help anyone who got in her way. She was super sexual, but I can’t say that made her affectionate. I’ve already noticed Ivy freely gives touches and caresses—a hand over my wrist or a stroke of my jaw—but I’ve seen her do it with others as well. She’s sweeter than Kit. Not as edgy or rough.

“I understand,” I say, because I do, but I still don’t think taking care of his niece is the full story. “Gonna miss the music?”