Page 16 of Banging the Drummer

MOONBEAM: Can you tell me why you handled it the way you did?

ME: Yeah. I was fucking jealous that another man had his hands on you.

MOONBEAM: Why were you jealous, Mason?

ME: Because I think of you as taken already.

MOONBEAM: By whom?

ME: By me!

MOONBEAM: Don’t you think you should ask a girl if she wants to be yours first?

For fuck’s sake, she had me there.

Crue laughs across the table from me. “This girl has you so tied in knots.”

“Well, I’m glad you’re enjoying it.”

“Listen, I know things haven’t ever been easy between you and your family, but for the most part, other aspects of your life have been unchallenging. You having to put in some work for this woman, it’s good for you.”

I just stare at him because what kind of pep talk is that?

“Let me ask you this… is she worth it?”

“She’s worth everything.”

“Then you do whatever it takes to make her yours. Full stop.”

chapter

eleven

Luna

Saturday, mid-morning, I’m having brunch with my girls. We’re finally all in the same city and tonight we all get to go to the concert in Dallas together.

I haven’t laughed this hard in ages. Which is much needed after the last two days I’ve had. Yes, Mason apologized. But still, things are unsure between us. He says he wants to be with me, but what does that even mean?

I don’t know what being with him can even look like considering I’m not moving away from Saddle Creek. My family is there. My job. It’s everything I love.

Well, I suppose not everything. Still, I can’t assume that Mason is going to be willing to uproot his fancy life and move to a small town in Texas. Granted, he wouldn’t be the only celebrity there.

We decided to wait to finish discussing everything about us until we see each other again after tonight’s concert.

I force myself to stop thinking about him and focus on my friends. This is the first time we’ve all been in the same room together in years.

In particular, it’s been great catching up with Daisy, who is just now joining us. This will be her first concert on the tour since her parents are controlling and obnoxious. I’m so glad she snuck away to meet us here.

“Who are you most looking forward to meeting tonight?” I ask.

Daisy tilts her head, her blonde hair pulled into a sleek and artful ponytail. “Gosh, I don’t know. I’ve crushed hard on every single one of them over the years. Maybe Mason? He’s the only one who hasn’t been claimed by one of our friends yet, right?”

And now I want to shiv my sweet, pretty friend. I try not to glare at her because it’s too damn early in the morning for violence.

“Oh, that’s right. You met him backstage at the Austin concert, right?” Daisy takes a sip of her ice water. “Maybe he was just nervous. He’s always been the quiet one.”

I wave my hand in an attempt to appear nonchalant. “Yeah, whatever.”