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Absolutely nothing.
Slender fingers intertwined with his. Cassie didn’t look at him, her attention on the minister. But the pressure of her palm against his sent a pulse of warmth through him.
A hard lump grew in his throat, and he swallowed against it. Was this what a relationship was supposed to be? Giving without expecting anything back? Standing with someone for no other reason than you didn’t want them to stand alone?
Zac’s chest tightened, and he took a few deep breaths. At least he was feeling something now. Funerals were emotional, even when there was no good reason they should be. It was the finality of them. Knowing that even if you had hoped for things to be different, it was too late now.
Zac reached for the pick around his neck but stopped himself before he touched it. He curled his fingers into a fist and let his hand drop to his side again.
When the minister finally wrapped up, Zac’s friends and Drew offered him their condolences. Lexie, Eden, and Summer gave him and Tori a hug and spoke soft words of polite sorrow to his mom. And the whole time, Zac just stood there, holding Cassie’s hand and nodding mechanically.
A few minutes later, they made their way to where the cars were parked. When they got there, Zac’s mom turned to him. “I don’t know why you’re not staying the night at the house.” Her voice wavered.
“Cassie and I have a hotel room downtown, Mom. But we’ll be back tomorrow to see you before we have to fly back to the tour.”
His mom’s red-rimmed eyes turned glossy again, but before she could say anything else, Tori stepped in. “I’m going to stay the night with you, Mom.” His sister had a kinder heart than him.
“Yes, but we should all be together, remembering your father.” Her tears welled again.
The thought of having to listen to his mom talk all night in glowing terms about the man who had considered him a waste of space turned Zac’s stomach.
“I’m sorry, Mrs. Ford. I think it might have been my fault,” Cassie said. Zac shot her a warning look, which she ignored. “I thought you might not be comfortable having a stranger staying in your house tonight.”
He appreciated her efforts. His mom didn’t. Her face flushed red, and she narrowed her eyes. “I don’t know why he brought you, anyway. I know my son. He’ll get rid of you soon, just like all the rest of them.”
Cassie’s flinch was small, but Zac felt it. Anger roared to the surface, but he couldn’t let it out. Not here. Not now.
Instead, he tugged Cassie toward him and put his arm around her waist. “Don’t start, Mom.”
“Come on, Mom.” Tori urged her toward the car. But his mom pulled away, fire flashing in her eyes. “You should have stayed. You knew he was sick. You knew he might not make it. You should have been there for him.”
“He wasn’t there for me. Not once,” Zac growled. “Or Tori. Or you. Why the hell should I have cut my tour short to be there for him? He wouldn’t have wanted it, anyway.”
“Don’t talk about him like that!”
“Mom.” Tori’s voice was firm. “You’re upset. Let’s get you home. Zac will come and see you tomorrow.”
With a last scathing look at him and Cassie, his mom let Tori guide her into the car. Before following her, Tori turned and threw her arms around Zac. “I’m sorry, Z.” She squeezed him hard and gave a watery laugh. “I feel like I say it every time I see you lately.”
His sister surprised him by throwing her arms around Cassie too. She must have whispered something in her ear because Cassie nodded and gave her a small smile.
Then Tori followed their mom into the back of the black sedan, and they drove off. He watched them as they passed through the gate, where two security guards had been stationed in case any paparazzi or fans tried to get in. Luckily, they’d been able avoid his dad’s death being publicised, and it seemed like they’d been successful in making sure no-one found out where they were and why.
The touch of Cassie’s hand on his chest made him realise he was just standing there, with his arm around her.
“Let’s go.” He took her hand in his and led her toward the car that was waiting to take them to the hotel.
The ride was silent. Zac stared pensively out the window at the houses they were passing. Halfway there, Cassie unbuckled her seat belt and slid across to him. She rested her head on his shoulder. He put his arm around her again, her presence soothing him the way nothing else seemed to.
When they got to the hotel, the driver took them down to the underground parking garage to minimize the chance of him being recognized.
They made it up to their suite without encountering anyone. As soon as they got inside, Cassie removed the pins from her hair, letting it fall loose around her shoulders. She sat on the couch and watched him as he took off his black jacket, pulled off his tie, and rolled up his sleeves.
He wandered over to the bar. “Want a drink?”
It was the first words he’d said since the cemetery.
“Yes. Thank you.” Her voice was soft.
