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“Oh no, that’s okay. I can wait until we get to Denver.” She sat down opposite Connor, smiling an awkward greeting at him.
“Are you sure? We’ve got bread for toast and cereal. There’s fruit and pastries as well.”
Cassie’s stomach prodded her, but she really didn’t want to impose on them any more than she already had.
“Thanks, but I’m fine.” Her gaze dropped to the cup in front of Connor as the heavenly scent of coffee reached her. God, what she wouldn’t give for some caffeine, though. Her desire must have been obvious because Connor’s green eyes creased at the corners as he laughed under his breath.
He called out to Zac. “Hey, man, stop leaving all your hosting duties to Lexie. Can’t you see your guest needs a coffee?”
His soft Irish lilt almost lulled Cassie into not realizing what he was saying. When she saw Zac stand out of the corner of her eye, it finally registered. She looked up at him as he passed her on the way to the coffeepot. “Oh, no, honestly. I’m not… you don’t have to…”
Zac shook his head, the corners of his lips curling up. “The fame hasn’t quite gone to my head enough that I can’t pour you a cup of coffee. Especially since you take such good care of my instruments.”
Cassie shifted in her seat. What was it about this situation that she found so painfully embarrassing? Was it that everyone knew Bryan had cheated on her with Stella? Or that she was imposing on her very famous boss and his bandmates? Or was it that Connor and Zac were such huge stars, that having their attention focused on her, let alone fussing over who should offer her a cup of coffee, was overwhelming?
Probably all the above.
Zac reached up to the cupboard for a mug, his T-shirt stretching tightly over his shoulders and pulling up at the waist. From this angle, she could see the shadow from the deep V of muscle at his hip. She swallowed and looked away, catching Lexie watching her. Cassie gave the woman a faint smile. She hadn’t been checking him out. She was in no state to feel anything like attraction for another man. Not with the pain of Bryan’s actions still so excruciatingly fresh. But she had always been able to appreciate how beautiful Zac was, even though she was in love with Bryan. And it was hard not to admire musculature like that when it was right in front of you.
Still, she kept her eyes away from him until he asked her how she took her coffee.
“Just with a touch of creamer,” she told him.
The movement of his arms as he poured the creamer and stirred was slightly hypnotic. When he finished, he brought it over and placed it in front of her.
“Thank you,” she said, then had to shuffle over when he sat down next to her. She felt small beside him. She knew he was a big guy, of course—she’d been working for him for the last ten days. But she had only fully appreciated exactly how big he was when she’d pressed up behind him yesterday. He’d been like a wall between her and Bryan, and it had made her feel… safe.
Pain pulsed like a live thing behind Cassie’s ribs, trying to break free. The need to feel safe from Bryan wasn’t something she’d ever experienced before. She inhaled shakily, breathing in the cologne, or whatever it was Zac was wearing. She concentrated on the fresh, crisp scent that made her think of cool ocean breezes. Focusing on how good Zac smelled instead of thinking about Bryan helped her wrestle her emotions under control.
“Have you thought about what you’re going to do?” Lexie’s question brought Cassie’s attention back from where it had wandered. “Do you know if you’re going to stay on the tour?” the other woman clarified.
Anxiety flashed through Cassie as the reality of her situation hit her. How could she possibly stay and work around Bryan and Stella for the next two and a half months?
But what else could she do? She’d signed an employment contract when she joined the tour. She could get out of it, of course, but leaving wouldn’t do any good for her credibility. It would be one thing if it were for health issues or a family emergency. Leaving because her fiancé had cheated on her was another. The industry was male-dominated and uncompromising. It wouldn’t accept heartbreak as a valid excuse for departing mid-tour. Word would get out. Having the bad rep of someone who let her emotions impact her work would affect her ability to get another job. After all, the only reason she’d gotten this opportunity was through word of mouth. And she’d need another job quickly if she was going to have to move out of the apartment she and Bryan rented in Las Vegas.
The terrifying finality of that thought had her anxiety growing until it was a ball in her throat she couldn’t swallow past.
Cassie turned her head, her eyes meeting Zac’s green-gold ones. The crease was back between his brows. “We don’t want to lose you,” he said. “But obviously, we’ll understand if you think you need to go. Don’t feel you have to decide right this second, though. There are still a couple of hours before we get to the next venue.”
Cassie let out a shaky breath and gave him a small, grateful smile before taking a sip of her coffee.
What the hell was she going to do?
ChapterFive
Zac stepped off the bus, the cool, high altitude air bracing after the air-conditioned stuffiness they’d been traveling in overnight. The piercing screams started up immediately, coming from a group of die-hard fans pressed against the railings of the fence—the only barrier between them and the band.
Cassie came down the steps behind him, looking slightly rumpled but disconcertingly sexy in the T-shirt and denim cut-offs Lexie had loaned her. She brushed her long, dark hair back from her face, her eyes widening as she took in the mass of gathered fans. A few of them were holding up homemade signs declaring their undying love or proposing marriage. Pretty standard stuff.
Her gaze met his, and she came closer. “So, thank you again for, um…” She waved her hand in the bus’s direction.
“It was no problem. Have you figured out what you want to do?” He didn’t like seeing the way the brightness faded from her face at his question.
“I’m going to see if there’s a spare bunk I can use on one of the other sleeper buses. At least until I can make a final decision. And I have to get my stuff off Blacklite’s bus.” Her throat worked. “God, this is all just”—she raised her hands and pressed the heels of her palms into her eyes, then took a deep breath before meeting his gaze again—“shit. This is shit.” Her sad laugh tugged at his chest. He wished he could ease her pain. But apart from offering to punch Bryan in the face, there wasn’t much he could do for her.
“Don’t worry about getting your stuff. When you’ve found a spot, we can get one of our security team to grab it for you. No big deal.”
Her bottom lip trembled, and she tentatively placed a small hand on his forearm. “I can’t thank you enough. You really didn’t have to do any of this.”
