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I had a plan: I would drop in at the party. If she was there, I would let her come to me. If not, I would head back to my bed to read a sappy romance in peace while I obsessed over the grand total of thirty seconds I spent talking to her.
Get a grip.
“Hey man, how you holding up?” Matteo asked, patting my shoulder. I gave him a quizzical look. “You know, with Cee tagging along?”
“Should I not be holding up?”
His brows furrowed. “That woman ran you through the ringer last tour. Let’s not pretend it didn’t happen. I’m surprised she’s here.”
Honestly, so was I. “I was worried about a friend. Looks like she’s better.”
“A friend,” he said with a chuckle. “Yeah. okay.”
I rolled my eyes at him and walked away. You’re looking for her. Everyone knows it, too. My skin itched with the need to find her.
I felt her before I saw her. I hated that she had so much influence over my heartrate, but just knowing she was within reach had the damn thing about to burst from my chest.
Fifty-Seven
Cee
Just walk up to him and pretend like everything is normal. It’s Sergio.
I took a fortifying breath and walked up to him from behind. “Hey, drummer boy. How the fuck are you?” My hands were shaking, and I clenched my fists to attempt to hide it.
He turned to me with a wide grin. “Well, if it isn’t my long-lost friend.”
We stood there, looking at each other awkwardly. I’d never hesitated to touch this man. We’d always hugged hello. Today, that felt dangerous.
“It has been a while, hasn’t it?” I looked around the crowded room, not wanting to have this conversation here. Just in case it ended in tears.
“Wanna get out of here?” he asked, reading my discomfort. I missed having someone who read me so well. I nodded, and he led the way out of the room and toward the buses outside. We boarded his bus and took a seat in the lounge area.
“Thanks,” I said when he handed me a water. Pulling my legs up underneath me, I faced him. “I need to apologize for so many things,” I started. Nothing would be okay until we got this out of the way.
His expression softened. “No, you don’t. We’re cool.”
“Serge, I told you I hated you and that I never wanted to see you again after you saved my life. I owe you so much more than just an apology.”
“Cee, it’s fine. You were in a terrible place. You seem better, though. Are you doing okay?”
I didn’t deserve his kindness or his friendship. “Yeah. The grippy sock vacation worked. I still have days when I can’t seem to stop crying. Stupid things bring on the waterworks. Smells. Things Wyatt still says that Eli used to say all the time. Random shit. But I’m not quite so close to the edge anymore. If any of that makes sense,” I rambled.
“How’s my little buddy?”
“That kid is basically running the country lately. Still calls Mason ‘the Senator’, only now I’m positive he’s doing it to get a rise out of him.”
“Nice.” He smiled.
Tears started burning my eyes. “I would’ve missed all of it, Gee. You’re the reason that kid still has his mother. I’m never going to be able to repay you for that.” I sniffled.
He grabbed my hand and squeezed. “Just having my friend back is enough. But let’s never do that again, okay? I seriously lost years of my life that day.”
I nodded, the tears finally falling down my cheeks. He slid closer and pulled me into a side hug. Tension left my shoulders and neck. “I’m sorry.”
“I know. It’s okay.”
He ran his hand over my hair while I cried into his arm, mumbling apologies. I’m not sure how long we sat like this, but eventually, the telltale signs of people coming back to the bus were emerging.
