AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Oh, shit! I’ve got an idea. Now that you don’t have to take care of Dad anymore, come with me.” Skylar grinned. “You’d love London. It looks just like that historical smut you used to read. I haven’t seen much of it actually, though the groupies’ accents are dreamy. I usually fuck one or two while I’m there.” She wriggled her eyebrows. “If you and Muscles aren’t exclusive, you could live a little. You’ve never gotten to.”
Jami stared at her sister. “You want me there?”
“I love you, Jame.” Skylar frowned at the still visible coffin. “I just couldn’t deal with all this shit. You were always better at it.”
Jami reached for her hand. “I never expected you to stay. I’m so proud of you.” She squeezed. “I’d love to see a bit of your world, but the timing isn’t right. There are still things to wrap up here, and this leg of mine would hold you back.”
Skylar pulled her hand free. “I was going to ask about that. What happened?” She reached out, her finger grazing Jami’s forehead. “You’ve got a lump here too.”
“It’s nothing,” Jami said. She had no intention of telling her sister she’d lost everything in the fire. Skylar had a crammed schedule. She never saw her music as an obligation, but it took a lot of effort to stay visible.
Skylar sighed. “You should just say fuck it to all the paperwork, but I get it. That’s not you.” She glanced at the coffin. “Need any money?”
Jami shook her head. “Andrew has it covered.”
“Fucking Drew.” Skylar turned to glare at him. “I don’t like the way he looks at you, Jame. The way he’s always looked at you. Tell the fucktard to fuck off finally. You don’t need him.”
“You don’t need to worry about me,” Jami said.
Skylar scowled at her before surprising her with the tightest hug yet. “Like always, you act like you’re the only one who gets to worry.” She pulled back, her hazel eyes a mix of colors as she stared into Jami’s. “I miss you. Me going, I thought it was best. One less person to chain you down.” She swallowed. “But I miss the hell out of you.”
Jami’s eyes blurred. “I really want to hear you sing in person.”
Skylar squeezed her again before releasing her. “Give Mandy a call. She’ll hook you up whenever you’re ready.”
“Maybe I will.” Her sister’s manager was wonderful, and had been offering to fly her out to a concert for a while.
Skylar nodded. “I’ve got to run for real, Jame.”
“Thanks for coming, Skylar. It meant a lot.”
Her sister nodded, then turned and clomped down the hill. A town car waited not far down the short, paved road that led to their section of the cemetery.
Jami looked back at the coffin. Her eyes filled with tears as she accepted that her father was gone. The life she’d had was gone. She’d never loved it, but it had been all she’d known. Her sister was right. She’d never lived before.
“Jami,” Andrew murmured from behind her.
She wiped at her eyes, turning to face him. “Sorry about my sister, Andrew.”
He shook his head. “You never have to apologize to me for her. I understand exactly the type of person Skylar is.”
Jami didn’t try to defend her. Not everyone would appreciate a free spirit like Skylar. She’d always been envious of her sister’s ability to say exactly how she felt. Even in the limelight, Skylar didn’t pull any punches. Her true fans loved her for it, but there was a part of the public that was appalled. Even they continued to follow her, though, wondering what crazy stunt she’d pull next.
Skylar certainly knew how to live.
Jami stared at the man who would be perfectly content for her to remain as she was, never learning to live for herself. If Andrew had his way, she’d be settled in his house, with no need to work or clean or do anything but be there when he wanted her.
He couldn’t hold her gaze. “I never thought you’d look at me that way. I love you so much. Everything I’ve done, it’s been out of love.”
“I know that’s how it’s been for you.” Jami took his hand. “The way you praise me, it helped over the years, Andrew. You’ve always cared for me, just as I am.” She took a breath before releasing him. “But I want to be more.”
“And you think you can be with a man like that?” Andrew glared at Malcolm, who was waiting by his truck. “My sweet Jami. He’s only using you.”
Jami shook her head. “It’s not like that.” She wondered if it would make things easier or harder on him to know that she wasn’t with Malcolm. It would cement the idea that she didn’t want Andrew himself, but would be unnecessarily cruel. “If anything, I’ve been using him.”
Andrew reached for her, and Jami wobbled on her crutch when his hand closed around her arm. “It can’t end like this. Not after all I’ve done for you.”
She bit her lip as his fingers dug into her skin, reminding her of her father. Her eyes rose to meet his. “So you were only helping me to be with me… that way?” she asked.
