Della was shaking.
She’d run out of that chapel as fast as her heels could carry her. With nowhere to go, she’d come back to the bus, figuring she’d pack up and stay the night in a hotel, give them all some space.
She’d barely gotten her bags packed when the brothers had boarded.
And now they were having it out right there in the lounge. What was she supposed to do? Walk past them with her suitcase and wave bye-bye? Catch ya later.
No, she was stuck eavesdropping on a very private conversation.
“Don’t pretend you’re brokenhearted, man,” Van said. “I know you. You don’t love Mary. You never have.”
“You’re missing the fucking point. I hurt her, asshole. Didn’t you hear what she said? I broke her heart.”
“That would suck if her heart was involved, but it was never like that between you two. What you broke were her future plans. Now, I’m asking you seriously. Did you love Mary-Therese?”
“Of course, I did.”
“Jesus, Bex. You know what I’m asking. Were you ever in love with her? Because you weren’t exactly doodling her name when you first met. In fact, it was a couple of months before I even figured out you were dating someone.”
“How am I supposed to have the kind of love you’re talking about? I’m on the road three hundred days a year. And she never visits. Our entire relationship is played out through texts and FaceTime.”
How had that ever been enough for him? She knew him. He needed so much more.
“Okay, and with Della?” Van asked.
She jolted at the sound of her name, desperate for Bex’s answer.
“Do you even know how many times you’ve texted me about her?” Van asked. “Della said this, Della thinks that. And when I’m in the room with the two of you? Sparks are flying everywhere.”
They are. They really are.
“Of course, I have feelings for her. Strong ones. She’s fucking amazing. But Mary and I…I just had it in my head that we’d have a home and a yard and dogs and kids. How does it make sense to blow all that up for someone I just met?”
“Because that someone woke you the fuck up. She showed you the difference between the wrong kind of love and the right kind. You’ve been on autopilot for years. Then, Della comes along and shows you everything you’ve been missing. So, yes, that’s exactly why you end it with Mary. When you see what your future would look like with her compared to what it’ll look like with someone like Della.”
No, not someone like Della.
With me.
She hadn’t dared dream it before, but she could imagine her life with Bex, and it was rich and deep and intense, filled with laughter and very, very hot sex. He would be amazing in bed. Because he cared. Because he saw her. Because her happiness mattered to him.
‘Look, it sucks to break up with someone you’ve been with so long. I get that—” Van began.
“How? How would you know that? You don’t have relationships.”
“Yeah, that’s because I’m on the road three hundred fucking days a year, too. Only, unlike you, I need to spend actual time with someone in order to fall in love with them. Jesus, Bex, I need more than this life we’re living. I need…”
“What?” Bex sounded concerned. “What do you need?”
“I get up every single day to live a life that’s not mine. I did it because we needed the money, and I continued to do it because it worked, and it made everybody happy.”
“But?”
“But I don’t want to go through the motions anymore.”
“What do you want?”
“I want a home, too. I want to wake up, scratch my balls, drink coffee, and stare out into the forest. I need time alone to think. I can’t be creative when I’m in constant motion, always surrounded by people. I need to hike and breathe mountain air. And I need…”
“You need what? Talk to me. I’m listening.”
“Nothing. This isn’t about me. This is about you, and the colossal mistake I don’t want you to make.”
“No, don’t brush it off like that. What do you need? Tell me.”
“I wouldn’t mind finding someone like Della, and that’s not going to happen with this life.”
“You’re into Della?” Bex sounded like his head might blow right off his body.
“What? No. I wish I were. She’s perfect. She’s fuck-hot—”
“Don’t talk about her like that. She’s so much more than her looks.”
Van went quiet. She strained to hear more but could only him quietly chuckling. And then, he said, “You’ve just made my point for me. She’s beautiful, she challenges you, she’s independent, and you two connect on a deep, personal level. She’s perfect for you. But, no, I don’t want her that way. But I do want to wake up next to one woman. The woman who gets me. Who knows all of me and still loves me. I need…I need more.”
“What’re you saying?”
“I’m done, man. I can’t do this anymore. I don’t want to do it.”
“We can’t just walk away. We’ve got one more record with the label. We’ve got a European tour starting in September.”
“If, after everything I just said, you tell me I have to honor our contract, that I have to tour another album, then I’ll do it.” Van sounded dull, flat. Deeply disappointed. “But I’m going to hate every minute of it.”
More silence. Every muscle in her body tightened, her senses on high alert.
It seemed impossible that Van Claybourne might end in this moment. She had no idea how Bex would answer, but she knew it would have a permanent impact on his relationship with his twin.
Finally, Bex said, “I love you, man. You’re the most important person in the world to me, and I need you to be happy. So, if you’re done…then it’s over.”
The strangest feeling came over her. Pride that Bex had made the right decision for his brother, but also shock that Van Claybourne had just ended.
And fear.
That she’d somehow caused the breakup of one of the greatest bands in the history of rock ‘n roll.
Della was so screwed.
The minute the brothers had gone into the lounge to have a heart-to-heart, she’d taken advantage of the opportunity to dash off the bus. She couldn’t invade their privacy one more second.
But in her haste, she’d left her purse and luggage in her bunk.
Now, she was stuck wandering through a casino, anxious because she needed a wallet to pay for a room, food…a freaking toothbrush.
Worse, if the band had truly broken up, her job was over.
I’ll never see Bex again.
Surrounded by flashing lights and the dings and bells of slot machines, she couldn’t stop worrying about him. He had to be hurting. He had to be confused. He needed to talk to someone.
But that someone isn’t me since I’m the source of all his troubles.
Am I, though?
She hadn’t done anything wrong. She’d never flirted with him—
Hey, even if I had, I didn’t know he had a girlfriend.
Still, she’d been the catalyst for some massive changes.
She’d left before hearing Van’s response, so she had no idea what they’d decided to do about their contract with the label. But even if they actually went through with it and ended the band, they wouldn’t cancel the remaining two shows in LA.
Right?
What a terrible mess. She glanced at the time on her phone, wondering when it was safe to go back and get her belongings. Never. It will never be safe. Because with the whole twin thing, the brothers couldn’t both be out and about in Las Vegas. That meant one of them would likely stay on the bus.
If she knew Bex was alone, she’d go there. But what if he didn’t want to see her? What if he was having make-up sex with his bride right this minute?
She’d be devastated. In that moment, she realized everything Van said had fanned the flames of hope until they’d ignited into full-blown desperation.
I want him.
I want Bex to choose me.
She needed Micky. And while her first reaction was to think about the time and not disturb her friend, she remembered what Micky had said. I’m the one hurting the friendship by behaving differently. So, she opened her phone.
And found countless messages and voicemails.
You dummy! She’d forgotten that she’d turned off the sound for the wedding.
Quickly scrolling through them, she found a few from Micky, three from Martin’s assistant, and dozens from Bex.
Bex: Where are you?
Bex: You on the bus? Heading there now.
Bex: You’re not here. Where did you go?
Bex: I get that you’re angry, but I just need to know you’re all right.
Angry? Oh, no, I’m anything but angry.
I’m scared.
And I want you so much I’m sick to my stomach.
Bex: Did you get a hotel room? Wherever you are, whatever you’re doing, I’ll pay for it. This isn’t coming out of your savings.
Look at him. At the most stressful time of his life, he’s thinking about me. Putting my needs first.
This man.
I want him.
I can’t lose him.
Bex: I understand if you’re quitting, and I will pay you for the full month. You’ve been invaluable to me. For so many reasons.
Bex: I’m sorry I got you involved in my drama. If you’re angry, I apologize. If you’re feeling guilty, don’t. You haven’t done anything wrong. If you’re having a wild night at the craps table, getting drunk, and flirting with high rollers…I wish I could be with you.
Bex: I guess that’s the problem. I’d rather be with you than with anyone else.
Della nearly dropped her phone. Her heart swelled so big she thought it might burst.
He wants me.
Lost in the maze of rooms, Della raced toward a server. “How do I get out of here?”
The woman pointed toward the exit sign. “Just follow the signs, and you’ll find your way out.”
“Thank you.” On the move, she raced past people seated in front of slot machines, swerved around wait staff and couples, and bypassed families and groups making their way across the loud, crowded casino at midnight.
Bursting out of the hotel, she breathed in the cool night air. She dashed around valets, cut between gleaming limos, and found her way back to the stadium parking lot. With the bus in sight, hope surged through her.
She needed to get to him, to be there for him.
She wished she’d seen his texts earlier. She hadn’t even checked the timestamp to see when he’d sent them, but it had to have been a couple of hours ago. Right after they’d left the chapel.
He’s been alone all this time.
And I was right here. I could’ve been there for him.
Well, I’m here now.
She reached the bus, surprised to find the doors wide open.
That’s not right. For security reasons, they kept them locked. Especially, after a show.
She hit the first step and heard a swish of material and a whisper of breath.
The sweet scent of perfume hit her nostrils.
Mary-Therese.
“I love you, Bex,” his bride said.
Della dropped low, awash in the stinging heat of mortification.
They’re getting back together.
Of course, they are. You don’t just end a six-year relationship like that.
Crouched on the stairs, Della was desperate to hear Bex’s response. If he said he loved her, too, she would be devastated. But, no, it wasn’t okay to eavesdrop on this private conversation. They hadn’t seen her yet, so she turned around, ready to slink away.
Except when she tried to move, she found her stiletto heel had lodged firmly in the rubber tread.
Oh, my God. This is not happening.
She leaned over to pull it out, but in the silence, the rustle of her clothing sounded like a scream. She froze.
Had they heard?
Come on, Bex. Answer her. Say something.
You’re killing me, here.
Instead, it was Mary who spoke. “I thought we had a future together. I don’t understand how it can be over because of a woman you met a few days ago.”
I have to get out of here.
But she couldn’t go anywhere without a shoe. Or her wallet.
What a disaster.
“Della showed me what was missing with us.” Bex sounded firm. “But she’s not the reason we stalled out. Come on, Mary. Our relationship can’t be enough for you, either.”
Silence hung in the air, so brittle if Della so much as shifted, it would crack, little shards of tension raining down on her.
“I don’t…”
“You don’t what?” Bex said. “Just say it. That’s the problem with us, isn’t it? We never really talk to each other. You tell me what happened in the classroom, and I tell you my frustrations with a vendor, but we never talk about the things that matter.”
“I’m scared.”
“About what a future without me looks like? Because as much as it hurts to break up, isn’t it exciting to think what kind of relationship you can have? One with passion and a real connection? We never had that. I see that now.”
“I hear what you’re saying, but…I mean, what have we been doing all this time?”
Bex’s tone softened. “I think we’ve been keeping each other company, filling in the empty spaces.”
“Is that all I ever was to you?”
“I don’t know, but I know that’s what it’s become. And we both deserve better.”
“Bex…” There was something plaintive in Mary’s tone. Something…off.
“Look, none of this makes sense. You plan a wedding without talking to me, show up on my bus…in a wedding gown…Why don’t you tell me what’s really going on?”
“It’s what I said. I’m tired of being in a holding pattern. I wanted to…” Mary exhaled in defeat. “There’s this guy at school, Eric. A teacher. We’ve been spending a lot of time together. I really like him, but I’ve been with you for so long, it didn’t make sense to break up with you and start something with him when it might not go anywhere.”
“But don’t you want to try? I didn’t understand how much more there was until I met my assistant. Is that how you feel about Eric?”
My assistant.
That’s all I am to him? She was nothing more than someone who’d taken the time to ask some questions and get to know him. A contrast to his girlfriend.
“Yes,” Mary said quietly. “But it means letting go of what I thought was my future.”
Fuck the shoe. She’d rather walk barefoot on asphalt in Las Vegas than hear more of this conversation. She pulled her foot out of the pump and flexed her toes. She was ready to give it one more tug, when she heard Mary ask, “Do you love her?”
True to his character, he went quiet. Because he always gave a thoughtful answer.
As the seconds ticked by, tension wound tighter in her chest until she thought her ribs might crack.
And then he said, “I’ve only known her three days.”
“Come on, Bex. We’re finally being honest with each other. If we’re going to end a six-year relationship, let’s both have the decency to do it with integrity.”
Her skin tingled, her stomach contracted into a knot, and Della thought she might throw up.
Her life hinged on this answer. If he wanted to be with her, she would stay. She was all-in. She’d take her shot with this man she’d connected with on the deepest level.
But if he didn’t want her, she had no other choice than to go home and figure out a new path for herself.
“Hey, it’s okay if it’s just her looks. I know you’ve been faithful to me all these years, but it must’ve been hard with all the fans and models and movie stars you’re surrounded with. I’m sure you were tempted. And that woman just oozes sex.”
“Just her looks? Are you…Jesus, her looks are the least of it. I can’t love someone I just met, but yes, I have feelings for her. It’s the way we are together. It’s the way I miss her when I’m not with her, and the way I think about her constantly. It’s the way I break out in goosebumps when our arms brush in the car. I’ve never been this way before, and while it scares the shit out of me, I also can’t stop it. Three days with Della, and I yearn for her every second I’m not with her.”
Oh, my God. She shouldn’t have been eavesdropping, obviously, but she was so glad she’d stayed to hear him confess his feelings.
Tugging and twisting, she finally yanked the heel free and slid her foot back in. She’d go for a walk. And when she came back, she’d tell him how she felt. She’d have to quit working for him, but that was okay. She could start her business anywhere. As long as they were together—
“But I’m just getting out of a six-year relationship, and I’m not going right into another one. Not only do I need time, but I would never make her my rebound.”
And there you go.
In the blink of an eye, all Della’s hopes crashed and burned.
She refused to sink into the pit of despair. She just wouldn’t let herself do that.
One, Bex respected her enough to protect her from a world of hurt.
Two, she was stranded in Las Vegas and needed to keep her wits about her and come up with a solution.
And three—the biggest one of all—Bex yearned for her.
Maybe one day the timing would be right, and they could be together.
Sitting on the ledge of a fountain on the strip, the breeze spraying mist onto her heated skin, she considered her options. Without her wallet, she couldn’t get a hotel room or book a flight home.
She needed to borrow money from someone. Dad? Micky? It was one in the morning. Her dad would flip out if she called and told him she was alone in Vegas with no wallet.
Micky, it is.
At that exact moment, her phone vibrated.
Bex: Where are you?
She shouldn’t feel so relieved to see his name. But even if he wasn’t in the right place to be with her, she still missed him. Wanted him.
Della: At the Bellagio
Her phone rang but before she could speak, Bex said, “What are you doing at the Bellagio? I’ve been going out of my mind. You left your purse here.”
“Yes, I know that. But what did you want me to do? The bus has been therapy central for you and Van and your bride.”
“Therapy…what?” He blew out a breath. “She’s not my bride. We’re not…you know we’re not getting married. Della, are you all right? I’ve been worried sick.”
“No, I’m not all right. I’m stranded in Las Vegas.”
“Then, come back to the bus. Nobody’s here but me.”
“Look, I’ve already packed, so if you could leave my luggage outside, I’ll grab a cab and pick it up on my way to the airport.”
“Airport? Where are you going?”
“What do you mean, where am I going? The band broke up. I’m going home.”
“I don’t want you to go home.”
“Well, I’m not sure what you want me to do with that. Are you saying that as my boss, and you need me to stay until the tour ends? Or are you saying that as my friend?”
“The tour isn’t over yet. There are two more days.”
Disappointment slammed her so hard it left her gasping for air. “Bex, I think you know I have feelings for you. I can’t go back to being your assistant, and I need a job. I need to start my future. And since you don’t want me to be your rebound, then I guess my future isn’t with you.”
“You heard my conversation with Mary.”
“Yes. I came back to the bus to get my luggage, and you guys were talking. Now, please, just leave my suitcase outside the bus.” She took a shaky breath. “Goodbye, Bex.” She disconnected.
She’d never felt so lost and alone in her life.
Not one second later, her phone buzzed.
Bex: Stay where you are. I’m coming with your purse and your luggage.