Page 36 of Love You Like This

“How’s the tour going?” Amber asks, tucking her tightly coiled hair behind her hair. “Tours, actually,” she corrects.

I look at Hazel, letting her know she can go first.

“It’s been a lot easier than I thought it would be. I’m pretty quiet and reserved, so I was worried it would be draining for me. It’s actually the opposite. I love getting to connect with my readers and hear their stories about how the book spoke to them.”

“The best part is when we’re out with the guys and someone comes up to ask for her autograph, completely dismissing the band.” I toss my head back with a laugh. “The first time it happened, it made my fucking year.”

Hazel blushes again. “It doesn’t happen that much.”

“It’s happened five times now. It’s good for them to have their egos checked every now and again.”

“Speaking of egos, how’s Xander?” Stephanie lifts her blonde brow.

My chest squeezes at the mention of his name. Our conversation after dinner has been replaying on a loop in my mind since it happened. But I can’t tell the girls about the woman claiming to have had his child.

“I had dinner with him and Stephen a few nights ago.”

“Did he crash or something?” Shan asks.

“No.”

Hazel’s eyes light with interest as she watches the conversation unfold. I’m sure she’s noticed the tension between us. Stone might have even said something to her about it.

“How’d that happen, then?” Amber lifts her mimosa to her lips and looks at me with a look in her deep brown eyes that means business. She never liked him after her first impression of him was the aftermath of our short-lived relationship the summer before college. “You shouldn’t have to deal with him when you’re at home.”

“He was driving by and noticed a strange truck in my driveway. It was the guy hired off Task Rabbit to put my new practice pole up.”

“Why was he driving by your house? It’s on a dead-end street.” Shan leans forward, hooked on the gossip.

“Good question. He was worried because the front door was cracked open, so he came to check it out.”

“That’s actually kind of sweet.” Steph shrugs at the annoyed glare Amber sends her way. “He’s always cared about Jade, and for that reason, I’ll never hate him.”

“Well I fucking will. Did you forget the months of putting her back together our freshman year?” Amber rolls her eyes. “I get that you two actually knew him before you knew Jade, but I just refuse to forget.”

“What did he do?” Hazel asks quietly. “I won’t tell Stone a word of what you share.”

I take a deep breath and prepare to tell my story. At least most of it.

“The summer after we graduated, Xander and I spent a lot of time together on our own. Stephen, his dad, was working on a big film project. My mom, who does special effects makeup, was on set in Europe for weeks at a time. We ended up having a sort of fling.”

“It was more than a fling,” Stephanie interjects.

“She fell off the face of the earth, always surfing with Xander or something else,” Shan rolls her eyes, still lightheartedly annoyed years later.

The server brings our plates, interrupting the flow of the conversation. Part of me wants to leave the conversation where it is, but maybe Hazel could offer some outside perspective. She’s observant and empathetic, so I continue the story once we’ve all settled with our food.

“We ended up being each other’s first,” I say right before taking the first bite of pillowy brioche.

Hazel’s fork stops mid scoop of eggs as her eyes flare in surprise. “I knew there had to be something, but I wasn’t expecting that.”

“Just wait, it gets worse,” Shan warns.

“He left for Juilliard,” I tell her, “without saying goodbye.”

“Not even a fucking note,” Amber seethes.

“It was a last-minute acceptance,” Stephanie adds.