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“All right, then,” Ben says, dropping onto the couch beside me and pouring himself a glass. Our shoulders touch. Normally, I’d wrap my arm around him, but I’m too busy trying not to spiral.
There’s gotta be a reasonable explanation.
Don’t freak out. Keep it together.
But I can’t let it go—Dallas is his ex.
“Your…” My voice cracks. I clear my throat. “Your phone was still on.”
“Oh, sorry,” Ben says casually, picking it up.
I watch him unlock the screen without changing expression, type a quick reply, and set it back down.
“One more show.” He raises his glass to clink with mine. “Then we’re done. Tour survived. Hey, you’re empty.”
My heart pounds faster, blood roaring in my ears. I stare at Ben in disbelief. He’s slicked his peroxide-blond hair back with water and is smiling like everything’s normal.
It’s hard to stay calm because this is exactly the side of him that drives me insane—acting like nothing happened even though he knows the phone was lying face-up. No point in beating around the bush. “I thought you were cutting contact with Dallas.”
The smile drops from his face. He lowers his glass and scoffs. “You were looking at my phone.”
“Oh no,” I snap, standing up and pacing a few steps. “Don’t you dare flip this on me. Why is he texting you? You said you deleted his contact.”
“We text sometimes,” Ben says with a shrug. “What’s the big deal?”
“He’s your ex.”
“So?”
“Are you two still messing around?”
“Stop it, Aran. You’re reading way too much into this.”
But the coke is hitting hard now and my pulse is skyrocketing. “Are you cheating on me?”
“That’s bullshit and you know it!” Ben stands too, raising his voice. “Touring is exhausting.”
I stiffen. “What the hell are you accusing me of?”
“Nothing!”
“Spit it out! I know you too well.”
Ben stares at me for a second, then sweeps his gaze across the trashed suite. “This!” He throws his hands up. “All of this! It drives me fucking crazy sometimes. And then I’m glad I have someone I can actually talk to.”
My jaw drops. “We’ve been together for almost three years! We just finished a joint world tour with our bands. Everything was great, and now Dallas is back in the picture?”
“You’re impossible to talk to!” he barks.
“You don’t even try!”
“Look what happens when I do!”
Everything spins.
If Dallas had texted even a few seconds earlier, I wouldn’t have just blasted my brain with more coke. “How long?” I manage, voice numb.
Ben refuses to answer and looks away as if I’m not even worth the conversation. He sighs and folds his arms. “I should’ve gotten my own room.”
