Strung(31)

But I can’t resist pushing her with my cocky mouth still, because even though she acted as if it annoyed her when we first met, I know it’s what made her want me to begin with.

She’s still wrapped up in my arms, our mouths locked on each other’s when the sound of someone clearing their throat has Tegan pulling away from the kiss.

But seeing that it’s Parker I refuse to release her from my arms until he’s already past us, and disappearing into the bathroom.

“What the hell, Micah?” Tegan wiggles her way out of my arms and quickly fixes her hair in a panic. “Do you want him telling my brother about us?”

“No . . . shit,” I mutter. “But I took one look at the asshole eying you over and I wanted him to see that we’re together. I’ll talk to him.” I rub my hands over her arms to calm her down. “Can you go find Sebastian and make sure he sits with you and Jamie?”

“Micah . . . don’t—”

“Don’t worry, I’m not going to punch the guy. I’m just going to have a little talk with him.”

I place a quick kiss on her lips and turn around to walk away before she can say anything else to stop me.

I guess old habits die hard and the asshole in me just came out again. I might’ve messed everything up, but if Parker doesn’t want to feel my wrath then I suggest he listen to what the hell I have to say.

I’ll tell him the truth, and if that isn’t enough to stop the guy from opening his mouth then I guess my fist will.

I just hope for Tegan’s sake that it doesn’t come down to that . . .





MY HEART IS STILL RACING from me and Micah getting caught making out just a few moments ago. I feel sick at the idea that Parker might run off and tell Alexander. I don’t want him to find out that way.

I take a seat at the table with Jamie and sit here, trying to make sense of everything as she side-eyes me.

“Everything okay?” She leans in to touch the back of her hand to my forehead. “You look pale all of a sudden. What the hell happened in there?”

“Nothing,” I say, shaking her hand off my forehead. “Cool it. I’m fine.”

“Oh, bullshit, honey,” she huffs. “Tell me now before I go inside and find Micah to ask him my damn self.”

I shift in my seat and wave Sebastian over when I see him emerge from the crowd, hoping he’ll be a good excuse to change the subject. “Not now. We have company. I’ll tell you all about it once we leave. I promise. But I can’t right now.”

“When we leave?” she asks quickly and sits back in her seat, looking as if she’s about to lose it. “You know I can’t wait until we–”

“You’re with us, Sebastian,” I say, cutting her off and giving her a look to tell her to shut the hell up. The last thing I need is another person asking questions about Micah and I, and if this woman doesn’t shut her mouth that’s exactly what’s going to happen. “Looks like we’re on Sebastian duty tonight, so pick a seat or we’ll all get in trouble.”

The kid laughs and pulls out a chair to join us. “What happens if I get into trouble? Do one of you fine ladies tackle me until I behave? Because that’s a kind of trouble I don’t mind being in.”

Jamie and I both laugh, but I do mostly because the kid reminds me of Micah. “I think you’ve been spending a bit too much time with Micah.”

He shrugs and takes a sip of his soda, looking up at the stage and then around him as if he’s preparing for something. “Where is the big guy? I’m so used to him dragging me out that it’s a little hard to enjoy this rare moment without flinching.”

“There he is,” Jamie says with a huge smile. “Oh my goodness is he looking finer than usual or is it just me?”

I swallow nervously as I watch Micah step through the crowd alone. It has me worried that he got into another fight with Parker and left him in the bathroom bloodied.

That is, until Parker steps out just a few seconds behind him and makes his way to the bar.

His face doesn’t look any more bruised than it was a few moments ago, so I’m going to take that as a good thing.

At least I hope.

“You two are into that whole long-hair look, huh?” Sebastian runs a hand through his short, blonde hair. “Maybe I will grow it out after all. It’ll look pretty badass with my surfboard. What do you ladies think?”

“Uh, hell yeah.” Jamie turns her attention from Micah to Sebastian. “How old are you again, kid? Are you legal?”

“Eighteen,” he says with a lift of his brow.

My eyes widen at Jamie when she smiles. “He’s seventeen, Jamie. Don’t even think about it.”

“Only for three more months.” He runs a hand through his hair again and winks at Jamie. “You’re only what . . . two years older, maybe? Three months ain’t shit to wait. Just saying.”

“Actually, she’s three years older. Almost four, so calm it down, playboy. I’m sure there’s plenty of girls your age around.”

“Oh, please, ladies. Those girls can’t handle Sabastian Masters. I need a woman.”

Jamie and I both laugh at the same time, which has Sebastian throwing his arms up and slapping them to his somewhat muscular chest. “Well, it’s true. Don’t laugh until you go for a test ride.” He lifts his brows at Jamie. “Sup, girl?”

“Ignore him.” Micah says from over my shoulder.

The moment he moves around so I can get a better look at him my stomach twists into tiny knots. I want to ask him what he said to Parker, but I can’t with these two around and it’s driving me crazy.

Micah places a fresh soda in front of Sebastian, before setting two beers down for Jamie and me. “If you ladies have any issues with the kid let me know and I’ll stop my show to drag him out of here myself.”

“Oh, come on, Dude!” Seb leans back in his seat and places his hands behind his head, attempting to look cool. “The chicks are digging me, so don’t even worry. Just run along to the stage and play us some music to better set the mood.”

Micah flexes his jaw and flicks Sebastian on the forehead. Then he leans in close and looks him in the eyes. “Just sit there and keep your eyes on the stage unless you want to lose them.”

Sebastian grunts and rubs his forehead. “Don’t hate, big guy.”

When Micah pulls his eyes away from Sebastian they meet mine, just long enough for him to nod as if to tell me that his conversation with Parker went well.

I release a breath and place my hand over my chest in relief, watching as he walks up to take his place on the stage.

Not even five seconds after he grabs his guitar and takes a seat on the stool my phone goes off in my back pocket. I reach for it to see a new message from Whitney.

I’ve been so wrapped up in Micah that I’ve almost forgotten about Whitney and my parents. I haven’t talked to them in days and now I’m realizing that I’ve shut them out without meaning to. I feel like total shit.

Micah glances up at me while he tunes his guitar, but before I can get too wrapped up in him and what’s to come, I open my best friend’s message and read it.

My heart sinks as I read the words.

Whitney: I can’t believe you’ve been gone for over two weeks and we’ve only talked once. Too busy for your bestie?

Tegan: I’m a crap friend and I’m soooooooooooo sorry. There’s no excuse and I promise I’ll call you after Micah’s performance. Please don’t hate me.

Whitney: Soo . . . Micah is the hottie’s name? And you better call me. You still have like ten more weeks before you come back home and I miss you.

Tegan: I will. I promise, and I miss you too. XOXO

The mention of going back home has me looking up at the stage, trying to figure out how I’m going to leave Micah at the end of summer.

The thought hasn’t even crossed my mind over the last two weeks because I’ve been too worried about keeping things between us a secret.

I promised my parents I wouldn’t move yet, but Micah is making me rethink all the promises I made before I showed up here in California.

How am I going to leave him? Can I even do it?

How am I ever going to get on a plane and say goodbye knowing that he most likely won’t be able to come visit me often? Not with Express about to open up. It’ll keep him busy just like Vortex has with Alexander since he opened it.

But how can I break my parents’ hearts and tell them that I can’t come back home?

Then they’ll be left with both of their children living over two thousand miles away.

I feel sick as I sit here and fight the thoughts in my head. I feel like no matter what I end up doing I’ll be hurting someone I care about. And I’ve already hurt Alexander . . . He just doesn’t know it yet.

“How’s everyone doing tonight?” Micah’s deep voice draws my attention back to him.

“Oooh . . . he’s starting.” Jamie gets all excited and hits me as if I’m not already watching him.

“I have ears, you know.”

“Shhhh . . .” she shushes me, keeping her eyes on him as he speaks again.

“First off, I want to thank you all for coming to my performances over the years. I appreciate it, and it saddens me to say that this will be my last performance here for a while.”