Turn Over(58)

“You shouldn’t go to the hospital.”

He groaned into the phone. “If you go, I have to go. If you don’t then there is no story. This is on you, Alexa.”

“It is not. This is my job. Do you have any idea how many children are waiting to see me? Can you imagine their expressions or how their hearts are going to feel if they find out I canceled? And why would I? There’s no good reason for it.”

“The reason is to protect your precious image.”

“Precious? Are you mocking it?”

“Shit. Stop picking a fight with me. You don’t know what I’ve dealt with today. You have no idea what I’ve tried to do for you.”

“You’re right. I don’t. But I thought I came here to see my boyfriend and do some charity work. Maybe I’ll only do one of those.”

He huffed. “You’re serious? You’re that mad?”

I didn’t know what I was. Everything was crumbling and crashing around me like shards of shattered glass at my feet. Why was Luke doing this—making me choose between sick children and my relationship with him. Why was he arguing? Why didn’t he just take care of it?

“Maybe I am.” But I wasn’t. I wanted to see him. I had craved another look into his eyes since he was in Nashville. I’d been waiting for his lips. Desperate for his hands.

I didn’t like being backed in a corner and neither did he.

“Fuck, Alexa. You aren’t making this easy.”

“Anything else?” I sassed. “Because I’m leaving for the hospital and it’s not the kind of thing I can be late for.”

“No.”

He hung up and I stared at a dark phone. What in the hell had I just done? I fell back on the bed, letting my hair fan out around me. My eyes floated to the ceiling. I was supposed to be at the hospital soon singing and signing autographs. Those kids depended on me. Their parents counted on me to give them joy. To bring them hope and kindness.

I wiped the first and last tear that rolled from the corner of my eye and sat forward.

Luke and I didn’t fight. This felt like my heart had been bruised and pummeled. I almost couldn’t breathe. What if he walked away? What if I wasn’t worth fighting through the fight?

I walked to the bathroom to fix my makeup. Helena would be annoyed if she saw I had ruined her artwork. I’d given her more leeway with Jake in another state. My skirt was short too. I felt liberated finally wearing what I wanted.

I needed to burn through the minutes I had before the driver arrived. I wasn’t ready to see anyone. I wasn’t in any condition to cheer up children. I had to get my shit together. The realization hit me like a punch—I might be spending my nights alone from now on.





28





Luke





I hailed a taxi outside the team’s hotel. I was mad enough to kick down a door, but I wasn’t going to do that in DC. I gave him the address for the Deluxe and sat back as the driver turned every corner in this damn city. Why in the fuck were all the streets one-way?

I paid the guy and took the elevator to the top floor. This alone was a risk, but it was better than the one Alexa was willing to take.

I banged on the door.

“Helena, I’m not—”

Her crystal blue eyes locked on mine when she whipped the door open.

“What are you doing here?”

I barged past her. “We have to talk.”

“I’m going to be late to my car.” She picked up her guitar case.

I stood between her and the door. “I have to tell you something.”

I never wanted this to come out. With everything that had happened between Alexa and me it was the last thing I wanted her to know, but fucking Charlie had forced my hand.

“Can we do this later?”

“No.” I gripped the case from her and placed the guitar on the floor. I could tell it made her mad.

“Luke, let me out of here.”

I’d never done this. Any of it. Never cared. Never bothered to try it. I didn’t have to. But Alexa brought something out in me I didn’t know I liked. And because of it I had jumped in a damn cab and raced to get to her before she did something she’d regret.

“I am going to that hospital today.”

“So am I,” she countered.

“Listen. Charlie has something on me,” I admitted.

“What is it?”

“The press. All the plans to clean up my image—involving you—it’s because a girl accused me of getting her pregnant.”

I saw the instant hurt in her eyes. The betrayal. The disbelief.

“Wh-what?”

“It’s not true. None of it. I’ve never even met the girl, but it doesn’t matter. I’m going through image rehab with Charlie. And she knows about us. She knows how I feel about you. Why I’ve been so damn adamant you stay out of this.”