“It does. Can you imagine what his life is like?”
“No, I don’t have a clue, but that’s what Google is for.” Annette pointed to her computer sitting on her kitchen table.
Her stomach tilted as she envisioned the skanky looking groupies and model-like beauties pawing at him. “I’m not ready for that.”
“Okay, but think about this. Would you have given him a chance if you knew who he really was?”
“I don’t think so,” she whispered.
“Would you erase the last few weeks from your life if you had the chance?”
She didn’t even have to consider it. Even if she hated their ending, she loved their journey. She just hoped that didn’t make her stupid. “No.” She looked down at her legs as she rubbed her hands over her knees. “I love him.”
“Then maybe you should give him another chance. That is, if he wants it.”
She closed her eyes and shook her head. “He does, or at least I think he does, but I’m not ready.”
“It doesn’t have to happen today, tomorrow, or even next month, but keep in mind that in his life things probably change faster than in ours.”
Violet thought about Alec moving on in a week, a month, or a year, and her heart momentarily seized in her chest. While she’d never admit it, she was irrationally jealous at the thought of him moving on and finding someone else. She wanted him to be happy, but she hated the thought of him being with someone else and eventually forgetting her altogether until even her name was a fuzzy memory. “There’s so much I need to figure out before I even consider letting him back into my life.”
“Like what?”
“I decided to go to law school.”
“For you or your parents?”
“For me.”
“Then that’s all that matters. I’m happy for you.”
“Do you mind if I stay here tonight?” Violet asked in a small voice. Alec planned to leave Montana tomorrow and she planned to spend the next to two weeks on her parents’ ranch studying for the LSAT and wrapping her mind around whatever had happened with Alec.
Chapter Twenty-Four
“Alec, what the hell is going on?”
Alec’s drumstick froze in the air mid-stroke, colliding with Jax’s narrowed eyes and knitted brows. He stood up and slipped his drumsticks into his back pocket. “I need a break.”
“We just started an hour ago and you said the same thing yesterday and when you missed our Saturday band meeting.”
“I know and I’m not feeling it again today.”
Cam shook his head and Marcus’ dull eyes floated between Jax and Alec, but without judgment. Marcus never passed judgment on anyone and Cam knew he didn’t have the moral high ground to say anything. That left Jax, and Jax never fucked up unless stealing Cam’s girlfriend qualified as a fuck up, which it probably was, but that was old news.
“If we want to stay on schedule, we don’t have time for you to decide when you’re ready to feel it. You need to flip the switch and feel it.”
Alec rubbed the back of his neck, trying to dissipate some of the tension clawing at his shoulders. He hadn’t been able to concentrate since Violet walked away from him two weeks ago. Instead of leaving Friday morning like he promised Jax, he stayed until late Friday night, waiting for her to come home, but she never did. By the time he packed up his things, it was well past midnight and making the Saturday band meeting was impossible.
In the past week, he’d tried calling her and texting her at least ten times, but she still hadn’t responded. This morning, he broke down and researched her home number like a stalker. Ryder answered his call, but he didn’t offer any information other than saying Violet wouldn’t be home for another week. Now he understood why Marcus went to such lengths to avoid relationships. They screwed with your life.
“Fine, but let’s switch songs. I can’t stand another fucking love ballad written by you or Cam. When did Chasing Ruin become such a pansy, touchy-feely band?”
Marcus cleared his throat. “I’m with Alec. Let’s skip the love ballads today.”
“We had a couple on our last record and the fans liked them. We’re not dumping them,” Jax said.
“I’m not asking you to, but let’s start with something else. I can’t stomach listening to all this warm, fuzzy I worship you shit.”
“We’ll work on the love ballads last, but we need to be prepared to perform one of them for your charity event next month,” Jax said, picking up his microphone before turning around and eyeing Alec. “Or are you not feeling that, either? Do I need to retract the invitations?”