Assured (Soul Serenade #2)(44)

I check the time on my cell phone. The girls were supposed to be here fifteen minutes ago, and those two are the most punctual women I’ve ever met.

“I just talked to Logan,” Kacen tells me. “Apparently, she’s ‘dragging ass’ and they’re on their way.” He smiles.

“She doing okay?”

“Yeah, as she gets further along, she gets tired easily.”

“How about you, man?”

“Never f*cking better.” He grins.

“Excited about meeting the little guy?” Gavin asks.

“You know he’s going to play the drums, right?” Tristan asks.

Kacen and Logan found out they’re having a boy the day after I spent my first night with Stacy. To say that Kacen is ecstatic is an understatement.

“Hell yes, I am. I can’t wait to meet him. And he can play whatever the hell he wants,” he adds. “Besides, you play more than one instrument.”

Tristan is like a f*cking musical genius. He plays piano, drums, guitar, and can rock a harmonica like nobody’s business.

“True story.” Tristan laughs.

The sound of the chaos outside our dressing room filters in. Turning toward the door, I see two bodyguards escorting the girls safely into our room.

Conversation lost, Kacen and I seek them out. I wrap my arms around Stacy and she relaxes into me. Her hold is weak. “What’s wrong?”

“Just not feeling well.”

I pull back and place my hand on her forehead, like I know what I’m doing. I have no f*cking clue, but it’s what my mom used to do when Chloe and I were kids. I’ve seen Chloe and Kyle do the same with Mia. She feels warm, but does she have a fever? Fuck if I know.

“Can I get you anything?”

“Just you,” she says, resting her head back against my chest.

Undone. Never thought I would want to be spouting words of love and shit, but this girl . . . She changes everything.

“That I can do,” I affirm. Resting my chin on her head, I hold her close.

A roadie raps on the door. “Showtime.”

“You okay to watch the show?” I ask, my lips next to her ear.

“Of course. I wouldn’t miss it.”

I motion for the guard who stays with her to lead us backstage. There are people everywhere, including the paparazzi. Now that it’s out that she’s taken me off the market, they’re like vultures trying to get pictures of us.

We make it backstage and there are two stools waiting where they always are. Far enough back that the crowd can’t see them, but close enough that we can.

I lean in to kiss her and she turns her head. “I don’t know if I’m coming down with something. I don’t want to get you sick.”

I don’t like it, but I get it. I settle for a kiss to her temple before taking my place onstage.

The crowd is full of energy. They go wild when Kacen tells them the love of his life is a Buckeye.

Every time I look over at Stacy, she’s just sitting, tapping her foot to the beat. Logan isn’t her usual peppy self either. I’m glad we have a few days off so the girls can get some rest. I watch as Kacen keeps checking on them as well.

How things have changed.

As soon as the lights go down after our second encore, I’m handing off my guitar and heading toward her. She stands when she sees me, a soft smile on her face.

I wrap my arm around her shoulders. “Let’s get you out of here.”

“I got it, man,” Gavin says. He looks from me to Stacy.

I nod my thanks, happy I don’t have to worry about making sure my stuff is packed up. It doesn’t matter anyway—I already have what’s most important with me.

I don’t go back to the room; instead, accompanied by the bodyguard, I take my girl back to the bus. We’re taking it to Kacen’s. We set the crew up in a hotel for the next few days, and the driver will take a cab back to the hotel as well.

The driver is waiting for us once we reach the bus, and he unlocks the door then holds it open for us. Just as he’s about to shut it, I hear, “Wait up.” Turning, I see that Kacen and Logan had the same idea.

I lead Stacy to the couch and she sits, resting her head against the wall. “What do you need, sweets?” I kneel in front of her and gently rub her thighs.

“Some Advil, maybe?” Logan says from behind me.

Stacy nods.

I jump into action, rummaging through the cabinet in the bathroom until I find a bottle and let three pills fall into my palm. I grab a cold bottle of water from the fridge and kneel before her once again.

“Take these.” I hand her the pills and open the bottle of water, passing it to her as well.

“Thank you,” she croaks out.

This is the first thing she’s said since the show ended, and she sounds terrible.

I look over at the table where Kacen and Logan are sitting. “What can I do?”

“Sore throat?” Logan asks, and Stacy nods. “Headache?” Another nod. “Body aches?” another nod. “She probably has strep throat. She gets it every year, and it usually starts like this.”

“We need to take her to the emergency room.” I stand, ready to carry her there if I have to.

“No, we don’t. An urgent care or one of those pharmacy clinics is fine. She does need to see a doctor to get some antibiotics, though.” Logan starts typing on her phone. “Okay, so the urgent care on the way back to the house is open until eleven.”