“I have faith that you’ll be able to pull it all together. So what’s really bothering you?”
“Nothing. Everything. I just . . . Oh, it’s completely stupid. Forget I called.”
“I’m sure it’s not stupid. Just spit it out. What’s going on?”
“No, it’s really stupid of me to even be thinking about this. I mean, Sebastian and I had sex once. I’m going on a first date with Cory. I totally shouldn’t even be thinking about what’s going to happen five months down the line.”
Sabrina huffed. “But that’s who you are. And you know it. So what exactly are you thinking about?”
“That Sebastian’s going to leave. He’s going to get back together with his band and he’ll walk out the door and I’ll never see him again. So I should just break things off with him now.”
She’d had that realization sometime this afternoon while her brain had been working overtime on various other problems. And once it’d crossed her mind, it wouldn’t leave.
“Wait, explain that rationale to me again.” Sabrina sounded highly skeptical but Tru was convinced she was right.
“In the very near future, he’s not going to be holed up in the studio just down the hall. He’ll be out on tour and moving back to wherever it is he lives when he’s not on the road.” Then she had another thought. “Oh. hell, I don’t even know where he lives.”
“Tru—”
“No. Just . . . don’t. Okay?” She flopped onto the bed, half-dressed and not sure she wanted to continue. She wanted to put on her comfy sweats and curl up on her sofa and nurse her grumpy mood with ice cream and wine. “I lived in Hollywood long enough to know how this story is going to end. Even if you’re crazy in love with someone, it doesn’t survive the reality of spending two months on set with some hot babe who wants to give you head in your car on your way to dinner. Relationships take work. They take commitment. They take day-to-day contact and nourishment. And Sebastian isn’t a commitment kind of guy.”
Sabrina paused for several seconds. “Do you want him to be?”
Did she?
“I don’t . . . I mean, I don’t know what I want. But I do know there’s no reason for us to even start dating because it won’t amount to anything.”
“And how do you know that?”
Tru rolled her eyes as she forced herself to her feet and started pulling clothes out of the closet. “Oh, please. Sebastian’s not looking for long-term.”
“And you are?”
“I . . . Well, I mean . . . shouldn’t I be? Isn’t that why you date? To find a man you want to spend time with? Why should I get wrapped up in someone who isn’t going to be around for a while?”
“Um . . .”
“I mean, Cory seems like a really nice guy and I should give him a fair shot, right? And if all I do is think about hot sex with Sebastian, I’m not really giving Cory a decent chance.”
“Well . . .
“But sex with Sebastian is . . . Oh my god, it was so good. Our chemistry is off the charts, so why should I give that up? I mean, it’s not like I’m getting married anytime soon. Hell, I don’t even know if I want to get married. Like, ever.”
“Okay . . .”
“Jeez, Rina, come on. I need some guidance here.”
Sabrina laughed. “It sounds like you just need someone to vent to.”
“Ugh. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to wig out on you.”
“Hey, I get it. You’ve got a lot on your mind. But I think you’re missing a huge point.”
“Oh, yeah? What’s that?”
“How much you like Sebastian. And don’t bother to tell me you don’t know him well enough to know how you feel about him. I know you, Tru. You’ve probably already made a list of all the pros and cons of dating Sebastian.”
Tru grimaced. She hadn’t actually put it on paper but she had been thinking about it.
“Listen,” Sabrina continued, “just have fun tonight. And don’t make any decisions until after your date with Baz.”
“I won’t. Oh my god, I’ve gotta run.”
“Let’s meet for lunch tomorrow. I work until seven tomorrow morning but I’ll stay awake if you promise to meet me around eleven, ’kay?”
“Absolutely. But let’s go somewhere out of the hotel. I don’t want to run into Sebastian by accident. Oh, I know. Why don’t you just come to my place? I’ll make coffee and you can bring donuts. Bring lots of donuts.”
Sabrina laughed. “Sounds like a date. Just don’t add me into your life-plan calculations.”
“Ha-ha. Greg wouldn’t share you anyway.”
Sabrina gave a choked laugh. “You have no idea. Alright, I better let you go. I’ll see you tomorrow. And Tru . . . try to have a good time.”
Sighing, she hung up. She hoped she would have a good time.
And also kind of hoped she wouldn’t.
Chapter Nine
“Hey, Baz, what are you doing tonight?”
“Not a goddamn thing. Why?”
Greg sat on the stool near the piano, watching Sebastian as he noodled around the keys. He had a melody in his head but was having trouble hearing it the right way on the piano. Guess he’d have to move to the acoustic guitar next.
“We need new blood for cards. I nominated you.”
Sebastian huffed out a laugh. “Guess I don’t get a say in the matter.”
“Not really, no. Besides, I figure you can use the distraction.”
Baz gave Greg the finger and the bastard just smiled at him.
“Who are you? My father?”
“I’m not that old, dickwad.” He stood, grabbing Baz by the shirt and pulling him to his feet. “Let’s go. We’ll get some dinner first.”
“Don’t you have a girlfriend you need to get home to?”
“She’s working tonight. I figure I’ve got time to babysit you.”
“Yeah, yeah, fuck you, too.”
But since he really didn’t have anything to do other than sit around and torture himself with thoughts of what the hell Tru was doing, he followed Greg back to the hotel like a good little puppy.
And tried not to wonder if Tru was going to have sex with her date tonight.
Just the thought made him homicidal. His hands clenched and unclenched as he and Greg walked along the sidewalk. The air still held the warmth of the day and he didn’t need a jacket, which made several of the business types hurrying along do a double take of his tattoos. A few of the younger women smiled, but the older ones glanced away like they were afraid he’d drag them into a dark corner. A couple of the guys shook their heads and instantly dismissed him.
Was Tru going out with one of those? Some clean-cut suit with a five-hundred-dollar haircut and a corner office who drove a new Lexus and listened to Ed Sheeran and thought Nicki Minaj was cutting edge?
Fuck. He’d told himself he wasn’t going to think about it. Was going to push it out of his head. He’d planned to lock himself in the studio tonight with the piano and the guitar and a bottle of Jack and concentrate on the music.
Greg’s plan was probably better. At least he wouldn’t be alone when his brain couldn’t shut down and he’d think about doing something really stupid.
Greg kept up a steady conversation that didn’t require Baz to do more than nod or grunt every few minutes. Greg obviously realized Baz’s head wasn’t in the right zone for conversation.
Honestly, he thought as they got in the elevator at Haven, headed for their separate rooms, Baz wasn’t sure he wanted to do anything with anyone tonight. Maybe—
“Meet me at my apartment in fifteen minutes.” Greg turned before he left the elevator at the fourth floor. “Don’t piss me off and not show.”
Baz grimaced, his sigh heavy and long. “Yes, Dad. I’ll be there.”