“Hey.” Nate’s hand found mine again, this time squeezing. “I don’t know where you are, but come back to me, okay?”

I looked over at my friend as he reached out to wipe tears I didn’t know I was crying, off my cheeks.

“I’m right here if you need to talk to me.”

I wiped each cheek again. “I’m so tired of crying. I want to go back to the time when I was tough as nails and never let anything hurt me.”

“Mols, it always hurt, you just got really good at pretending it didn’t. There’s only so much a person can take. And, babe, you reached your limit a long time ago.”

I nodded, wondering if he was right. “How’s Lia?”

He snorted. “Feisty as fuck. She’s pissed they won’t let her see Mike, and I wouldn’t be surprised if she was staging a sit-in right about now.” He made me laugh. “Naw, she’s good. Worried about you. I am too.”

“I’m fine.”

“I know that. You’ll heal.” He was quiet for a few seconds, steepled his fingers the way he did when he was avoiding something. Whatever was coming was something he didn’t want to talk about. “Other than you, he’s my best friend.”

I glanced over, surprised that he wanted to have this conversation right now. I’d known for a while it was coming, but here? I didn’t know what to say. “That’s because he’s an amazing man.”

Nate nodded, eyes meeting mine. “He is. There is no one in the world I trust as much as I trust him. He’s my brother in every way but blood. I never saw the two of you together. To be honest, the thought never crossed my mind.” He snorted. “Guess it only makes sense, though, since there isn’t anyone else in the world that could put up with either of you.”

“So, like you and Lia, huh?”

He laughed. “True story.” Then his smile disappeared. “I’m gonna tell you what I told him. He’s family, Molly. He’s been through hell and back, and doesn’t need more shit in his life. You wanna be with him, I’ll support you however I can. It goes south, you cut your losses and move on. But, you hurt him unnecessarily, and I’ll never forgive you.”

I couldn’t hide the smile. Nate just threatened me. “Not gonna happen, you big oaf. I love him. I wouldn’t do anything to hurt him. You can worry about something else now.”

Nate narrowed his eyes for a brief moment, then nodded. “Right now I’m worried about you being here when he wakes up and sees you.”

I glanced back toward Jamie’s bed and took a deep breath. “I don’t want him to be alone.”

He leaned sideways, throwing his arm over my shoulder. “I know you don’t. You got him through the worst of it. But I need you to think about how he’s going to react if you’re here. You’re the last person he wants to see, Mols, even if you don’t want to admit it.”

He had a point, one I’d been trying to make to myself for days. “I just wanted to get him through the rough patch. But they won’t tell me anything, so how do I know if it’s over?”

Nate smiled his signature smirk. “The nurse on duty told me they wouldn’t be surprised if he comes out of it tonight or tomorrow.”

I narrowed my eyes at him, making him laugh.

“I’m Nate Kelly.” He didn’t need to give me more of an explanation. “Come to the hotel with me tonight, please? Sleep in a real bed. I’ll bring you back first thing in the morning.”

I gave in, the idea of an actual bed too tempting to turn down. Nate led me out, stopping in the almost empty waiting room to grab Rhett. Seeing my confused expression, Rhett nodded. “Rock stars can sleep anywhere—and most of us have. We just prefer somewhere a little more comfortable than a hospital waiting room.” He smiled. “They’ve taken over a conference room at the hotel instead.”

After we had gathered up everything of ours that had been left behind, I turned and headed toward the elevators. “Uh, uh, uh.” Nate grabbed me and steered me away. “We can’t go out that way.”

“Why? Where are we going?”

“Back elevator staff entrance. And you’ll see.”

I didn’t see them until we were downstairs, safely on the other side of the security barrier, where Sam and Kris were waiting for us. Camped outside, pressed up against the glass, there were what looked like hundreds of photographers.

“They all want the photo to go with the big story.”

“Ahh. And what is the big story right now?”

Rhett laughed while Nate looked uncomfortable. “Lover’s quarrel gone bad. Lia shot you when she caught us together.”

That was funny. I couldn’t imagine Lia shooting anyone. No, I take that back. She would definitely shoot the woman she caught warming Nate’s bed. But she’d make sure her husband caught a bullet as well.

Nate started to walk towards the back of the hospital, flocked by his security guards, but I stopped him. “No. Not this time,” I shook my head. I’d let the damn paparazzi, and the fear of whatever story they might print, control me for far too long. I hadn’t done anything wrong and I wasn’t going to sneak out of the back entrance like I had. Fuck them.

Rhett threw an arm around my shoulder, ruffling the top of my hair in a brotherly way. “Our little girl is all grown up,” he joked to Nate.

Nate hadn’t budged. His eyes searched my face. “You sure?”

I nodded, “They’re gonna print whatever they want anyway, so let’s give ‘em something good to talk about.”

“Hell, yeah!” A smile tugged at his lip and he reached for my hand, “I fucking missed you, kid.”

Sam only rolled his eyes, but called the cars around front. We battled our way through bright flashes and shouted questions, everyone trying to get a shot no one else had. We ignored their questions, but Nate’s hand never left mine. I could only imagine what tomorrow’s headlines would claim. I smiled all the way to the hotel. Fuck them.

By the time we made it back to the hotel, I was so tired I wanted nothing more than to head straight to bed. The boys wouldn’t let me. “Everyone will want to see you,” Nate explained as he led me to the conference room our group had apparently commandeered.

Rhett hadn’t been lying. It seemed like everyone, from the band to security to Julie, was there. They cheered when we walked through the door, all happy Nate had finally talked me out of Jamie’s room. A plate of food was shoved into my hands, followed by another cup of coffee, and then I was safely deposited in a chair by the windows so I could eat in peace.

Of course, peace to my friends meant someone stopping by every five seconds asking the same questions I’d just been asked, sharing the same information the person before them had shared, and telling me how great it was to see me. God, I loved my music family.

After I’d eaten more than I had in days, Lia set my cell phone on my lap. “It’s fully charged. Call Anneslee. She’s worried sick and said she didn’t care what time it was.”

I nodded, not blaming my sister. I longed to hear her voice as well. I also needed to call The Joneses. They needed to hear about what happened from me instead of reading some half-truth on the cover of a magazine. But it was late on the East Coast, so I’d have to call them the next day.

Before Lia could slip away, I grabbed her hand. “Any word on Mike? Are they charging him?”

“I doubt it. They just need to cover all their bases.”

“Will you let me know as soon as you hear something?”

“You will be the first person I tell, I promise. Now, go call your sister so she can stop blowing up my phone.” With a smile, she walked off, giving me some privacy.

I stood, stretching. Everyone was being very kind, but I didn’t want to have this conversation here. Déjà vu hit, and nerves tightened my stomach thinking about the chain of events that happened the last time I’d had that thought. Glancing around the room, I decided to take my chances with the bathroom this time.

Julie caught me just as I was about to push through the door. She smiled, something that could actually be passed as genuine happiness on her face. “I’m not sure welcome back is appropriate, but welcome back.”