Finally, the steam from the shower clouds the mirror and I don’t have to stare at the disgusting reflection any longer. The hot water soothes my back from the hardwood floor I used as a bed last night. As I scrub the shampoo into my hair, Sad by Maroon 5 begins playing in my head. Mindlessly, going through my cleaning ritual, the words leave my mouth and I think about my mother. What will it take for her to claim responsibility of Matty, and herself for that matter? If my dad knew the money I dished out to her, he’d be furious. So, it’s better he doesn’t. The pressure of it all must be building inside of me worse than I thought because of the way I sobbed in Rob’s arms last night.

Shutting off the water, I step out of the shower, and slide my arm across the mirror; I stare at a better version of myself. Since I embarrassed myself last night and then this morning, I need to use every stitch of makeup to let Rob know I’m not disgusting like he witnessed this morning.

A knock on the door startles me and I jump back. Opening the door a sliver, I peek out. “You can sing?” Rob’s there with no shirt and his towel swung over his shoulder.

“What?” I shake my head to his question.

“You were singing.” He points inside the bathroom. “You’re good, Paige. Like, really, really good.” His excitement brings a smile to my face.

“Oh. I had some lessons when I was younger.” Lessons being a loose term for the singing coach who would teach me a few things when my dad took me on summer tours. The nanny that was hired didn’t exactly fill my time, so my dad asked Will, the lead singer, to perfect my interest. The summer it happened, I swore I was destined to be a singer and meant to be on stage with the band. That ended when I witnessed Will, the lead singer, taken out on a stretcher after overdosing on cocaine. It didn’t seem so glamorous after that.

“Sing with us tonight?” He rushes the question out and I jolt back, losing grip of the door.

Rob takes this as an invitation to intrude and I tighten the towel around my body. He stops cold, his eyes roaming up and down, stopping right above my breasts. “Privacy please.” I comment, stepping further into the bathroom, mentally figuring out how I’ll grab my robe without the towel coming undone.

“Please, I’ve seen girls before.” He waves off his imposition. “Seriously, Paige. Brady was up all night throwing up, he can’t perform tonight.”

“First of all, you haven’t seen this girl before.” I point to myself. “Second, I can guarantee you, it doesn’t compare to the other girls you’ve manipulated.” I poke his chest and he stumbles back with wide eyes until he reaches the hall. “Third, cancel the show then.” I shut the door and flick the lock.

Once I’m back to myself without his eyes pinned to me, I inhale a deep breath and let it out slowly to regain control of my body. I shrug my robe on and open the door. Rob’s leaning with one leg up resting against the wall. When he sees me, he pushes off the wall and begins to follow me to my bedroom. “Please, Paige. I sing back-up so I can help you. I’ll get you up to speed.” He rambles and I do feel I owe him for watching Matty yesterday.

“I’ve never sang in front of anyone, Rob. Not even karaoke.” His face lights up, acknowledgment that I’m wavering.

“You sounded amazing just now and you didn’t have instruments as back-up. The only problem is catching you up on our songs.” I stand in my doorway and he politely gives me space.

“I don’t know. You have work, I have class. What time is the show?” Am I actually going to do this? Sing in front of a group of girls that are partly there for the eye candy up on stage.

“I’ll leave early.” He cringes, probably thinking about how much work he’s missed lately. I can count on two hands the days he’s said he called in. “I’ll figure something out. Please.” He clasps his hands together and falls to his knees. His tattooed chest is alive with color and I want to inch closer to figure out what each one means.

“Ugh . . .” I turn around and roll my eyes at my own stupidity for agreeing. “Fine,” I exasperate and my shoulders slump, twisting around to Rob.

He crawls on his knees over to me, hugging me around my legs and I almost topple over. “Thank you, Paige.”

I tap my hand on his head like a dog and he rises to his feet. “Thank you.” His eyes are so appreciative and grateful; he’d manipulate me to do anything in this moment.

“You’re welcome. So can you please get out so I can get ready?” I shoo him from the room and he laughs.

Right as he reaches the door, he flips around. “Like the Brazilian thing going on.” He points at me and my heart stops beating for a second.

“Get out, Rob, before I change my mind.” I seethe through my teeth. His head rears back in laughter and he shuts the door.

My head flips down and then back up.

He’s assuming, right? No way that he had seen under the towel.

Heat travels up my neck, seeping into my cheeks and I’m sure I’m as red as a stop sign right now.

I SPOT THE vacant booth and sigh. None of the girls could make it tonight, all with legit reasons, but standing on this stage, trying to memorize the songs Rob and I have been working on for five straight hours while they move the instruments in, frazzles my nerves. As it is, a friend of Rob’s is now substituting Dex’s position as the bass player.

“You holding up?” Rob asks, chuckling to himself while he carries a drum to the stage.

“Why didn’t you cancel? It’s like The Invisibles with their misfits.” I place the sheet of paper down and throw my head in my hands. I’ll be lucky if I correctly sing the lyrics to one of these songs tonight.

“We were going to.” He plops down on the edge of the stage with me. His eyes light up with delight. “Until I heard you sing.” He raises his eyebrows up and down a few times.

“You mean eavesdropped?” I clarify and he leans back on his hands, a smile in place.

“Potato . . . potatoes. Same outcome.” He shrugs his shoulders and peers out to the empty booth. “Sorry about the girls,” he comments, never turning toward me.

When Roni, the usual waitress, casts a glance to him, he motions her over.

“Usual, Rob?” she asks, not taking out her notepad or pen.

“Please, Roni. Make it two.” He tosses his head my way and she peers over to me and then leers back to him before her sight returns to me.

“Is that what you want?” she questions me, and I laugh at her straightforwardness, disregarding Rob.

My eyes veer to Rob and then back to her. “It’s fine.” I tilt my head in an affectionate manner and she nods sidling up to her next customer.

“She’s always busting my balls. I’ll be right back.” His hand squeezes my shoulder as he lifts himself up and I take a deep breath from the contact. I’ve got to grab a hold of my emotions. Especially since we have the love ballad Brady wrote for Sadie to sing tonight. When Rob brought it up, I fought that we shouldn’t sing it, saying no one else should, but Brady added that it’s the most popular song right now and it’s a must on the list. Sadie seemed indifferent, so here I am preparing to sing side by side in some duet with Rob. That should help us stay in the friend zone—not.

“I’m Roni by the way.” The cute blonde comes over. She’s probably in her thirties and I notice her diamond ring sparkling under the lights.

“Paige.” She places the drinks on the stage and then smiles over to me.

“I think he likes you.” She eyes Rob helping Trey set up the drums and then back to me.

I’m mute because how am I supposed to respond to that? I hope he does, but I’m not completely sure. Even if he is, I’m afraid it’s only my body he wants. “I’m not into the whole one-night thing,” I admit and her hand lands on my knee with her tray tucked under arm.