Assured (Soul Serenade #2) (22 page)

Lots of changes going on, for sure.

I know my relationship with Stacy is one of them. Kacen has finally accepted it. After that first night I spent with her, he asked me if I was sure about what I was doing—always the sensible one. Once I told him that Stacy was my Logan, he hasn’t said another word.

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 fucking 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 fucking 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 fucking 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.”

“What time is it now?” It has to be getting close to that. We didn’t go on until eight, and our set it two hours long.

“It’s ten thirty.”

“How far is it from here?”

“There’s one around the corner,” Kacen chimes in, showing us his phone screen. “They close at eleven as well.”

I’m just about to call a cab when Gavin and Tristan climb on board, carrying all of our stuff. “Clyde,” I address the driver. Kacen rattles off the address as Clyde takes his place behind the wheel.

Kace was right; the urgent care is literally right around the corner from the venue. Stacy stands, and I bend down and pick her up in my arms.

“I can walk,” she squeaks out.

“Shh, I know you can, but you don’t have to. I got you.” I carry her from the bus with Gavin hot on my heels. He gets the door for me. I set Stacy in a chair, and Gavin takes the seat beside her. The receptionist at the window immediately recognizes me.

“OH, MY GOD!” she screams, and I cringe. “I can’t believe it’s you. I wanted to go to your show but I couldn’t get off work. This is so much better. EEEK! Gavin too!”

I hold up my hand to quiet her. Surprisingly, it works. “Thank you, but we are here for a reason. My girlfriend is sick.”

Her face falls as soon as the word “girlfriend” falls from my lips.

“Can I have your autograph?”

What. The. Fuck.

I place both hands on the counter and lean through the window. “Listen, my girlfriend is sick and needs to see a doctor. Do your damn job and get her signed in,” I seethe.

She instantly starts tapping on the keyboard in front of her. “I’m sorry,” she says before asking for all of Stacy’s information. I don’t have her insurance info—hell, I don’t even know if she has any. Instead, I hand over my Amex—it doesn’t matter what it costs. I just need her better. “Hand me that.” I point to a piece of paper sitting beside her. I scrawl out my name with “thank you for your help,” and give it back to her.

She beams, my tirade long forgotten.

I don’t even get to sit down before they are calling Stacy back to a room.

“We’re good, man. Thanks,” I say to Gavin. He nods and heads back to the bus. Stacy gives me a look, daring me to carry her. I don’t want to embarrass her, so I place my hand on the small of her back and walk with her into the exam room.

“Hi, Stacy. I’m Todd. What’s going on with you today?”

Todd? That’s not exactly professional. I watch while “Todd” types a few things on his laptop as Stacy starts to speak.

“I. . . .”

I place my hand on her arm. “She just started feeling bad earlier today.” She nods her agreement. “She’s got a bad sore throat, headache, body aches and I think she might have a fever.”

Stacy, who is sitting on the exam table, leans in to me where I stand right beside her.

“Have you taken anything?”

“She had three Advil about fifteen minutes ago. That’s all?” I ask Stacy.

She nods.

“Okay, let me take your vitals and then we’ll swab your throat. The doctor will be in to see you after,” Todd says.

Doctor? What the hell? I thought he was the doctor?

“Male nurse.” He smirks.

Shit. I must have said that out loud.

The room is quiet as he takes her vitals. When it’s time for him to swab her throat, she squeezes my hand tight. I know how she feels; I hate that shit.

“This takes about five minutes to run. The doctor will be in with the results,” Todd tells us then leaves the room.

“At least he didn’t ask for an autograph.”

Stacy smiles.

“Can I do anything?” I know there is really nothing I can do for her, but it kills me to see her not feeling well.

She doesn’t answer, just leans back against my chest. I stand there by the table and wrap my arms around her, trying to comfort her any way I can. This is new to me—taking care of someone, caring that they’re ill. I know it’s a sore throat, and after some meds and a few days of rest she’ll be good to go, but I want to take that from her. It’s a feeling that I couldn’t explain if I tried. I don’t ever want to see her less than happy, without that blinding smile on her face.

I rub slow, lazy circles on her back. That’s how the doctor finds us.

“Hi, Stacy, I’m Doctor Gilbert. Looks like your throat culture came back positive for strep throat. Let’s take a look.” He stands to look in her throat and feel around on her neck. “Any other symptoms?” he asks as he checks her ears.

Stacy shakes her head.

“Are you allergic to any medications?”

“No,” she rasps.

“Great. I’m going to put you on a seven-day regimen. Make sure you take them all. If you’re not feeling better in a couple of days, come back to us or see your primary care,” he says, never taking his eyes off his computer screen. “Which pharmacy do you use?”

“We’re from out of town. Can you just write it and we’ll find one close by that’s still open? If that’s even possible.”

“Sure, we can also fill it here. Although, our prices are a little higher as we don’t have the volume the retailers do,” he explains.

“Fill it.”

“All right then. Give us about ten minutes and we’ll have it ready for you. You’re welcome to wait here or in the waiting room.”

“I gave the receptionist my card. Have her charge the visit and the medicine.”

“Sure thing. I’ll send her in with everything as soon as it’s ready. Feel better, Stacy,” he says over his shoulder as he leaves the room.

“I don’t want to expose Logan and the baby more than I already have,” she says, holding her throat.

Shit. I didn’t even think about that. I pull my phone out of my pocket and call Kacen.

I explain what’s going on. “Can you have Logan pack us a bag? I’m going to just call a cab and get a hotel room. We don’t want to risk it with Logan and the baby.”

He agrees and I’m ending my call just as the receptionist comes into the room.

“Here’s your receipt and your card, Mr. Hampton. The prescription is in the bag.”

“Thank you,” I say, turning to give all of my attention to Stacy. This girl didn’t even acknowledge her. “You ready to get home and get some rest, sweets?”

“Yes.” She winces.

“Don’t talk. Text me if you have to, but don’t talk.”

“Do you all have cough drops and Advil here too?” I ask the nosy fucking receptionist, who is still standing there watching us.

“Yeah, right this way. We have our own miniature pharmacy.”

After I grab everything I think she might need—and most of it I’m sure she won’t—we make our way outside. Gavin hands me a bag and points to the cab. “Logan got you a room, the cabbie knows where he’s going. The reservation is under Stacy Hampton.” He smirks.

“Thank you.” She winces again, holding her throat.

“Don’t talk,” I scold her. “Thanks, man. I’ll call you all tomorrow.” I reach for the bag with one hand and Stacy with the other. “Let’s get you to bed.”