Out of the Shadow (26 page)

She nodded and he dropped his hand. He backed out of the parking spot while she turned her head and watched the cute little park disappear from her window.

“
Can I still call you?” she asked in a weak voice.

“
Sure,” he said, not sparing her a glance. “If you want.”

“
But you won’t be calling me, will you?” she asked tersely, bitterness creeping into her tone.

“
Not like I used to, no,” he muttered. “Al, this is for the best.”

“
Sure,” she said as she leaned her elbow on the door and propped her head with her hand. She wanted to ask just who he thought would benefit from this whole deal but if it was what he wanted, she was helpless to do anything but give it to him. She owed him something after what she’d done.

All too soon, he was stopping at the curb in the school’s parking lot. She fumbled with the door handle, desperate to get away from him so she could release the tears – tears that were a combination pain and anger.

But he grabbed her arm and stopped her. “Al, wait.” She paused. “Al, I love you, remember that.”

She nodded and, not wanting to prolong her agony, jerked her arm out of his grasp. She forced the door open, the cool air smacking her face, and hopped out of the car, slamming the door a little harder than she’d intended. She took a few steps toward her dorm and glanced over her shoulder to see him pull away, then changed her course. She dug her keys out of her jacket pocket and ran to her own car.

It took her thirty minutes to reach the studio and park her car in the parking garage. The anguish was climbing her throat, looking for release, and she didn’t want it to come until she was safely ensconced in her daddy’s arms. Then, she’d beg him to drive her home so she could hug her mother and allow her parents’ love to wrap around her like a warm quilt on a cold, snowy day.

Once the elevator doors opened, she raced down the hall, straight to her father’s office and nearly sobbed when she turned the knob only to find it locked. She rested her forehead on the hard wood and sucked in a breath.

“
Ally?”

She turned her head and found Robby, his face a mask of concern.

“
What’s the matter?” he asked as he rushed to her and placed a cautious hand on her shoulder. “Are you all right?”

She shook her head. “I need my dad. Where is he?”

“
He went with Nate to take the guys to the airport,” Robby said, lines deepening in his forehead. His hand slid down her arm, to her elbow, and he gripped it firmly. “Come to my office and we’ll talk, okay?”

She nodded, gnawing on her bottom lip, and allowed him to guide her to his office. He ushered her to a chair, shut the door, and perched on the edge of his desk. He clasped his hands together, his brows dipped over his eyes, and frowned.

“
What happened?” he asked.

She folded her trembling hands in her lap as the tears continued to fall. She sniffed and smiled when he handed her a handkerchief. “Um, Cole and I split up.”

He froze briefly then slipped off the desk to kneel before her. “Ally, I’m really sorry.”

She lifted a shoulder and wiped her nose. “I told him that I kissed you.”

Robby nodded, his lips set in a straight line. “It’s best that you’re honest with him. You don’t want to have secrets in any relationship.”

A sob rose in her throat as she relayed the entire story to him. He patted her hand and comforted her the best he could and when she finished, he stood and folded his arms over his chest.

“
It sounds like he just needs a little space, Ally,” Robby said. “I know it upsets you but I think he’s being reasonable. I’m sure when he’s back for Thanksgiving, you two will talk and sort it all out.”

She lifted hopeful eyes to him. “Do you really think so?”

“
Sure,” he said with a tiny smile. “Now, have you eaten anything today?” She shook her head. He walked around his desk and lifted the phone, speaking softly. He hung up and sat in his chair. “I ordered a pizza and we’ll eat while you wait for your dad to come back. How’s that sound?”

“
Thanks, Robby,” she said as she scooted her chair closer. “I appreciate it, really.”

“
Not a problem,” he said.

When the pizza arrived, she nibbled on a slice, mostly to appease him and not out of hunger, and listened as he talked about the new bands they’d signed. She asked the appropriate questions, though her mind was miles and miles away. After they finished, he invited her to hang out in his office while he worked, assuring her Jay intended to check in before heading home for the day.

And sure enough, he popped his head in Robby’s office an hour later and the words he’d been about to say disappeared as he stepped inside and collected Ally in his arms. She sobbed in his chest, all the agony she’d been retaining spilling out in large gushes. He held her until she finished then kissed her forehead.

“
Come on, princess,” he said tenderly. “I’ll drive you home but first we’ll stop and buy some of that ice cream you and your mother love so much. Then, you two can sit on the sofa with spoons and eat and talk to your hearts’ desire.”

She managed her first true smile of the day. “Thanks, Daddy.”

He slipped an arm around her shoulders and led her out of the office. She paused in the doorway to thank Robby once again then sank into her father, depending on his strength in more ways than one.

Chapter Sixteen

Cole leaned back in the chair, lifting the front two legs off the floor, and watched RJ and Ren bicker over the only lemon-lime soda on the table. A grin adorned his face but he didn’t feel it. He didn’t feel like smiling much these days as his heart still pained him, especially at night.

Parker sat next to him, texting crazily, probably to Deidre, his girlfriend, and another pang struck his already fragile heart. How he wished he could whip out his own phone and send Ally a text or two, but what was there to say? He was no closer to clearing his head than he had been a week earlier when he’d left her near her dorm.

He’d come to L.A. and totally immersed himself into his career, working with Rhys Redden until all hours of the night, planning the video they were to shoot the next week. He went over their schedule, discussing every minute point, and when they returned to the condo at night, he wrote lyrics and music until his mind grew so fuzzy, he fell into a dreamless sleep. He woke early the next day and started once again.

He’d taken RJ aside after he’d returned from Ally’s school and explained what had happened and when they’d all four boarded the plane, he quietly told Ren and Parker that he and Ally had decided to take a break. He hadn’t offered any details and they wisely hadn’t asked. But the pointed looks and the questioning glances were there, always in his peripheral vision.

The door to the conference room opened and admitted Rhys Redden followed by Doug and Lila. Cole’s chair fell to all four legs as he stifled a groan. Although Doug’s title was that of their tour manager, he often accompanied them when they did appearances or shot videos. And it was obvious that Lila would be tagging along, picking up tips and learning the ropes.

“
Morning, guys,” Rhys greeted with a grin. He yanked out a chair and sat, opening a file. “We’ll shoot the video this week and then I want to get you guys on a plane Friday. I want you in New York this weekend and most of next week doing some promotional stuff.”

“
Cool,” Ren said, grinning at his brother. “I love New York.”

“
You won’t have a whole lot time for sightseeing, I’m afraid,” Rhys said with a rueful grin. “You’ll be doing appearances every day – talk shows, radio shows, music stores, that sort of thing. It’s a brutal schedule but I think it’s important.” He paused to give them each a stern look. “You guys are hot right now – the tour was fantastic – we want to milk it while we can.”

“
It’s no problem,” Cole said, needing a heavy schedule to keep his mind off of Ally. He gave a passing thought to what the other guys had to say about it, but he figured they’d deal. They wanted to succeed as much as he did and they’d never shown fear at the sign of hard work.

“
That’s what I like to hear,” Rhys said with a wide grin. He passed out copies of their itinerary and went over every stop. When they finished their meeting, it was fast approaching lunch time and Cole’s stomach had started to rumble.

“
All right, guys,” Rhys said, clapping his hands together. “I’ll see you at the site tomorrow and hopefully we’ll get this video wrapped up in a day or two.”

They filed out of the room, Lila hot on their heels. She snagged Cole by the arm and he turned to face her, bracing himself.

“
Looks like we’ll be traveling together again,” she said with a smirk. “Cool, huh?”

“
Sure,” he said in a bored tone. “Great. I have to run.”

“
Late for a phone call from your girlfriend?” she taunted, stepping closer. “Can’t let little Ally down now can we?”

He snorted and wrested his arm from her grip. “I have to go. Excuse me.”

He spun on his heel and charged down the hall, leaving Parker to deal with Lila.

“
Leave him alone,” Parker warned as he hovered over her. “He split with Ally and he doesn’t need you giving him grief, got it?”

He didn’t wait for her to respond – he jogged down the hall and caught the elevator before the doors could shut.

***

Ally entered her room and collapsed on her bed in a fit of boredom Friday afternoon. Shannon, who’d been sitting on her own bed reading, glanced at her with a raised brow.

“
I thought you had practice?” she asked.

“
Nope. Coach went out of town for some sort of family emergency,” Ally sighed. She stared at the ceiling as a heavy weight settled in her chest. Free time was a definite no-no in her book as it allowed her heart and her mind to focus on Cole and the emptiness his absence caused. She wanted – needed – to stay busy and avoid any alone time.

Shannon peered at her over the top of her book, her brown eyes regarding Ally carefully. She lowered her book, marked her page, and set it aside. “What are you going to do this weekend? Any plans?”

Ally shrugged as she considered going home. The thought of spending time with her parents was somewhat comforting. It was the nights, alone in her room that frightened her. Unless…

She sat up quickly and flashed a bright smile at Shannon. “Hey, what do you think about going home with me this weekend?”

Shannon’s eyes grew as she sucked in a noisy breath. “You mean…you want me to stay at your house this weekend?”

“
Yes,” Ally said, sliding to the edge of her bed, her eyes shining in anticipation. “We could hang out and maybe go riding since it’s not bitterly cold yet. What do you think?”

Ally could tell Shannon really wanted to go but was still sort of hesitant. She took her bottom lip between her teeth. “Your parents won’t care?”

“
Nah,” Ally said as she stood. “Come on – pack a bag and let’s go. I’ll call Jamie and leave him a message while you get your things together.”

“
Okay,” Shannon said as the last of her uncertainty faded away. She opened drawers and crammed jeans and sweatshirts into her bag while Ally called Jamie and left him a voice mail, telling him that she was taking Shannon home with her and to call if he would be going home after practice.

“
Ready,” Shannon said with a shiver of anticipation. “Are you driving?”