Page 111 of Sing For Me

Eva

The trip back to LA is terrible—Will has barely said a word to me, beyond a clipped apology for bringing me into his family drama. When I press to know what in the hell had happened back there, he shuts down.

So I spend a very uncomfortable car ride to the airport and flight home with a sullen and silent Will Ransome. I pick up a fantasy paperback I’ve been meaning to read in the airport gift shop but even dragons can’t distract me from the pissed off, clearly hurt man beside me.

Luckily, the paparazzi interest seems to have waned in our absence. There aren’t even any photographers waiting at my house when he pulls up to the gate. Once we’re buzzed through, he puts the truck into park but he doesn’t turn off the engine, staring straight ahead.

“You don’t want to come in?”

“I’m going to be shitty company.”

I chew my lip, wondering if I should attempt to convince him or just let it go. No matter how shitty his mood might be, I hate the thought of him leaving. Hate the idea of him sitting alone in his apartment, without Rose and River, who stayed in Tennessee for the end of the vacation.

I reach over and take his hand. “When I said I wanted to be yours, I didn’t just mean on your good days, Will.”

My words seem to have some kind of effect on him, because he relaxes into his seat and his fingers tighten in mine. “Eva, I’m so sorry you had to watch me lose my shit like that.”

I study the side of his face, thinking about how I want to reply. He finally seems to have relaxed a little and I don’t want to push him. “I just wish I knew what exactly I was witnessing,” I finally say.

He sighs, but he doesn’t pull his hand away. “I have a complicated relationship with my dad and my uncles. I don’t agree with all the choices they’ve made with the record label and…some things are still pretty raw.”

I wait for more details but that’s, apparently, all the clarity I’m going to get.

“Are you hungry?” I ask, trying to push my frustration aside. I know better than anyone that it’s impossible to force someone to talk about their issues before they’re ready. I just hope he eventually gets there. “I could murder a pizza right now.”

The corner of his mouth tugs up, the first hint of a smile I’ve seen on his face since he left to take CeCe on the ATV this morning. “Pizza sounds good.”

While we eat, I tell Will about Katherine’s visit for my birthday and I can tell he’s glad for the distraction. “I would love to meet your sister,” he says. “Do you have plans for your birthday? Maybe we could do a dinner or something. I haven’t spent much time with your friends.”

For the first time since our trip was cut so disastrously short, I feel a surge of relief. Maybe everything is going to be okay here. Sure, Will is still having trouble opening up to me about certain things, but he obviously cares about me. About this relationship. Guys don’t offer to spend time with the friends and meet the family of girls they’re feeling iffy about.

“I figured we’d go out to dinner on Friday or Saturday,” I tell him. “Or maybe we could have everyone here? Your cousins, too, if you want.”

There’s the slightest flash of something dark in his eyes but he banishes it quickly. “I’ll check with River and Rose. Everly and Alex, too, if you want.” Then he grins. “You sure you just want dinner? You weren’t planning on like, a Dungeons and Dragons marathon?”

“Fuck off.”

He’s trying not to laugh now. “Or maybe some kind of cosplay party? You want me to be an elf, Eva?”

I snort. “You’d be the worst elfever, Will.”

He does laugh at that. “I love how you throw that out like a defense. Admitting to be an expert onelvesdoes not make you seem cooler, honey.”

We go into the kitchen to clean up our dishes and I catch sight of the second take-out box on the counter. “Guess I’m keeping these to myself, since someone doesn’t think I’m a cool person.”

He tries to reach for the box and I smack his hands away. “No way, buddy. I may have ordered cinnamon sticks just because they’re your favorite, but you’ve forfeited them now.”

He takes in a deep breath of warm dough and cinnamon and lets out a little whimper. “But they smell so good.”

“Should have been nicer to me.”

Out of nowhere, he grabs me around the waist and I squeal, trying to push him away. He ignores my efforts, pulling me close, that familiar smirk back on his face. It sends a fresh surge of relief through me. This is the Will I know—smirking and teasing and flirting. His hands drift down to my ass. “I’m sorry. Your encyclopedic knowledge of all things nerd is a total turn-on.”

I push on his chest, trying not to laugh. “You sure know how to proposition a girl.”

I love the bright twinkle in his eyes as he tightens his arms. “How about this, then—I’ll watch two whole episodes ofRaiderwith you.”

I pretend to swoon. “Mission accomplished. I am now properly wooed.”