No Curtain Call

Epilogue

"How are you holding up?" My brother's comforting voice drifted over the phone as I sat curled up on my couch, eating chocolate and watching Hell's Kitchen.

I paused for a second before answering him, the chocolate melting in my mouth and drifting down my throat in the most heavenly way possible. "How many times are you going to ask me that?"

"Until you admit that you're a mess."

I glanced around my apartment, nodding silently in response to his sad, yet true, comment. When I got back to my apartment, almost every surface was littered with dust. Three months later, I still haven't dusted. Instead of making the apartment livable, I collapsed face first into my bed and sobbed.

I had been eating takeout for a majority of the time I'd been back, rarely making myself a home cooked meal, and that combined with the chocolate I had been eating had added a few extra pounds. I wasn't feeling like my usual self, and I chalked the blame to Acton.

Asshole. I didn't mean to hurt him. He didn't have to kick me out like that.

He hadn't called or texted me since I left. I had contact with the other guys in the band, including weekly updates from Colton regarding his progress and setback with Cara, yet the person I'd wanted to talk to most hadn't bothered to contact me.

And I was too embarrassed and prideful to call him.

He probably wouldn't pick up anyway.

"How's the bakery?"

I sighed, flipping through the tv channels absentmindedly, giving myself something to do while I avoided answering Nick's question. "It's going. Gene and Holli are the same as ever."

My two best girl friends were gossipy and infatuated with every hot guy that walked into the bakery, regardless of whether or not they had a ring on their finger. I, on the other hand, was busy imagining what Acton's hands would look like if they had a ring on them.

And then imagining that ring being a symbol of devotion to someone other than me. And then eating a cupcake in the back storage room where Gene and Holli wouldn't see me.

"Gossiping women. Anything good?"

"No," I sighed, biting my lip and twirling a lock of hair around my finger. I simply wasn't myself anymore. "What about you guys?"

"Ren is brought a lady around," he told me, catching me by surprise. They were currently located in Los Angeles for the next two weeks.

I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion. "How many times?"

"Three."

"No. Way."

"Way."

"Who is she? What does she look like? Is he interested in her? Oh my god, he's finally growing up!" I was excited for him, and I wished I could meet her.

I could practically see him smiling and shaking his head on the other end of the line. "Don't get too excited. She seems... flighty."

"Flighty?"

"The place he picked this one up... I can't picture him reading a book, let alone walking into a bookstore."

"Straight laced and bookish? Glasses?"

"Yes, yes, and yes. She's the total opposite of what I thought Ren's type was."

I chuckled in spite of myself, then frowned as I picked at a crusty stain on my jeans. Gee, I really did let myself go. "She nice?"

"I think so. She's shy. Doesn't quite know how to behave around us."

I laughed, understanding how she feels. "Can't blame her. Being surrounded by handsome men with dirty thoughts and even dirtier mouths."