Backstage Girl

08 | tipping the scales

Max spent the Christmas holidays in a daze.

He operated almost mechanically, eating mince pies and stringing up ornaments on the fake tree that Margaux got for their penthouse suite. On Christmas Day, Max feigned enthusiasm over the Rolex that Rory got him, and he managed to smile when Louise wrapped tinsel around her neck and performed a very off-key version of "Jingle Bell Rock."

But annoyingly, Max couldn't stop thinking about the night that he went skating with Ella.

Because for the tiniest of moments when Ella was twirling around like an idiot — and it had really only been a split-second, mind you — Max had looked at her and thought, Wow, she's really beautiful.

He felt horrified even thinking about it.

Because it was Ella. Elliephant. Ella sodding Walker.

She was Rory's younger sister. Hell, she was basically his younger sister. Hadn't Max taught her how to change the oil in a car? Didn't he cheer at her violin concerts over the years, and give her boyfriends a hard time when they came over? Ella had once brought her ex-boyfriend Adam on a camping weekend, and Max had a long talk with him while chopping wood with a very sharp ax. Adam had never said a bad word to Ella again.

No.

Ella was off-limits. And that was that.

It didn't help that she was everywhere, though.

She was laughing by the Christmas tree, and lounging in the hot tub on their balcony. She was whipping up shortbread in their small kitchen and fussing over Louise and Rory and anybody else that came to their penthouse.

It was bloody inconvenient.

Max was almost relieved when Christmas and New Year came to an end and the tour started up once more, forcing them to travel to Glendale, Arizona. Music would take his mind off things. Max was certain of it.

He was planning to catch a few hours of sleep on the plane, but his sister, it seemed, had other plans. She plopped into the seat next to him.

"So," Louise said abruptly. "Theo."

Max cracked an eye open. "No, I'm your brother. Max."

"Very funny." Louise rolled her eyes. "No, I mean that Theo's asked me on a date next week, and I'm going to say yes."

Max sat up, abruptly jolted awake.

"He what?"

"He asked me out."

"Well, this is the first I'm hearing of it," Max growled, shooting his friend a dark look. Theo waved cheerfully back at him, clearly unperturbed. The sly bastard. "He could have bloody well spoken to me first."

"You're okay with it, then?"

Max deflated. Louise was looking at him so hopefully that he couldn't say no, even if he wanted to. Besides, it would be terribly hypocritical of him to tell Theo that Louise was too young when Max wanted to take Ella—

He broke off abruptly.

No.

Bad thoughts.

"It's fine," Max sighed. "What day are you going?"

"This Thursday."

Max stared at her. Surely, Louise could have picked a better day. Literally any other day. He glanced at Ella, who was immersed in a book.

"This Thursday?" he repeated.

"Yes," Louise said defensively. "Why?"

Because that was the fifth of January: Ella's birthday.