hug. “Oh my God, you made it!”
“Like I would miss it.” Dev swept her up and spun her off her feet.
Hunter had to smile at the obvious love between the two. He knew that Devon was the only family Oakley really had to go to these days. She’d lived with him in an off-campus apartment for a while when her music career was getting started, Devon acting as a guardian. But when Pop Luck had broken out, the record company helped her get emancipated from her parents so that she could tour without restrictions.
When Devon had told him the story, Dev had played it off as not that big a deal. But Hunter couldn’t help but wonder how hard that must have been to be responsible for his sister. And even now it had to be tough on the two of them. Oakley was just a kid living in a grown-up world. Devon was on the sidelines, unable to do much more than be moral support to her by phone.
Devon introduced Hunter, and Oakley gave him a hug and chatted with him a bit before settling down with her brother to catch up. Hunter was happy to take a backseat and let them do their thing. Maybe he could get his head together before he had to face Dev alone again.
Devon cupped the side of his sister’s face, giving her an evaluating once-over. “You’re not sleeping enough, Oak. That stage makeup can’t hide those dark circles. Are they not giving you enough time off in between shows? Are you taking your vitamins? Do I need to talk to Liam?”
She flicked Devon’s hand away. “God no, don’t say anything to him. I’m fine. It’s just been a long stretch of back-to-back shows. We’re going to Europe next week, and I’ll get a few days off. Don’t stress about me. I’m good. How’s school?”
“I’m doing all right.”
“And by that, he means he’s acing every class and making the rest of us look bad,” Hunter offered, trying to look like he was participating in the conversation and not quietly having a breakdown.
Oakley smiled his way, her bright blue hair making her look like some cartoon pixie. “Is he still staying up all hours of the night to cram?”
“No. I cut him off at two so I can get some sleep. He usually listens.”
“You’re being nice,” she said. “I know he’s a nightmare to room with. I’ve been there.”
A nightmare wasn’t exactly how he’d label it. Hunter couldn’t imagine college without Dev across the room from him. That worn-out, cramped space at the top of the frat house felt more like home than anything else had in his life. But of course he couldn’t say all that. “He’s better than my last roommate. That one was messy as hell and farted in his sleep.”
“Oh, nice,” Devon said, throwing him a look. “I’m a step above Pigpen the Farter. I’m honored.”
“Don’t get your feelings hurt. You know I like you best, pumpkin,” he said, trying to inject the normal ease they had between them, trying to show Devon all was A-OK.
Oakley looked between the two of them, her smile sinking at the edges and her brow wrinkling. “Wait, are you two dating?”
Hunter stiffened.
Devon’s gaze met Hunter’s briefly, but then he just rolled his eyes. “Right. Like I would’ve kept it from you that I was dating a hot baseball player. Come on, Oak. Give me some credit.”
Her focus flicked to Hunter, confusion still there.
Hunter shrugged, the move feeling tight. “I’m not his type.”
“Yeah,” Devon agreed, gaze locked with his. “Straight.”
“Oh.” Oakley laughed, though it sounded a little forced. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to—”
Hunter lifted a hand. “It’s fine.”
Oakley changed the subject quickly, obviously thinking she’d offended him, and they all hung out for another hour. But Hunter was too caught up in his own thoughts to pay much attention. By the time they said good-bye to head over to the hotel room the record company had booked for Devon, Hunter felt like his brain had been put through a meat grinder.
Devon climbed into the limo first, and
“Like I would miss it.” Dev swept her up and spun her off her feet.
Hunter had to smile at the obvious love between the two. He knew that Devon was the only family Oakley really had to go to these days. She’d lived with him in an off-campus apartment for a while when her music career was getting started, Devon acting as a guardian. But when Pop Luck had broken out, the record company helped her get emancipated from her parents so that she could tour without restrictions.
When Devon had told him the story, Dev had played it off as not that big a deal. But Hunter couldn’t help but wonder how hard that must have been to be responsible for his sister. And even now it had to be tough on the two of them. Oakley was just a kid living in a grown-up world. Devon was on the sidelines, unable to do much more than be moral support to her by phone.
Devon introduced Hunter, and Oakley gave him a hug and chatted with him a bit before settling down with her brother to catch up. Hunter was happy to take a backseat and let them do their thing. Maybe he could get his head together before he had to face Dev alone again.
Devon cupped the side of his sister’s face, giving her an evaluating once-over. “You’re not sleeping enough, Oak. That stage makeup can’t hide those dark circles. Are they not giving you enough time off in between shows? Are you taking your vitamins? Do I need to talk to Liam?”
She flicked Devon’s hand away. “God no, don’t say anything to him. I’m fine. It’s just been a long stretch of back-to-back shows. We’re going to Europe next week, and I’ll get a few days off. Don’t stress about me. I’m good. How’s school?”
“I’m doing all right.”
“And by that, he means he’s acing every class and making the rest of us look bad,” Hunter offered, trying to look like he was participating in the conversation and not quietly having a breakdown.
Oakley smiled his way, her bright blue hair making her look like some cartoon pixie. “Is he still staying up all hours of the night to cram?”
“No. I cut him off at two so I can get some sleep. He usually listens.”
“You’re being nice,” she said. “I know he’s a nightmare to room with. I’ve been there.”
A nightmare wasn’t exactly how he’d label it. Hunter couldn’t imagine college without Dev across the room from him. That worn-out, cramped space at the top of the frat house felt more like home than anything else had in his life. But of course he couldn’t say all that. “He’s better than my last roommate. That one was messy as hell and farted in his sleep.”
“Oh, nice,” Devon said, throwing him a look. “I’m a step above Pigpen the Farter. I’m honored.”
“Don’t get your feelings hurt. You know I like you best, pumpkin,” he said, trying to inject the normal ease they had between them, trying to show Devon all was A-OK.
Oakley looked between the two of them, her smile sinking at the edges and her brow wrinkling. “Wait, are you two dating?”
Hunter stiffened.
Devon’s gaze met Hunter’s briefly, but then he just rolled his eyes. “Right. Like I would’ve kept it from you that I was dating a hot baseball player. Come on, Oak. Give me some credit.”
Her focus flicked to Hunter, confusion still there.
Hunter shrugged, the move feeling tight. “I’m not his type.”
“Yeah,” Devon agreed, gaze locked with his. “Straight.”
“Oh.” Oakley laughed, though it sounded a little forced. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to—”
Hunter lifted a hand. “It’s fine.”
Oakley changed the subject quickly, obviously thinking she’d offended him, and they all hung out for another hour. But Hunter was too caught up in his own thoughts to pay much attention. By the time they said good-bye to head over to the hotel room the record company had booked for Devon, Hunter felt like his brain had been put through a meat grinder.
Devon climbed into the limo first, and
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