Hidden in the Stars (Falling Stars #2) (14 page)

She only snorts.

"So, who would like to begin?" Perry leans his chin into his palm, scanning us. Before any of us have a chance to respond, he continues, "I know. Gemma, let's start with you." He gives her a sleazy smile.

Fuck, this is going to be bloody.

"Okay." Gemma smooths her black polka-dot skirt.

"So, tell me about your relationship with fellow judge Zarek." He bats his eyes.

Tension pours off Gemma. In my peripheral, I see Zarek stiffen.

"Well…" she clears her throat, "aside from our work together at the music awards and now as co-judges, we really don't know each other."

"Really?" He draws out the one word with disbelief.

She nods. "Yes."

"My sources tell me you two had an altercation backstage at the music awards. Is that true?"

You can actually see the glee in his eye at causing discomfort.

"It was a simple misunderstanding. Not by any means an altercation." Gemma laughs, but it sounds forced.

"So, you didn't hit him?"

"I, uh…" she stutters.

"Like she said, it was a misunderstanding," Zarek chimes in, drawing Perry's attention. "I wasn't exactly kind when we met, which was a misunderstanding on my part. It resulted in me getting something I deserved." He shrugs.

"How sweet. So quick to defend her." Perry's grin widens.

"I'm not defending anyone. I just want to make sure it's clear that—”

"Tell me, Zarek, my sources say you and Ms. Harper were seen entering a hotel room together. Is this true?"

Gemma gasps.

"Look, buddy, I don't know what this shit is, but I thought we were here to talk about the show?" I bark, pulling the slime ball’s attention and instantly regretting it.

"We'll come back to that." His grin widens. "Jackson Shaw. This has been quite a hard year for you." A forced pout forms on his face.

"I've done okay." I narrow my eyes at him, hoping he gets the hint to leave it alone.

"I, for one, am glad to see you looking so well after the whole cheating debacle." He nods, looking positively sincere. "Now, with the medical concerns you're dealing—”

I laugh. "I don't have any medical concerns."

"Oh, I know. I'm referring to your poor mother. All those doctors and tests."

My chest constricts, breathing becoming impossible.

"Can you share with us whether she is doing alright?"

I try to swallow, but choke. Coughing, I see Perry's mouth and pen moving, but can't hear anything.

Mom? Doctors? Tests? What the fuck is…how can he….what if...?

A glass of water appears in my face and I reach for it, but it slips through my fingers, crashing to the floor. Standing from the chair, I rip the mic wire from my chest and toss it to the floor before exiting the room.

"Jackson," Julia's voice is filled with concern, "I didn't know he was going to—”

"I need to leave." I turn on her, grabbing her shoulders. "Get the fucking car, Julia!"

Her eyes widen as she steps back, bringing her phone to her ear.

Seeing her phone makes me reach for my own. Scrolling, I tap
Mom
with more force than necessary.

Julia grabs my elbow, pulling me down the halls toward the exit.

No answer. I call again.

Outside, Sam stands, holding the door open. I throw myself into the car and disconnect the unanswered call. Julia slips in behind me.

I scroll again, this time calling Christopher.

"Yeah," he answers on the first ring.

"What the fuck is going on with Mom, Chris?" I shout.

His sigh is heavy.

"I don't fucking know, man. Neither of them will answer my calls. I'm on my way over there now."

"So, you knew she was seeing doctors? Why wouldn't you fucking tell me?"

"I didn't fucking know until today," he snaps. "Mia got cornered in the airport by a reporter. She called me right before she got on the plane."

"She won't answer me," I say, my voice breaking.

"I'm on it, Jack," Chris assures. "As soon as I get to them, you are the first person I'm calling. I'll fucking put you on speaker."

I shake my head and take a deep breath.

"I'm taking the first flight out of here."

"Jack, I know you want to, but wait. Let me find out what's going on."

"I can't wait for that. This is my mom." A sob escapes.

"You don't need to travel right now, brother." Christopher's voice is low. "Get a drink and let me do this. I can get answers before you can fly out. Don't be on a plane where I can't reach you. Okay?"

I hate that he makes sense.

"Fine," I snap, "but you better fucking call me as soon as you get there! I'm dead fucking serious, Christopher."

There's a long silence and I'm about to rage at him once more.

"Jackson, you're my brother." He pauses, and I know this shit is hard for Chris. "Gwen is my mother, too. There's nothing I wouldn't do for the two of you."

Tears clog my throat, the fear of the unknown and the rawest response I've ever experienced from Christopher fucking with my emotions.

I nod even though he can't see me.

"Hang in your hotel room. Grab a drink and the book you write your poetry shit."

My eyes widen and mouth pops open.

"Yeah, fucker, I know you still write that shit." Chris' tone is back to normal. "You should probably consider writing some lyrics instead of exhausting my brilliance all the fucking time."

A laugh breaks through the emotional clog in my throat.

"You're an arrogant bastard," I state in a strained laugh.

"You'll do what I ask, yeah?"

"Yeah," I sigh, dropping my head back on the seat.

"Good. Talk soon." He hangs up.
Typical Christopher.

The sound of my cell phone shocks me from the Jack Daniels and cocaine stupor. I twist to grab my phone from the side table. The motion knocks an empty bottle onto the floor.

Rubbing my eyes, I try to focus on the screen.

"Fuck!" I growl to the empty room, seeing a text from Red and not the call from Chris I’m expecting.

I do a quick dial to Christopher and it goes straight to voicemail. Sniffing, I drop the phone and rub my face. Wrapping my fingers around the neck of the JD bottle beside me, I lean back against the headboard and uncap the bottle, draining the last drops. I close my eyes, letting the liquid burn in my chest.

Picking the vial up off the bed, I put two bumps into my system before returning to Red's text. Anything to distract me. I swipe the screen.

Red: Since you won't return my messages. Kel's Liza's lil' bro. She doesn't have a man.

Her brother? He's her fucking brother?

"He's her fucking brother." Saying the words out loud somehow makes it humorous. Laughter erupts from my chest.

Chest warm and body numbing, I stagger off the bed. She's let me believe she's with someone. It's time to find out why.

Liza

"So, he didn't show up tonight?" Sid asks, sounding a bit distracted.

"No, thank God," I sigh, readjusting myself in the bus seat. "I was sure he'd confront me for ducking out."

"Not gonna lie, I'm kind of disappointed he didn't show."

"Gee, thanks." I roll my eyes, not that she can see me.

"What can I say? I live vicariously through your romantic interludes," she says, her voice a wistful sigh.

"I don't think I'd call them romantic interludes," I snort.

"True. More like lust-crazed, hard-on directed stalking," she retorts, her voice growly. "Whew, it's enough to get me worked up just talking about it."

"You have problems," I laugh.

"
You
say this like it's a surprise," she responds. "So, why are you calling me if there aren't any gritty, dirty, rocker tales to spin?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, does my regular life bore you?"

"I wasn't going to say anything, but after all the excitement lately, I don't know if I can go back to the mundane of these late night calls."

"Bitch."

"Flatterer." Sid's voice is sickly sweet.

"I'm calling because we had an employee meeting before the show tonight."

"And?" she presses.

"And Red is implementing compensation packages."

"He's what?" Now I have her full attention.

"Yeah. I'm actually getting a raise, health benefits options, and there are fringe benefits as well."

"What kind of fringe benefits?" Sid perks. "Like access to hot, dirty, tattooed rocker boys?"

"You're such a slut," I giggle. "No, not the rocker boys. However, we will have consultations with a dermatologist, full access to a local spa, and a gym membership benefit."

"Wow." Sid follows the word with a whistle. "This is good, right?"

"Yes and no."

I rub my forehead.

"I think this is going to really mess with the assistance I receive," I admit, dropping my voice. Not because I'm embarrassed, but because not everyone on the late night bus needs to know my business. "Don't get me wrong. I'm all for supporting us on my own."

"But?" she pushes.

"Well, just mentally calculating my finances, this new compensation plan will probably mean I'll lose the HUD funding and have to find a new place to live. It will also cut off medical assistance for Kel and Lucas."

I take a deep breath.

"Sid, this puts me in a bracket that should be great, but what it really does is make me more financially strapped. A new place means moving expenses. And one I'll be able to afford may result in moving away from a neighborhood I feel good having Lucas in. It could put him in a new school district and be crappier than where we live now. And call me crazy, but what about Sean? He's staying with us until his grandma gets out of the hospital. What if she doesn't get better? How am I supposed to walk away from him?"

"Don't get too worked up yet. Let's sit down and go over everything. Get all your budget information out, have your comp plan ready tomorrow, and give me a call. I'll do a quick search for some apartments to get average costs and utilities. We'll work this out. But, Liza, Sean is a different story. I'm not trying to sound like an asshole, but you don't have any legal rights to the kid. There's nothing you can do there."

"You sure you want to deal with all this?" Guilt wrinkles my forehead. I haven't told her about Mrs. Jackson's request to sign over guardianship to me. "It's not really something you have to—”

"Don't finish whatever you're about to say," Sid says, her words laced with anger. "I love you. You're more like a sister than a cousin. I'll always be there for you, so stop being stupid. Hell, maybe I'll just move out there with you. I haven't signed the lease on the apartment here yet."

"I'm not letting you give up your apartment. I know how much you love it. Plus, your work is there." I lean my head on the cool window and close my eyes.