Out of the Shadow (33 page)

Jamie tore his eyes from the screen to raise a brow at RJ. RJ shrugged, answering his silent question. They both turned toward Cole in unison.

“
What?” Cole asked, cramming his last chip in his mouth. “I’m game – you know that.”

“
Yeah,” Jamie said slowly, dragging out the word.

Cole sighed heavily and rolled his eyes. “Yes, of course, we should invite the princess. But I’m betting she won’t come.”

“
I think she will,” Jamie said. He scooted to the edge of the sofa, preparing to battle if he had to. “She misses you guys, you know. She misses the four of us doing stuff together.”

Cole ran his hands through his hair in exasperation. “Yeah, I know she does. But I honestly don’t think she’ll come.”

“
She will,” RJ said with a wide grin. He turned that grin on his friends. “We just won’t give her much of a choice!”

Cole’s brow furrowed as he gazed at RJ speculatively. He could tell RJ was devising something and he wasn’t certain it would be good. “Okay, bro, I’ll bite. Tell us what you’re plotting in that devious mind of yours.”

RJ laughed and bounced once on the sofa. He clapped his hands together and motioned for them to gather round. “It’s so simple, really. This is all we have to do.”

And excitedly he revealed his plan.

Chapter Twenty

Ally browsed the books housed in Robby’s bookshelf while he tended to a phone call. She ran her fingers along the spines, admiring his collection. She glanced at him, over her shoulder, and caught his eye. He winked and her heart exploded in her chest.

Her feelings for Robby were escalating and she knew it was getting close to time to decide just what she wanted to do. She was also aware that Cole was indeed back in town but hadn’t attempted to contact her in the least. Maybe it was a sign.

She sighed and plopped in the chair in front of his desk as Robby ended his call. She cocked her head as he leaned back and tented his fingers. “Why are you in the office on a Saturday?”

He shrugged sheepishly. “I had some things to take care of. I might be gaining another band.”

“
Oh?” she asked. “Someone you signed recently?”

“
No,” he said slowly, eyes carefully trained on her face. “Not exactly.”

Her heart sank as realization washed over her. Her eyes nearly leapt from their sockets as she scooted to the edge of her chair and gripped his desk. “No way!”

He grinned half-heartedly. “Yes, I’m afraid so. What do you think about that?”

“
You’re actually going to produce Out of Control?” she asked, dumbfounded. “Whose idea was that?”

“
Theirs,” Robby said quietly. “It’s not set in stone yet, but it will probably happen.”

She gaped at him, wondering why Cole would want to work with Robby. Was it his way of giving her another chance and then maybe keeping a closer eye on her? The thought suffocated her for a moment. There was no way she’d be able to be with him if that was his plan.

“
I’m okay with it,” she said. “I know the guys like you.” She bit her lip. “I just don’t want to cause any kind of problems between you guys.”

He smiled softly and leaned over the desk to pat her hand. “Ally, my personal life and professional life are two different things. I won’t let one interfere with the other and I’m pretty sure Cole, RJ, and the others feel the same way.”

She wasn’t totally convinced but she didn’t voice her concerns. She’d just have to play it by ear and hope that they could all find a way to play nicely if things between Cole and Ally continued to sour and things between Robby and Ally continued to progress.

“
So, what are you doing tonight?” she asked. “Interested in taking someone to the movies or something?”

A playful grin curled the corners of his mouth. “I’d love to take someone to the movies but unfortunately, I have to work tonight with someone’s father.”

She scowled as she slumped in the chair. “Great. Now I’ll be bored.”

He chuckled and moved a file from one side of his neat desk to the other. “Sorry, Ally, but we really do need to get this single out – it’s way overdue.”

“
I know,” she said.

A light knock on the door caused Robby’s brows to draw together. “Come in.”

“
Hi, kids!” RJ greeted as he poked his head inside the door. He grinned and stepped in the office, Jamie and Cole dragging along behind him. “What’s up?”

Ally’s heart wiggled when she caught sight of Cole. He looked good – rested – and it made her feel just a touch better.

“
Hey, guys,” Robby said, leaning back in his chair. He eyed RJ suspiciously. “What are you up to?”

“
Nothing much,” Jamie said, perching on the edge of Robby’s desk. “We came to see what you two were doing tonight.”

Robby grimaced. “I’m working with Jay tonight. We’ll be editing until God knows when.”

RJ’s face brightened as he yanked Ally out of the chair. “Great, because we’ve come to kidnap our best friend for the night – if that’s okay with you, Robby.”

Robby’s brow furrowed as his eyes darted from Cole, to Jamie, to RJ. “Sure, I guess. We didn’t have plans.”

Ally wrested her arm out of RJ’s grasp, her eyes blazing. “What are you up to Richie Junior?”

“
Nothing, Allyson Jane,” he said, mimicking her voice. She rolled her eyes and huffed.

“
We thought that you’d like to spend the evening with us,” Jamie said, picking up a paperweight and tossing it between his hands. “You’re always whining about how you miss hanging out together.”

Her eyes cut quickly to Cole but his face was passive, curious even. She pursed her lips as her heart sped up.

“
And since Robby said you’re free, then you have no excuse,” RJ finished with a flourish, smiling proudly.

Ally groaned and stalked to the door, holding her breath as she neared Cole. She ripped her coat off the hook and whirled around to glare at all of them. She jammed her arms in her coat and stormed out the door, the boys scrambling after her.

She stopped in the middle of the hall to spin around and shoot daggers at them. “Robby Redden is not my father, my guardian, my boyfriend, my social advisor, or my keeper. I do not have to ask him permission to do anything, and neither do you.”

Fury flashed in her narrowed eyes but didn’t deter RJ in the least. His grin only widened. “I thought Robby was your boyfriend.”

“
Well, you thought wrong,” Ally said between clenched teeth.

“
Cool it,” Cole muttered as he brushed past RJ and gently took Ally by the arm. “Relax, Al. Let’s go.”

Most of her anger evaporated at his touch and she stumbled after him. When they got to his car, he opened the passenger door for her, and gave her a tiny smile as she slid inside.

RJ and Jamie jumped in the backseat, giggling like little girls. She tried to ignore them and hang on to her anger but it was proving to be a difficult task. “What do you guys have planned?” she asked.

“
We’re hanging out at my place. My entire family is gone so we’ll have the house to ourselves,” RJ announced. “Cool, huh? Just like high school.”

“
Wonderful,” she groaned.

“
Come on, princess,” Cole said, his mood noticeably lighter. “You know there’s nothing you’d rather do than hang out with us for the night.”

“
Don’t call me that,” she said, grumpy. “And there are plenty of things I’d rather do than hang out with three boys. Cleaning the toilet is one.”

“
Now that just hurts,” RJ said with a fake pout.

She rolled her eyes again but couldn’t contain her smile. “You know that I love spending time with you guys,” she said. “But you could have just asked.”

Jamie leaned over RJ, closer to her seat. “But where’s the fun in that, cuz?”

They ordered plenty of pizzas and Chinese food that evening and sat around the round kitchen table laughing and eating. Ally relaxed, her heart full of joy to be in their presence. None of the stress from the past few months lingered and she was able to fully enjoy herself.

“
Dude,” RJ said, gripping Jamie’s arm. “You should see this video game Ray has – it’s wild. I forgot the name of it but man, it’s so cool. He showed it to me the other night and I was here until three in the morning playing that stupid game.”

“
You’re kidding, right?” Ally asked, leaning across the table.

“
No,” RJ said earnestly. “It really is cool.”

“
Show it to me,” Jamie said as he stood. RJ jumped out of his seat and dragged Jamie to the basement and the elaborate rec room Richie had built for his family.

“
They are just like little boys,” Ally said with a fond smile.

“
Yeah, I know,” Cole said.

She turned to him, suddenly realizing they were alone for the first time in a long time. Awkward silence hung over their heads and she scrambled to think of something to say.

“
Um, how are things at home?” she asked.

“
Getting better,” he said, pulling a pack of cigarettes out of the front pocket of his sweatshirt. She grimaced, but didn’t say a word, so he tossed them on the table and got up to fetch a toothpick from a cabinet above the stove. She smiled at him when he sat back down. “Stephanie is going to have the baby and stay with her dad.”

“
Is Stacy okay with that?” Ally asked.

“
Stacy doesn’t have a whole lot of say in the matter,” Cole said. “Steph is over the age of eighteen. But, she won’t come here because she doesn’t want to go to school and it does upset Stacy.”

Ally nodded. “Did she ever say who the father is?”

“
No,” Cole said. “Not that I know of, anyway. But I don’t think it much matters at this point. She’s achieved what she wanted to do.”

Ally’s brow furrowed. “Which is?”

Cole sighed and removed the toothpick from his mouth. “She wanted attention, Al. She wanted to draw attention away from you. She’s always been jealous of you, you know.”

Ally gasped. “Me? Why?”

“
Because of your friendship with us guys, because of our relationship,” he said with a shrug. “Mostly because of how close you and my dad are.”

Ally ducked her head, staring at the pizza crust on her plate. “Oh, hell. I’m so sorry, Cole.”

He slipped his hand in hers and squeezed it. “It’s not your fault at all. No one blames you.”

She tilted her head to smile at him and froze. His face was so close and she was suddenly aware of his touch – his hand in hers. She wanted to move back but couldn’t – she was entranced by his muddy brown eyes. His thumb caressed the top of her hand and she watched his Adam’s apple bobble as he swallowed.

“
Listen, Al,” he said as his phone rang. He cursed colorfully and released her hand to grab the phone he had crammed in his front pocket. He flipped it open without checking the screen. “Yeah?”

Ally fell back into her chair as she watched his face.

“
Now is not a good time, Lila,” he said, his eyes clouding. “Can I call you back?”