Page 66 of Torn
“My dad says the same thing.”
She nods. “I’m sure he’s having a hard time with it. How has he been?”
“Good. Working on the new album. They’re going on tour in the fall. He wants me to go with him.”
She grimaces. “I’m not sure you should be traipsing around with all those men, Kenzi, and sleeping on a bus. Even though they’re your uncles, there’s going to be roadies, and fans, all sorts of strange people. You’re a beautiful young lady who needs privacy.”
“I’m not sure I’ll go. I have to think about it.”
“Is he still visiting Ember?” she asks, staring down into her cup of Earl Grey.
“Every weekend when he’s not touring.”
Nodding, she shakes her head in disbelief and takes a sip of tea. “Let’s not talk about that,” she says. “I want to have a great time and focus on you. Tell me, how was your prom? I got the picture you texted me, and you looked absolutely gorgeous.”
I place a slice of cheddar onto a wheat cracker and take a bite before answering. “Do you want the truth or a happy lie?”
“The truth. What happened?”
I sigh and eat the other half of my cracker before I tell her about the disaster that was my prom and then the aftermath of getting teased by half my class for bailing on one of the hottest guys in our school and being nicknamed the slutty prude.
Aunt Katherine touches my hand. “Oh, honey. I’m so sorry. What a bunch of jerks. I really wanted you to have the best time and have good memories. What’s wrong with kids these days?”
“I don’t know, but it really sucked. Thank God Toren came to get me that night. Please don’t tell my father; he doesn’t know I had a crappy time. I told him it all went okay.”
“I promise I won’t tell him.”
“Thanks. It will just upset him, and I can’t do that to him. He has so much on his mind already.”
“You can’t always protect him, Kenzi. I know your intentions are in the right place, but he’s the adult, not you.”
“I know. But you know how he is. He’s so sensitive, and he takes it hard when I’m upset, like he thinks he could have somehow prevented it from happening. Then he wants to try to make it better.”
“Trust me, I know how he is. He’s the most empathetic man I’ve ever met in my life, but someday he’s got to come to gripswith the fact that he can’t fix things for everyone. Your dad is like this… mysterious guardian angel. He always has been.”
I laugh affectionately at her description. “Yeah, he kinda is.” I gaze out at the water for a few moments. “So what about you? Anything new? Are you seeing anyone?”
“Actually, yes. I’ve been seeing this guy named Thomas for about three months. He’s been divorced for eight years and has a daughter. She’s ten years old. I’ve only met her once because we’re trying to take things slow, but she’s really sweet. Very shy.”
“Oh wow!” I exclaim, surprised at the news. “I’m so happy for you! Where did you meet him?” Katherine has been single for a long time. About five years ago, she went through a bad breakup after she found her fiancé cheating on her. I remember her having a very hard time getting over the pain and betrayal of that.
“Believe it or not, he stayed here for a week. It’s not often I have single men staying here alone, so at first I was a bit leery of him. Then I found out he had just lost his mother to cancer, and he wanted to spread her ashes in the water, so he stayed here to kinda get his head together. We hit it off right away.” She grabs her phone that’s lying next to her teacup. “Here, I’ll show you his picture. He’s really good-looking.”
She flips through her phone and then hands it to me. He reminds me of Ryan Reynolds, only with slightly graying hair at the temples. “Wow! He’s hot!”
Taking the phone back, she smiles at his picture, her cheeks turning pink, and that makes me feel so happy for her that she’s met someone who she’s obviously very interested in.
“Thanks. I like him a lot. He’s such a nice guy, too. I was hoping we could all have dinner while you’re here so you could get to know him.”
“I’d love to.”
“I told him all about you, and he’s excited to meet you. He’s actually been to concerts for both of your parents’ bands, so he was a little excited to hear that you’re their daughter. He’s not a crazy fan, though. So don’t worry. He won’t be hammering you with questions.”
Thankfully I’ve never been targeted by overzealous fans of my parents’ bands. Years ago, Sydni and Toren were at a bar with my parents, and a fan was obsessing over Sydni, trying to talk to her and take photos of her. Apparently he kept trying to touch her, and Tor went off on him and ended up beating the guy’s ass pretty bad, which is how he ended up in jail for assault. Even though the guy had been harassing Sydni, he hired a lawyer and filed charges, also trying to sue Sydni for emotional distress. People do the craziest things.
CHAPTER 15
I thought of you today.