Page 46 of About to Fall

"I have to think Claudia wouldn't be happy if she knew her daughter was following you around the country, buying plane tickets."

"She's following you around the country?" I asked, looking at Micah.

He shrugged. "I guess she's been coming to the shows lately. I didn't know she was at this one until Aiden told me just now."

"She tried to get backstage at the last two shows," Aiden said. "It's because the Ryman's so small. She thought she could talk her way back there."

"I’m not worried about it," Micah said, shaking his head. He reached over and held my hand, and I took his hand. I curled up next to him as much as I felt comfortable in front of Aiden.

"We have some press details to go over for Charlotte," Aiden said. "But we can talk about those tomorrow night when we get on the bus. I'm taking a few hours tomorrow to go have lunch with a cousin of mine who lives here."

"Oh, good, great. Have fun. Use my card and buy lunch for your cousin."

"Aw, really? Thanks, Micah."

"Yeah, have fun. I'll be hanging out with Claire."

"I figured," Aiden said, looking us over and taking in our proximity.

The hotel was close, and we arrived in what seemed like seconds. The driver pulled around to an alleyway entrance and we got out and went inside through the back, skipping the lobby and finding an alternate elevator. Aiden was with us every step of the way, so the conversation stayed on work-related things as we walked.

"I'm taking a shower when I go in, and then I'll call my wife and probably go to bed after," Aiden warned as we approached the suite.

"We'll be up for a while, but you're not bothering us," Micah said. He hadn't let go of my hand the whole time. I was dragging my luggage and Micah had his own bag plus mine, but he still managed to keep a hold of my hand.

Micah showed me to my bedroom since most of the stuff we were carrying was mine. "Was that your bedroom back there?" I asked, looking at him after I found a place for my luggage.

"Yes, it was."

"There was a guitar in it."

He smiled. "I know."

"It looked like that black Fender, Josephine," I said.

"It is Josephine," he returned, smiling at me.

"It was at the concert, wasn't it?"

Micah could see my confusion, and he smiled and nodded. "Yes, I had it at the concert. It's the one I keep with me all the time. One of the guys always runs it over to my hotel right after the show so that it will be waiting for me."

"Why that one?" I asked. "Is it always the black Fender?"

"Yes. Always."

"Why that one?"

"Because it's more important to me than any other guitar."

"Even more important than the broken one?"

"Yeah, even that one." He slowly came close to me. "Josephine is by far my most special guitar.

"Why is it special?"

"Because you bought it for me. You bought it, and you wouldn't let me pay you back, and three hundred dollars was a lot to you back then."

"It was more to you," she said.