Page 4 of His Greatest Muse
“What’s in it for me?”
“My dazzling smile and a big hug?”
He tilts his head, eyes calculating. “Okay.”
“Yes! You’re the best.” I yawn, scratching at the skin beneath the band of my sports bra. “As much as I missed your voice and handsome face, I need to change and go to bed. I’m exhausted.”
He scowls, jaw tight. “Your dad is working you too hard.”
“He’s not. I’m training for my first real season in the pros. There’s no level of training for something like this that doesn’t feel like death. I’ll take a break when I win my first professional title.”
“And when you’re on tour with me.”
I blow out a long breath, far too tired to have this conversation again. “Are you asking me to come again or telling me?”
“Telling,” he states, tone even, relaxed.
“Noah,” I sigh. “I’m hanging up now.”
“You can ignore this conversation as many times as you want to, but I’m not going on this fucking tour without you.”
“And I’m not promising you anything right now. We don’t even know the tour dates yet. Can we at least wait to discuss it until then?”
He tongues his cheek. “Fine.”
“Don’t make me hang up the phone in a bad mood.”
“I bought you something today,” he mutters, and I know this topic change is his way of apologizing. In over two decades of friendship, he hasn’t changed.
“What is it?”
“You’ll see tomorrow.”
I snort a laugh. “How typical of you, you goddamn tease.”
“You should be thanking me. Now you can go to sleep excited for tomorrow instead of pissed at me.”
“This better be one hell of a gift.”
“I know you well.”
“That’s the understatement of the century.”
“Go to sleep, Tinsley. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
I blow a kiss at the camera, and we say good night. The moment his face disappears from my screen, a pit grows in my gut.
We used to go weeks, sometimes months, without seeing each other before he moved from his home in Vancouver to Toronto, but after having him here with me every day these past couple of years, it gets harder each time he leaves. I’m greedy, but when it comes to my best friend, I couldn’t care less.
If he had any idea how much I hate turning down his offer to join him on tour, he would take it and run. So, for now, the only answer he’ll get from me is a heavy maybe. That will have to do.
For both him and me.
2
NOAH
Sparks is speaking to me,hissing something about the start date of the tour. I ignore her, picking at the bleeding skin beside my thumbnail instead. I’ve heard enough about this tour to last a lifetime.