Page 5 of Scandal
I swear I can hear Zander roll his eyes from here. Hendrix can be a real drama queen when he’s fixated on something.
“You gonna stand out here and eavesdrop all night, kiddo?”
I let out a high-pitched squeal, clutching my chest as I turn to see my dad standing there with two water bottles, a soda, and a beer wedged between his hands.
He chuckles as my heartbeat slows down. With his salt-and-pepper hair, beard, and hipster glasses, he looks like David Grohl and one of the guys from ZZ Top all rolled into one. “God, Dad. You scared me.”
“I can see that. Wanna help me with these?”
“Oh, yeah. Of course.” I grab the two water bottles, knowing one is for me. I drink soda only on rare occasions, and I hate beer.
We step into the living room, and I’m greeted by my brother’s amused grin. He’s dressed down in a pair of sweats and a hoodie, probably trying to hide his appearance on his way here. But it’s hard to disguise that face. His dark-blue eyes twinkle with mischief. “Still lurching in hallways listening to adult conversations, Merc?”
I glare at him, tempted to chuck the extra water bottle in my hand at his head. But I know it’s for Zander. He’s much more conscious of what he drinks, and soda isn’t good for the vocal cords.
“I did that once!” I argue, knowing he’s referring to when I was a kid and accidentally overheard my parents discussing Christmas presents. “And it’s not my fault I have good hearing.” I hand Zander’s water to him. He takes it with thanks as I settle into the oversized chair next to him. My dad takes a seat next to Hen on the sofa. I look at all of them expectantly. “Now, why am I here?”
A heavy silence settles over the room. Zander looks at Hen, who then glances at my dad.
My dad lets out a weary sigh.
“What is it? It can’t be that bad, can it?” My pulse quickens. “Is someone in trouble?”
“Yes,” Hen replies at the same time Zander says, “No.”
They both turn and look at each other, and I swear words are exchanged through some kind of strange telepathic connection they share.
Hendrix has always been good at making friends. Of the five of us, he’s by far the most outgoing and carefree. I’m not surprised at all that he’s become so famous. He’s just a likable guy—even when he’s annoying his baby sister.
I look around the room, waiting for someone to spit it out. “Will someone please just tell me what’s going on? ’Cause I’m sure whatever it is, isn’t that?—”
“We need you to go to Scotland and talk some sense into Asher,” Zander says in a rush.
I slowly blink as I look from one man to the next. Surely, I didn’t hear him right. “You need me to what?”
“Asher has been in Scotland since the night Meg leaked the photos and quit the band.”
“I know that,” I say. Despite what I told my sorority sisters, I do know where the missing rock star is.
Or at least, I know approximately where he is.
About a month ago, my whole family attended the opening of my brother-in-law’s new club. Things went sideways when, along with the photos, Meg revealed that Asher was a guest that evening.
Hollis had worked his ass off to make sure every guest’s privacy was protected that night. It was meant to be part of the club’s appeal. But all of that went out the window when half of LA showed up, hoping to get a glimpse of the reclusive rock star.
But he never showed.
Whatever Meg had hoped to gain from her bold stunt became moot when Asher fired her and then fled the country all on the same night.
“So he went home for a while. Why is that a big deal? Maybe he needs some time off,” I argue. “Evans took some time off last year. Shouldn’t Asher be allowed to do the same?”
“Of course,” my dad responds. “And if that was all this was, I’d be the first to fight anyone who tried to get in the way of him taking what would be a well-deserved break. But that isn’t what this is.”
“Then what is this?”
“Ash would never willingly return to Scotland,” Zander says as he runs a hand through his messy hair. I catch a glimpse of his Creed tattoo on his forearm that matches my brother’s.
My brow furrows. “Why? Isn’t that where his family is? His parents?”
