Page 54 of Lance

“You aren’t excited about tonight?” Haylee asks. I stifle a groan, wishing she would dropit.

“You heard Louis,” I say. “It’s promotion.Work.”

“Yeah,” Layla says, “but it’s also a swanky club with free drinks and lots of people shouting our name and telling us how awesome we are. What’s not tolove?”

“Maybe the fact that I have to stay sober so I can go home to my—” I break off, shaking my head. I might be a grumpy asshole today, but bitching out loud about Simon is low even forme.

Haylee shoots me a sympathetic look. “There’s always San Diego,” shesays.

San Diego. We’re going there in three weeks to shoot a music video on the beach. I’ve been holding onto the thought of it like a lifeline. Willa has already agreed to stay with Simon. Three whole days to myself, without anyresponsibilities.

I can’t fuckingwait.

“Something smells awesome,” a bright voice says from the doorway, and I look up to see Willa and Simon there. I’m surprised by the rush of guilt I feel at the sight of them, knowing that they’ve caught me mid-fantasy about taking a break fromthem.

“Willa!” Haylee says happily, standing to hug her. “I didn’t know you were comingby.”

“Lance didn’t tell you?” she asks, looking over at me. I push down another stab of guilt—the truth is, I’d completely forgotten about it. I was tired and foggy when I left the house after waking up so early, my patience stretched thin by an hour of Simon’scrying.

“We’ve been busy,” I say, wincing a little at the unintended gruffness in my voice. Willa narrows her eyes at me, clearly not liking my tone, while Simon takes a step behind her, like he’s afraid or something. Great. “Slipped my mind,” I add, trying to sound morefriendly.

“Well, I’m glad to see you,” Haylee says, pulling Willa into the room. “Simon, how’s itgoing?”

He looks up at her with wide, worried eyes. “Good,” he says, his voicesoft.

“Simon had a great day at school,” Willa says, her voice bright. “He had a sight word test and he got them all right! One hundredpercent!”

I have no idea what sight words are, but I offer up a “great job, man,” all the same. Simon beams up at Willa, ignoring me, and I feel a flash ofannoyance.

“Come sit down,” Haylee says. “We have a ton of foodhere.”

“You hungry, Simon?” James asks. “Have somefries.”

Simon looks at Willa, following suit when she sits down on the floor in front of the coffee table. She nudges him as he takes the container of fries from James. “Thanks,” he sayssoftly.

“So, Simon,” Layla says. “How are you liking hanging out with Willa? She’s pretty cool, isn’tshe?”

“Yeah,” he says in that same soft voice, looking down at thetable.

“Hey,” Willa says, nudging him again. “I’m not pretty cool. I’msupercool.”

He grins at her. “Yeah,” he agrees, his voice more normal now, not so shy. “Supercool.”

“Don’t you forgetit.”

His shyness seems to evaporate after that and he happily chats with the others about his school, the pool at our house, his favorite movies and cartoons. I watch him without saying much. Why is it so easy for all of them to talk to him? Am I the only one who can’t converse with a six-year-old without feeling awkward? Even James, a famous grump, seems to have no problem making Simon laugh when he tells him stories about Willa as a littlegirl.

“You really put flour in your hair to make it white?” he asksWilla.

She grins back. “I wanted to look like Storm from X-Men.” Simon laughs like this is the funniest thing he’s ever heard, and leans into her a little, the movement natural. Comfortable. Again I feel that strange surge of annoyance, almost likejealousy.

What the hell is myproblem?

“Lance?” I look up to see Willa watching me, a worried expression on her face. The others are standing, throwing away their trash. Apparently lunch is over. “You’re zoning out,” Willa says, smiling now. “Simon told me about his accident. You must be prettytired.”

Somehow her kindness, her easy understanding, has me feeling even worse. “Where is he?” I ask, looking around the studio. Willa gestures to the glass and I see Simon in the recording space with Layla. She hands him a set of drumsticks and he grins like it’s Christmas morning, climbing up into her seat. He immediately starts banging away and Willa laughs. “Well that probably made his wholeday.”

“Yeah.”