Needing You #2 - Wanting Him (2 page)

Chapter
Three

I pull up in front of my apartment and we head inside.  There is no way I’m letting Harp off that easily.

“Do you want to shower or anything?” I ask, being the nice hostess.

“No, I’m fine right now,” she states as she
sits down on the couch.

I take a seat on the chair, “Okay, what the hell happened?” I demand.

“Nothing, I told you, we’re fine,” she says, looking anywhere but at me.

“Harp, we’re friends, you can tell me,” I say truthfully.

“Ugh, he just makes me so mad sometimes,” she says angrily.

“What did he do now?” I ask, knowing how Tuck operates.

“I feel like he’s hiding something.  He keeps making excuses to not hang out.  If he wants to break up with me, then he needs to just fucking do it already,” she says frustrated.

“How long has he been acting strange?” I
ask curiously.

“The last week or so,” she says
, looking confused.

“Maybe it’s nothing,” I say, trying to be optimistic.

“Nat, you know Tuck, it’s definitely something.  I’m pissed because he’s the one who always says we need to talk and blah, blah, blah, but yet look at him, being a sneaky shit,” she says as she grabs a throw pillow, hugging it to her chest.

“I’m sure it’s nothing.  That man only has eyes for you.  Trust
me; he stares at you all the freaking time.  I’m not sure what’s going through his mind, but I’m sure you don’t have to worry about him breaking up with you,” I say truthfully.

“Well it’s something, and I hate being kept in the dark,” she spits out.

“That’s like the pot calling the kettle black, don’t you think?” I say staring at her.

“What
?” she yells, “No, definitely not,” she says looking flustered.

“Harper, I don’t mean to be so blunt, but it took that boy months to pull tiny things from you.  If it was super important
, he would tell you.  Relax already.”

“I haven’t talked to him in
two days,” she states hastily.

“Two days?  I thought you said he went to see his sister,” I say confused.

“That’s what he told me.  Yet, two days go by, he doesn’t call, doesn’t text, and doesn’t respond to anything from me,” she says looking defeated.

“There has to be an explanation.  Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” I ask confused.

“Because, you already have your own stuff going on with Parker.  I don’t need to drag you into my drama too.”

“We’re friends, that’s what we do.  Next time tell me when something bothers you.  I’ll check with Park and see if he
’s heard from him,” I tell her, hopeful.

“I doubt it, Parker hasn’t really come around to Tuck yet,” she says looking solemn.

“He’s slowly getting there.  It’s going to take some time,” I say with a small smile.

I grab my phone and send Parker a qui
ck text, “Hey babe, I miss you.  Have you heard from Tuck lately?”

“There sent.
I’m not sure how long his gig is tonight, because they’re heading to the east coast, but he’ll respond when he can.”

“I doubt he’s heard anything,” Harp says sadly.

“Give me your phone,” I say holding my hand out.

Harp hesitates, but finally places the phone in my hand.

I type out a quick message to Tuck, “WTF where are you?  How dare you not call or text.  Let us know you’re alive, asshole. –Nat”

“He won’t respond,” she says irritated.

“If he knows what the fuck is good for him he will,” I say deadpanned.

“I’m telling you, something’s off.  He hasn’t acted this way in months,” she says
, running her hands through her hair.

“Harper, he’ll come around,” I say with a piercing look.

This dickhead better text or call soon, or I will personally beat his ass.  Harp has been through way too much shit to deal with his petty nonsense.

Just then
, her phone goes off.  I swipe the screen and look at the message, “I’m fine, just taking care of something. Harp, I love you.  I’ll be back in a few days.  Tell Nat to relax.”

“See he’s fine,” I say handing her phone back to her.

“That jackass, how come he responds to you, but not me?” she says, letting out a frustrated sigh.

“Because he knows I’ll call Park and he’ll make calls and whatever Tuck doesn’t want you to know will come out,” I say with a smile.

“Ugh whatever, can we talk about something else?  I’m tired of thinking about what he’s hiding,” she says frustrated.

“Sure, any specific things you want to talk about?”

“So how serious are you and Parker?” she asks with a knowing look.

“
Pretty serious, I think,” I say with a slight shrug.

“What do you mean you think?  Either you know you’re serious or you’re not,” she says staring at me.

“Parker and I are good.  It sucks not seeing him, but we talk and text, we’re good, really good actually,” I say with a smile, just thinking of my sexy tattooed man.

“You really are hooked aren’t you?” she says with a laugh.

“He’s pretty amazing,” I say with a dreamy look.

“He’s hot too,” she chimes in.

I start laughing, “You’ve got that right.  Oh, the things that man can do to my body,” I say fanning myself thinking about it.

“I don’t need details,” she says with a laugh.

“No worries, I won’t share the details.”

“When and where is
there a concert that you can go see him?”

“Not for
like two months,” I say with a sad look.  It will be almost five months that we go without seeing one another.  It feels like eternity and it sucks.

“And he told you not to read the tabloids right?” Harp says
out of nowhere, making me snap my head up.

“What’s it saying in the tabloids?” I ask
anxiously.

“Same shit they always do.  Try to say he’s partying it up and taking a new girl every night.  Same thing, you know all of this already.  He tried to prepare you for the lies the magazines spread
a while ago,” she says, looking nervously at me.

“I know, I’m not worried,” I say lying through my teeth.  Of course I’m worried.  What hap
pens if one of those tabloids is true?

“Then why do you look scared shitless?” she says calling me out.

“Ugh,” I let out a frustrated sigh, “Because, what happens if he does decide to take one of those floosy bitches home one night?”

“He won’t,” she says
, like it’s no big deal.

“You don’t know that.  He’s a man after all.  Can they go m
onths without sex?  I think not,” I say answering my own stupid questions.

“You need to stop.  Parker is really into you.  He’s not going to mess it up by fucking some groupie whore,” she says in a serious tone.

“I hope you’re right.  I guess time will tell.”

“Let me know when you’re going to his next show, I want to come along,” Harp says in an excited voice.

“Sure, I’m planning on going to the one in Seattle, it’s a little over two months away,” I tell her excitedly.  I just hope we’re still together then.

“Perfect, we driving or flying?” she asks, looking curious.

“I’m driving.  Not wasting the money on a flight for a few hours’ drive.”

“Okay, count me in,” she says with a huge smile covering her face.

We spend the next hour or so talking about any and everything until we both decide it’s time for sleep.

The next two weeks go by pretty quickly.  Between school and work
, I have no time to think to myself.

The only thing I seem to slip
in is texts and a few phone calls from Parker.

He sends me his upcoming schedule, which has him in Idaho in two weeks.  Then he heads south for a few shows until he comes back towards home.

“What are you doing?” my sister pulls me from my thinking.

“Oh, nothing,” I say
, putting my phone down.

“No, that wasn’t nothing, what’s going on?” she asks as she sits on the chair, looking intently at me.

“Parker’s playing in Idaho in two weeks.”

“Are you going? Can I go along
?” she says in a shrieking voice.

“I’m thinking about it and you have school,” I tell her.

“So do you,” she argues back, “Did he ask you to come?”

“He mentioned it, but knows I have school and work, and you have school too.  So we kind of dropped it,” I tell her truthfully.

“Surprise him,” she says out of nowhere.

“What?” I ask confused.

“Surprise him,” she says slower this time.

“Hmm…I could do that,” I say
, seriously thinking about it.

“I’ll come with you.  I’ll be your wingman,” she says a little too excitedly.

“Fine, you can come along,” I say giving in.

“YES! I love you,” she says while throwing her arms around me.

I can’t help but laugh at her silliness.

“I’ll figure out the details and we can go from there,” I tell my over
ly eager sister.

“Can I bring a friend?” she asks out of nowhere.

“Why?”

“Because you’ll be reuniting with Parker, what am I supposed to do?” she says with a serious look.

“Ugh, fine.  One friend and they have to clear it with their parent’s first.”

“Yay, you’re the best,” she says before standing up and rushing to her phone.  I can only assume she’s calling one of her friends to talk about the concert.

King Dread is an opening band, but their reviews are amazing.  Soon they will be doing their own shows, it takes time though.

I can’t freaking wait to see him.  I decide to send a text, “Hey sexy man,
whatcha up to?”

It takes a good five minutes before I get a response, “
Hey babe, just got done talking to Mike, what are you up to?”

Mike
is their tour manager.  He’s a nice man and seems like he has the guys’ best interests in mind. 

“Just thinking about you and missing you,” I send
, being honest with him.  I didn’t think I could miss someone so much in such a short period of time, but I do. 

His text comes immediately, “I miss you too.  Wish I could come home sooner, or b
etter yet, come on tour with me, please?”

I start laughing, as much as I would love to, it’s not feasible.  So instead, I reply
with, “I wish, maybe next tour.”

His response comes quickly, “I’ll be holding you to that.  I got a meeting with the guys now. Miss you.”

I fall back on the couch cushions excited to see him and surprise him.  I’m really going to do this.

It’s been exactly one week and four days.  I leave to see my boyfriend in two days.  Thankfully, I was able to get a hold of Declan who has three backstage passes waiting for me at the gate. 

It’s been rough, keeping it a secret from Parker that I’m coming, but I can’t ruin the surprise, or so my sister keeps telling me.

“I’m ready,” she says as she comes out
of her bedroom with a large suitcase.

I haven’t even started to pack
yet; I figure I can do that tomorrow.

“
Okay. Shit, I gotta get ready for work.” I need to be there in thirty minutes.  I picked up extra shifts during the week, because I won’t be around for the weekend.

“I need to go, i
f you need me call me or Lily, and remember, no visitors,” I say being the responsible sister that I am.  Lily is our next door neighbor who watches my sister when I work at nights.

“I know, I know.  Have fun at work,” she says
, never taking her eyes off the television.

I head out the door to work.  I get there with five minutes to spare.  It’s Wednesday night, not the busiest night, but there seems to be a pretty decent crowd.

“Hey, I didn’
t know you were working tonight,” Harper says, surprised to see me.

“I don’t usually, but I picked up the hours?  You don’t usually work during the week,” I say shocked.

“Oh, I switched with Marcus.  Why aren’t you working this weekend?” she asks as she checks the coolers to see what needs stocked.

“I’m not going to be in town,” I say nervously.

“Where the hell are you going?” she says as she stops doing everything and stares at me awaiting my answer.

“Don’t say anything,” I say as a whisper, “I’m going to Idaho.”

“What the hell for?” she asks looking confused.

“Parker’s playing in Idaho, so I’m going to surprise him,” I say with a huge smile.

“Oh he’s going to love that.  You shouldn’t be going by yourself.  I would have come with you if you would have told me,” she says with a concerned look.