Lost in You

after getting me out of that mess in Brookfield, I owe him. I have no idea how he plans to collect, but I’ll be ready. I have to be the good little girl from here on out. No more messing up.
    No more falling in love.
    Ian and Cole are here when I’m finally presentable. Well, as presentable as I’m going to get while lounging at my parents’. My hair is up in a messy bun, no make-up on and I’m wearing a tank top and sweatpants with flip-flops. Everyone stops talking when I walk into the kitchen. Ian looks at me and says nothing and shakes his head, but it’s Cole and the way that he looks at me that makes me smile despite how I feel about him. He’s frozen mid-bite, his mouth hanging open and spoon dripping milk back into his bowl of cereal.
    Some things never change.
    “Close your mouth, dear; no one likes to see what you’re eating,” Mom says to Cole, making me laugh. He closes his mouth and clears his throat. I sit down next to him, his eyes watching my every move. Creeper. Ian is across from me, a pile of papers in front of him. He picks them up, shuffling them around. Dad pulls out a chair and takes a seat, my mom following suit. I guess this is it. Time to detail how messed up I am and what I have to do to fix it.
    “Last week we had a discussion about your behavior. I admit I employed some shady ploys to keep you in your hotel, but when I tell you that I did those things to keep you safe, I mean it.”
    “I know,” I say, catching Ian off guard. He looks up quickly, his bangs falling in his face. That’s the one thing about Ian that I’ve always liked: he doesn’t look like a manager. He’s not walking around in a suit and tie, carrying a briefcase. He’s dressed for the music scene.
    “You know?”
    “Yes. I can see that now.”
    “It took you getting arrested to see that I’m only trying to help?”
    I put my face in my hands and sigh. I feel Cole’s hand resting on my leg, his way of showing comfort. I wipe away an errant tear and look at Ian. “That was a wake-up call. I’m not going to apologize for Ryan. I’m in love with him, but I’m not healthy for him.”
    “He’s a distraction.” I don’t agree or disagree with Ian. He’s right. At least that's what I’m going to tell myself. It’s not going to matter how bad it hurts or how much my heart is breaking. Ian’s right. “Can you promise me he won’t be a distraction during the tour?”
    As much as I hate it, I nod. “I promise.”
    “Last night a reporter called and is giving me until the end of today to give him something juicy on you. Your rental car was reported in the parking lot. He heard it on his scanner and he started digging. He knows you were arrested, but doesn’t know why. I can make this go away or we can let him run with the article, your choice.”
    I lean back, preparing myself for the inevitable. “What do I have to do to make it go away?”
    “You’re going to go public with Cole. This reporter will get an exclusive and he’ll be happy.” Cole’s hand tenses on my leg. He didn’t know about this. Something like this will surely ruin his bachelor status. He’ll have to play nice as well. He can’t afford another cheating scandal.
    “Cole and I aren’t together.”
    “You’ll act it each time you leave the tour bus or hotel. I’m not saying you need to kiss him in public, but you’ll hold hands, feed each other ice cream – hell, you’ll even allow him to put sunscreen on your back. I don’t care what it is, you’re together.”
    “How does that help Hadley’s image?” I’m so thankful my dad speaks up, because I don’t know if I can get the words out.
    Ian leans back in the chair, looking at my dad. “She needs someone the media likes and that’s Cole. They’ve been together before and with them being on tour, it’s expected. The tour is short, so they only have to act for a while.”
    “I don’t like it,” Mom adds. “I don’t see how it helps.”
    “See, Liberty, that is why this is my job. This reporter is going to write an article about your daughter being arrested. Along with that article, he’ll dig and find out why. Would you rather her pretend to be with Cole, a man she knows, or would you rather her be disgraced for screwing around with a seventeen year old? Because if it’s the latter, I can guarantee you this will be her last tour for a long time. No one will want her around.”
    My mom gets up from the table and walks into the kitchen and starts