Chapter 4

Drew’s P.O.V.

Rob has been on my ass for the past week. Okay—fine, I’m not whining. I deserve it. Every day I’m more conscious of just how badly I screwed things up. Rob used to be like an uncle to me, one of the few people who cared when I had nothing to offer but dreams and delusions. But when the so-called glory started… I cut him out. Cut out a lot of people, actually. The higher I flew, the more bridges I burned beneath me.

And then I had the audacity to crawl back, years later, asking for a favor for our return concert in my hometown. Of course, he said yes. That’s the kind of man he is—steadfast, loyal, annoyingly noble. The concert was expected to be a mess. I hadn’t exactly left my hometown in good terms, and now the prodigal son was returning to perform his not-so-Jesus-friendly “prophetic” lyrics to the very Catholics who helped raise me.

And like a selfish prick, I finished the set, hopped on the bus, and didn’t even glance back to say thanks. Not even a nod. The Viking of a man with the heart of a teddy bear finally had enough. He never spoke to me again.

Until last week.

I finally pulled my head out of my ass and reached out, asking my dad for his number. Honestly? Still can’t believe he didn't straight away block me.

I glance at a specific tattoo on my arm—the one he gave me—and then back at my phone.

“Be there in half an hour,” the text read.

So I got up. Time to get dressed.

________________________________________

Audrey’s P.O.V.

Damn, Rob was a giant. I’d seen the pics, we’d video called, but in person? Man could’ve auditioned for Thor. He pulled me into one of his signature bear hugs, almost cracking my spine in the process. Gina followed suit, her embrace softer, warmer.

And Aaron—my God. Quite a big boy for his age. Rob had joked about naming him after me if he turned out to be a girl.

“Come on guys, my car’s right outside,” I grinned, taking one of their bags.

“I still can’t believe this is real,” I added, tucking the rest of their luggage into the trunk.

“Well hon’, at least you got your hair back to black. I’d have kicked your ass if you showed up platinum again,” Rob teased, ruffling my hair like I was still a kid.

“What is your obsession with my hair color? I like both!” I huffed, hopping into the driver’s seat of my SUV.

He always threatened to call the U.S. Embassy in my country to “negotiate” my return to black hair in the name of national peace. Man was absolutely unhinged.

“So little time and you already got a car,” Gina commented, settling in the back with Aaron.

“A nice one too,” Rob added.

“I like my babies fierce,” I winked, revving the engine.

“This is a big car. I can finally fit in one,” Rob chuckled, squeezing into the passenger seat.

“Straight to the hotel?” I asked.

He nodded, eyes glued to his phone.

“There’s something I wanna talk to you about,” I murmured. “But maybe later.”

He looked over and smiled. “Sure, hon’.”

We parked, unloaded, and made our way toward the entrance. But instead of heading to the front desk, Rob veered off to the coffee area.

“You’re not checking in?” I asked, brows scrunching in confusion.

“There’s time for that, sweetheart. Let’s get a hot coffee first. I wanna catch up.”

“…Okay,” I agreed slowly, following him.

“Let’s sit at the smoker’s area,” he pointed behind me with a weird smirk.

I turned—and stopped cold.

Drew.

Of course it was Drew. Standing there with that faint, worried smile. His blue eyes bounced between me and Rob like he wasn’t sure who was gonna swing first.

“Fuck me,” I muttered under my breath before I could stop myself.

Drew smirked. Of course he heard it.

Rob raised a finger in warning like a strict dad. “Don’t. I’m already being generous letting you meet her, so don’t push your luck.”

Drew raised both hands. “Not gonna say anything.”

He opened his arms toward Rob, waiting. Rob sighed, then pulled him into a hug.

“Come here, you goof. I can’t resist hugs. You know that.”

Then Drew turned to me. A mix of emotions flashing in his eyes. Unreadable.

“So, Audrey. Wanna hug your old friend or what?”

I finally did what I’d wanted to since I the first time I saw him—I hugged him. Tight. Like the years hadn’t carved a canyon between us. He held on just as fiercely, his arms tightening around me like muscle memory. Our first embrace. So many years of longing for that simple physical contact we never got to have. A simple hug that spoke volumes. A touch of reality. My heart was hammering in my chest, wrapped in his warmth. With my head pressed to his chest I could hear his heart doing the same, as his chest rose and fell, telling me he felt the same. The past—the good parts of it—settled quietly in my chest.

When we finally sat down, the conversation flowed like it never stopped.

“Mind explaining how the hell we got here?” I asked, motioning between the three of us.

“Well,” Rob started, glancing at Drew.

Drew just shrugged a "Go ahead."

“So the little brat finally pulled his head outta his ass and texted me,” Rob said, arms crossed like a disappointed dad. “I already knew you were here, since you told me, but I didn’t expect him to write. Or to tell me he’d met you. And—drumroll please—you live downstairs from him.”

Drew winced.

“Karma is a—” he stopped, eyes darting to Aaron. “A… witch.”

“I swear, when I saw you in the elevator with Damien, I didn’t know whether to faint or flee,” I said, laughing.

“I honestly thought you forgot me. What was I supposed to say? ‘Hey, I’m that girl you used to talk to when we were kids?’”

“That girl? I used to literally sing your little brother to sleep on the phone. How could I forget that? You were the girl.” Drew laughed and slung an arm around my shoulders.

“I didn’t think you’d recognize me. It’s been, what? 10 years. Maybe more?.”

“Well, I have to confess. At first, you just looked familiar. Then i had my doubts. Your looks, your smell in the elevator. God, everything hit me all at once making it hard to distinguish reality from fantasy. I thought my brain was playing tricks. But then you dropped the Blasphemy reference at dinner and everything clicked. I knew.”

“So you knew?” I raised an eyebrow.

“So did you, sweetheart.” He winked and sipped his coffee.

“I was testing you,” I shot back.

“Failed with honors,” he muttered, giving my shoulder a squeeze.

“We’ll talk more, I promise,” he added, voice soft.

“Man, when D.D. started flirting with her, I wanted to strangle him.” He turns to Rob.

“She’s a free woman. Let her flirt!” Rob scolded, then paused. “Wait—D.D. was flirting with her?! Where is he? I’m gonna have a talk with him.”

“Rob! You’re not my dad. I already told Damien off,” I said, cheeks flaming at the memory.

“I am your father, Luke,” he said dead serious. “Your American father, at least. Don’t take that from me.”

Gina and Drew burst out laughing. I hugged the ridiculous man.

“Thanks for looking out for me.”

“Always, hon’.” He smiled… then his face darkened as he turned to Drew.

“And you, young man. Be careful. No more warnings.”

Drew placed a hand over his heart. “Understood.”

________________________________________

Drew’s P.O.V.

I went back to my apartment to give them time to catch up.

Rob had been pissed—no sugarcoating that. And even now, I could tell he was only smiling for Audrey’s sake.

He’d always been the only one who saw through me. The first to guess I had a crush on her back in the day. I denied it, of course. What was the point? She was in another country, continent even, and we’d never even met in person. It was stupid.

But then it wasn’t.

The guys used to tease me about how I’d sneak off the bus to call her after shows. It became a ritual. Her voice grounded me when the noise got too loud.

I scrolled through my phone and hit play. Kid Rock – All Summer Long. I used to sing that to her little brother. Johnny must’ve been four? Maybe five?

Sometimes she’d pass me the phone mid-battle.

“You woke him up! You put him back to sleep!” she’d say, all huffy. “I have no breath to waste.”

I laughed to myself and sang along. The song wrapped around me like an old hoodie—familiar, warm.

Audrey had seen me before the world did. When all I had was a dream, half written lyrics and crazy hair. She was my anchor when I got too high on my own hype. She told me off when I acted like an idiot on interviews or swore too much. She was a real friend.

And I threw that away… for a stupid, unspoken crush.

But now—now she’s back. And I’m not losing her again.

Maybe this time, God sent her to remind me who the hell I was before I broke.

And maybe… just maybe… I can be someone better for her this time.