Free Home Again by Lisa Fisher Page A

me?”
    “How much do you weigh?”
    “I don’t know. I don’t weigh myself.”
    “Ever?”
    “Well, sometimes.”
    “When was the last time, Ms. Carter?”
    What was I, transparent? Or had she just mastered the art of mind reading? “This morning,” I said honestly.
    “What did the scale say?”
    That I’m fat. No. I’m not fat, I’m healthy. “115.”
    “Are you happy with that?”
    No. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
    “Because sometimes we are harder on ourselves, than anyone else is.”
    “I’m not that hard on myself,” I lied again. “115 is healthy.”
    I’m not fat, I’m healthy…
    “I know that, but do you believe it?”
    Standing abruptly, I checked my watch. “I have to go.”
    “We were just starting to make some progress. You’re supposed to be back on tour in six weeks, and if you’re going to do that, you need to start staying for entire session each week.”
    “Next week, for sure.” I gritted my teeth. I’d rather shoot myself than sit here for another minute.
    “See you then.”
    With a quick smile, I was out the door, to anywhere else but here…
     
    ***
     
    “Are we going to talk about your birthday, Becks?” I laughed, plopping down on her queen sized bed.
    She groaned. “How many times do I have to apologize?”
    “Let’s see, how many views did that video get, John?” I looked over at John, who only grunted, never lifting his gaze from his cell phone.
    “You should be thanking my ass, Ais. I told you you’d be playing again in no time, didn’t I?” She gave me a smart look. “So there.”
    “Yeah, thanks for the gentle push,” I joked. “What do you want to do today?” I came straight here from my appointment, wanting something to distract me from the growing pit in my stomach. From my ridiculous insecurities.
    She shrugged. “I have to work at five.”
    “Why don’t we take advantage of the heat?”
    “What do you have in mind?” Her eyes twinkled.
    “The lake,” we both said at the same time with a laugh.
    “Is it okay if I call up East?” she asked.
    “I guess I haven’t told you… we’re kind of, um…” I trailed off, not knowing how to label us.
    “You’re sleeping with him?” She gasped.
    A blush spread. “Becks!”
    “Sorry. I just don’t believe it! He didn’t say anything yesterday at work.”
    He didn’t? Maybe I was making too much of this thing we had. I tried to shrug it off. “It’s not a big deal, Becks. We’re just having some fun until I leave.”
    “Oh, no. That is a bad idea, Aisley.” She shook her head disapprovingly.
    “No, it’s not.”
    “You’re going to get your heart broken and so is East. This will never end well, and you know that.”
    So what if I knew that? I was going to enjoy every second I spend with East, whether Becks approved or not.
    “Just call him up and let’s go, before I melt in this heat!” I said, choosing to ignore the thing she said about broken hearts.
    “Fine, but don’t say I didn’t tell you so.”
    I wouldn’t. Because East and I could so do casual. And in six weeks, we’d say goodbye, stay friends, and I told myself it wouldn’t hurt like last time.
     
    If only I could admit to myself that I was lying…
     
     
    ***
     

Chapter 9
     
    The next three weeks went by like a swift wind. I felt every second of it, but it was gone faster than I expected. That’s what being around Easton did to me. He had the ability to make time stand still and move at lightning speed at the exact same time.
    This time three weeks from now, I’d be in Seattle. Then Vancouver. Then Portland. Then wherever else I was performing.
    Miles away from the boy who stole my heart at twelve years old and never gave it back.
    Miles away from home.
    The place I convinced myself I wouldn’t miss. The place where dreams died.
    But, I would miss it. Because like people say, ‘home is where the heart is’, and my heart would forever be with Easton Everson—and there was nothing I could do about