It was the day of the sleep out. Maybe one of the most important events of my career. If everything went off without a hitch, I'd impress my boss and be in the running for a promotion. If something went wrong, if this whole thing turned into a disaster…

I shook my head. No. I wasn't going to have a defeatist attitude. This was going to be the event of the year. I would make sure of it. Katherine and I had worked hard for months on this project. We'd thought of every possible issue, every possible snag that might pop up. We had contingency plans for our contingency plans.

The only problem was…

"Damon keeps asking about you," Katherine said.

I paused, a stack of folders in my hand.

"I keep telling him you're busy and you'll call him back, just like you said," she continued.

"Thanks, Kat."

Katherine side-eyed me. We were going over folders of itineraries, compete with everyone's schedule, emergency contact information, detailed maps of the stadium with every important area highlighted, and more. Every person helping to run the event would get one. I'd found early on in my career that putting together these packets were a necessity. I didn't need to spend half the night answering the same dozen questions.

"He's been pretty persistent," Katherine noted.

I avoided her eyes. "I don't think he knows how to be any other way," I said, pretending to go over the list of important phone numbers one more time.

"It's going to be hard running this event if you're not speaking to him."

"I'm not—" I put down the papers. I rubbed at my tired eyes. It was only just past noon, but I'd already been up since five. The event didn't officially start until six at night.

It was going to be a long day.

"I know I shouldn't pry," Katherine began.

"But that's not going to stop you from doing it anyway?"

"You've been miserable this last week," she continued. "Everyone has noticed. And I can't help but think it has to do something to do with him."

"Has the whole office been gossiping about my love life?"

"No," Katherine said. "Everyone assumes it's the stress of the event. I'm the only one who answers your phone. I haven't told anyone else how many times a certain sexy rock star keeps calling. And how many times I've had to make excuses because you refuse to talk to him."

"I'm not refusing to talk to him."

Katherine raised an eyebrow skeptically. I firmed my lips and went back to the folders, not responding to her silent question.

She was right.

I hadn't spoken a single word to Damon since that night he'd followed me to my dad's place.

Every day, I woke up with dread in my chest, wondering when Damon was finally going to tell Hope. Wondering when I'd get that call from her. Wondering when she'd insist on seeing Dad. So far, nothing.

But every time I thought about contacting Damon, my stomach twisted. I'd stormed out on him. I'd threatened him with silent treatment. I'd slammed the car door in his face.

I had acted like a child. It was embarrassing. I didn't like that Damon had seen that side of me.

But he'd made his own threat, too. I couldn't believe he thought he knew what was best for me. What was best for my family.

Still, although I hated to admit it, a part of me deep down knew Damon was right.

I had to tell my sister.

Somehow.

I closed my eyes and set the folders down with a thump. Katherine looked to me, startled.

"You know Faith, if you ever need to talk…" She left the offer open ended.

"I'm fine," I said. "But thank you." I picked up the folders and shuffled them around a few times. "I think these are in order. Let's go hand them out. Who's on the top of the list?"

She examined the first folder in her hand. "Looks like Jessie from that youth center."

Katherine and I were in the back offices of the stadium to take care of the admin stuff first. We'd hired a staffing company to do the physical set up and take down on the field, thank god. I didn't want to be the one putting up tents and tables in my Diana Six heels. Not to mention, the music label had hired a team to construct an entire stage in the middle of the field.

That was where we found Jessie, setting up a booth for The Impact Youth Center to promote their services. There was a handsome young man by her side with startling blue eyes. I recognized him as one of the guests at August's welcome home party. The one who threatened to punch Damon.

My gut churned at the memory. Damon had been flirting with the guy's sister. I'd been so pissed off. So hurt. I'd tried to run away.

Just like I did whenever anything got tough.

But Damon had followed me. He'd persisted.

Just like he was persisting now.

"Hey Faith!" Jessie greeted me with a cheery smile. She turned to the man at her side. Her eyes immediately softened as she looked up at him. "This is my boyfriend Gael."

He looked down at her adoringly before greeting me. "Nice to meet you. Faith?"

I nodded.

"You're the one who—" Gael cut himself off with a wince.

I folded my arms over my chest. "I'm the one who what?"

"Uh…" Gael turned blue, pleading eyes to Jessie.

"It's just that Damon's been a mopey, angsty bastard lately and we all figured you're the reason for it," Jessie said matter-of-factly.

I clenched my jaw.

"Gael Moreau!" Katherine blurted out, saving me from having to respond. "You're the bassist of Cherry Lips!"

Gael turned his gaze toward Katherine. "That's right, gorgeous. You a fan?" He winked.

"You were on tour with Darkest Days," she said. "Your drummer went up against August Summers. Wow. Getting to open for a band like Darkest Days… You guys are so lucky."

Katherine's eyes went distant and shiny. The disgruntled look that passed over Gael's face was almost comical. She was clearly more of a fan of Damon's band than of Gael's band.

Jessie snickered. She patted her boyfriend's chest consolingly. "It's okay, you're still my favorite."

Gael grumbled.

I handed Jessie a folder. "This is for you. Maps, schedules, phone numbers, everything you might need to know."

She took it, wide-eyed. "Wow. You really thought of everything."

"I'm just making sure this event goes off without a hitch," I said. "I've got copies for every band member who's going to be performing."

Gael nodded over my shoulder. "My sister Cerise is over there if you need her."

His sister. My heart clenched. The young woman Damon flirted with.

I shook my head inwardly, chastising myself. It had just been Damon acting like his usual annoying self.

When we got closer, I recognized Cerise from the long, dark, cherry red hair that she'd had at the party. Cerise. Cherry Lips. I snorted to myself. It seemed like a certain someone was a narcissist, naming their band after themselves. Her brother had certainly been full of himself. Maybe it ran in the family.

Then again, Damon was pretty arrogant himself. It was probably just a rock star thing.

"Excuse me," I said. "Sorry to interrupt."

Cerise paused her conversation with a tall, handsome young man.

"Oh, you're Faith," she said. "The one who's running the event. I wanted to thank you for thinking of Cherry Lips to perform. We're excited to show everyone what we've got. We're going to blow the roof of this place." She grinned, confident and self-assured.

"Thank you for agreeing," I said. "I know we can't pay because it's a charity event."

She shook her head. "No, I'm more than happy to help out. Me and my brother used to hang out at The Impact Youth Center all the time when we were kids. That's how we got started with our band."

"And are you helping run the event, too?" the guy next to Cerise asked Katherine. He scanned her up and down slowly, a teasing look slowly crossing his face. "I'd be more than happy to show you what I've got."

"Um." Katherine flushed, staring at him in an almost swoon.

"Shut up, Nate," Cerise said with an annoyed purse of her lips. "Ignore him," she told us. "Nathan flirts with everything that moves."

I eyed him warily. I didn't need any more flirty, cocky rock stars in my life.

"Here." I held out a pile of folders to Cerise. "Can you hand these out to everyone in your band? It's got schedules, maps, things like that."

She took them with a nod of thanks.

"Come on, Kat." I pulled her away. She stumbled a few paces before righting herself. "I thought Darkest Days was your favorite?" I asked.

She flushed and didn't say anything.

Next on the list were the kids from the youth center. I knew they were going to be backstage, practicing before their performance. I found the kids huddled in a circle, worry on their faces. A tall, barrel-chested man stood with them. He had his hand on Micah's shoulder.

"That's the drummer of Feral Silence," Katherine murmured to me. It really did help to have a fan on my side.

"You guys aren't nervous are you?" I asked with a smile as I approached. "You guys are going to rock."

"I hope so," one of the boy guitarists said fervently. I couldn't remember whether this one was Zain or Matthew.

"You will," the tall man said confidently. He held his hand out to me. "Morris," was all he said.

"I'm Faith. You're the one who taught these kids? You should be really proud."

He nodded silently. A man of few words.

"I can't find my drumstick!" Kaylee wailed, searching frantically.

Morris leaned over and pulled out a spare one from a bag near his feet. "I've got more," he told her.

"You guys don't have to worry," I told them. "I've seen you play, remember?" Five small faces looked up at me. "You were amazing. Everyone here is going to love you."

"You think so?" The singer, Anya, said in a small voice.

I put my hand to my mouth and pretended to whisper. "Don't tell them, but I think you guys are better than Darkest Days."

The kids all laughed and giggled.

With some of the tension broken, I handed Morris four folders and asked him to hand them out to his band. He agreed with a silent nod.

I consulted my list to see who was next.

"I think we should go see the sponsors," I told her.

"Um. Faith?" Katherine said.

The worry in her voice made me turn around quickly. "What? What is it?"

"I don't think I can lie and tell Damon you're busy this time, because he's right behind you."

My lungs squeezed. I clutched the pile of folders to my chest.

"Hey." Damon's deep, rich tones came from behind me. "Can we talk?"

I didn't turn to look at him.

"I'm going to go… do something else," Katherine said slowly. The look in her eyes was hopeful as she backed away with haste.

"Still giving me the silent treatment?" Damon asked when she was gone and we were alone. "I thought you said you'd only stop speaking to me if I told your sister."

I finally met his eyes. They were steady, calm, but the lines on his forehead told me he was more upset than he was letting on.

"Why haven't you?" I asked.

He shrugged. "I keep wanting to. Every time I see her the words are right there in my mouth, just ready to blurt out." Damon eyed me carefully, gauging my mood. "But I know it would be better coming from you."

"I know," I said quietly. I grasped the folders tighter. "I know. You're right. I need to tell her."

Damon ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "If I'm right, then why have you been blowing me off?"

There was a pause before identical smiles crept across our lips at the innuendo. His eyes were so clear, so bright, yet deep at the same time. That same familiar feeling of falling came over me. It was dizzying. Disorientating.

I was always in over my head when it came to this man.

I cast my eyes down, gaze fixating on the pointed toes.

"At first I didn't want to talk to you because I was angry," I admitted. "I couldn't believe you had the audacity to think you could dictate the terms of my relationship with my sister."

"Mm, using big words again." Damon smirked. "Get mad at me some more."

"I'm not mad at you," I said. "Not now. I just…" I averted my gaze. "I was embarrassed," I mumbled.

Damon frowned. "Embarrassed about what?"

"The way I reacted." My face grew hot, bright red and flushed. "It was childish, just like you said. After all the times I told you to act like an adult, I go and throw a fit like a little kid throwing a tantrum."

Damon stared at me. "Is that why?" He chuckled, loud and long. "Faith, you call that a tantrum? Shit." His cheeks spread wide. "I'm glad you never saw how pissy I acted around Hope when she first started dating my brother. I was like a five year old sulking over his toy being taken away."

"Just because you act like that doesn't mean I should."

"Remember what I told you?" he said gently. "You don't have to be the mature one all the time."

"Yes I do," I said stubbornly.

A look of consternation crossed his face. He opened his mouth to argue.

My cell phone rang. I took it out of my pocket and put it to my ear, not bothering to apologize. I was at work. Technically Damon was the one interrupting me.

A woman's voice on the other side asked for me. I frowned, confused. Didn't she know this was my cell phone?

She continued speaking. My heart sank. My fingers went numb, phone nearly falling from my hand. The flush on my face faded, replaced by a cold, clammy sensation.

Damon looked alarmed. "Faith, what the hell—?"

I lowered the phone. "It's my father." I hear myself speaking the words distantly. Something inside me didn't quite register them as real. "He's in the hospital." Tears pricked the back of my eyes. "I have to go. Now." I took in a shuddering breath, forcing back the tears. "Shit, the event starts in a few hours."

Damon took me in his arms. He ran a soothing hand up and down my back. I let him.

"It's okay. Don't think about that now." He turned his head. "Kat!" he yelled out.

"Yeah?" I heard her respond from across the stadium field.

"We've got to go," he hollered. "Think you can handle the event by yourself tonight?"

There was absolute silence. Then—

"Um. Sure. Yeah. Okay." Her voice trembled. "I can do that. Totally. I can totally do this. Yes. I can." Her voice steadied, sounding firmer, resolute. "You go do whatever you need to do. Don't worry. I've got this."

"Thanks Kat, owe you a million." Damon took me by the shoulders, making me look at him. Tears gathered along my lash line, but hadn't yet fallen. "We're going now. Okay?"

"Okay," I said in a small voice. "You don't have to come—"

"Don't be silly," he said. "Of course I'm coming with you."

The tears did fall then. Damon squeezed my hand.

"Let's go," he said. "I'll be right beside you."