She holds them out to me. “I didn’t know you smoked.”
“I don’t. I mean, I did for a few years. Started when I was nineteen and quit before I joined the band.”
“Did I look like I wanted a recap?” she says, putting out her cigarette and opening the door. But before she goes inside, she stops. “I’d watch out for that one. I know a con artist when I see one.”
I take a drag and exhale. “She played me once, Ronni. Believe me when I say it won’t happen again.”
“Yet she’s already got you inviting her on tour.”
“We didn’t have a choice.”
“There’s always a choice, Garrett.”
Reece and her friend appear. She eyes the cigarette in my hand. “You smoke?”
I laugh, but it has a harsh edge. “I guess there’s a lot of things we kept from each other, isn’t there?”
Maddox tugs on her elbow. “Let’s go. Nice to meet you,” he says over his shoulder. “Good luck on the tour.”
I inhale more crap that might someday kill me.
Liam comes out and leans on the windowsill next to me. “Want to go for a drink?”
“I could use one. Or five.”
Iggy joins us, lights up, and looks at me. “You the only one who smokes?”
Liam takes my cigarette, throws it on the ground, and crushes it. “He doesn’t smoke, and neither will you on the tour bus. I’m not riding for hours on end in a fucking chimney.”
“What’s up with you and the busty blonde?” Iggy asks.
I resist the urge to punch him in the face. “Iggy,” I say, then laugh. “I’m sorry, I can’t say your name without cracking up. It sounds like a nickname for a three-year-old.”
“G,” Liam warns.
“It’s okay,” Iggy says, getting in my face. “At least my name doesn’t sound like it belongs to a fucking banker. Garrett Young.”
I puff up my chest. “Back off.”
Liam pushes us apart. “Both of you shut up. Let’s go, G.”
On the way down the street, Liam calls his girlfriend, Ella. “Garrett and I are going out for a drink. I’ll be home by five and then we can meet your parents for dinner.” He laughs at something she says. “Me, too. See you then.”
“She’s really got you whipped, huh?”
“Man, she really got to you.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Reece. Ever since Joe mentioned her name two days ago, you’ve been in rare form. Give it a rest, why don’t you?”
“Give what a rest?”
“Being a complete dick.”
“I need a drink is all.”
Crew and Bria run up behind us. “You’re not getting away that easily,” she says.
I keep walking, not wanting to get another earful. I take a left into the nearest bar and flag down the first waitress I see. “Bring a pitcher of beer and four shots of your best whiskey to the booth in the corner.” We all sit. “You didn’t invite the new guy?”
“We did,” Bria says, “but Iggy had other plans.”
“How can you say his name without cringing? It’s fucking stupid.”
“As opposed to Crew?” Crew says.
“Your name is cool. His sounds like he’s trying too hard. A thousand bucks says it’s not his real name.”
“He showed us his driver’s license at the audition, remember?”
“Doesn’t mean he didn’t have it changed legally.”
“I don’t think Iggy’s name is what’s really bothering you, is it?” Bria asks.
The waitress brings a tray of drinks to our table. I take a shot, not bothering to toast anything. Probably because there isn’t anything to toast.
“Oh, shit,” Liam says. “You think he likes her, don’t you?”
Crew tries not to laugh. “Damn, you’re jealous. Your ex walks in with some guy, then Iggy all but hits on her during practice.”
I steal his shot. “There’s nothing to be jealous about. She’s nothing to me.”
Bria eyes me skeptically. “Yesterday at the lawyer’s office, you thought she was married.”
“I’m not talking about this,” I say.
She draws in a sharp breath. “Oh my God, did she cheat on her husband with you? Is that what this is about? She lied to you and said she wasn’t married?”
“Jesus. I didn’t come here for the third degree. I came to drink. How about you just be my supportive bandmates and drink with me?”
“Fine,” Liam says, “but can I say one more thing?”
“What?” I bark.
“No disrespect to you, Bria, but that woman has some pipes on her, and I’m not talking about her tits.”
Bria swats him on the arm. “She is really good. Don’t go getting any ideas.”
Crew leans close to her. “Babe, you’re the one who put RA on the map. Nobody would ever replace you.”
“You’re the best, Bria,” Liam says. “I’m just saying I think it was a major stroke of luck that she heard the song and hired a lawyer. I’m willing to bet once this is all over, Reece Mancini will be a household name.”
I slap the table. “Whose side are you on, man?”
“Yours, of course, but kind of hers, too. You did screw her over by ripping off her lyrics. We owe her this. You know I love you, G, but a part of me can’t fucking wait to see how this plays out.”
“Are you done?” I look around the table. “Are you all finished talking about her? Because if you’re not, there’s a free table right over there.”
The three of them talk about a new song they’re working on. Liam composes the music for the lyrics Crew and Bria write. All I can think about is how stupid I was to use the lyrics Reece wrote so long ago. I keep asking myself why I did it. It’s not like we don’t have enough material. I wonder if deep down, I wanted to see her again. I take a long swallow of beer. No—seeing her dredges up too much shit from the past, shit I never wanted to think about again. It reminds me of how stupid I was to fall for someone and think I could have a steady girlfriend. I’m a goddamn rock star. Rock stars don’t do relationships.
I look at my friends. They do them. I shake my head.
The waitress comes over. I ask her for more drinks and her phone number.
Chapter Ten
Reece
Six years ago …
The past seven days have been the best of my life. Now I know what I’ve been missing. Living in Sheila’s house with Garrett and Reggie has shown me the life I want. Normal lives—coming home to each other after work. Cooking together. Lying on the couch and watching stupid movies. Sleeping in until noon on Sunday, then making pancakes for lunch. I want this.
For over ten years, I never got pancakes unless it was someone’s birthday and sometimes not even then. More often it was fighting with the other foster kids for the last Pop-Tart. Or if it was the end of the month, and the foster parents hadn’t gotten their check yet, we were fed stale cereal without milk.