Authors: Christa Maurice
“Shit, I’m sorry. Are you okay?” Brian asked.
“It’s nothing,” Bear told her, though he couldn’t say he didn’t like having her fussing over him. He had no idea where the tissue had come from. It just had been there in her hand, like a magic trick.
Joey, Brian’s tech, walked over, snatched the bass away from Brian and smacked him on the back of the head without a word.
She peeked under the tissue. “Michael, you need to wash this off and we’ll put a bandage on it.”
“I don’t need a bandage. It’s just a scratch.”
“You still need to wash it off.”
A determined glint had appeared in her eyes. She wasn’t going to back down. He either had to take her to the bathroom with him or he had to leave her alone out here. Neither one was a great option. “Fine. I’ll go wash it off.”
“I’ll show her around,” Brian said.
Bear shot a glare at Brian and hoped he got the message. He had a stupid smile on his face like always so it was hard to tell. “I’ll be back in a minute.”
Which turned into ten because instead of the usual dozen people who came to rehearsals, there were twenty hangers on and every one of them found a reason to stop him to talk so they could gauge just how pissed off he was at Brian. He wasn’t pissed off at Brian. Yes, Brian had married that self-centered bitch and wouldn’t, for some inexplicable reason, divorce her, but Bear couldn’t hold him responsible for her actions. By the time he got back into the main space, Brian and Ty were standing on either side of Maureen in front of his drum riser.
“We have to make sure the riser is big enough that he doesn’t fall off the back,” Brian was saying.
“Hey, that riser was way too small and that happened in high school.” Bear put his arm around Maureen’s shoulders.
“And you were drunk,” Ty added.
“And I was drunk.” He rolled his eyes at Maureen.
“How do you know the drum riser is even?” Jason called from one side of the stage.
“The drummer is drooling from both sides of his mouth,” Marc answered from the other. “Why did the drummer go out with the second grade teacher?”
“Because he wanted to know what number comes after four.” Jason rubbed his hands together. “Did you hear about the time the bassist got his keys locked in the car?”
“I think it’s time for you to go home.” Bear pulled Maureen to the door.
“It took two hours to get the drummer out,” Marc said. “Speaking of bass players. How do you know when the drum solo is really bad?”
“I was hoping you could stay a little to see us play, but once they get going they won’t stop until the audience leaves.” He was kind of amazed she was letting him hustle her to the door. She hadn’t even mentioned bandaging his arm.
“The bassist notices,” Jason said.
“Don’t let them bother you, Michael.” She pushed open the door and latched onto his shirt to pull him out with her. Before he could ask what was going on, she’d pressed him against the side of the building, was kissing him with the frenzied desperation of a woman sending her man off to war. Her hands twined through his hair and she pulled herself up his body.
Bear bit back a groan. The whole day without her spun out ahead of him. There wasn’t even anywhere to sneak off to for a few minutes alone. Besides, he didn’t want to do that to her. As much as he wanted to have sex with her right now, he didn’t want to drag her into a closet like a groupie. He slid his hands down the curve of her back to hold her tight to him. Air was too much to have between them. Air? Months and months of touring separated them. Thousands of miles and millions of people. He ran his tongue along the line of her pulse. Some of those people would be right around her. Like that Conner guy. Waiting for her to get weak and lonely.
He rolled her against the building, pinned her underneath him. “Will you miss me?”
“Yes.” She shivered, stretching.
Her skin smelled sweet and fresh. Under that he could taste the tang of anxiety. She was working so hard to be accepted by his friends. Because she loved him. Because she wanted to be with him and wanted him to be happy. Desiree had been pretty invested in Marc’s happiness too. “Will you wait for me?”
She giggled. “I’m only going shopping.”
Oh yeah. She was going shopping. This was her idea of goodbye for the day. What was she going to do Sunday when she flew home? Maybe they should start on Saturday. “I know, but you might meet some gorgeous hunk at the mall.”
Another giggle. “And what would I do with two gorgeous hunks? I think the one I have is plenty. Unless there’s a really good sale.”
He stepped back and helped her straighten out her clothes. She dressed like she was going to any mall in the Midwest. Jeans, t-shirt, sneakers. He’d warned her what Liddy was probably going to appear in and she’d laughed. Hopefully that humor and confidence would carry her because he didn’t want her coming home feeling like second best to Liddy. Or worse, having picked up some of Liddy’s style.
She put her hand on his chest. “Don’t let them bother you.”
“What?”
“They were teasing you a lot. Don’t let it bother you.” Adorable little crinkles formed at the corners of her eyes. She was worried. About him.
“The drummer jokes? That’s nothing. They’ve been doing it for years.” Bear resisted the impulse to pinch her cheek. The fact that she worried about him was so damn cute. Nobody worried about him. He was Bear the Invincible. If they did worry, it was about him damaging somebody else.
“You seemed upset.”
“I just didn’t want them to upset you.”
Her sweet lips turned down. She wasn’t buying that even though it was true. “Honestly, baby, those guys are my very best friends in the world. Even when they’re assholes.” He kissed her forehead. “Have fun today.”
“I will.” She fished the car keys out of her purse. “You’ll be home for dinner?”
Now that was a nice conversation. Have a good time shopping. Will you be home for dinner? So fucking normal. “Yeah. If not, I’ll call.”
“Okay.” She kissed his cheek. “See you tonight then.”
He watched her climb into the Mustang and wiggle it out of the absurdly small lot. When she got straightened out in the alley, she stopped and waved. He waved back, feeling the tug in his gut. Better get used to it. Sunday he had to do it for a much longer stretch.
The door banged closed behind him. Marc stopped beside him, lighting a cigarette. “She finally go?”
Bear stiffened. “Yes.”
“I admit she’s got a good story.”
“It’s not a story.”
Marc took a long drag. “She’s cute too, in a wholesome way.”
Bear ground his teeth. The asshole routine was rapidly overtaking Marc’s status as a best friend.
“Tessa said you set up her expense account.”
“You don’t think she’s doing all this on a teacher’s salary, do you?” Maureen must have said something. Helen promised to keep it quiet because she had the taste to understand that he might have stumbled into something real for the first time in his surreal fantasy life. She didn’t assume he was still too immature for a long term, serious relationship.
“Guess not.” Marc flicked the ash off his cigarette. “She goes home Sunday?”
“Yes.”
Marc glared at him, his dark eyes more world weary than they should have been. “You don’t have to get all pissy and defensive.”
“The way you guys have all been acting, I need to get more pissy and defensive.”
The door banged against the wall and Jason leaned out. “Are you guys gonna get in here so we can get this shit going or what?”
Marc ignored Jason and flicked away his half finished cigarette. “I’m trying to save you some grief.”
“Just because you two can’t get your shit together doesn’t give you free rein to rip up my life.”
“Fuck you.” Jason snarled. “I haven’t done jack all to you or your new fuck toy.”
Bear swung at Jason, who ducked. Marc grabbed his arms, yanking them back so Bear used the leverage to kick. Jason scuttled backward through the door. Crashing into Brian.
“What the fuck?” Brian yelled. “What are you doing?”
“You son of a bitch.” Bear lunged toward Jason, pulling Marc forward. “Don’t you ever talk about her like that. Just because some bitch fucked you over.”
Jason leaped through the door, but Brian grabbed him.
“Hey! Dammit, will you guys just calm down,” Brian demanded. “Little help,” he shouted over his shoulder.
Everyone boiled out of the building. They’d come for a bloodbath. This might not have been the one they’d expected, but it would do. Cal grabbed Bear by the scruff of the neck and dragged him to the far corner of the parking lot.
“You’re an asshole, you know that?” Jason shouted. “You always have been. The center of the fucking universe.”
“Yeah, that’s me all over. Because I’m the pussy still whining about the fact that some fucking clothes hanger dumped me in a magazine. And you.” Bear pointed at Marc. “You married a fucking stripper. No wonder she started screwing her personal trainer on your dime. Brian married a bitch and Ty can’t keep a girlfriend for long enough to learn her fucking name.”
“Hey!” Ty threw up his hands. “When did this become about me?”
“I’m not stupid enough to make the same mistakes.” Bear clenched his fists. “I’m doing it right.”
“By meeting some woman and getting engaged to her within a week.” Marc’s jaw flexed like he was chewing steel.
“Yes. You just won’t give her a chance because you think I’m a fuck up like all of you are.” Bear tried to step around Cal, but the other man wouldn’t let him.
“You know when a woman fucks with one of us, she fucks with all of us,” Brian said. “We’re a band.”
“You are. I quit.” Half a second after he’d said it, his guts turned to jelly and breakfast headed back up his throat. He’d known Jason and Brian since he was fourteen. Marc and Ty since he was seventeen. Half his life. They’d lived together in shitty, bug infested hotels, broken down vans and Sandy’s basement. They’d fought over everything imaginable from women and money to the last French fry. Together they’d realized all their dreams.
And he’d walk away from them for Maureen.
“What?” Ty said.
“You can’t. We’re leaving for tour in ten days.” Brian dropped his grip on Jason, who just stood there swaying like a tree in the wind.
“You son of a bitch.” Marc stalked forward. “We’ll sue.”
Cal turned from keeping Bear back to put out a hand to stop Marc.
“Fine. Sue. I don’t give a shit. I’m going home.” Bear reached in his pocket for the car keys. If he left now, he’d be able to catch her before she went to lunch. She could cancel the stupid shopping trip. She didn’t need to win anybody’s approval anymore. Sunday when she flew home, he could go with her.
“Wait, wait.” At the same time, he flipped open his phone. “We’ll call Sandy. Let’s everybody take a deep breath. Nobody is going to sue anybody.”
Bear trembled. He wanted to go home to Maureen and have her tell him he’d done the right thing. When he dreamed of being a rock star, he’d never imagined most of his life would be dictated by a corporation and the fans and the rest of the band and various other strangers who wanted him to toe their line. He just wanted to be a guy with a wife and a mortgage and a job, to have conversations about what time he was going to be home for dinner and what they would be having.
“Hey, Sandy, Bear is threatening to quit the band. No, I don’t think Jason did anything. I’m not sure what happened. He’s right here.” Brian held out the phone. “Sandy wants to talk to you.”
“What?” Bear gritted his teeth, preparing for the tongue lashing of a lifetime.
“Look, son, I know how you feel. You boys are under a lot of pressure right now, but quitting is only going to make things worse. Why don’t we all get together for dinner? We can hash things out and put a lot of these bad feelings behind us.”
Not a tongue lashing, but Bear still felt fifteen. “I’m having dinner with Maureen.”
“Ah, Maureen.”
“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” Bile boiled up his throat. Jesus, none of them could stand to let an opportunity to ding Maureen pass.