I was probably being overly cautious, because deep down I didn’t think Declan had given me anything. Of course, there was always that one percent of women who got pregnant on the pill, but that wasn’t me. I’d had a mini breakdown early this morning, but I was even-keeled now and I wasn’t going to borrow trouble. Now if I could just get out of my own head, put on some makeup, and spend the afternoon with my bestie, I’d be ready to work tonight. At least I hoped so, because I had no choice but to keep putting one foot in front of the other.
10
Bash
* * *
I’d known she would be gone by the time I finished my interview with Tamryn. When she didn’t join us after about fifteen minutes, my heart had sunk, and sure enough, by the time I broke free she’d snuck out. Again.
Dammit.
Somehow, I’d known she wouldn’t wait for me. She’d been pretty freaked out about Simon watching us screw, and the ass play probably hadn’t helped either. Not to mention not using a condom. It had been years since I’d listened to my little head instead of my big one, and now, once again, I’d scared off a woman I really liked. She’d been the one to say it was okay to go bare, and in the heat of the moment I’d done it, but I’d honestly thought she’d hang around this time. She made it so damn hard to get to know her, so I’d resorted to the one thing I knew she wanted: sex.
Part of me felt a little used, but I was confused too. Women who just wanted to notch a rocker’s name in their bedpost didn’t run away like a scared rabbit. No, there was something else going on with Brianna, but it didn’t seem like she wanted to tell me what it was. We’d been together twice now, and I had yet to get her number or even her last name. Technically, I could ask Simon for the name of the catering company and track her down that way, but it felt a little stalkerish and the last thing I wanted to do was freak her out even more.
So I was spending today at home, lazing around watching TV. I’d called my doctor, because it would have been stupid not to make sure I was safe after having unprotected sex, but she’d told me not to worry too much and to come in next week. I was sure I was okay, but I tried to be a grown-up when I had to and getting checked was the responsible thing.
“Whassup, man?” Ford came strolling in looking hungover and a little green around the gills.
“You look like you got rode hard and put away wet,” I said, chuckling.
He sank onto the couch and closed his eyes. “I might die here today.”
“You want some Tylenol?”
“Just took some and drank a bottle of water.” He closed his eyes. “I feel like shit but it was fucking awesome.”
I chuckled. “I had a pretty great night too. Remember Brianna from trivia?”
His eyes opened slowly, just a slit. “Yeah, the redhead.”
“She works for the catering company that served the food at Simon’s party last night.”
“You get her number this time?”
I made a face. “She ran out on me again.”
Ford’s eyes widened and then he burst out laughing. “Oh, man, what’re you doin’ to that poor girl that she keeps running away from you?”
“Shut up,” I muttered. “I guess she’s just interested in sex.”
“Those are the best kinds of women.”
I scratched my chin. “Yeah. Maybe. I don’t know anymore.”
He arched a brow. “You gettin’ the feels for this one?”
“I don’t know. It’s hard to get the feels for a woman you barely know, but there’s something about her. I can’t describe it.”
“You know, I let a special one go. Long time ago now. Never forgot her. Still think about her, still wonder how she’s doin’, if she’s married or found someone else…”
“Someone back in Texas?”
He nodded. “Well, kinda. I toured with her dad a long time ago, and she came out on the road with us for the summer. Then she went home and her dad told me she never wanted to see me again, that I was too much of a distraction for her with school and all.”
“How old was she?” I asked.
He smiled. “Sixteen. I wasn’t quite eighteen, though. I’d be turning eighteen that August, so seventeen when we started. I loved her. Still do in a way. I mean, she’s the only girl I ever said those words to. Never been in love since.”
“How long ago was this?”
“About seven years.”
“You could look her up?”
He shook his head. “Her dad was killed in a boating accident about a year ago and I thought about it, but she blocked me on her phone and everything, so I figured I should let it go. Been a long time. She’s probably forgotten all about me.”
“Well, we’re a couple of sad saps,” I said, chuckling.
“I just meant to say, don’t let this one go if she’s got that something you can’t figure out. I let Sydney go because her dad kind of scared me and she was underage, so I was worried about that. But I should have gone to see her, made her tell me what I’d done wrong, because I loved her and treated her good. I would have married her, even at sixteen and eighteen.”
“Damn, that’s some intense love for a teenager.”
“It was.” He slowly got to his feet. “You think a shower’ll help this hangover?”
“Yup. And then we’ll go out to lunch. A good, greasy burger should fix you right up.”
He nodded. “Sounds about right. Give me twenty.”
For the first time in a couple of weeks, the band had rehearsal Sunday night. Lexi and Zaan were back from their short vacation, Ariel was back from L.A., and Lindsay was in town for a few days to spend time with Stu. Zaan, Ariel, and Lindsay were all rarely at one rehearsal, so it was an upbeat mood with all of us hanging out and talking before we played.
“I heard from Simon today,” Tyler said as he pulled out his bass. He put the strap over his head and plucked a few notes, testing out the sound. “He wants Bash and Stu to hang out on air with him next week, talking music, playing everything from Pretty Harts to Waking Wonder to Nobody’s Fool, and then he wants me, Ford, and Lexi on air this fall, hopefully after we’ve recorded some new stuff.”
I nodded. “Cool.” I tapped the bass drum with my right foot, getting a feel for the sound. I was used to being behind my set daily when we were on tour, and now that we’d been home for a month, I’d barely played at all. Maybe that was part of my problem, because being a drummer was part of who I was, and whenever I took more than a week or two off, I got a little antsy.
I’d just started tapping on the snare drum to warm up when I heard laughter and looked up to see Jayson Keller walk through the door. The lead singer of Pretty Harts, and a good friend for many years, I hadn’t seen him in over a year and I got up, putting down my sticks as I hugged him.
“What are you doing here?” I asked.
“Came to check out the new music. Casey told me you’d be rehearsing tonight and Liz and I brought the family to town for a little vacay.”
“Excellent. Gonna sing one or two with us?”