I heave in a deep breath, something I’ve learned over time is an anger management skill.
I liked Tyler, but I honestly never saw him fitting in with us forever. I can see it with Gage. I can see it with Lexi.
But there was something off about him, and this is just one more situation where I’m thankful I always trust my gut.
I glance at Brody, and he opens his mouth to fight back. He’s the easiest to ignite out of the four of us.
Before he can say anything, though, I jump in. “You know how many bands would jump at the chance to be at the level where you’ve gotten Capital Kingsmen?” I shake my head in disgust. “We liked you, but I have to be honest with you. We never saw it working long term. When the four of us named our top two, your name didn’t come up. You’re a talented guy, but what you’ve done to this competition and to the four of us is inexcusable.”
“Get the fuck out,” Brody says.
I shake my head. “We need to do the usual send-off.”
“Can I talk to Lexi first?” Tyler asks.
I shoot him a look that says you’re real fucking lucky we’re not kicking your ass on the way out...which, in other words, is a no.
I call Camille. “We’re done with Tyler, and we’re done deliberating,” I say, all business when she answers. “We need Lexi and Gage in the family room for the send-off.”
“I’ll call them in,” she says.
A few minutes later, she comes into the office. “They’re waiting.”
“Escort Tyler out to his place,” I say.
She does, and the four of us stand.
In a few minutes, the competition will be cut to two remaining contestants. The two strongest by far. What Tyler did is shitty, but it wouldn’t have changed anything. At least we can be thankful we discovered his real intentions now rather than two days from now...even though I’m still convinced he would’ve gone home tonight either way.
And then we’ll have to make the most difficult decision of this entire journey.
CHAPTER 44: LEXI
Tyler’s eyes are wide when I step into place next to him. I really expected more of a deliberation, but honestly I have no idea how long Tyler’s interview has been over and how long the guys were in there talking through who the final two are going to be.
“It’s me,” Tyler whispers.
I turn to look at him. “What?” I whisper back.
“Quiet in line, please,” Miles snaps at us from across the room. I turn my attention straight ahead again as we wait for the MFB boys.
“It’s me,” he repeats. “And I’m sorry.”
“Sorry for what?” Just as I turn to look at him again, to try to decode his meaning, the band members walk into the room.
Tyler exhales heavily, and I’m filled with confusion as to what, exactly, is going on.
Dax starts talking, and my heart thumps loudly. “We all thought choosing the final two would be the second most difficult decision with, of course, choosing the final winner being the first. But we were wrong. One contestant proved his true colors today, and we’re not sorry to see him go.”
Him.
It’s not me.
That means I’m in the final two.
Holy cannoli...I’m in the final two.
I have a fifty-fifty shot at joining My Favorite Band as the new bassist.
And that means tonight, either Gage or Tyler is heading out the door...and Tyler seems pretty convinced it’ll be him.
I’d rather be all alone in this house with Tyler than Gage, to be honest.
What the heck did he say in there to them?
“Tyler, you lost this battle. You won’t be MFB’s replacement bassist. You can go.”
You can go. That’s the first time Dax has said that to any contestant in that tone.
He didn’t give Tyler a minute to say goodbye to us, but Tyler turns toward me and pulls me into a quick hug anyway. “I’m sorry,” he says again, and I can’t figure out why he keeps apologizing to me.
Miles grabs his arm and directs him out of the room, and I look over at Gage with my brows dipped down. He’s facing forward toward the MFB guys, and I can’t read his expression. How would he know what’s going on anyway? He must feel in the dark as much as I do, but he seems to have smoothed his emotions to unreadable.
“Gage and Lexi, congratulations,” Dax says. “You’re our final two, and we couldn’t be more excited that one of you will be joining MFB. You’re not just the top two when it comes to your skill on bass. You’ve proven your versatility, and you’ve also proven that you’ll fit in with us as individual team members who will share a forever sort of bond with us. It’s not going to be an easy decision, but we’re ready and excited to make it.”
Ben brings over a tray of shot glasses, and Dax indicates that we should each grab one.
Once we all have a glass, Dax says, “Tonight is for celebrating. Tomorrow is for recovering. And then we’ll host the final challenge before we decide on the winner. Good luck to both of you.”
He raises his glass, and we all meet in the middle before we each suck down the shot.
It’s whiskey.
Oh God, it’s straight whiskey.
I nearly choke on the burn, and it just makes me wonder whether I’ll ever really fit in with them.
Maybe they don’t party like they used to. They’re all settling down at this point, with marriage and babies on the horizon.
But that thought goes out the window when another shot is shoved into my hand.
Yep...they can still party.
And when I wake up the next morning with a headache and an upset stomach, I realize why they said today would be a day for recovery.
I’m going to need it.
I roll over and attempt to go back to sleep, but Tyler’s whispered apology from last night comes back.
What did he have to be sorry for?
The truth still eludes me...until I flip over again and something under my pillow crinkles.
I reach for the crinkling sound and find a sheet of paper folded in half.
Lexi is written in simple, neat print on the front.
I open it up and scan to the bottom. It’s a note from Tyler.
Lexi,
I’m going to make a confession during my interview. I wanted to tell you all along, but I couldn’t. Not with the cameras always watching.
I know this is going to make me look like the biggest asshole of all time, but I’m hoping that by confessing to you, you’ll be able to see past the anger and see that I ended up doing the right thing.
I was never here for the right reasons.
It would be an incredible opportunity to play for MFB, but it’s one you deserve way more than I do. I’m happy with CK. I don’t want to leave them. Tommy (he’s our singer) thought this would be a great idea, and it had to be me since I was the bassist. I never thought it was smart, but he thought we’d get more exposure if one of us was on TV.
So that’s why I’m here.
But YOU are why I’m going home.
Go win this thing, Lex. Make me proud. You deserve it, and you deserve a fair shot without someone standing in the way who could fuck up your chances.
If you can see past your anger, and if you can get past what happened with Hoffman, maybe someday we could turn that fake thing into something real.