All three of them let me know they’re around and can meet tonight, and so I take advantage of the opportunity. I group message all three of them.
Me: Lemmings, tonight at 8?
I get three thumbs ups, and so we’ll meet at the local diner where we’ve shared dozens of meals and that’s when I’ll invite the three of them to be part of my new band.
CHAPTER 57: GAGE
“All in,” Brody says, and I stare across the table at him for a beat.
I feel like he’s bluffing—like he’s trying to edge me out, like he’s trying to run over the new guy. But I’m not so easily taken down. Hell, I played with a Motley Crue cover band for years and years. We got into some crazy shit in our time.
“Call,” I say, pushing my chips in.
Brody flips over his cards.
He doesn’t have shit. Not that my hand’s much better with a pair of queens, but it still beats his jack shit.
“The new guy doesn’t back down,” he says as I rake my chips to my side of the table. “I like that.” He gets up and grabs another beer from the fridge. It’s my fridge now, too, since we’re at Rascal and Kane’s place. Kane isn’t here, presumably with his woman, and it’s just the five of us. We’re already bonding, and as usual, Lexi is on my mind, but I’m not letting that stop me from getting to know these guys.
“Grab me one, too,” Dax says, and Rascal echoes him.
We play a few more rounds, and Adam emerges the big winner. We sit around as we all finish our final beers.
“We usually do this just about every night on tour,” Dax says.
“When your women allow it,” Rascal says.
“Like you’re any better,” Brody says to Rascal, and everyone laughs—including me. I may be the new guy, but I already feel like we’re all old friends. I already see a future with these guys. I already feel like I fit in.
I can’t see Lexi sitting here playing poker and drinking beer. I still think she would’ve made a great bassist for MFB, but playing in a band is about a lot more than just making music. It’s just facts that I have more in common with these guys than she ever could.
But what’s next for her?
I keep wondering that. I’d know the answer if I just asked—or maybe I wouldn’t. Maybe she doesn’t even know yet.
“So I’m married with a kid now,” Dax says. “Adam’s married with a kid on the way in less than a month. Rascal and Brody are both engaged. What about you?”
“No kids that I’m aware of,” I say, garnering a few chuckles. “I had a few women back in Vegas but nothing I couldn’t easily walk away from.” I sigh.
“Uh oh,” Brody taunts. “What was that deep breath for?”
I debate how wide to open this door, but they’re all going to see it when the show airs if they don’t already know. “Lexi.”
“Weber?” he clarifies, and I nod.
“We met at the hotel before the show started filming. We got to know each other, but neither of us admitted the real reason why we were in town. Then I basically fucked it all up when she walked in the house. I was surprised to see her, and I said all the wrong things, and now I don’t really know where things stand with her.” I leave out the words she said the night of the finale. Those words belong to us.
“Have you tried getting in touch?” Adam asks.
I shake my head. “Not yet. It’s been a whirlwind few days and I just haven’t had a chance.”
“Things will wind down,” Adam assures me. “And then once the show starts airing, your life will change forever. Don’t sit on those feelings or it might be too late to do anything about it.”
I glance around the table at the legends who are sitting here giving me advice about Lexi. All of them are in their own serious relationships. All of them had their days of being players, and all that ended when they found the women they wanted to commit to.
And I think Lexi is that woman for me.
I don’t want to be with anybody else. I don’t want to fall into old patterns. I don’t want to sleep around.
And maybe most of all, I don’t want her to abandon me.
I can’t tell them that, though.
“Thanks,” I murmur, and I leave it at that.
I can’t deny that he hit a nerve, though, and I’m more certain than ever that I need to be at that hotel on Friday night at eight.
Even if she doesn’t show...well, at least I can back away with no regrets.
Okay...maybe not no regrets. It was kind of shitty to say a girl couldn’t win this competition, even if a dude did win it in the end. But I said that to get a rise out of her. It worked...sort of. If my goal was to piss her off and make her hate me.
I did a lot of things to get a rise out of her, and those are the things I regret.
But maybe I can fix all that now, and maybe all it’ll take is for me to show up at our hotel lobby bar.
CHAPTER 58: LEXI
“What I’m about to say needs to stay between the four of us,” I say softly.
They all look at me with wide eyes, and I look at each one of them in turn. They all nod, a silent agreement that I take as their word.
“I was offered a recording contract with Ashmark Records,” I blurt.
“Oh my God,” Sam says, and at the same time Andy blows out a low whistle and Danny says, “Whoa.”
“There’s more.” I don’t know how to say it without sounding like I’m insulting them, so I just blurt it out. “They want me to take the lead on vocals, but they also said I could invite the three of you to be part of the Lexi Weber band.”
“The Lexi Weber band?” Danny repeats.
“It’ll be your name on the marquee?” Sam asks.
Andy remains quiet.
I nod. “They’ve contracted me for my voice, and they see me being the next Carrie or Shania or Martina.”
“And we don’t really know the others who play in their bands,” Danny says flatly.
“I’m out,” Sam says, shaking her head. “This isn’t a viable career for me. It’s a hobby. Something fun to do on the weekends that makes me a little extra cash. I’m a mom, and I want to stay in Nashville with my family.”
Andy sighs. “I’m with Sam. Born and raised here. I’m not a big city boy, and I don’t want to be.”
I look over at Danny, and I’m not really sure what I want his answer to be. I think if I’m starting over, I want to start completely over. I want to leave the shadows of ERS in the past. I think about touring with him, and as much as he’s been my best friend...I just don’t see it.
“I need a little time to think it over,” he says, and I nod.
“You can’t leave, too,” Andy says. “What’ll happen to ERS?”
“That’s one of the things I really need to think about. We’re doing okay with Jackie so far, but is it really still the same band without her?” he asks Andy, nodding toward me, and I presume Jackie is my replacement.
Andy shrugs. “So is this it, then? We disband?”
Danny shakes his head. “I’m not saying that at all. I’m just saying I need to weigh what I really want.”