Page 39 of Goodbye Note

“If I ever go back to Chicago.”

“You love Chicago.” It was written all over him. He had a love for the city I’d only ever seen in New Yorkers. There was a pride there I recognized.

“Sure, but I could see myself living here.” He tilted his head back, exposing his throat.

I stifled a groan. “The weather is nice.”

“I love the lake, but the smell of the ocean,”Arik murmured.

“Have you ever been here before?”

He shook his head. “Never.”

We fell into silence, and I needed an excuse to keep him talking, keep him here. “Want to smoke a joint and wander around?”

“You have a plug already?”

“I drove, you flew.”

“Fuck. You’re right.” He nodded. “Yeah, I’m in. Is there anything we need to do today?”

“We don’t have sound check until tomorrow morning. The crews are working through shit and making sure everyone shows up, getting everyone their passes and all the organization stuff. Our manager is on it. So you’ll know what we need to do as soon as I do if we are hanging out.” I held my breath as he processed what I’d said.

“Sweet. Lead the way.” His mouth tugged into a grin, and it felt like fucking starlight. There are people you come across in life that feel like magic.

Arik was one of them, and I wanted to chase him to the end of the galaxy to absorb some of it.

I pulled out our stash and the rolling papers when we got back to our bus.

Arik glanced around. “Nice digs. This must cost a fortune. You have a fucking shower?”

“It pays off to blow up. You’ll be there soon. And it’s only great until you think about four guys using it after playing in the fucking heat every day all summer.” I made a face. “I’m going to be the only one cleaning it, I bet.”

“Better than the ones Warped is providing. How many bands are on this thing? Eighty or ninety, times four or five people each band and then staff.” Arik shuddered. “I’d take only sharing it with the guys in my band any day.”

“Shit, I didn’t even think of that. Going to be worse than a truck stop in there.” I licked the paper.

His attention dropped to my lips. “A truck stop might be better, so don’t mind me if I’m hiding in your shower.”

“Hiding? You going to be haunting my bathroom?”

“Fuck, yes. You’re going to be taking a piss, and I’m going to ask you to pass the soap.”

I coughed, almost blowing the weed on the table all over the fucking bus. “Tell me you have a piss kink without telling me.”

Arik’s mouth dropped open. “Trying to get the down-low on my kinks already when you made me wait to ask questions about yours?”

Why did I like his reactions to me so much? Fuck, this was the worst direction to go on the first day.

“I told you we’d get to it here, and I’m a man of my word.” Truth was, there was no way to have that conversation with him and not be turned on. I was trying to spare us both. “You sure you want to open that can of worms?” Maybe I could dissuade him.

“We’ve already shared childhood trauma and mental illnesses. Where else can we go?”

“Okay, fucking true.” I dug in my pocket for a lighter. “Go first, then. What nasty shit do you like, Arik Vesper?”

“Why do I have to go first?” He narrowed his eyes and came to sit across from me, green eyes focused.

“Because I already told you one of mine.” But that wasn’t the real reason. I wanted to know his and it was entirely selfish.

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