Page 80 of The Fix

There’s a way to do this without burning them out, and I’m determined to figure that out, despite what my boss is demanding of me, and essentially, of them.

And I’m not thrilled about the idea of throwing Toby into the mix of this crazy schedule when we haven’t had a chance to talk in the last three days, let alone discuss what his plans are with his sobriety.

Because while I know it shouldn’t matter what my personal wishes are, and that this is all about the band as well as the individual, I need to see him. See how he’s doing now that he’s back in the same places that lead him to drink.

Around with the same crew that enabled the demons without even knowing it.

I need to know I can trust the man not to fly off the deep end without supervision.

We won’t talk about how in knots my stomach is over not seeing him with my own eyes. Nope, we don’t need to talk about that.

“How long do you plan to ignore me?”

Pushing back from the screen, I rub my eyes. “As long as it takes.”

Leo heaves a hearty sigh and picks up his phone, the screen reflecting in the readers perched on his nose. “At least tell me what takeout you want.”

I shake my head when he glances at me over the devices and stretch side to side, easing the tension in my neck that’s built up from spending so much time leaning over this dang laptop.

“Seriously?” he huffs, the local delivery app illuminating the lenses. “Just give me something, Anna. I’ll have it here in twenty minutes.”

“Sounds more like a you problem to handle, boss.” Closing the laptop, I push to my feet and stretch. “Unless you’d like to order my dinner for me and leave me alone with it.”

He sighs and swipes away the app. “Fine. I’ll send something up and be on my way.” He closes his own computer and finally stands. Pops sound with each inch that he gains, finally stopping with an ache-filled groan off his lips. “Jesus, I’m too old for this leaning over laptop shit.”

“Uh-huh,” I mutter knowingly, my brow cocked in his direction.

“Don’t start with the I told ya so BS.”

“Oh, I wasn’t. Your body was doing it for me. Just like the—” I gesture with a pointer to the readers still clinging to his nose. “Old man look you got going on.”

Leo scoffs. “I’ll have you know, some chicks think it’s hot.”

I snort out a laugh. “I’m sure they do.”

He shakes his head and reaches for the readers in question with a small grin. “These guys are the culprit. They’re aging me.”

“I don’t think it’s all of them.”

“I thought you were ignoring me. Can we go back to you ignoring me?”

“Sure. Now get out.”

Leo chortles, nodding. “We definitely should stop using your apartment as an office.”

“Yes. We should.” He’s still shaking his head when he lifts his bag to his shoulder and walks to the door.

“I’ll send up Chinese,” Leo mutters, the door open, his foot already cresting the hallway. “And have a good night.”

“You, too, I guess,” I call to his back. I catch his half wave flail into the air moments before the door closes behind him, finally shutting me in my own place.

It’s the first time in months I’ve been alone alone, without a ringing phone in my palm or a looming bossy presence taking up my couch.

The sudden silence feels almost … eerie.

Void of clanging dishes I’d end up rewashing, TV show reruns over the crackling fire, or the soft strums of a guitar.

It’s too quiet.

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