Page 79 of Don't Bang a Bandmate

But as is often the case with us simple mortals, the rock god didn’t fall for me.

He barely even looked at me, actually. Our bands spent a month together on the road, touring up and down the west coast, and at the end I was just…Pecker.

I said he was hot. I never said he was clever.

Obviously, I got over my school girl crush quickly. And yet… tonight, when he gazes down at me from the stage at The High Note, my belly quivers with familiar butterflies.

We knew he was back. Harvey saw him himself at Dade Connery’s mansion in Nashville. His name has been all overGossipasince Dade announced Christian was among those chosen to guest on his upcoming album. We knew all about his solo bid and his new beginning, but we didn’t expect to run into himhere.

Once Christian’s set is over, he approaches our table. Chrissy immediately welcomes him with open arms. She stands up and hugs him, genuinely happy to see her old talent.

“Chrissy, you look incredible,” he says, his voice partially obscured by the rumble of bass as music blasts from the speakers again.

“And you lookhealthy,”she replies, giving his chin a motherly nudge — despite their count-on-one-hand age difference.

“I feel healthy.”

She kisses his smooth cheek. “Good.”

Christian scans our table, his eyes as playful as ever. “Criminal Records,” he says. “How the fuck are you?”

Knox and Jonah hop out of their seats, eager to give him a friendly group hug. Addison and Katrina offer their excited hellos as well. Christian greets Harmony with a warm smile. If I recall correctly, the two of them met only once before, but Harmony Max leaves an impression. Harvey shakes his hand with wide eyes full of fanboy-ish light and he damn near passes out when Christian says he knows who he is and loves his work.

Bronson does nothing. He stays seated, resting back with an empty glass in one hand and a curious scowl on his mouth.

“Come and join us, Chris,” Knox says. “Have a drink.”

Christian nods, stepping forward as the rest of us squeeze together to make room. “I’ll pass on the drink, actually, but I will gladly enjoy the company,” he says as he sits down next to Chrissy.

“How long have you been sober?” she asks, possibly the only one among us who would ask that question so bluntly.

“Four hundred and eighty-three days and counting,” he answers.

“Really?” Katrina asks, her eyes wide.

“Well, when a judge tells you to get clean or get fitted for a jumpsuit, you kinda lose a taste for it altogether,” he says, chuckling. “But don’t let me stop you guys. Drink up! And tell me all about your tour.”

Always happy to talk about how great they are, Knox and Jonah dive in with all the details — the surface level stuff, that is. Sold out across the country. Harmony rejoining them, and the whole fallout surroundingthat. They make no mention of Paul Monroe bugging our bus. Nor do they mention Addison’s familial ties to his new bosom buddy, Dade Connery.

“Yeah,” Christian muses. “I heard all about you guys throwing down with that electric guy. Or whatGossipapublished about it, anyway.”

“Logan Shock,” Knox says, leering into the corner.

“Is he here? Tonight?” Christian twists in his seat, craning his neck to see. “Point him out.”

We do. Christian spots him, his eyes narrowing.

“What do you think of The Electrics?” Jonah asks him.

Christian throws on a thinking face before briefly shaking his head. “I don’t like ‘em,” he says.

“Thank fuck, dude!” Knox says, raising his glass to him. “Finally, someone who recognizes crap when they hear it.”

“Don’t get me wrong,” Christian says, raising his hands. “They’ve got talent. Especially the, uh... the blue-haired one.”

“Tesla,” Harvey says, prompting a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it glare from Addison.

Christian snaps his fingers. “Yes!Tesla.Right. She’s got some pipes.”

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