Page 119 of Five Summers

“Is the hostess still in there with those two idiots?” He asks.

"Yep," I down more of my drink, not taking my eyes off the door even after Poppy's gone.

“Every fucking time those assholes do that. Well, that’s another hostess gone. What's that, eight now in the past year because they can't resist being in a Nate and Theo sandwich?” He chuckles to himself as if sharing an inside joke.

I wish he’d fuck off and leave me alone. Go talk to his buddy, Reg, if he wants to chat.

“So, did you come up with anything?” Ace asks, nodding towards the guitar sitting beside me on the seat.

I eye him for a moment, wondering if I should say anything because he could go back and tell the label.

“I might have,” I shrug. “And no, I won’t be handing it over to the fucking label.”

“I’ll be back in a minute,” he says getting up off the couch. He moves back out through the door.

Within seconds, he reappears with a guitar in his hand. I watch him intently as he settles down on the couch directly across from me. We haven't jammed together like this, just him and me with our guitars in ages, not since high school.

He plucks at his guitar, then stops and looks up at me.

“What have you got?” He asks.

I eye him for a second longer, lifting the bottle to my mouth and drinking it, contemplating whether or not to show him. Leaning forward, I put the bottle down, then grab my guitar to show him what I’ve been working on.

When I play, he's super focused on the music, adding his own special touch to take it to the next level. It feels great to be back together, just like the old days when we were inseparable, making music and dreaming of making it big.

The hours quickly slip away as Ace and I spend our time playing, singing, and getting lost in our music.

After five hours, I feel on top of the world. It feels like a piece of me is finally back, after being gone for so long. Theo and Nate join us. Theo is on bass, while Nate beats his drumsticks on the coffee table, making his own sick beat.

Jamming out with my bros to the music is exactly what I need. In those moments, the pressures of the media, the label’s expectations, and the never-ending demands all vanish from my mind.

I look up and see Poppy sitting in the back of the room, watching us do our thing.

Ace sets his guitar aside and gets up from his seat. “We need to celebrate with a drink,” he declares. “And no,” he looks my way. “Before you ask, I’m not telling the label we have a song.” He gives me a nod, showing he's being honest. “Great job, brother. I really miss the old days.” Then Ace turns around, scanning the room. “Where the fuck is that damn hostess.”

Theo and Nate share a look. “Well, she’s a little bit tied up, you could say?” Theo laughs as he looks around the group.

"I told him not to, but you know how he is. He never listens," Nate says, giving Theo a disapproving look.

“No. He never fucking does,” I add.

“Don't stress. I know exactly where the booze is," Theo says, jumping up and heading for the door at the back of the room.

Within seconds, he comes back, holding several bottles in his arms. He passes them out, giving one to me first, then to Ace, and finally to Nate. Theo then playfully focuses on Poppy, flashing a mischievous grin.

“Come on over, pretty girl,” he calls out, gesturing for her to join us. “Come on over and celebrate. We still have another eight hours on this darn plane.”

Poppy gets up and joins us.

Theo unscrews the lid and passes the bottle to Poppy when she approaches. Ace scoots over to make room for her on the couch. She takes a drink from the bottle as she sits and I half-expect her to wince at the burn in her throat like she did that night at the rock when I had to carry her home, but she doesn’t. I guess her life's changed too, just like mine.

I'm just sitting there, getting more and more wasted, as Poppy and my brothers keep talking. Her face is so beautiful, I can't help but study it, along with her captivating eyes and flowing long hair. She’s even more stunning now than when I left. Guilt, my old companion, settles beneath my skin, taunting me, reminding me she’s someone I can never have again.

When she laughs at what Theo says, I can't help but feel a surge of warmth. Her laughter is like music to my ears. Something I could listen to for the rest of my days. I want to record it and use it as my ringtone, but the thought only serves as a painful reminder of what I’ve done and all that I’ve lost.

I turn my head and catch Ace checking me out. Don’t tell me the bastard knows the thoughts running through my head. He’s always had a knack for infiltrating my thoughts, delving into the depths of my mind.

Theo’s question catches my attention, causing my ears to perk up.

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