Page 45 of Fractured Rhythm

Chapter 11

Jamie:How many lead singers does it take to change a lightbulb? Just one. He holds the bulb while the world revolves around him.

Cassie:Aww, Jax being a diva again.

Jamie:As always. Played in Tokyo last night. Wish you were here. Miss you, Cas.

Cassie:Miss you, too.

CASSIE

“What’s going tohappen tonight?” Holly asked as we walked to the dive bar.

“I don’t know. Drinks and dancing,” I said, biting back my nerves.

Holly laughed. “You’re so not fooling me. We’re meeting the guys, and I’m not sure if you’re bringing me to be your shield so you don’t stick your tongue down Bash’s throat again.”

I gasped.

“Or if you actually want me there so I can get to know the guys that’ve been your family for years,” she continued without missing a beat. “I don’t care either way. Maybe Tristan will let me stick my tongue down his throat.”

“Seriously, Hols,” I groaned, ignoring her chuckle.

“What? He’s hot and broody and quiet.” She wiggled her brows at me. “It’s the quiet ones that can really rock your world.”

“Eww, he’s like my brother. Don’t stick your tongue down his throat. And what about Gray?”

“What about him? We had a few fun nights, but it’s nothing serious. So back to Tristan,” she started.

“Don’t stick your tongue down his throat.”

“I only promise not to do that if he doesn’t ask. Consent is important.”

“I shouldn’t have brought you tonight,” I grumbled, but I couldn’t help my smile. At least she had calmed my nerves. It’d been almost a week since I’d seen Bash. We’d texted a few times, but the conversations had been innocent. We’d talked about them finding a possible new drummer and how she’d—yes, she’d—stood up to Jax’s antics. We’d talked about some of the recipes I’d shot this week, and he’d teased me about my pistachio obsession. It’d been easy, mundane, familiar—comforting. But in the background, the heat still simmered even if we didn’t talk about our kiss.

Then, when he’d asked me to join the band at the dive bar tonight for drinks, my heart had raced.

“Earth to Cassie. Whatcha thinking about over there? Bash and his tongue?” Holly asked as we rounded the corner.

The bar was up the street, and I swore my nerves were pinging, faster and faster off every corner in my body, like they were on speed the closer we got.

“Shut up,” I grumbled.

“Fine. Something else then. How’d it go with Griff today? You met for coffee, right?” she asked.

“Yeah. I told him I wanted to be friends. I think he knew it was coming, and he agreed that we were probably better as friends. Guess he wasn’t feeling a spark either.”

“That’s good. At least he didn’t flip out or something,” she said.

“He didn’t strike me as the flip-out kind,” I said. We were calm about it and even enjoyed our coffee together before parting ways.

“Bet he would’ve been boring in bed. Not like Bash.”

“You are seriously the worst, you know that?”

“But you still invite me out. That’s totally on you,” she replied with a cheeky grin.

“Whatever. Let’s not talk about me, Bash, and tongues,” I muttered as we approached the front door of the bar. Bash had already texted to say they were inside.

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