Page 10 of Places I've Never Been

The fact that she’d used it for her audition meant she wasn’t serious about working with him and the band. She was flipping him off from a distance.

“No,” Adam said. “Cut it.”

Lucas held up a finger. “You have to hear the entire first verse. That’s the rule. And, Adam, if you turn this one down, there’s not much left. Your reputation precedes you, my friend.”

Adam scowled and turned his back on the room to stare at the floor-to-ceiling montage on the wall. A large poster of their first performance on a real stage was the focal point, surrounded by photos of Brandon’s prom, LT’s first motorcycle, Cooper arm in arm with his girlfriend from senior year, and Flynn buying his first real drum set.

Their entire life as a band was on that wall, good times and bad. It was both a scrapbook and a reminder to not take themselves too seriously.

A sultry voice snaked through the air to a melody that would have worked well for porn if it hadn’t been for the ridiculous upbeat behind it.

Where did you go, why did you disappear?

Cooper hit the Pause button. “Think she has anyone specific in mind?”

Adam could hear the smirk in his voice. He glowered at the wall and did his best to ignore his now former best friend.

“Don’t leave me, Adam!” Flynn wailed.

“Just play the damn song,” Lucas growled.

“Fine, fine.” Cooper hit Play.

Don’t wantto face my life without you near.

Cooper hit Pause again.“Didn’t you break up two years ago?”

“Two and a half,” Brandon supplied in a helpful tone.

“Right. Okay.” Cooper hit Play.

The fire’sin my heart and my blood is running clear.

Flynn hitthe edge of the soundboard with a drumstick and shouted, “So beat it!”

I need you,I want you…oh

Cooper stopped the song,and laughter filled the space where horrible music used to be.

“What the fuck?” Adam spun around to stare at Lucas. “Did you even listen to this crap before you brought it over here?”

“I thought it was charming.” Lucas spread his hands in false apology. “I told you, son, we’re scraping the bottom of the songwriter barrel out there.”

“That’s not even close to the barrel, Lucas. She’s trolling us—and you.”

“My blood is running clear?” LT said. “What’s that even mean? She a vampire?”

“Yeah, she sucks blood, music, and Adam’s…you know.” Flynn beat aba-dum-bumprhythm out on the back of a chair.

The guys all laughed harder.

“She’s the only one in the last three weeks to even return my call,” Lucas said with exaggerated patience.

Adam suppressed the surge of irritation. He could imagine the conversations Lucas was having on his behalf. He probably sounded like a snake oil salesman offering the latest potion. “Maybe you should stop leaving messages and actually goseepeople. Or hell, I’ll go see them. Who haven’t you tried?”

Lucas shook his head. “Won’t do you any good. Most of the good ones are attached to projects, and the ones who aren’t have the impression that you’re difficult to work with. They don’t want to waste their time.”

“Neither do I.” Adam scowled at his bandmates. “Knock it off.”

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