Page 13 of I Am Sin

I look around. “Where are your drums?”

He takes another deep breath and looks out the window toward the mountains. “They’re still at the Pike place, in the garage. If I get any students, I’ll rent a studio and drums here in the city.”

I nod. “Good enough.”

“That’s what I’ve been doing anyway. You know, to practice.”

“Good.”

That means he has enough money to at least do that. Brianna told me that all the band members got a signing bonus of ten thousand dollars when they agreed to open for Emerald Phoenix in the UK and Europe, but I doubt Dragon was compensated much after that since he only performed once. They had to bring in a substitute drummer.

“Okay, then.” I place my hand on the doorknob. “Go ahead and get settled. I’m going to go down and talk to security about getting some keys for you. We use key cards here. You’ll have one for the main building so you don’t have to use the intercom every time you want to come up, and it will also get you into this penthouse.”

“One key for both?”

I clear my throat. “Yeah. We’re on the cutting edge of technology here.” I regret the words as soon as I speak them. They sounded pretty condescending.

But he doesn’t seem to take offense.

“I appreciate it,” he says again.

“You’re welcome,” I say with a little bite in my voice.

His eyebrow twitches, but he doesn’t say anything. He just leans down and opens one of his duffels.

I shake my head and leave the room.

ChapterSix

Dragon

I walk back toward the large window. I have an amazing view—much better than my room at the hotel.

There’s a TV and a remote. A small desk set up for a computer. I don’t have a computer, but I do have a phone. It’s my computer for now. I noticed there was a computer in the living area off to the side—a little alcove Diana probably uses as a home office.

Maybe Diana will let me use her computer.

I don’t know, though, and I wouldn’t ask her anyway.

This is all so strange.

I look around the room. Diana has some interesting art on the wall. I’m drawn to a print of a greenish-blue octopus, its tentacles waving in opposite directions. I empathize with the creature. I too feel pulled in multiple directions at once.

Maybe I should have just gone back home to the western slope. But my therapist was right. Being close to him as well as the rehab facility gives me a safety net if things go wrong.

But should Ireallybe staying with Diana? My best friend’s sister-in-law?

If we had grown up together, were as close as Jesse and I are, then I’d have no problem crashing at her place for a few weeks or even longer if I were paying rent or buying groceries.

I’m not even doing that. She doesn’t need the money, of course. The Steels are loaded, and she apparently has this great job lined up.

Still, something just doesn’t feel right about this.

I could be happy here. Iwantto be happy here.

I can’t dwell on that right now. First thing I need to do is get some groceries. I take a few minutes to unpack—that’s all it takes because I have so few belongings—and then I walk out. Diana’s in the kitchen putting away groceries.

“Do you want some help?”

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