Page 139 of Verses

CHAPTER 38

When our next practice went really well, I chalked it up to all of us being on the same page for once. We didn’t just have a common goal, but a very specific one. It was more than “We want to have a band.” Now, we wanted to practice to hit our goals, and we had an idea of where we wanted to end up. That made us all more focused.

Even better, we seemed to be more patient with each other. So, ultimately, we were having more fun, even though we were working harder, and the results were better. For the first time in a long time, I visualized myself in a famous band, imagining huge auditoriums filled with people singing my words, shaking their fists in the air to the beat of our music.

It wasn’t just me, though. We were all feeling it.

When Kyle, Adrian, and Pedro finally left to go to work, Wolf and I were alone. Even though Wolf had to tend bar, I knew I’d be able to talk to him before it got busy.

Especially when I looked around the space after Marv left.

“Holy shit. That never happens.”

“What do you mean?”

“We’re in here by ourselves. What’s going on around here? There is not another soul in here.”

Laughing, he said, “It happens occasionally—but don’t tempt me.”

Already I felt better. He’d seemed distant over the past week and his response made me happy.

Grinning, I walked along the bar, running my hand along its polished surface. “I’m not tempting you.” After I closed the gap between Wolf and me, I gave him a kiss.

“If you didn’t have to work so early in the morning, I’d have you come over tonight after work.”

“I know. It sucks. Our work schedules have never worked well together.”

“Yes, but,” he said, pausing to kiss my forehead, “at least that time apart makes me relish the time we do have all the more.”

“You are such a sweet talker.”

When he snickered, I kissed him again. Once again, he cocked one of those sexy eyebrows. “You keep doing this, I might have to lock that front door.

In response, I giggled—but it didn’t stop me from putting my lips on his once more.

There was no mistaking the sound of the door opening. Although there was a bell on it that jingled when someone came in or went out, there were usually people or music or a television in the bar making noise, nearly drowning out the sound.

But with just Wolf and me…that ring was almost like a Harley roaring down Main Street at midnight.

Immediately, our lips parted and we let go of each other but, for some reason, it felt like we moved our heads in slow motion. My heart began thumping in my chest to see it was none other than Pedro.

Pedro.Our loudest, least inhibited band member. There was a smile in his voice when he said, “What the fuck is going on here? Did I just see what I thought I saw? Holy shit, dude!”

Keeping my voice as calm as possible, I said, “What makes you think that you saw what you think you saw?”

“I’m not blind and I’m not stupid. Are you guys hooking up?”

Wolf whispered, “We might as well tell him the truth.”

Part of me wanted to deny it…but I knew Wolf wasn’t wrong. We couldn’t lie about something now and later admit it was true. But, Jesus, the timing sucked. I gave Wolf a tiny nod of my head.

He told Pedro, “We’re dating.”

By now, the bassist had joined us on the other side of the bar, making the space feel crowded. “How long?”

“A while.”

Not that it was any of his business.

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