Page 51 of Aria

Insecurities drenched me.

No… I couldn’t risk that. Noah only knew because of a technicality—a drunken, embarrassing technicality. My darkness needed to stay hidden away from Devon Sawyer.

I clicked Noah’s name, sighing with relief when he picked up on the first ring. “Combs? Did you get home okay?”

My hand trembled as I held the phone to my ear. “Noah, I think he’s back,” I said in a quick, fearful breath. I squeezed my eyes shut to hold back the wave of tears. “I think Ian’s back.”

CHAPTERFOURTEEN

NOAH

Sunday morning began with a much needed band meeting. The smell of freshly-brewed coffee filled the studio as the rest of the Freeze Frame members filtered in. Everyone looked tired and hungover.

Tad and Miles had joined the birthday party festivities a little after midnight, and they were looking rough—a sure sign of a successful Saturday night. Tad had a box of donuts under his arm as he approached the meeting table, and the group flocked like vultures to the sweet treats.

“Mornin’,” Miles said with a giant yawn.

I snatched the only cream-filled donut, stuffing it into my mouth. “Hey,” I replied, my greeting muffled by the pastry. I was exhausted and restless, having been up until sunrise talking on the phone with a paranoid Chelsie.

“You need to move in with Devon,” I’d told her. “You’ll be safer there.”

Chelsie had refused. She was too “independent” and had worked too hard to recreate herself to give it up. She never wanted to depend on a man for anything.

“My apartment is like my trophy,” she had said. “It means I did it. It means I survived.”

I couldn’t really argue with that, so… I listened. I did what I could to lessen her nerves until she drifted off to sleep as the sun came up.

“Hey there, sunshines,” Sean said as he entered the room. “No rest for the wicked. Hope you boys put on your business pants this morning.”

“Dude, you’re lucky I managed to put on any pants at all,” Tad grumbled.

Devon slid into the seat next to me looking disheveled and smelling like alcohol. “How late did you stay out?” I asked, reaching for another donut. I had left shortly after Chelsie and the girls took off, probably around two o’clock.

Devon ran a hand over his weary face. “Late.” He didn’t elaborate.

I was surprised Devon had continued to party with the other band members. He’d never been a big drinker, especially if we had band-related business the next morning.

“All right, my friends.” Sean perked up as he took a seat at the round table. “Let’s talk Grammy’s. I want to discuss the game plan, as we’re only a few months out. I know you boys think you’re untouchable, but you’re not even close to being ready.”

“Sean’s right, man,” Miles agreed. “We totally botchedSuper Sonicat the Cherrywood show. No excuse for that.”

“That was a fluke,” Devon argued. “No one noticed. You know we can play that song in our sleep.”

“That was my bad,” Tad acknowledged. “I was sloppy.”

Sean nodded. “I’ll be honest… it hasn’t been the first time in recent months. Everything okay, Tad?”

I glanced over at the beefy drummer. I’d been so preoccupied with my own shit, I hadn’t even noticed my friend’s sunken-in eyes and blank stare. “Yeah, man,” I added. “You know we’re here if there’s something going on. There’s no going down that road again.”

Tad winced at the insinuation. “I’m fine. Ain’t nothing to worry about in that department.” He crossed his arms over his barreling chest and leaned back on the legs of his chair. “What about the Aberdeen lawsuit? Any word on that?”

Sean dismissed him. “Jackson is taking care of that. That’s what the suits are for.”

“Hey, when’s my endorsement shoot for Gibson happening?” I wondered, chewing on my cheek, feeling seriously out of the loop. I skimmed through the calendar on my phone. “Shit.”

“Yeah, that would be tomorrow,” Sean said. “Hope you’ve got it covered.”

“And my charity event for the school is Friday, right?” Devon confirmed, scribbling down notes. “Then we’ve got the show at El Rey on Saturday night.”

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