Page 1 of The Drummer's Heart

CHAPTER 1

ATTICUS

I couldn’t remember the last time my heart had raced like this. The palpitations had started the moment my ex had lit up my phone earlier, and they had only gotten worse since we’d spoken.

Nicole.

The woman I’d never get over.

The woman whose name my bandmates couldn’t even utter—it would set me back for hours.

Nicole had called to say she needed to talk to me about something after she got off work today and wanted me to set aside some time. So I’d abruptly left my friend’s house for my hotel. I’d been staying in Shady Hills, Missouri, for a few days, where our band’s frontman, Tristan Daltrey, had a second home. As the drummer for Delirious Jones, I often followed my bandmates around even when we weren’t working. Tristan and Ronan Barber, our bass player, were pretty much my emotional support animals after the toughest few years of my life. They were my best friends and like brothers to me; but right now, as I waited for this phone call? I needed to be alone. During the call, it was very possible I’d punch a hole in the wall. Didn’t want that to happen at Tristan’s house in front of everyone.

The numbers on the digital clock next to my hotel-room bed kept changing. With each second, my legs bounced faster as I sat on the edge of the mattress. In the three years since Nicole and I had split, she had never called me. I couldn’t help but imagine the worst.

Is she getting married?

Is she pregnant?

The suspense was killing me.

I flinched when the phone finally rang. As my screen lit up, I took a deep breath. Her number was still programmed into my phone asWife.

Wife Calling.

I’d never had the heart to change it.

I answered the call and cleared my throat. “Hey, Nicole.”

“Hi.” She paused. “It’s been a while—well, I mean, other than earlier today.”

“Yeah, I know what you mean.” I exhaled. “I was surprised to hear from you. Wasn’t sure I’d ever hear from you again.”

“I get it. Um…” She paused.

“What’s going on?”

“It’s Mimi.”

My stomach sank.Her grandmother.“Did something happen?”

“Not yet, but she’s not doing well.”

Relieved that Mimi was at least still among the living, I let out a long breath. “I’m very sorry to hear that. What specifically is the issue?”

“Well, she’s bedbound now, can’t do anything for herself anymore. One of her legs is stuck in a weird position, and she can’t move it. This all happened very quickly over the past few months.”

Guilt came over me. There was no excuse for not having visited Nicole’s grandmother these past few years, no matter how tense things had been. She was likemygrandmother. Who the hell doesn’t visit their grandmother for three whole years?

“I’m sorry,” I repeated. “That’s why we need to talk? To let me know about Mimi?”

“Partially.”

“Okay…” I stood from the bed, beginning to pace and pulling on my hair.

“I sort of… I never told Mimi…” Nicole hesitated.

I stopped pacing. “Never told her what?”

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