Page 40 of Made For Ruin

“Hey Dad,” he says, barely glancing my way as he kicks off his boots.

“Hey yourself, kid,” I reply, shoving my hands in my pockets. “Doing alright?”

“Yeah, thanks.” He takes the stairs two at a time. I follow him up, trying to think of something to say.

“So, this gig,” I start as we reach the landing. “Big show?”

“It’s an audition, actually.” He pushes open the door to his old room and heads straight for the closet. “A girl I went to school with is getting married next month. Her wedding planner heard my band play and is thinking about hiring us to play at the reception.”

I whistle low. “That’s impressive.”

“Yep.” Axel emerges with the amp and sets it down with a grunt. “Landing this gig could be huge, you know?”

I nod, watching as he gathers up the cord and slings his guitar case over his shoulder.

“Well, I hope you get it. You’re talented, Axel.”

He glances at me, something unreadable flickering across his face. “Thanks,” he says after a beat.

“You, uh, want a cup of coffee before you go?” I ask, gesturing toward the stairs.

Axel hesitates for a second, then shrugs. “Sure, why not.”

We head back downstairs and into the kitchen. I grab a mug from the cabinet, the ceramic warm from the dishwasher, and pour the steaming coffee.

As I hand him the mug, Axel takes it with a half-smile.

“You haven’t changed a bit, you know that? Same coffee, same mugs, same flannel.” He gestures at my shirt with his free hand.

I chuckle as I lean back against the counter. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

He takes a sip, and as he lowers the mug, his eyes catch on something behind me. A slow grin spreads across his face.

“What?” I ask, turning to follow his gaze.

And then I see it.

A pink hair tie, lying on the counter next to the coffee pot. And in the sink, a wine glass with the faint imprint of lipstick on the rim.

Shit.

“Well, well, well,” Axel says, his grin widening. “Looks like the old man’s got himself a girlfriend.”

I roll my eyes, but I can’t help the small smile tugging at my lips. “It’s not like that.”

“No? Then what’s with the hair tie and the wine glass?”

He sets his mug down, crosses his arms over his chest, and raises an eyebrow at me.

I sigh, running a hand through my hair. “It’s… complicated.”

“Complicated how?” Axel prods, clearly enjoying this. “She married or something?”

“Fuck, no.” I grimace at the thought. “She’s single. Things with us are just new.”

Axel laughs at that, a real laugh that catches me off guard. It’s been a long time since I’ve heard him sound so genuinely amused.

“Alright, I get it. You don’t kiss and tell.” He picks up his mug again, taking another sip as he surveys me over the rim. “But seriously, Dad. I’m happy for you.”

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