Page 95 of The Drummer

“Perfect.” I type that into the lyrics.

“You’re everything I need to know

You may drive me crazy

But when I’m with you I’m just Casey,

and that’s how I know,

that’s all I need to know,

I’m yours”

A grin cuts across my face as I lean back on the couch.

Luke crosses a look to me, shaking his head. “Dude, that’s…”

He huffs a laugh I’ve known him long enough to interpret. It’s ridiculous, silly, and amazing at the same time.

There’s a knock on the door.

Food’s here.

He pushes up from the couch and circles around me.

“You’ve got it bad, bro,” he says with a smirk as he passes. “You’re damn lucky she does too.”

I bite my lip and stare back at the phone screen, just as it lights up with a text. From Callie.

My heart jumps, and I’m just glad Luke doesn’t have X-Ray vision.

I open the message and grin.

Callie: Listening to your stuff now.

Me: Yeah? What do you think?

Callie: That I can’t believe you even spent two seconds on my stupid poems.

We spend the rest of the night chatting like she never left.

Until it all goes to shit again.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

It feels like I’ve just fallen asleep when a buzzing sound jerks me awake.

With a groan, I squint toward the noise and grunt at the flashing display. The lamp on the end table casts an eerie glow over the large space while my eyes continue to adjust. I hide my face in my arm, trying to orient myself.

My decision to ignore the call changes when it occurs to me it might be Callie. Maybe she needs help. Or misses me. Either scenario is an auto answer.

I swat at the coffee table in an attempt to retrieve my phone. When I finally grasp it, the call is missed, but immediately jumps to life again.

TJ? At six in the morning?

Movement in my periphery grabs my attention, and I see Luke stirring on the other side of the couch. Guess he crashed here too. I’m tempted to silence the call, but if our manager is on a mission, there will be no escaping him.

“Yeah?” I croak into the receiver.

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