Page 14 of Derailed
6
Sean
“You almost ready, fool?”Austin knocks one of my elbows off balance from where I rest them on the kitchen countertop and it almost sends my phone flying out of my hand and onto the marblecounter.
“Fuck, man.” My brow scrunches with irritation as I lock the screen and set the device down. I stand and deliver a punch to his arm. “Don’t break myshit.”
He winces with the hit but rolls his eyes and rubs at his bicep. “Don’t be so damn sensitive. You should be pumped. This is the first night in weeks we’re goingout.”
“About that.” Trent steps into the kitchen shaking his hair out, still wet from a shower, and tucks it behind his ears. “Did you read Bedo’semail?”
I chuckle, because yeah, I read it. “You mean hostage plan? I’m surprised he doesn’t have ankle monitors on usyet.”
“Wouldn’t put it past him. So, let’s go easy tonight. I don’t like this any more than you, but I’m not about being dropped by ourlabel.”
Austin opens the fridge and plucks three water bottles, tossing one at each of us before unscrewing the lid on his. “They won’t drop us. It’s fucking bullshit. You know our sales have skyrocketed with the stint at the Grammy’s? We’re lining their pockets with ourdebauchery.”
“Austin . . .” Trent draws out his name withwarning.
“It’s the fucking truth.” Austin’s chest puffs up with each word. “All this shit from Bedo, it’s just so he doesn’t have to do his fucking job. I’m over our little time out. I’m a motherfucking rock star, so if I want to party like one, I will. I’m not the one with the fucking drugproblem.”
“Aust . . . Come on, man. Don’t go rogue on us. Not yet.” Trent’s not as worked up about this, sure, but his desire to go out and party decreased the minute Lexi came into our lives. Having a girlfriend will do that. He doesn’t quite getit.
“All I’m saying is it’s fucking bullshit!” Austin tosses his empty bottle in the trash can across the room. It hits the rim before ricocheting inside. “Fuck yeah! Did you seethat?”
“Language.”Trent’s mom, Deb, steps in the kitchen. “You boys look nice. Going somewherespecial?”
“We hired a new drummer. Gonna take him out for dinner,” Trentanswers.
“Oh, that’s fun. You all be safe.” She plucks Austin’s water bottle from the trash and sticks it in the recycling basketinstead.
“We will, Mrs. Donavan.” I like Deb, and maybe it’s weird to some people, but I’m glad she lives here with us. She has our backs and is cool as fuck, too. I don’t know how she puts up withus.
“Oh, shit.” Trent shakes his head. “Mom. I forgot to mention, the new drummer and his girlfriend are movingin.”
“With us?” Her eyebrows rise and she almost looks . . .pissed.
“Yeah, there’s the bedroom across from Sean’s. No one’s usingit.”
“Wait, what? No.” I shake my head becausethat, I did not agree to. “Why can’t you move Lexi’s shit out of the room across fromyours?”
“Because that’s a lot of fucking work. Besides, Lex likes to write in there. She says the view inspiresher.”
“Goddamn girlfriends,” Austin grumbles, and I happen to agree withhim.
“So what? Now I have share my nice and quiet wing of the house with some guy and his girl? Real fucking fair.” I don’t like this. Not one bit. Besides, Iz’s stuff is still in there. Not that he had much, but still. He’s not disposable. We haven’t heard anything from the label on how he’s doing in rehab. Austin and Trent are still pissed at Iz, but I’m worried. He doesn’t have anyone, as far as I’m concerned. I tried asking Bedo yesterday but he told me I should stop focusing on the past and lookforward.
“They can have my suite if you boys can’t work it out.” Trent’s mom raises her voice, patting Trent’s shoulder before coming over to do the same to me, and it’s enough to defeat my anger. No way will I be responsible for Mrs. Donavan switching rooms. Not when she takes such good care of us and keeps everything in order when we’re out ontour.
“No.” I shake my head. “They’ll get the living room in the basement if they aren’t goodroommates.”
“We can finish this conversation later. We’ve got reservations at eight for Paulo’s, so we need to head out. Bye, Mom. Love you.” Trent kisses the top of her head before grabbing his set of keys from the far end of the counter and strutting toward thegarage.
Austin and I follow suit, giving her a kiss and saying good night, too. We don’t expect to be back before the early morning hours, Bedo’s warnings bedamned.
“Don’t sweat it,” Austin whispers before we hit the garage. “I’d put money on this guy being single by the end of the month. Coy’s girl won’t be able to handle it. Most womencan’t.”
“You’re probably right.” I hadn’t considered that, but I agree wholeheartedly. Besides, we’ll be on the road again in a few months and that changes everything. Tighter living space, constant movement, going from one place to another with very little time off. It’s not easy. Fuck, just thinking about it has me uptight. I’m glad we’re going out tonight. I need to blow off some stress. I think we alldo.
