Page 594 of Rock Me All Night
Tom motions to Drew. "Do I look like I have a death wish?"
"Our secret." Miles winks.
Drew turns to me. "Miles likes to get a rise out of people. He thinks he can get me to hit Tom—"
"You've done it before," Miles says.
"I saw my life flash before my eyes." Tom laughs.
"You kissed his girl. What did you expect?" Miles asks.
"If she'd already been his girl, I wouldn't have had to kiss her." Tom turns to Drew. "Worked out, didn't it?"
Drew shrugs a whatever. "You're not gonna piss me off. My sister is happy. That means I'm happy. And I'm glad we're in a community property state where she'll get half your shit if she gets tired of your ass."
Tom laughs. "She can have all my shit if she gets tired of me. I don't want anything but her."
"Damn, when did you get soft, Sticks?" Miles asks.
"Please. You're way mushier with Meg when you're alone," Tom says.
"How do you know if they're alone?" Drew asks.
Tom cocks a brow. "Wish I didn't know. They were going at it all tour."
Drew laughs. "Was funny watching you get more and more pissed the worse your blue balls got."
"You were almost as moody as Guitar Prince," Miles teases.
Drew flips him off but he's smiling.
Tom turns to me. "How are you, Jess? Feel like we barely know each other."
"An enigmatic woman for an enigmatic man," Miles says. "You're going to law school, right?"
"Yes. USC." I offer a smile. Is there any way I can convince them to go back to bantering like I'm not here? I guess discussing law school is as neutral as it gets. "I'm good. Tired but good. I've been doing a lot of summer coursework and—"
"Fucking Pete every place in that giant house?" Miles offers.
My cheeks flush. They're trying, hard, to be friendly, but I can't escape the voice in my head screamingyou're a liar.
The front door opens. There's a flash of bright blue. A balding man in an ugly suit. Aiden.
The temperature must drop by ten degrees. Drew, Miles, and Tom exchange frustrated looks.
Tom leans in to whisper to me. "You know what he and Pete have been talking about?"
Yes. I bite my lip.
"Who the fuck invited him?" Drew scowls. "Want me to tell him to get lost?"
"No. We need your hands for the studio," Tom says.
"Don't need my hands." Miles cracks his fist. "Have to admit, it's been a while. Kinda miss the thrill of it."
"No way. Meg still hasn't forgiven me for telling her to get lost," Tom says.
"Who'd think she'd hold a grudge about a little thing like that?" Miles says.
