Page 37 of Forever Flames: Padraig & Stevie
I mean, will Liam keep Linus around?
Doubtful.
On second thought, this could be a disaster.
ten
Stevie
Three Weeks Later
Thefrontdoorstickslike always.
I jam it with my shoulder, bracing for the screech, and step into the usual band chaos.
Gone are the days when Felicity was a quiet mouse. Today, she’s perched on the arm of the sunken couch, yammering on about the need for dressing rooms so she can do her makeup.Linus sits nearby, unbothered, a mug of black tea in one hand, the other absentmindedly circling Liam’s thigh. Liam is buried in his phone, trying to ignore her.
Padraig glances up from the dining table, where the band’s entire summer plans are stacked in chaotic piles of paper. Open spreadsheets. Wrinkled itineraries. Load in print-outs. Burrito wrappers. He smiles when he sees me and takes a swig from the dented metal water bottle he never washes.
“Hey, babe.” He waves me over.
“Stevie, I’m glad you’re here,” Linus drawls. Calm. Even though I’m twenty minutes late.
I don’t bother to make an excuse. Instead, I take the last chair between Padraig and a half-eaten carton of pad Thai. Open my laptop. Nod to Linus and pretend to focus on my screen while I’m mentally questioning everything about the current state of affairs.
It’s been a couple weeks since Linus moved in. Liam never asked us for permission, his stuff gradually migrated into the house and now he lives here. Neither Padraig nor I ever questioned it. We don’t mind at all.
He’s the best roommate. Courteous. Cleans up after himself. Doesn’t raise his voice. Doesn’t insert himself into anyone’s business. He’s like a walking exhale.
Felicity isn’t quite as supportive.
In a fit of rage, she vented to Padraig about how she and Liam fucked and she doesn’t deserve to be treated like a whore.
We asked Liam about it but he wouldn’t give details. Typical. All he’d say was he told her it was a one-time thing and she didn’t accept it so he cut off all non-band interaction. Unfortunately, his rejection has flipped an internal switch Felicity hasn’t been able to shut off. She’s borderline obsessed with, I dunno, getting him to change his mind?
It’s been hard to ignore. Ever since she joined the band, she always angled to be close to him. Now, it’s relentless. In the house, at rehearsals. Brushes past him in the kitchen like it’s accidental. Watching him with wide, expectant eyes waiting for some acknowledgement that he never returns. Hangs off him like a blanket on stage when he can’t do anything about it.
He never encourages her attention, so I was surprised he admitted fucking her. It makes sense why he hasn’t engaged for so long. He’ll be polite if she talks to him, but doesn’t flirt. Or coddle. Never makes any small talk. He treats her politely, like a business colleague he’s not friends with.
His attention is elsewhere now. Liam lights up around Linus. Laughs deeply, in a way I haven’t heard since before Rory’s accident. There’s no second-guessing. No self-destruction. He’s able to be himself and I, for one, am happy to see it.
I get why Felicity feels hurt. At the same time her diva-like behavior is becoming a distraction.
I’m snapped back to the band meeting when Liam tosses his phone on the couch. “Stevie. We’re two weeks out. Have we received tech specs for the California dates?”
“Oh, aye. I’ve got San Francisco and Sacramento squared,” Linus jumps in. “Waiting on the load-in time for LA and San Diego, though.”
Padraig leans forward, forearms braced on the table. “What about confirmation in Seattle? That’ll be the biggest local crowd we’ve had. Connor might play a couple of songs with us, so it’s important.”
“I’ll email the manager again.” Linus glances up.
Felicity studies her fingernails. “Stevie, did you confirm the radio appearances?”
The silence in the room is instant. All eyes are on me.
I blink. “What?”
“Remember? You’re handling the radio.” Liam glances between Linus and me, confusion giving way to quiet irritation.
