Page 29 of Half Notes and Highlights
“Remember?”
The sound of Wolf’s voice pulled Ethan out of the memory, but the pain and heartache in his chest felt as if he were stuck in time. “Yeah. Of course. I remember that day like it was yesterday.” He put his arm around Wolf and massaged his friend’s shoulder. “I’m glad you came to my house instead of running off somewhere.”
Wolf slowly turned to look at Ethan. “Where else would I go? I was 15, and I was homeless.”
“I don’t know. But you were a kid, and kids run away all the time because of fucked-up shit like that.”
Wolf shrugged. “I didn’t even think about it. I was in trouble, and there was only one person for me to turn to—you. My best friend. I didn’t know your family was going to take me in without a second thought. They could have had the same reaction as my parents. They could have thrown me out of their house too and forbid us to be friends anymore.”
“That was never going to happen,” Ethan quickly replied. “I’d never abide by that. Ever.”
“There really wasn’t much you would’ve been able to do about it if they didn’t want you to see me anymore.”
“Sure, there was. We could have run away together.”
A skeptical smile pulled at the corner of Wolf’s mouth. “At 15?”
It sounded crazy, but Ethan would have done it. Nothing was ever going to come between them. They were fused together for life. “We would’ve figured something out. Look at where we are now.” Ethan waved his hand through the air. “This is all you. Wolf Pack is your baby. You started the band and gigging. If that guy you had as a singer before me didn’t walk out and leave you high and dry, I’d never be where I am today. You’re the reason I’m famous. You’re the reason we’re all famous and rich.”
Wolf was shaking his head the whole time. “No. I knew you were a great singer. You just needed a little incentive to get up on stage.” He was quiet for a moment, then glanced at Ethan with smiling eyes. “I’ll let you in on a little secret. George didn’t leave us high and dry right before that big show. I fired him five minutes after you agreed to fill in for him.”
“What?” First, since when did they have secrets, especially something this big? Second, what the fuck? Wolf Pack was already popular on the music scene when Ethan stepped in at 19. The risky move could have easily derailed the band’s path to success. “Are you serious? What if I sucked? Or if I didn’t want to be in the band? Your plan could have backfired. Then what?”
Wolf shrugged one shoulder. “It didn’t. It worked out exactly how I thought it would.”
This guy was nuts. Absolutely fucking nuts. “I don’t know what to say except, thanks for believing in me.”
Wolf nudged Ethan with his shoulder. “It’s the least I could do. You and your family literally saved my life. I wouldn’t have made it if I had to live on the streets or in a group home. I’m not tough like that. There’s a lot of bad shit out there happening to homeless teenage boys.”
“That’s the damn truth.” A sickening feeling turned Ethan’s stomach sour.
“That wouldn’t have been the worst of it. If your parents wouldn’t let us be friends anymore . . .” Wolf pressed his lips together and started shaking his head again while his face drooped with sadness and fear. “I don’t think I would have made it without you. I can’t imagine you not being in my life.”
“That didn’t happen.” He pulled Wolf close in a side hug. “That’s never going to happen. I’m not going anywhere. We met when we were in the first grade and have been inseparable ever since. We’ve been through everything together. You’re always going to be in my life, and I’m always going to be in your life. Nothing’s ever going to change that. You know that, right?”
Wolf nodded, but he looked so sad, and it wrecked Ethan to see his friend like that.
They sat quietly again, sipping their beers, until Wolf said, “Don’t take his side over mine.”
“What?”
“Tyler. Don’t take his side over mine.”
“I’m not.”
“You just met him. Don’t forget how long we’ve known each other.”
Ethan didn’t know what to say. He didn’t know what he did for Wolf to think he’d take Tyler’s side in an argument. So, he just said. “I won’t.” He moved his hand from around Wolf’s shoulder and rested it on Wolf’s knee, giving it a little squeeze. “Love you, bruh.”
The corners of Wolf’s mouth finally curled into a tiny smile. “Love you too.”
CHAPTER TEN
“I haven’t seen you since you’ve been back. I can’t believe how fast the week went by. How was Portland?” Iris asked, holding a Vitamin Water and leaning on the railing that separated their balconies.
Tyler’s heart was reeling at the memory. “Flying in the jet was incredible. I felt so important. The show was amazing. Ethan is fire on stage. The crowd was full of energy. The afterparty at a dance club was jumping. We had hot hotel room and dressing room sex.” Recounting the events of the last couple of days filled him with another heart-pounding rush of excitement as he relived the experience for a second time, and he needed to take a breath. “Harris and Marshall, Ethan’s drummer and guitarist, are cool. But Wolf is an absolute asshole.”
Iris leaned closer, ready for an earful of juicy gossip. “Tell me more.”
