Page 64 of Half Notes and Highlights
Tyler’s mouth dropped open because he couldn’t believe how quickly Ethan accepted Wolf’s denial, as if the guy was really going to admit he egged the trailer in front of everyone. “Are you fucking kidding me?”
“I understand why you think it could have been Wolf. I asked him. He said no. I believe him. That’s it, Tyler. I’m sorry you’re on the receiving end of some stupid, immature prank, but it wasn’t Wolf.”
“It was a prank. You just said it yourself.” Tyler thumped his foot so hard he thought he was digging a hole in the sand. “You guys are always pranking one another. Maybe he just went too far and is afraid to admit it. Did you think of that?”
Doubt crossed Ethan’s eyes for a split second then disappeared. “Anyone could have done it. Security could have looked away for one second and that’s all it takes for someone to sneak in. It’s happened before. Fans have snuck on our tour bus and into our hotel rooms before. It happens. I’m sorry.” Ethan enveloped Tyler in a tight hug and ran a soft, soothing hand up and down Tyler’s back. A sigh left his lungs, and he whispered in Tyler’s hair. “Let’s have breakfast and forget about it.”
Tyler wasn’t forgetting about anything any time soon. He was furious, but he was starting to believe that maybe it could have been a fan and not Wolf, although he’d never be sure.
More security guards were there now, and one appeared to be the lead, who was asking questions and apologizing.
“I don’t care!” Ethan snapped. “Get this shit cleaned up! He has appointments in a couple of hours! I want extra security here around the clock! If anything like this happens again.” He sliced his hand through the air like an axe. “You’re all fired!”
He couldn’t believe someone egged Tyler’s trailer. It was intolerable. And how the fuck did security let it happen? They were partly responsible for this disaster because they weren’t doing their job. If they had, no one would have gotten to Tyler’s trailer. It’s not like a fan was staked out with a rocket launcher shooting eggs from 300 yards away. Someone had to be within the perimeter of the secured area. But a tiny, tiny part of him wondered if a fan really was responsible.
Tyler handled it better than he did. While Ethan was still silently fuming and seeing red, Tyler had already moved on. For Tyler’s sake, Ethan buried his seething anger. They had a nice breakfast, and he helped Tyler set up his supplies and get ready for his appointments.
Now that Tyler was in his trailer and busy attending to his first customer of the day, Ethan couldn’t let go of the burning thought niggling at the back of his mind and burst into Wolf’s RV. “Was it you? Did you egg Tyler’s trailer?”
Wolf jumped, startled at the sudden intrusion and the way the door bounced off the side of the RV when Ethan swung it open.
“I told you it wasn’t me.”
“I know what you said, but I’m telling you right now, if it was you, you better tell me. Because if you lie to me, I’ll never fucking speak to you again. If you did it, confess. I’ll be pissed. I might even fucking punch you in the face, but if you lie to me, we’re done. Our friendship is over.” Ethan could feel the anger burning his face and his eyes bulging, and he clenched his fists while he waited for Wolf to answer, who just scowled back at him.
Finally, Wolf replied. “You think I’m that much of a pussy? That I’d stoop to something so juvenile like defacing his trailer? I know I haven’t exactly been nice to him, but anything I had to say, I said to his face. I’m not a complete asshole. I thought you knew that.” Wolf leaned closer and looked directly into Ethan’s eyes. “To be perfectly clear, no. I didn’t egg Tyler’s trailer, and I don’t know who did. It wasn’t me. I’m not responsible in any fucking way for that.”
Truth was staring Ethan in the face, and he felt stupid for not believing his friend, but he had to ask. He needed to be sure. “I believe you. I’m sorry. I needed to talk to you alone, without anyone around.” Tired of the back and forth, he let out a long sigh. “Why do you always give Tyler such a hard time? You knowhow much I care about him. You see how happy we are. Why, Wolf? Why?”
Wolf’s lips tightened, then pursed as he shifted from foot to foot. His lungs filled with air, and he looked everywhere except into Ethan’s eyes. “I don’t know. He just rubs me the wrong way.”
“Why?” Ethan repeated, more forcefully. “Are you jealous?”
“Of course, I’m jealous!” Wolf yelled. “It was always me and you! Now this guy comes along and you totally forget about me!”
Ethan was taken aback by Wolf’s outburst, because that wasn’t the case at all. “That’s not true. I—”
“Yes, Ethan. It is. Every free minute you have, you’re either on the phone with him, jetting off to see him, or flying him out to whatever city we’re in. And whenever he joins us on tour, you disappear. The two of you are stuck together like glue and you forget about all of us, not just me. Butespeciallyme.”
Ethan was left staring at his friend without words. He had no idea Wolf felt so neglected and pushed aside. He knew Wolf was upset that he and Tyler were serious now, but he had no reason to feel replaced. “I’m really sorry if it feels like I’ve forgotten about you. I haven’t. We had that long talk last week, and I thought we cleared the air.”
“You told me you were in love with him. You were clear about that. But you still ostracize everyone and spend all your time with him.”
Ethan didn’t think he did that at all, but Wolf clearly saw it differently, and he felt like shit because hurting Wolf was the last thing he ever wanted to do. “I don’t think I’m ignoring you guys when Tyler’s around. I know I spend my free time with him when I can, but that’s because we have such limited time together. I see you guys all the time. Harris and Marsh never said they felt like I was ditching them to spend time with Tyler. If they did, they would have told me. And even if they did feel thatway, they’re nice to Tyler. You’re not. And that’s not cool. I know he gets bitchy with you too, but let’s face it, Wolf. You instigate a lot of it. Tyler’s in my life, and he’s not going anywhere. You need to get used to that and find a way to accept it.”
Wolf pouted but in an angry way, with his arms folded across his chest and his breath coming out in short bursts through his nostrils.
“I’m serious,” Ethan stressed.
Wolf shrugged. “Fine. But if you’re going to spend all your time with him, don’t expect me to drop everything and come running when he’s not around and you want to hang out. I’m not going to be your best friend only when your boyfriend isn’t around.”
That hit Ethan hard, because they both had other steady guys in their lives over the years, but they never made the other feel second best. Wolf felt left out, whether he was overreacting or not, his feelings deserved to be validated, and Ethan empathized with his friend. “I’m sorry. It’s just that me and Tyler are still new, and we don’t get to see each other that much. So, when we do, we like to make the most of the time we have together because we don’t have more than a day or two. I’ll find stuff for all of us to do together more often. I promise. I haven’t forgotten about you. You’ll always be my best friend.” He opened his arms for a hug.
Wolf’s eyes glistened, his lips were pressed firmly together, and his chin quivered before he fell into Ethan’s arms. Wolf’s hug was suffocating and desperate, like they’d never see each other again, and it crushed Ethan’s heart.
He hugged Wolf with everything in his soul. He loved this guy so much. They grew up together. They were each other’s firsts. They started a band and found fame and fortune. Together. Everything that happened in their lives, happened together.
Wolf loosened his embrace, but Ethan didn’t want to let go.
