Page 24 of The Second Deal

Avery long moment of silence.

“Iwent out for a drive to clear my head and foundZakwalking home from the bar,”Iexplain. “Hehad too much to drink.FiguredI’dget him home safe.Endedup passing out here.”

Moresilence.

“Mom?”

“Areyou andZakworking things out?”

Imake a face. “What?Ijust said he was drunk.Wetalked long enough for me to get him into the car.Hewas passed out by the time we got here. ”

Momhuffs. “Well, glad to know you’re not dead in a ditch somewhere or haven’t run off, at least.”

“I’mheading your way now.Promise.”

Itoss my phone aside and let my head fall back into the headrest.Myhead bangs against it repeatedly asIbitch at myself for doing this, for lettingAdrianget to meagain.

It’sbeen a year and a half, a whole other goddamn city and state, andAdrianputs me back in a chokehold my very first night back home.

Literallyand figuratively.

Myeyes close in defeat.Now,Ifucked someone else’s boyfriend, andI’mthe other woman.

WhenIdrive away from theHellcatandTacoma, jealousy roils in my stomach.Itweighs on the edge of my mind, too, that someone remembers me from the original lineup.

Idon’t want to make a comeback,Ilie to myself asItake a right onto the road heading south.Ican’t make a comeback.

ButifIhad stayed inTimeless,Icould be surrounded by guitars in my own home studio.Icould be the one with all the notebooks full of ideas and inspiration leading to the nextTimelessalbum.

AndmaybeTimelesswouldn’t be in the middle of the total shit show they’re in now.

“Notyour problem,”Igrumble as my fingers drum against the steering wheel.

Besides,Adrianwanted me to stay and work things out?Idon’t know how anything could’ve worked out after we hooked up.

NotafterZakproposed.

They’retwin brothers, for fuck’s sake.

Theglint of a familiar vehicle on the side of the road heading towards the bridge catches my attention.Ipass by the road home and park behindBrandy’sredCamry, sure to leave plenty of space between my tires and sharp cactus needles before climbing out.

She’slooking up into the trees with fists on her hips.Herbright auburn hair glowing in the morning sun and spray tan hiding theGondorbeacon glow is unmistakable.

“Hey,”Icall out.

Shejumps and spins around, staring at me with wide eyes before breathing a sigh of relief. “Scaredthe freakin’ shit outta me.”

“Sorry.What’reyou doin’?”

Brandyglances at the approach and points at it. “Ithink there’s something up there.”

“Oh, no,”Isay, voice lowered an octave. “Hellno.It’sprobably that damn owlIsaw last night.Iwouldn’t go up there.”

Shefrowns, chewing the inside of her lip.

“IsawGigiat the store last night,”Imention. “Shesaid there’s been high schoolers doin’ their bullshit here again, leaving offerings.Betit’s just something like that.”

“Gigi, huh?”Brandysays with a small smirk.Butit falls as quickly as it showed. “Yousaid you saw an owl?”

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