Alcohol You Later (49)

“I do.”

“Look, sis. I’d love to be able to give you some amazing sisterly advice, but considering I have no clue what the hell he even did, that’s difficult. All I can say is stick to your guns. You’re a smart girl. Decide what you’re willing and unwilling to put up with. And accept nothing less.”

“That’s basically the same thing Korie said… but she also compared him to a dog and said I needed to start training him.”

“Absolutely. Rub his nose in it for a while so he knows not to do it again.”

We talk for a while longer. She fills me in on the kids and her glamorous life as a stay-at-home mom. I shock her with news of my new tattoo and have her rolling when I tell her all about my date with Nick and the remote-controlled vibrator.

When we hang up, I have a smile from ear to ear. Reliving that amazing day with Nick through my sister has me thinking of all the good times we’ve shared.

There are so many.

Too many not to fight for our happy ending.





“Well, look who decided to show.” Aiden flashes me a reproachful look from behind his keyboard.

I hate having to hash this out here with all the roadies and techs hard at work around us, but it has to be done. “I’m sorry, Aid…” I’m sure to lock eyes with him before turning toward Rhett and Lyle across the stage. “I owe all of you an apology. All I can say is, shit’s been weird, and I lost it there for a bit. It won’t happen again.”

Aiden’s nod sets my fraying nerves at ease. Lyle and I already hashed things out back on the bus, and Rhett could never stay mad at me. He just doesn’t have it in him. But Aid’s not one for any bullshit when it comes to this band. He came from nothing and has no intention of ever going back there.

“How are things?” Rhett stops strumming his guitar, sending his tech away for a bit to give me his full attention.

“Honestly?” I sigh, seating myself on the throne behind my drum kit. “A mess. It’s all a fucking mess. I have these kids out of the blue that I don’t know what the hell to do with, and I’m screwing things up with Raven left and right.”

“You know,” Aiden pipes, already in a far better mood, “I hear the best way to get over a chick…” He pauses for dramatic effect, tapping out a drumroll on his keys. “Is to get under a new one.”

“That’s just it, though,” I say, trying not to roll my eyes. “I don’t want to get over her.” Not that I could if I did. “I want to fix things. I’ve got to find some way to prove to her that I’m serious about us—that I want her and only her.” I twirl my sticks in the air a few times, stretching my arms out to adjust my sleeves. “I’ve been so careless with her feelings, it’s no wonder she doesn’t think she can trust me.”

“Let’s not forget you brought a chick onto the bus just last night,” Lyle adds, shaking his head. “I’m still trying to understand that one.”

“Dude,” Aiden taunts. “Might as well hang it up. You can’t come back from that.”

“It really was a misunderstanding. The girl was my waitress earlier in the day, and we met up again at the bar. She just happened to show up after her shift was over. Two girls figured out who I was, and shit was about to get crazy, so she offered me a ride home. I took her up on it.” I shrug. “End of story.”

“But it wasn’t the end of the story,” Lyle points out, turning the knobs to tune his base. “Because you brought her back to the bus.” He punctuates each word by flailing his hands in the air at me. “That’s where you really fucked up.”

“The hickeys were a pretty dumb move, too.” Leave it to Rhett to state the obvious.

“I know.” I squeeze my fists around my sticks, clenching and unclenching my fingers. “I got way too drunk. Didn’t even realize what was happening until Raven came out of the shadows like a bat straight out of hell.” A laugh bursts out of my chest at the memory. “Lost my buzz real quick.”

“I’d have paid money to have seen that.” Lyle’s grinning ear to ear. “Ray can be kinda scary.”

“Listen…” Rhett reaches for his wallet, pulling out a card. “If you’re really serious about making a grand gesture and nailing this thing down, I’ve got a guy who can help.”

I take a quick peek before giving him a nod and pocketing it.

“You sure you’re not jumping the gun?” Aiden asks, his fingers flying across the keys.

“Nah.” I picture the broken look on Raven’s face when she left last night. “If anything, I’m late pulling the trigger.”





I’ve spent all of tonight’s show in my head, rehashing the events of last night. The more I remember, the angrier with myself I become. I feel it in the tightening of my chest. In the adrenaline pulsing through my veins. In every strike of the snare and clash of the symbols. Anger is one hell of a muse, and I channel every bit of it into my performance.

Sweat flies as my hands and feet move in perfect accord. I relish the strain in my muscles, savor the burn.

The band plays like a well-oiled machine, each of us feeding off one another. It extends to the crowd, their energy making them feel like an extension of the group.