Lead (Stage Dive, #3)(40)

“What? Why?”

“No need for him to pick you up when I’m heading that way.” He took my red coat, holding it open for me to slip into. Typical of the dichotomy in his behavior. He boggled my mind, insulting me one minute, then behaving the perfect yesteryear gentleman the next.

“Thanks,” I said. “You’re going to David and Ev’s?”

“Mhmm.”

“Well, that’s good you’ll have some company.”

He nodded and led the way downstairs to the garage. The new, nearly finished, studio sat at the front of the building, the big open middle area cluttered with exercise gear and musical instruments. At the back lay the garage with Jimmy’s two cars. The chrome on the black 1971 Plymouth Barracuda gleamed in the low light. I’d always wanted to steal the keys from Jimmy and go for a spin. But as always, he headed for the latest model Mercedes. So sensible this time of year.

We drove in silence all the way there, a soft rain falling. Instead of pulling up out front of the restaurant, he drove around the corner and parked in the first available spot.

“You’re not just dropping me off?” I asked, reaching for my umbrella.

“I’ll see you in. Say hi to Ben.”

“All right.”

We huddled together, Jimmy’s arm loosely around my back and his hand over mine, helping to hold the umbrella steady in the strong winds. The restaurant specialized in Asian French fusion cuisine and was rather fancy. Lots of carved wooden chairs and tables, with swathes of red silk on the walls. An antique mirror showed off my now damp frizzy hair to perfection. Oh well, I’d tried. Jimmy’s hipster up-do still looked perfect, of course. I doubt Mother Nature would dare mess with him even at her bravest. She’d put so much effort into getting him right, after all.

At a corner table, Ben stood and waved. Strangely enough, his smile only grew at the sight of his bandmate beside me. I nodded to the gorgeous tattooed blonde girl on the front desk and made my way through the maze of customers chowing down. There were no evening gowns in evidence, I was dressed fine.

“Hey, Jim. Didn’t know you’d be joining us.” Big Ben grinned down at me. “Lena, you look fantastic.”

“Why, thank you, Ben,” I said. “You look very lovely yourself.”

He bent down obviously intending to kiss my cheek. And then he bent down some more while I craned my neck and went up on tippy toes (it’s important to be helpful). Besides my being a little under average height, the guy just was that damn tall.

“Good to see you, Ben.” Jimmy’s hand shot into the rapidly dwindling space between Ben and me, knocking me off balance. Before I could stumble, Jimmy grabbed my elbow, holding me steady.

“Yeah, Jim.” Ben gave his hand a hearty shake. “You too.”

“He’s just dropping me off and saying hi,” I said. “Which he’s now done.”

“Actually, I’ve got time for a drink.” Jimmy raised a hand and a waiter hurried over. “Bottle of Coke for me and a gin and tonic for her. Thanks.”

The waiter nodded and rushed off. A bottle of Bud already sat on the table in front of Ben.

I gave Jimmy a look as I sat. It was not a happy one.

“What? You didn’t want that?” Without waiting for an answer, he dragged over an unoccupied chair from a nearby table. Not bothering to turn it to face ours, he sat on it back to front. His arms rested along the high back. The man looked ready for a f*cking photo shoot. This way he had about him, a natural grace, annoyed the living shit out of me. If only he’d be more like us little people, clumsy and inept. But no. “I know that’s what you drink sometimes, Lena,” he said. “It’s not a big deal.”

“Water would have been fine.” I smoothed the frown off my face with some effort. “How did you even know what I drink? I haven’t drunk in front of you. Not ever.”

What Jimmy was going through, beating his addictions, was hard enough without me being so thoughtless. Plus, there was respect, support, solidarity, things like that to consider.

“Dave and Ev’s second wedding,” he said. The pair had decided to tie the knot again for their six month anniversary. A very fancy do, much as you’d imagine. I’d been working for Jimmy a month or so then.

“I was talking to Ben out on the balcony for an hour or so, you were inside,” he said. “I guess the waiter came over, cause a while later I saw you nursing a gin and tonic. It was gone by the time I came back in.”

“How did you even notice, or remember?” I asked. “I don’t know if I should be touched or worried.”

“Don’t be anything.” He gave me the trademark jutting of the chin. “My name is Jimmy Ferris and I’m an alcoholic. I know what Ben drinks. I know what you drink. I don’t even know what the nine people sitting on the three tables around us look like. But I could tell you what every one of them is drinking.”

“The hell you can,” said Ben.

Jimmy smiled darkly and sat up in his seat, moving his face close to Ben’s to show he didn’t need to look around. “The table of girls to my left. Two tequila sunrises and one Long Island Iced Tea. And the poor sap with the plain OJ, guess she’s the designated driver. The couple behind me is easy—the bottle’s still sitting in front of them. Porters.”