Lick (Stage Dive, #1)(77)

Martha walked away. She disappeared among the crowds of mid-afternoon shoppers like she’d never been.

David was recording in Portland. He’d said he was working on the new album. I hadn’t imagined that meant actually recording here. Let alone buying a place.

Holy shit.

I stood and moved in the opposite direction to the one Martha had taken. First I walked, trying to figure out what I was doing, giving my brain a chance to catch up with me. Then I gave it up as a lost cause and ran, dodging pedestrians and café tables, parked cars and whatever. Faster and faster my Doc Martens books carried me. I found the Bent Basement two blocks over, situated down a flight of stairs, between a micro-brewery and an upmarket dress shop. I slapped my hands against the wood, pushed it open. The unassuming green door was unlocked. Speakers carried the strains of an almighty electric guitar solo through the dark painted rooms. Sam sat on a sofa, reading a magazine. For once his standard black suit was missing, and he wore slacks and a short-sleeved Hawaiian shirt.

“Mrs Ferris.” He smiled.

“Hi, Sam,” I panted, trying to catch my breath. “You look very cool.”

He winked at me. “Mr Ferris is in one of the sound booths at the moment, but if you go through that door there you’ll be able to observe.”

“Thanks, Sam. Good to see you again.”

The thick door led to the soundboard setup. A man I didn’t know sat behind it with headphones on. This setup left the small studio at Monterey in the dust. Through the window I could see David playing, his eyes closed, enmeshed with the music. He too wore headphones.

“Hey,” Jimmy said quietly. I hadn’t realized the rest of them were behind me, lounging, waiting to take their turn.

“Hi, Jimmy.”

He gave me a strained smile. His suit was gone. So were the pin-prick eyes. “It’s good to see you here.”

“Thanks.” I didn’t know what the etiquette was regarding rehab. Should I ask after his health or sweep the situation under the rug? “And thank you for calling Martha.”

“She came to talk to you, huh? Good. I’m glad.” He slid his hands into the pockets of his black jeans. “Least I could do. I’m sorry about our previous meetings, Ev. I was … not where I should have been. I hope we can move on from that.”

Off the drugs, the similarities between him and David were more pronounced. But his blue eyes and his smile didn’t do to me the things David’s did. No one else’s ever could. Not in five years, not in fifty. For the first time in a long time, I could accept that. I was good with it, even. The epiphanies seemed to be coming thick and fast today.

Jimmy waited patiently for me to come back from wherever I was and say something. When I didn’t, he continued on. “I’ve never had a sister-in-law before.”

“I’ve never had a brother-in-law.”

“No? We’re useful for all sorts of shit. Just you wait and see.”

I smiled and he smiled back at me, far more relaxed this time.

Ben sat on the corner of a black leather lounge, talking with Mal. Mal tipped his chin at me and I did the same back. All Ben gave me was a worried look. He was still every bit as big and imposing, but he seemed more afraid of me than I was of him today. I nodded hello to him and he returned it, with a tight smile. After talking to Martha, I could understand a little better where he’d been coming from that night. We’d never be besties, but there would be peace for David’s sake.

The guitar solo cut off. I turned back to see David watching me, pulling off his headphones. Then he lifted his guitar strap off over his head and headed for the connecting door.

“Hey,” he said, coming toward me. “Everything okay?”

“Yes. Can we talk?”

“Sure.” He ushered me back into the booth. “Won’t be long, Jack.”

The man at the board nodded and fiddled with some buttons, turning off the microphones, I assume. He didn’t seem overly irritated with the interruption. Instruments and microphones were everywhere. The place was organized chaos. We stood in the corner, out of view of the rest.

“Martha came to see me,” I said once he’d closed the door. He stood tall in front of me, blocking out everything else. I rested my back against the wall and looked up at him, still trying to catch my breath. My heart had been calming down after the sprint. Had been. But now he was here and he was so damn close. I put my hands behind my back before they started grabbing at him.

David did the wrinkly brow thing. “Martha?”

“It’s okay,” I rushed on. “Well, you know, she was her usual self. But we talked.”

“About what?”

“You two, mostly. She gave me some things to think about. Are you busy tonight?”

His eyes widened slightly. “No. Would you like to do something?”

“Yeah.” I nodded. “I missed you this morning when I woke up, when I realized you’d gone. I’ve missed you a lot, the last month. I don’t think I ever told you that.”

He exhaled hard. “No … no, you haven’t. I missed you too. I’m sorry I couldn’t stay this morning.”

“Another time.”

“Definitely.” He took a step closer ’til the toes of his boots touched mine. No one had ever been more welcome in my personal space. “I’d promised we’d start here early or I would have been there when you woke.”