Page 74 of Torch Songs

“He’s okay,” April said softly.

“No,” Tad told her. “He’s in the hospital. Again. Because he got mugged. Again. And he’s probably thinking nobody’s coming for him—hell, for all I know, he’d planned to sleep in the hospital andwalkto the gig to find his phone. Goddammit, April—at least when we have a cat, we can keep it in the house!”

She sank down next to him and put her head on his shoulder. “Tadpole?”

“Yeah?”

“Guthrie’s more complicated than a cat.”

He sighed. “I know.”

“You’ve got a partner who has your back,” she said.

“I know.”

“Have a little faith.”

Another sigh. “Fine.”

THE PHONEwas apparently smashed beyond repair. Chris gave him a call at 4:00 a.m. to say Guthrie was being released in the morning. Chris was catching some shuteye on a spare bed, because LEO had its privileges, and they’d drive up after Guthrie got his pain meds.

“How is he?” Tad asked anxiously, trying to clear the sleep from his eyes.

“Surprised to see me,” Chris admitted. “Loopy as fuck. He was going to turn down the ride home until my pretty wife pointed out she would have driven me down here for no reason at all at fuck-you in the morning. He seems to melt around women, Tad. Are you sure he’s gay?”

Tad thought about what Guthrie had told him about his childhood. “I’m sure his mother wasn’t in the picture and his dad was an asshole,” he said, because that was the extent of Tad’s knowledge.

“Ah,” Chris said with a yawn. His voice dropped seriously then. “He’sreallyhigh and trying not to admit he’s shook, Tad. I’ve seen some tough cookies before, but this is special. His big worry was his band. He was the last person into his car, and he wanted to make sure none of the others got jumped too. This happen often?”

Tad grunted. “Three times since I’ve known him?” he answered. “I think maybe he’s having a run of luck, but people know musicians get tipped cash. And he’s had to live hand-to-mouth before, so he doesn’t just roll over and pay up.”

Chris blew out a breath. “Okay. So maybe you talk your boy into coming up to Colton with you, and you can escort him home from any gigs. What do you say? I’mnotgoing to be okay with him on his own now that I know he’s bait.”

Tad fought back a hysterical laugh. “Your mouth, God’s ears. Can you arrange that for me? Please? That would be great.”

“I’ll see what I can do,” Chris murmured and then yawned again.

“Catch some sleep. You’re beat,” Tad told him. “Chris, I can’t thank you enough.”

“Coffee and a breakfast burrito,” Chris told him. “The kind from the place in your neighborhood that Laura calls cholesterol in a blanket. I want that. I want it bad.”

“Call me when you leave, it’ll be hot and ready when you get here,” Tad told him loyally.

“Good man. Night, kid.”

“Night.”

Tad signed off and collapsed against his own pillows. April was lying next to him, on top of the comforter but under her own blanket because she wanted news when he got some.

“What did you promise him?” she asked.

Tad gave her the order, and she hummed while making a reminder in her own phone. “Tell me when he calls and I’ll go out a half hour before he’s supposed to get here,” she said. “Mind if I sleep here, big brother? No designs on your virtue, I swear.”

He grunted. Their mother had been the best, but she’d also been overworked and always tired. He and April used to climb into each other’s beds as kids whenever they had nightmares or something was bothering them at school. April had been the first person he’d told about his crush on a boy in the seventh grade, and knowing that she didn’t actually care had given him heart. And boy, had she not cared. She fell asleep in mid telling, and when he woke her up hissing, “April, did you hear me? I’mgay!” her reply had been, “So. I’m still getting beat up in the bathroom. We all have our problems.”

He’d beaten up her bullies the next day, and she hadn’t said a word about him being gay to anybody untilhe’dbeen ready to come out.

“No,” he mumbled now. “Thanks for….” And it hit him. “April?”

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