Page 22 of Feuds and Interludes
The guys and I carried our stuff up the grand staircase and as I turned the corner, I heard laughter behind me.
Guess who.
“Shane.”
Boone stared at me with the type of grin on his face that had me thinking he was ready to dig at me again, but he said nothing.
“I’ll meet you down there,” Annie, his bass player, said before trotting down the steps and over to Rose’s office.
“Didn’t know you guys were going to be here,” I said. It wasn’t the douchiest thing I could have said, but it probably sounded that way to him.
Boone cocked his head and walked toward me, stopping farther away than usual. He was kind of a personal-space invader, but this time he remained out of arm’s reach.
I’d been a total dick in New York.
“I thought you knew. I’m sorry if that cuts into your plans,” he said with a wince, and I actually believed he meant it. “We would postpone and give you guys the time, but Gran is coming in a few days to work on the plans for the benefit show, and I need to wrap Stellar stuff before she arrives. Morrison and Lydia invited her to have it at the venue here.”
I raised my eyebrows. “Instead of LA?”
Boone lifted a shoulder. “The Bowl is under renovations, and since they’re donating the venue fee, it means more of the funds will go to the foundation.”
“Vera Jean does good work. I’m glad it worked out.”
Boone stepped closer. “Hey, Shane?—”
“Butler, we’re going down to the mess hall. I’m starving.” Dean, Tucker, and Drew stood there staring between us like they were itching to grab some popcorn and ringside seats.
I waved them off, though they all hesitated at the top of the stairs, probably waiting for the predictable drama. Fucking Dean pulled out his phone, and I swear he hit record.
“I’ll see you down there,” I said, inviting them to fuck right off with the flick of my middle finger.
Boone chuckled, and my eyes shot to him, expecting him to make a smartass comment and walk away. What was he waiting for?
Dean, Drew, and Tucker left us alone, finally. When they reached the bottom of the stairs, I turned back to Boone.
We both spoke at once.
And there was nervous laughter.
For the first time, I didn’t feel animosity toward him. I wanted to hear what he had to say. Maybe he, too, had been feeling some kinda way about all that happened between us recently. But then I spoke first.
“I’m sorry I pushed you.”What are you doing, Shane?“In New York. I was out of line.”
Boone’s beguiling eyes as blue as the deepest sea went even rounder. “Oh, no, it was my fault. I egged you on.”
I opened my mouth to speak, but then his words registered. He was actually admitting he might not be perfect? When I didn’t say anything, he stepped even closer, now in his usual too-close proximity.
“I always seem to say the wrong thing?—”
“It’s not you,” I said. “It’s been bugging me. I shouldn’t have put my hands on you.”
Boone tucked his chin and smiled up at me. “I mean, maybe not in anger.”
“I—”Pardon?
“Maybe I wanted you to.Wantyou to. Maybe that’s why I poke you.” His gaze dropped to my lips, back up to my eyes, and then he sighed. “See you around, Butler.”
And he fucking winked as he walked away, his hippie pants riding low on his hips, leaving a gap of pale skin where his black stretchy top didn’t quite reach.
