Page 45 of Feuds and Interludes
Sixteen
Boone
I was rushing out the front doors of the lodge as Shane was coming up the steps.
“We have a situation,” I said as I came to a halt before him. Then I got a look at his haunted face. “Wait, what happened? Shane?”
I put my hands on his face, not caring who saw us, and he closed his eyes.
He leaned into my hands. “I was coming to find you.”
“What do you need?” Because whatever he was going through, I would let him set the pace.
He took my hand and looked around. “Mind walking with me?”
I looked back at the doors. I was supposed to go eat with the twins. “Let me text Annie and Bran. Lead on.”
I pulled out my phone, hurriedly tapped in a few words, shoved my phone in my back pocket and took his hand. He didn’t speak as he led us down the steps, and instead of heading toward the studio, he hung a left and took us into the orchards.It had been a cool August so far up in the Pacific Northwest, and the ground was wet because it had been raining off and on all day. The water dripped from the trees around us as we walked and the quiet was peaceful.
I wanted to ask him a million questions but I knew he’d talk when he was ready. Holding his hand was already so exciting, I wanted to squeal and skip through the apple trees that weren’t quite ready to harvest but smelled so good, but I held it all in—along with my alarm over the grandparent situation.
“I’m sorry, I’m trying to figure out how to say all this.”
Oh. There was an “all this.” Fine. Whatever he needed, I was going to be there for him, because one thing I’d learned about Shane was that he really didn’t let folks in. I doubted he had anyone in his life besides his Pops. If he trusted me, I’d prove trustworthy.
“Whatever you need, Shane.”
He let out a huge exhale and pursed his lips, shaking his head. “First off, my band just quit.”
“What?!” My shouts interrupted the stillness and a couple of crows squawked and flew out of the trees near us. “That’s insane! How dare they! What the fuck? They’renothingwithout you. What do they think?—”
“Hey,” he said, his lips split into a satisfied smile. “I’m surprisingly okay about it.”
I stopped walking and stared at him. “Really? Are you sure?”
He shrugged and tugged on my hand to keep us moving. “Yeah. I am. Somebody told me recently that I was better than my band.”
I ducked my head. “Wow. Yeah, I did say that. But it’s not like I meant to manifest this shit to happen!”
He laughed. He actually laughed! His world had just shifted violently and he was laughing.
“Are you sure you’re okay? You need to lie down or something?”
He shook his head. “Nah. I’m good. I need to regroup. I need to talk to Pops. I need to call my manager, the label, all kinds of other shit, but nah. I’m going to take today to walk through this orchard, holding your hand, and not even think about it.”
I stopped again. “You’re really not okay. Shane?—”
“I am. Honestly? I feel free. Lydia kind of instigated this whole thing, the talk with the band and shit, and now that they’re gone, it’s like aweightis gone. When Lydia asked me yesterday if I thought I’d grown, I think it set off a spiral where I’m like, nope. I’m stuck. These guys were hired guns, not true partners. I guess I finally realized why Pops stuck around with your grandpa and the other guys.”
“They made beautiful music together.” I smiled at him. Could it be that he was in the same space as me? “Shane? I wanted to ask you… You know that slide part Leland was talking about?” He nodded, a slight frown bending his brows. “I wondered if you would play it. On our album. And I wondered if you would sing the harmonies with me. Would you even consider it? I know it’s not your thing?—”
“Yes, Boone. I would love to.”
He pulled me close to him and rested his hands on my waist.
“Really? We’re not too…how did you say it, too much like candy?”
He squeezed my waist, letting his hands roam south a bit as he groaned. “I like it. I like the way you taste. I want candy.”
