Page 54 of Wish You Knew
“Let me see you out.” Tris walked out into the hallway with him.
Inwardly, I let out a sigh of relief, masking it from Saff. “He seems like a nice guy.”.
“He is. A genuine guy who was there for Tris when he needed someone the most.”
A tiny pang of guilt hit me in the stomach. I’d changed a digit on the phone number I’d put into Andy’s phone. He wouldn’t be able to contact me directly.
Why had I been such a bitch?
Because, in spite of everything, Scott Lincoln was still the one I wanted.
27
Scott
Who the fuck was @andy_b_morse57_ and what the hell was he doing with Rosie?
My eyes narrowed as I scrutinised the picture in more detail.
Saff and Tris were also there, possibly in their new house.
It appeared to be the epitome of a cosy, double date dinner.
Everything I would usually be repelled by.
But the fact it was Rosie, with someone who wasn’t me, had my green eyes out in force yet again.
On closer inspection, it all appeared quite innocent, although I didn’t like the way Rosie’s lips were grazing this Andy’s cheek. Or the way he had his hand on her thigh.
Jealousy burned like a bitch.
Boredom also made me edgy.
With no gigs planned, and studio time the only outlet for my nervous energy, sitting around my apartment night after night was starting to take its toll.
It might have been close to ten o’clock, but the lure of a bar was strong. The Matchbox wasn’t far, practically my local. I’d been going there almost my entire life, as soon as I was old enough to drink, not to mention several times before. They’d welcome me with open arms. I might even catch the end of a gig.
Ripped and baggy track pants, teamed with a similarly distressed vest didn’t cut it for leaving the house. I stepped into the bedroom and found a pair of skinny jeans, I threw them on and grabbed a black buttoned shirt, shoving my feet into a pair of boots. I grabbed my phone and wallet, slipped on a jacket and left the flat.
Walking to the club, I fished out a cigarette and lit it, the plumes of smoke rising in the chilly air. There were a few people around, mostly finishing their night rather than starting it like I was. I walked past unnoticed and unrecognised.
The bouncer at the door of The Matchbox nodded to me and let me straight in.
Music assaulted my ears. A band I didn’t know.
It always gave me a buzz: seeing someone who could potentially support Trash Gun on future tours; spotting the budding talents of a young, up and coming group.
Entering the main body of the place, it surprised me to see it only half full. Clearly the band in question didn’t have a big fan base. I headed to the bar, finding a stool at the end where I could drink undisturbed, but still see the stage.
The bar manager placed a tumbler of whisky in front of me. “On the house, Scott. Good to see you again. You come to check out the band?” He nodded to the stage, where the lead singer encouraged the small audience to sing along to their song.
I shrugged noncommittally. It hadn’t been my intention to see the band, they were a pleasant distraction though.
“They’re not all that great.” He carried on cleaning glasses as he chatted. “You can see there’s not a crowd like the last time you were in. But they’re local lads, and you know I always like to give them a break.”
My attention diverted to the stage, and I watched the band with a critical eye this time. There were four of them, all guys, the lead singer also playing guitar. Declan would kill me if I tried to take that away from him. I let him have the glory, my guitar tekkers weren’t up there with his. Similar to me, the singer also wasn’t blessed with good skills. It detracted from his singing and overall stage presence, he spent much too much time looking at his fingers on the fretboard rather than connecting with the audience. The lead guitarist was strong, as was the drummer, but the bassist let the side down. Ha, if I ever thought of giving up on the performance side, I could always make it as a talent spotter for a label. I chuckled at the thought, slugging down the whisky and gesturing for another.
“What do you think?” A female voice close to my ear whispered just loud enough to be heard over the noise.
