Page 7 of Love is a Drum Beat
Devlin sighed. Again. He was a sigher. “You’re going to be a difficult client, aren’t you?”
Dax stood. “Probably. Can I go?”
Devlin waved him toward the door. “Fine. But when I email you the questions, I expect answers.”
Dax gave him a two-finger salute and headed out the door. He didn’t acknowledge anyone on the way out as he ordered another car. Dax wasn’t the small talk kind of guy, he couldn’t walk down a hall smiling at people he didn’t know.
No matter the emotion—happiness, anger, sadness—he didn’t let it show.
His music did all the talking he needed.
* * *
“Hello, loves.” Noah flashed a grin at the camera that had each member of Rockstars Anonymous groaning. Well, not every member. Jo had yet to join their video chat.
“Don’t call us loves.” Drew grimaced.
“But I miss you.”
Ben arched an eyebrow. “We just saw you not long ago. You should miss Dax, not us.”
Noah let out a fake cry. “I’m all alone.” His image jostled, and Noah grunted as the phone was ripped from his hands and Melanie appeared.
“He is not alone, but he will be if he doesn’t shut up.”
Dax smiled at Melanie. He hadn’t always known how to relate to the big personalities in the group, but Melanie was their calming factor.
Drew laughed as Melanie continued pushing Noah out of the way.
“You made your bed,” Drew called. “Now, she’s sleeping in it.” He smiled at his own joke.
Dax didn’t know how joking and small talk seemed to come so naturally to his friends. He’d become the watcher, the observer. And it suited him.
“Where’s Jo?” Melanie asked.
Noah pressed a kiss to the side of her head. “She’ll come.”
“My eyes.” Drew slapped a hand over his eyes. “Noah, if you’re going to kiss Mom, then do it off camera.”
Melanie did not look amused. Drew and Noah had liked calling her their mom because she took care of them and wasn’t easy on them. But Dax figured Noah wouldn’t go near that word again. Not if he knew what was good for him.
The guys continued to joke until a notification appeared saying Jo was trying to get into the chat. The others weren’t paying attention, so Dax accepted her. It took a moment, but eventually her face appeared on his computer screen with her patented scowl.
Jo Jackson intimidated Dax. He never knew what to say around her and inevitably ended up babbling like an idiot. She was so different from anyone else he knew that he couldn’t help but watch her every time they were in the same place.
Leaning back on his couch, he pulled the laptop into his lap and looked at each of his friends. They were all so… happy. Well, except Jo.
She looked… tired and something else. Her pink-tipped, brown hair hung limp at her shoulders. There were dark circles under her eyes and a paleness to her face.
“You okay, Jo?” Dax’s question surprised all of them into silence.
Jo latched her teeth on her bottom lip. “I… yes, I’m okay.”
He didn’t believe her. Jo was seven months pregnant. He knew because he’d kept track. It was why he hadn’t gone to London with the rest. What if she needed someone? He wasn’t delusional enough to think he’d be her first choice, but currently, he’d be the only one.
Everyone else took Jo at face value, believing what they wanted to believe—that she wasn’t scared. But he could see the truth in her eyes.
“Dax.” Melanie leaned into the camera. “My dad tells me you met with your new publicist today.”
