Page 48 of Falling Faster
"So great." Cody presses his hands over his heart. "We love Ty. You two are perfect together. I completely understand you needing to be here with him. Now that you're in a relationship, will we be doing more love songs? Your lyricsmight lean that way." His gaze flies to where Patrick sits on the stool across the room. "We'll have to rely on Paddy for the raw angst and biting lyrics."
Patrick's eyes flash and he raises one dark brow. "You know I hate when you call me that."
"No." Dragging the word out to one long syllable, Cody crosses his arms over his chest and lifts his chin. His eyebrow piercing glints in the overhead light. "I think you secretly love it. Just like you secretly love me."
"You're delusional."
"And you're in denial."
The clash of drumsticks hitting the crash cymbals reverberates through the air, and we all wince. Devon stands and points one wooden stick at Cody and Patrick. "Thetwo of you,enough.Craig, are you serious about this?"
Nerves and exhilaration flow through me. Unsure how to word my thoughts, I play a chord, focusing on my fingers moving over the strings. "I am. I need more time with Ty. Long distance sucks. I'm tired of being three hours behind and three thousand miles apart."
"Understandable." Cody grabs a bottle of water from the shelf behind him. "Have you spoken to him about your decision yet?"
I shake my head and continue playing. "No. I thought I'd talk to him about it tonight. We're meeting up for dinner."
Water sloshes in the bottle as Cody turns it over and over. "When doweget to see Ty again?"
"Not for a few days at least. Maybe not for the whole visit. I might keep him to myself this time."
"Why?" Clutching the bottle to his chest, Cody blinks at me, all innocence. No one does wide-eyed shock better. My friend's theatrical talents are put to use on-stage and off. "Afraid we'll scare him away for good?"
"No. But the past two times we saw each other in person there were a lot of other people around, so I'm feeling pretty selfish about sharing him with anyone else. I had to share him last night at the book launch, too." Thinking about dinner leads to thinking aboutafterwards, and I need to establish some possible plans. "Devon… He has difficult roommates and their house is pretty cramped, so he's been staying with Slater and Noah. I don't know if we'll end up back at their place again, or here."
"Okay." Devon twirls his drumsticks through the fingers of both hands simultaneously, a move he mastered back when we were in high school. "Hold on. Are you actually asking for my permission to bring someone home?"
"No." Then I stop and think about it. "Actually, yeah. If I bring Ty back here to spend the night, would you think I'm an inconsiderate houseguest?"
"No way. Ty's welcome. And my bedroom is far enough away from the guest room that I shouldn't hear anything, if you were worried about that."
"Can I stay over too?" Eyes brimming with laughter and smile a mile wide, Cody falls to his knees in front of Devon's drum kit and raises his hands in a pleading pose. "We love Ty, and you two together are couple goals. I'll even serve you guys breakfast in bed."
Cracking up at his antics, I reach over and ruffle his hair, mussing the dark strands. "What about your own houseguest?"
Patrick sets the bass aside. He strides past Cody and swipes another bottle of water. "His houseguest would be fine with some peace and quiet."
The laughter and smile fade as Cody's features cloud with hurt. He stands, brushing off his jeans. "You don't have to stay with me, Paddy, if I'm too much for you. Get a hotelroom, or sleep outside, or go back to LA early. Whatever. I don't care."
"Guys. We've been together for less than twenty-four hours." Exasperation fills Devon's voice. A thunderous look darkening his face, he holds his drumsticks above the crash cymbals, letting the threat hang. "Stop. Or I'll call an end to practice right now."
My concern grows as I study the pair. Patrick seems pissed off, and Cody's hurt isn't an act. I don't understand Patrick's change in mood, but he and Cody can turn a one-eighty, going from getting along to not, in a flash. "Guys?—"
"Call it. I think I'm about done anyway." Gaze still wounded, Cody raises a hand to his throat. "I need tea. And food. Anyone hungry?"
Without waiting for a response, he jogs up the stairs. The door at the top leads to the kitchen. He lets it slam behind him.
"Damn it." Devon sets the sticks down, then leaps out of his seat. Striding through the room, he levels a glare at Patrick. "Why you're staying with him and why he asked you is beyond me. You're like oil and vinegar. And speaking of that, I need to check on him. Last time he got upset, he made an absolute fucking mess of my kitchen."
He heads up the steps. The door slams a second time with his exit. Silence fills the space, as heavy as the tension-filled interactions.
Hands tucked into his front pockets, Patrick leans against the wall. A scowl darkening his features, he stares at the poster advertising our first gig, gazing at something in the print, or perhaps so caught up in his thoughts that he isn't focusing on anything in particular.
I remove my guitar and set it against the case. Treading in the waters of the Patrick and Cody situation has the potentialto be explosive. Over the years, Devon and I have become masters at getting the guys to talk, or make up, or see reason, and smooth ruffled feathers.
Moving around the room, I unplug cords and wrap up wires. "What did you guys do this morning before you came over?"
"Not much. Watched some show Cody likes. He made me breakfast."
