Page 85 of To Bring You Back
“As I was saying”—Asher handed the boat with the hotdog to his nephew, who hustled back to work—“nothing credible.”
“Who said that?”
Asher shook his head. “No one you need to worry about. Go meet the inspector. It’ll all be sorted out.”
With the authorities, yes, probably, but they were no longer the only concern. Everyone knew how much of a struggle the repairs were. Though she’d accepted help, nothing had been completed yet, which could add some credibility to the gossip. If a tabloid got hold of the rumor, they could run with it. Everywhere she went, she’d be the woman who’d chosen arson over getting a better job and paying for her own home upkeep.
“Okay,so you know the lighthouse song?” Matt held the neck of his bass guitar with one hand and pushed the other into his hair until his fingers tangled. “I have an idea.”
Gannon fought for an expression that didn’t show his exasperation. Matt could have a good idea—he used to offer them all the time and had even written a few of their songs early on—but they’d been in the studio for hours, and Gannon needed to get out.
Harper had been smart enough to leave while he’d talked with Adeline. The actress’s things were still in her room, though, so she meant to come back, and when she did, Gannon would kick her out for good. He’d rather complete the task before Adeline returned. If she returned.
He’d asked security to notify him the moment either woman pulled up to the gate, but he’d feel better if he could go keep an eye out himself. “Will this idea keep?”
Matt passed his wrist under his nose. “Sure, I guess.”
“Let’s come back to it tomorrow, then.”
John shook his head and exited the studio. The drummer had been extra quiet all day, a sign that he disapproved of Gannon’s choices last night. But how could Gannon have known how it would turn out?
All he could do now was try to fix it.
“So, um …” Matt ducked out from under the shoulder strap of the bass and set the instrument aside. “Look, I wanted to talk to you.”
Who was this and what had he done with Matt? Gannon could only wait to see what the man had to say and hope that in the meantime, security would alert him to any developments.
Matt passed his hands over the thighs of his jeans. “I think you’re right, man. Things, um, have gotten a little out of hand, and maybe I want to get clean.”
Gannon stared. Matt was a wreck, his need to beat addiction broadcast in every move he made, but he’d been nowhere near ready to admit that last night. “Why?”
His fingers disappeared into his hair again. “I had a come-to-Jesus moment, you know? I don’t wanna—well, there was that cop last night. That was a close one, right?” He chuckled uneasily. “I was standing here today thinking it’s time. Time to get serious. To pull my weight again and that’s gonna mean cleaning up, so I thought you should know.”
Just like this, God?
Matthadalways done everything suddenly.
“You’ll go back to rehab?”
“Ah, well.” Matt cringed. “We’re all here, and I know I’ve made bad choices, but I thought this place could be my rehab.”
Okay. Maybe this wasn’t the change Gannon had been waiting for. “You’ve been using here the same as anywhere else.”
“I’m done now. Here on out.” He lifted his hands parallel to each other as if to indicate the straight and narrow. “I’ve done this before, remember? Work will help distract me, and this way, the album doesn’t have to wait on hold for weeks.”
“Detox will be brutal. You won’t be in any shape to rehearse. Will you be able to play next weekend?”
“I’ll manage. It won’t be as bad as me leaving for a month. I’d miss the show then for sure. And, I mean, are we even still going to be here a month from now?”
No. Summer would end, and Awestruck was due in the studio to record an album Gannon still hadn’t written—unless he could supplement what he had with the songs about Adeline.
“If I fall off the wagon, you can check me into rehab yourself.”
“It’s one thing to say that now and another to follow through when the time comes.”
“Then do something else to me. Have me thrown in jail. You’ve wanted to do that forever.”
“If I wanted that, I would’ve left you with the officer last night.”
