Page 19 of Addicted to You
I wiped my nose and washed my hands at the sink before heading back into the club. Now, the night could really get started.
“Let’s take five,”Malachi announced as he hopped off the stage.
I set my sticks on the edge of my drum set and stretched my sore muscles before getting up to grab a water bottle.
Elliott wandered over, swiping a towel over his face. “You good?”
“Yeah. Just ready to start playing some actual shows rather than rehearsing in a warehouse.”
He chuckled. “I get that. Nothing beats the energy you get from a live crowd.”
“Exactly.” I drained nearly half my bottle of water. “So, you got any plans tonight? I was thinking about hitting up Pacific Coast.”
Pacific Coast was a bar known for showcasing bands on the edge of getting discovered, and I loved watching artists who were putting in the work to get their big shot. Besides, the drinks were good, and the clientele liked to have the same kind of fun I did.
He raised an eyebrow. “Haven’t you gone out almost every night this week?”
I shrugged. “Just having some fun before we’re stuck on a bus for months. One last hurrah, you know?”
He nodded slowly, but his expression didn’t change. “Look, I’m not trying to be a buzzkill, but don’t you think you should be taking it easy? We leave in a couple of days.”
I smirked. “Sorry,Dad. Didn’t know I needed your permission to go out.”
Elliott gave a half-smile but didn’t let it go. “I’m not saying you can’t have fun, but your idea of fun is a little … you know … more extreme than the rest of us.”
“Relax. Once we’re on the road, I’ll keep things chill. No partying, no distractions. All of my focus will be on the music.”
“Okay.” He nodded, but I wasn’t sure if he believed me.
I forced a grin. “Don’t worry, I’ve got everything under control.”
“Break’s over!” Malachi’s voice rang out from across the room. “Let’s go again from the top.”
I grabbed my drumsticks and sat behind my kit, determined to prove to everyone that they didn’t need to worry.
A Coupleof Weeks Later
The band,along with Olivia, Jasper, and Savannah, sat at a table in the bar of our hotel in Toronto. Our first concert was less than twenty-four hours away, and we were taking advantage of the free night to sit back and relax a bit.
“You all ready for your first show tomorrow?” Jasper asked.
Malachi grinned and took a sip of his rum and Coke. “For sure. Getting to headline our own tour has always been the dream. Sometimes I still can’t believe we get to do this for a living.”
He wasn’t the only one. Even after living in LA for the last few years, it still felt surreal that this was my life.
“It’s fucking awesome.” Jesse wrapped his arm around Olivia’s shoulders. “I’m just glad I get to share it with all of you and my favorite girl.”
They gave each other a quick kiss, and Olivia smiled. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
“You two are adorable,” Savannah said, but I could hear a hint of something in her tone.
It wasn’t jealousy because I didn’t believe Savannah wanted Jesse. In fact, the label was making Savannah and Malachi pretend to be in a relationship because Stellar Records thought it would be good PR, and I was pretty sure she had a bit of a crush on Malachi anyway. But I understood why she might look at Jesse and Olivia with a bit of envy. Their relationship was proof that true love existed. Not that love was something I spent any time thinking about for myself. My casual hook up lifestyle was working just fine for me.
As the conversation carried on, I excused myself from the table. “I’ll be right back.”
I could feel the guys watching me as I walked toward the bathroom. I knew what they were thinking, but I wished they’d ease up a bit. Sometimes a guy just needed to piss.
I stepped inside, did what I needed to do, and went to wash my hands. As I looked at my reflection, my thoughts turned to the smallbag I’d scored as soon as we’d landed in Toronto. One of our crew members had given me the name of a guy who he said I could trust. I’d wanted to have something on hand just in case I went out, but as I stared at myself, I wondered if I’d be able to have any fun at all since the guys were clearly watching my every move.
