old neighborhood. “Here we go.”
Instead of going to the front door, he took her around back to a steel door. He pounded on it with the flat of his fist.
While they waited, Mattie asked, “Ever bring Em here?”
“God, no. Well, I did once, and she’s still never forgiven me for it.”
Mattie laughed. The door creaked open. West greeted the skinny guy who stepped out of the shadows. “Yo, man,” the guy said. “Who’s this?” He grinned and winked. “Please tell me you’ve upgraded from that—”
“This is Em’s sister, Mattie.”
The grin faded from the skinny guy’s face. “Not another one, man.”
The familiar strains of music registered in Mattie’s mind. “Is that Hinder? I love that song.”
“She’s cool, man. I wouldn’t bring her if she wasn’t.”
“You pull another stunt like you did with that one chick, Joe won’t ever let you back.”
“Yeah, I know. Trust me. Mattie’ll be up there headbanging next to Georgia if you give her half a chance.” Mattie snorted with laughter.
“All right, West. Watch her though.” The skinny guy took out a cigarette and stepped outside.
“Yeah.” West took her arm and walked her down the narrow stairs. He leaned close and whispered in her ear. “Joe doesn’t have any licenses for this place, so he freaks out about new people. Emeline nearly brought the place down around their ears.”
“That sucks.”
“Yeah.”
To Mattie’s surprise, the basement was much bigger than she thought. It was dim and packed with people, but it was comfortable. From a stage at the far end, a cover band pumped out a mangled version of Papa Roach’s “Last Resort.” West winced. “Joe can get some really awesome bands sometimes. Other times...he only lets them up because he either owes them something or they’re friends.”
“Which is that?” Mattie pointed toward the band. West scooted his chair closer so he could hear her.
“That’s his brother.”
“Oh.”
“He sucks.”
“Yep.”
“The band’s not too bad. I think it might just be the song they’re trying to do.”
“At least it’s not Metallica .”
“You got a problem with Metallica ?”
Mattie laughed. “No, just cover bands who insist on doing “Enter Sandman”.” They stood in silence for a minute before West spotted an empty table near the bare brick wall.
“I’ll be right back.” Mattie soaked in the ambience and felt herself relaxing even further. West reappeared with two margaritas. “I know you said you don’t drink much, but Kate makes the best ‘ritas around.”
“You never asked why I didn’t drink. I could be allergic.”
“You’re not. I saw you drinking wine last night at dinner.” He sat down, close enough to brush her arm and thigh. Mattie scooped salt into the end of her straw and sucked in a big mouthful. The tequila burned her throat for a moment.
“Wow, that is good.”
“Told you. So why don’t you drink?”
“I don’t hold my liquor real well. I get sort of goofy. I only drink when I’m with people I trust not to let me do something stupid.”
“You trust me?”
“I don’t know yet.” He rolled his eyes and grinned. “I won’t let you do anything too stupid. I promise.”
“What’s your idea of ‘too stupid’?”
“Dancing topless on stage? Hey, Joe!” A man materialized out of the crowd and plopped down across from the table. West rose and the men leaned over the table to share an awkward one-armed half-hug.
“Haven’t seen you here in a while, West!”
“Yeah, been busy. Joe, this is Mattie.”
Joe extended his hand. “Good to meet you. It’s good to see him out of that other chick’s clutches.”
Mattie snorted. “Oh, we’re just friends. Emeline’s my sister.”
“Damn. That means you’re available?”
West smacked his hand down on the table, grinning. “Not for you, Joe.”
“Damn. Hey,
While they waited, Mattie asked, “Ever bring Em here?”
“God, no. Well, I did once, and she’s still never forgiven me for it.”
Mattie laughed. The door creaked open. West greeted the skinny guy who stepped out of the shadows. “Yo, man,” the guy said. “Who’s this?” He grinned and winked. “Please tell me you’ve upgraded from that—”
“This is Em’s sister, Mattie.”
The grin faded from the skinny guy’s face. “Not another one, man.”
The familiar strains of music registered in Mattie’s mind. “Is that Hinder? I love that song.”
“She’s cool, man. I wouldn’t bring her if she wasn’t.”
“You pull another stunt like you did with that one chick, Joe won’t ever let you back.”
“Yeah, I know. Trust me. Mattie’ll be up there headbanging next to Georgia if you give her half a chance.” Mattie snorted with laughter.
“All right, West. Watch her though.” The skinny guy took out a cigarette and stepped outside.
“Yeah.” West took her arm and walked her down the narrow stairs. He leaned close and whispered in her ear. “Joe doesn’t have any licenses for this place, so he freaks out about new people. Emeline nearly brought the place down around their ears.”
“That sucks.”
“Yeah.”
To Mattie’s surprise, the basement was much bigger than she thought. It was dim and packed with people, but it was comfortable. From a stage at the far end, a cover band pumped out a mangled version of Papa Roach’s “Last Resort.” West winced. “Joe can get some really awesome bands sometimes. Other times...he only lets them up because he either owes them something or they’re friends.”
“Which is that?” Mattie pointed toward the band. West scooted his chair closer so he could hear her.
“That’s his brother.”
“Oh.”
“He sucks.”
“Yep.”
“The band’s not too bad. I think it might just be the song they’re trying to do.”
“At least it’s not Metallica .”
“You got a problem with Metallica ?”
Mattie laughed. “No, just cover bands who insist on doing “Enter Sandman”.” They stood in silence for a minute before West spotted an empty table near the bare brick wall.
“I’ll be right back.” Mattie soaked in the ambience and felt herself relaxing even further. West reappeared with two margaritas. “I know you said you don’t drink much, but Kate makes the best ‘ritas around.”
“You never asked why I didn’t drink. I could be allergic.”
“You’re not. I saw you drinking wine last night at dinner.” He sat down, close enough to brush her arm and thigh. Mattie scooped salt into the end of her straw and sucked in a big mouthful. The tequila burned her throat for a moment.
“Wow, that is good.”
“Told you. So why don’t you drink?”
“I don’t hold my liquor real well. I get sort of goofy. I only drink when I’m with people I trust not to let me do something stupid.”
“You trust me?”
“I don’t know yet.” He rolled his eyes and grinned. “I won’t let you do anything too stupid. I promise.”
“What’s your idea of ‘too stupid’?”
“Dancing topless on stage? Hey, Joe!” A man materialized out of the crowd and plopped down across from the table. West rose and the men leaned over the table to share an awkward one-armed half-hug.
“Haven’t seen you here in a while, West!”
“Yeah, been busy. Joe, this is Mattie.”
Joe extended his hand. “Good to meet you. It’s good to see him out of that other chick’s clutches.”
Mattie snorted. “Oh, we’re just friends. Emeline’s my sister.”
“Damn. That means you’re available?”
West smacked his hand down on the table, grinning. “Not for you, Joe.”
“Damn. Hey,
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