Read Online Deer in Headlights (Hearts and Arrows 1) (Good god series) by Staci Hart - Free Book Online

would be better off with Travis’ talent, and they’d gotten him quickly enough that they hopefully wouldn’t fall into any trouble with their label for dicking around. And, past that, Travis seemed like a good guy, or at least as far as Dean could tell.
    He watched as Travis nodded at Roe, smiling amiably as Roe went over their schedule and the situation. Roe’s face was drawn, his shoulders tense, and his eyes occasionally darted to Dean as he spoke.  
    Dean was in trouble, that was all there was to it. He’d run out of chances. Roe had seen him through almost every fuck-up of his life and bailed him out, no questions asked. He was always there with a smile and a slap on the back, never judging. Dean owed him everything. Roe was the only family he had.
    “Practice is every day at noon, except Saturdays. The first thing we have to do is get you familiarized with the songs we’re scheduled to record, and the sooner the better. Our rep is breathing down my neck, and he’s not happy that Elliot’s gone.” Roe shot Dean a pointed look. “No offense, Travis.”
    “None taken,” Travis said.
    Kevin turned to Travis and cocked an eyebrow behind his heavy-framed, black glasses. “Speaking of, you don’t have a girlfriend, do you?” He folded his skinny arms across his t-shirt that said I can’t. I have gymnastics.
    “Yeah,” Travis answered, looking around the room.
    Roe tensed.  
    Kevin smirked. “Is she hot?”  
    “As a matter of fact, yeah. She is. Why do you ask?” Travis asked with a hint of confusion in his voice.
    Dean sighed. He wasn’t ashamed, and he wasn’t proud, but he was tired of talking about it.
    “Full disclosure.” Kevin pushed his glasses up his hawkish nose. “There have been … let’s call them ‘issues’ of the carnal nature between our dear Professor Panty Dropper and girlfriends of drummers past.”  
    “Oh. I’m not really worried about that.” Travis shrugged.
    Kevin’s fingers disappeared into his curly hair as he scratched his head, and his eyebrows arched. “Seriously, man? Because that’s why Elliot bailed. Casanova here gave his girl the business and it was curtains.”
    “Ah. Wow, man.” Travis smiled warmly at Dean, and Dean was caught off guard, only able to smile back. “That’s cold.” He turned back to Roe. “Look, I trust Lex.”
    Roe’s lips were a flat line. “It’s not her we’re worried about.”  
    Travis laughed, and Roe paused for a moment before he shook his head.  
    “Well, you’ve been warned. Let’s get started.”  
    Everyone moved for their instruments. Kevin walked by on his way to his keyboard and punched Dean in the shoulder. Dean was pretty sure he was playing.
    “Don’t be an asshole,” Kevin said with narrow eyes.
    “Don’t worry, man.”
    “Yeah, right.” Kevin rolled his eyes, and Dean gave him a crooked smile as he reached for his guitar.
    He glanced at Roe, whose head was bent down as he tuned his bass, and knew he had to keep his shit together. He could say no, he just didn’t say no. But as he looked at Roe, he knew things had to be different with Travis. He owed it to all of them, and especially to Roe, who had been there for him always, even when he had no one else.

    Dean was eight years old again with his alarm blaring in his ear. He slapped the button and stretched in bed, lying there for a minute, listening for his mom. Everything was quiet, so either she was drunk, asleep, or she still wasn’t back. He hoped she was still gone as he threw the covers off and slipped out of bed in the near-dark.  
    The living room was quiet w hen he walked in, his mom’s door open, and the r [ :/] oom dark. He flipped on the kitchen light and climbed on the counter to get out the Froot Loops and a bowl. The box was almost gone, and he wondered when she would come back. It had been over a week since she’d been shopping, three days since she’d been home, and they were almost out of everything. He climbed down and