mention he'd talked to your manager, though.” Those lovely blue eyes fixed on Brenda.
“Drezden, calm down.” Brenda had no patience for my moods, she never had. “You're getting that look in your eyes.”
“What look?” I growled, drinking from my beer. It was empty somehow. When had I finished it? The warm buzz in my skull had no answers.
Reaching over, she slid her manicured nails onto Lola's shoulder. “The look that says you're about to say or do something stupid. Lola didn't trick you, Sean didn't do anything. Even if they somehow had arranged things, it was still on you to choose her for the band. How could they force your hand? What would they gain?”
She's right, I thought sullenly. I'm looking at this the wrong way. The kid didn't do anything, how could there be a conspiracy at all? Staring at Lola's face, I felt a tug in my belly. She's innocent, it isn't her fault her older brother was an asshole. Two years ago, even. I'm being paranoid.
“Listen,” the guitarist said, her voice soft and frail. “I don't know about you and Sean, or why he never told me about—well. The thing is, if it wasn't for him, I wouldn't even be here.” Her shrug was pleading, her gaze more so. It took everything I had to face down her blue depths and the gentle curls at the edges of her frown.
Rubbing my neck, hating how much I was sweating, I grunted. “It's fine. Don't worry about it. I'm probably being the real asshole here. The thing with your brother was long ago, I bet he didn't mention it to you because he forgot.” My smile wasn't really sincere, neither were my words.
There was no way Sean had forgotten about that day. But, the chances of him plotting against me were on the level of evil scheming that only happened in movies.
Lola's smile bloomed. It froze me stiff, worse than my angry shock had. She was so fucking real . I'd never known someone who could smile so honestly. It touched her eyes, turned them into a calm sea.
I wanted to drown in it.
“Yeah,” she said, sipping from her beer. “Besides, he's got other things to worry about. He is the lead guitar in Barbed Fire, you know?”
Of course I knew. “Right. Glad he's doing well for himself.” Truthfully, I didn't give a shit. But Lola did, and if my comments could make her beam like she was, what was the harm?
Plus, I thought privately, I'm getting a kick out of seeing her smile. My mouth twitched to match hers. I caught Brenda peering at me. Turning away, spotting the waitresses and the food, I let relief wash over me. Dinner was an instant subject changer. “That looks great,” I said, blessing Scarlett with a wink.
She nearly dropped the tray. “Oh! Uh, thanks! It's our Paradise Chicken.” Her cheeks were glowing when she put it in front of me. “It's my favorite, like you asked for.”
Inhaling the scent of pineapples and the tang of spices, I nodded. “Glad I did. Thanks for your expertise.”
The young waitress looked lost. Her friend nudged her, reminding Scarlett that we all needed utensils. The girls set the table, and with the sounds of Porter and Colt cheering in my ears, I felt myself relaxing.
Chewing on the sweet chicken, my eyes flicked over to Lola. She was working on her second beer. With her lips touching the rim, she leveled her attention on me.
There was a river of fire slowly crawling through my veins. The tides were rising, I was keen to blame the alcohol. It took a lot to get me drunk, but the strong beer was doing its job.
She set the glass down slowly, fingers shaking. “What? What is it?” she asked.
Brushing fingers over my scalp, I reclined in my chair. “Just wondering how your food is.”
Lola nudged the plate towards me. “It's just fries and chicken, try it.”
Grabbing up a tender, I took a bite off the end. The batter crunched, the sound of snapping branches. The flavor spread over my tongue. “Not bad at all. A little salty, maybe.”
Her smile was muted. “I like things salty.” In
“Drezden, calm down.” Brenda had no patience for my moods, she never had. “You're getting that look in your eyes.”
“What look?” I growled, drinking from my beer. It was empty somehow. When had I finished it? The warm buzz in my skull had no answers.
Reaching over, she slid her manicured nails onto Lola's shoulder. “The look that says you're about to say or do something stupid. Lola didn't trick you, Sean didn't do anything. Even if they somehow had arranged things, it was still on you to choose her for the band. How could they force your hand? What would they gain?”
She's right, I thought sullenly. I'm looking at this the wrong way. The kid didn't do anything, how could there be a conspiracy at all? Staring at Lola's face, I felt a tug in my belly. She's innocent, it isn't her fault her older brother was an asshole. Two years ago, even. I'm being paranoid.
“Listen,” the guitarist said, her voice soft and frail. “I don't know about you and Sean, or why he never told me about—well. The thing is, if it wasn't for him, I wouldn't even be here.” Her shrug was pleading, her gaze more so. It took everything I had to face down her blue depths and the gentle curls at the edges of her frown.
Rubbing my neck, hating how much I was sweating, I grunted. “It's fine. Don't worry about it. I'm probably being the real asshole here. The thing with your brother was long ago, I bet he didn't mention it to you because he forgot.” My smile wasn't really sincere, neither were my words.
There was no way Sean had forgotten about that day. But, the chances of him plotting against me were on the level of evil scheming that only happened in movies.
Lola's smile bloomed. It froze me stiff, worse than my angry shock had. She was so fucking real . I'd never known someone who could smile so honestly. It touched her eyes, turned them into a calm sea.
I wanted to drown in it.
“Yeah,” she said, sipping from her beer. “Besides, he's got other things to worry about. He is the lead guitar in Barbed Fire, you know?”
Of course I knew. “Right. Glad he's doing well for himself.” Truthfully, I didn't give a shit. But Lola did, and if my comments could make her beam like she was, what was the harm?
Plus, I thought privately, I'm getting a kick out of seeing her smile. My mouth twitched to match hers. I caught Brenda peering at me. Turning away, spotting the waitresses and the food, I let relief wash over me. Dinner was an instant subject changer. “That looks great,” I said, blessing Scarlett with a wink.
She nearly dropped the tray. “Oh! Uh, thanks! It's our Paradise Chicken.” Her cheeks were glowing when she put it in front of me. “It's my favorite, like you asked for.”
Inhaling the scent of pineapples and the tang of spices, I nodded. “Glad I did. Thanks for your expertise.”
The young waitress looked lost. Her friend nudged her, reminding Scarlett that we all needed utensils. The girls set the table, and with the sounds of Porter and Colt cheering in my ears, I felt myself relaxing.
Chewing on the sweet chicken, my eyes flicked over to Lola. She was working on her second beer. With her lips touching the rim, she leveled her attention on me.
There was a river of fire slowly crawling through my veins. The tides were rising, I was keen to blame the alcohol. It took a lot to get me drunk, but the strong beer was doing its job.
She set the glass down slowly, fingers shaking. “What? What is it?” she asked.
Brushing fingers over my scalp, I reclined in my chair. “Just wondering how your food is.”
Lola nudged the plate towards me. “It's just fries and chicken, try it.”
Grabbing up a tender, I took a bite off the end. The batter crunched, the sound of snapping branches. The flavor spread over my tongue. “Not bad at all. A little salty, maybe.”
Her smile was muted. “I like things salty.” In
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