Strings attached, p.13
Strings Attached, page 13
“Damn, do you have some secret teleportation device? I just texted you.”
Ty raised an eyebrow at him, setting his phone on the table. “And I was already here. Was supposed to have a breakfast meeting but it was canceled at the last minute. Kate’s sleeping off last night’s fun and I didn’t want to wake her. What’re you doing up already?”
He shrugged, trying not to show too much agitation as he slid into the chair opposite Ty. “Couldn’t sleep.”
Now he had Ty’s full attention. “Something wrong?”
Baz filled a mug from the carafe on the table and took a sip, buying some time. “Nothing’s wrong. Just feeling kinda bouncy this morning. Had to get out of the room.”
“Wanna tell me why?”
“Got some new music floating around my head.” And I fucked Tru last night. And I wanna do it again. And again. “Recorded some of it last night but there’s more I gotta get down.”
Ty’s head cocked to the side, intrigued. “Can I hear it?”
“Sure. If you really want to.”
The guy’s elusive grin made an appearance. “I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t. So, what’s really on your mind?”
Like Greg, Ty didn’t beat around the bush. But whereas Greg had all the subtlety of a bulldozer, Ty would nudge him in the right direction and let him open up in his own time. Ty had the patience of a saint. Kind of like a sniper who could wait silently for hours for a target to show.
“I gotta call Nik. He’s my writing partner and I need him to hear the music. It’s just too damn early to call him and I was jumping out of my skin.”
“Did you sleep at all last night?”
He shrugged. “Maybe a few hours. Then I got up and played a little. Had another melody in my head that wouldn’t let me sleep. So I’ve been up for a while.”
“So you really think you need coffee?”
Because Baz had gotten to know Ty so well these past few months, he knew the guy was making a joke.
“Helps calm me.”
“Uh-huh.” Ty waited as the waitress came to take Baz’s order. Then he caught Baz’s gaze and held it. “So, you’re gonna call Nik. Things didn’t go too well the last time you guys met.”
Baz sighed. “No, they didn’t.” And this is why Baz had sought out Ty and not Greg this morning.
“Gonna be a tough call. So make it short and don’t lose your head.”
“Easier said than done.”
“Yeah, but if you wanted easy, you would’ve gone to Berklee, not start a rock band and spend years on the road.”
Ty raised another eyebrow at him and Baz started to smile, feeling the jittery energy start to even out.
Leaning back in his seat, Baz took a sip of his coffee. And nearly spit it out when Ty said, “So you don’t want to talk about Tru?”
Baz sighed. He should’ve known. “She let me use her tablet last night to record. She’s been helpful.”
“Is that what the kids are calling it these days?”
And there was that dry humor again. Baz couldn’t decide whether to laugh or sigh. “Yeah, I like her. But . . . it’s complicated.”
“Life usually is. So, beyond the fact that you’ve been at each other’s throats pretty much since you met, what’s changed?”
“Not sure anything has.” Baz held up a hand when Ty gave him a look. “I’m not bullshitting you. It’s just . . .”
“Complicated.” So much wry humor in Ty’s voice. “I get that. Tell me about the music, then.”
Baz would’ve kissed Ty for knowing when to change the subject but he didn’t want to embarrass the guy in his own hotel.
“It’s different. A little more melodic but it’s harder than the last album. A little more Anthrax, a little less Mötley Crüe.”
Ty’s eyebrows raised. “Mötley Crüe?”
He gave a little shrug. “I had a thing for the Crüe. Don’t judge.”
Ty’s low chuckle made Baz smile, too. “Not judging. Just surprised. So when are you going to call Nik?”
“I’m not sure.’
“Bullshit.” Ty took a sip of his coffee. “You’re gonna call him as soon as we’re done here.”
“So now you’re my mother?”
“No. I’m a friend who thinks you came to me because you knew I’d kick you in the ass and tell you what you need to hear.”
Baz might’ve taken offense to that except it was basically true.
“Yeah, yeah. You’re so fucking brilliant. Blah, blah.” He would’ve given Ty the finger but a group of little old ladies sat only a couple of tables away and he wasn’t that crass. “It’s just . . . we haven’t talked since we tried to kill each other. I don’t know how it’s gonna go.”
“Well, you won’t know until you’re in the same room.”
“Now you really sound like my mother.”
Ty laughed. “Fair enough. But I’m right.”
Yeah, he was. And when Baz left Ty a half hour later, he had a plan. He just had to put it in motion.
He nixed going back to his room. He’d find way too many things there to distract him from making this phone call. Same went for the music room. Too many memories that might actually make his head explode.
He stopped and looked to his right.
The atrium. Perfect.
At this time of the morning, he didn’t see anyone hanging out there so he headed for a corner far from the lobby windows.
His mom loved gardening and he’d spent enough time weeding and digging holes as a kid to know that Tyler had his shit together out here. The atrium changed with the seasons and the major holidays. Right now it was decked out for spring. Flowering bulbs and trees everywhere. The place looked like a goddamn Monet painting; it was that fucking gorgeous.
He knew he really should call his parents soon, too. Although they’d be at work and wouldn’t be able to talk now, he’d call them tonight. His parents called like clockwork every Sunday at one in the afternoon. They’d probably think he’d overdosed again if he called just for the hell of it.
With a sigh, he shut off that train of thought and sat on a wooden bench. Digging his phone out of his pocket, he didn’t give himself any time to think as he pulled up the phone list and stabbed at Nik’s face with his finger.
When the phone started to ring, he actually felt his stomach roll.
Once, twice, three times. Damn it, he wasn’t going to pick up again. Four. Five—
“Hey.”
Baz drew in a sharp breath at the wary tone of Nik’s voice but got out a “Hey” in response.
Then they fell silent.
Off to a great start.
“How’s it going?” he asked because he literally couldn’t think of anything else to say at that moment.
Nik laughed, though there wasn’t much humor in the sound. “Ya know, things are going. You?”
Might as well just rip the bandage off. “I’ve got some new music I want you to hear.”
The silence was deafening and Baz’s heart started to pound out a faster beat.
Had Nik finally moved on and found someone else to write with? Was their relationship shattered to the point of no return? Was Nik still pissed at him because of their last fight?
He’d answered the phone. He knew who’d been on the other end. Nik must’ve wanted to talk to him, too.
“Nik?”
“Yeah, I’m still here.”
“So?”
“So, what?”
Okay, it was gonna go like this. Well, fuck him. Goddamn it, if Nik was gonna be a prick about this—
No. Just no.
Deep breath.
“So I want you to listen to it.”
More silence.
“Shit, Nik.”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake, Baz. Of course I’m gonna listen to it. I’m just not sure I’ll be able to write anything for it.”
“What? Why?”
“Because I might be too fucking pissed off at you still.”
Baz felt like he’d taken a hit to the gut. He sucked in air, trying to ease the tightness in his chest. “Fair enough. But let me send it to you anyway.”
Through the phone, he heard Nik sigh. “Yeah, sure. Fine. Send it.”
And now what? Jesus, should he apologize again? Had he ever apologized the first time?
He couldn’t honestly remember. When Nik had shown up at Haven earlier this year, they’d both still been so angry they hadn’t been seeing straight.
“Look,” Baz paused. “Maybe we can catch a meal next week. Would you be up for that? Where are you anyway? Are you at home?”
Home for them meant a little town named Dallas outside of Wilkes-Barre that no one had ever heard of.
“No.”
Damn him. “Are you close to Philly?”
Nik sighed. “Close enough, yeah. I’m staying with Phil in Downingtown right now.”
“So you wanna come down to the city or do you want me to come up?”
“Honestly . . . I don’t know. Send me the music and I’ll get back to you.”
Damn, Baz wasn’t sure he could answer without sounding like he was gonna keel over. Fuck. After a deep breath, he nodded, even though he knew Nik couldn’t see him. “Sure. Let me know that you got the file. Talk to you later.”
“Yeah. Later.”
The line went dead and Baz sat there for several more minutes before he could get up the energy to leave.
* * *
“You look flushed. You’re not coming down with something, are you?”
“Good morning to you, too.” Tru gave Greg one of her mom’s tried-and-true looks, guaranteed to make most people flinch and slink away with their tail between their legs.
Greg just raised his eyebrows and continued to stare at her.
Fine. They’d hit a standoff. She didn’t need to talk to him this morning anyway.
“I’ve got work to do, so unless you need me for something pressing, I need to run along.”
Greg crossed his arms over his chest. “Heard you and Baz had more alone time last night.”
Damn her fair skin. She felt the heat flushing her cheeks but refused to act like she had anything to be ashamed of. She was a grown-ass adult. She had a job and an apartment and everything.
So how could Greg make her feel like a teenager out past her curfew?
“He had new music he needed to get out of his head. I had my tablet. Match made in heaven.”
At least, the sex had been heavenly. And, oh my god, she went wet just thinking about it.
Turning her back on Greg, she headed for her office. But Greg took two steps and caught up to her, pacing her down the hall.
“So, what’s going on between you two?”
“Who says there’s anything going on?”
“Ah. Answering a question with a question. Good tactic. And my response would be: I’ve got two eyes and I’m damn good at reading people.”
“What you are is damn good at sticking your nose into other people’s business. Stop it or you’re gonna get that nose broken.”
He laughed and stopped in the doorway to her office as she made her way to her desk. “It’ll heal. Has before. So Baz is working on new music. Glad to hear it.”
She set her tablet on her desk and booted up her computer. “What I heard sounds great. I mean, I’m not exactly a metal expert but I liked what I heard.”
And how he made me feel when I was naked and fucking him on the piano bench.
Her whole body went hot and she wanted to fan her cheeks. Or dunk her head in ice water.
Greg leaned against the doorjamb, a deceptively nonthreatening gaze lasered her way.
“So you two are getting along better than you were.”
“We seem to have worked out our differences.”
“Uh-huh.” Those two little sounds held a challenge she refused to rise to. “And how’d you two manage that? You were at each other’s throats more often than not. What changed?”
She so wanted to stick her tongue out at him but that would just make him even more suspicious.
“Nothing. We just don’t care enough about each other to want to fight anymore, I guess.”
“Hmm.” Greg turned his head toward the hall. “Same go for you, Baz?”
Her flush faded as Baz appeared in the doorway next to Greg. His expression had defaulted to sarcastic asshole. Which told her he’d heard exactly what she’d said.
Damn Greg for needling her about Baz. And damn her mouth for spouting such bullshit about him. Christ, if he’d said the same thing about her, she would’ve wanted to cry.
Fuck. She needed to get Greg the hell out of here so she could talk to Baz.
“Yeah, sure. Whatever.” He shrugged. “So, you wanna hear what I’ve got?”
Greg nodded. “Yeah, I do. I got a few minutes before I need to be anywhere. Let’s give it a listen. Tru, you wanna—”
“She heard it last night.” Baz turned away as if she didn’t mean a thing. “I’m sure she’s got better things to do with her time.”
Okay, she probably deserved that. She grimaced. No, she definitely deserved that, but she didn’t have to like it.
Baz moved out of sight but she heard him say, “I’ll meet you in the studio,” before she heard his footsteps heading away.
Damn, damn, damn. She wanted to rip Greg a new one for putting her in this position but she knew it was no one’s fault but her own.
Greg pushed away from the doorjamb, his gaze narrowed at her as she tried to stop the rush of tears that wanted to flood her eyes.
Stupid tears. No call for them.
“We’ll talk later.” Not a question. A definite promise. “Is the new receptionist coming in later today?”
She pulled herself together with an indrawn breath. “No. She’ll be here Monday. And I have to leave by six tonight. I’ve got a . . . a date.”
Greg looked shocked. Actually physically shocked. But he covered it quickly. “I know it’s none of my business but . . . with who?”
She scowled at him. “You don’t have to look so damn surprised.”
“I’m not.” He raised his hands in the air. “Okay, maybe I’m a little surprised. Sue me. It’s just . . .”
She raised defensive eyebrows at him. “Just, what? Surprised someone would want to ask me out?”
He looked genuinely nonplussed at that. “No! Of course not. I’m just surprised you said yes.”
“Well, I did. And you can just leave now.”
“Tru—”
“No.” She sighed. “Look, we can talk later. Okay? I do have work I need to get done so maybe I can have a few hours off this weekend.” She held up a hand. “And before you tell me I work too hard, I’ll just say I know that. And I’m trying not to. So go listen to Sebastian’s music. It really is good and I think you’ll like it.”
Greg didn’t move. “This isn’t over, babe. I wanna know what’s up. I worry about you.”
Then he disappeared down the hall and Tru took a deep breath.
And sniffled.
Damn it. Just . . . damn it.
What the fuck had made her say that? Sebastian probably thought she was a royal bitch and he had every right to think so.
Jesus, she needed to apologize. But what the hell did she say?
Sorry I told Greg you don’t mean a thing to me and last night was just about sex? And tonight I have a date with another man, which I made before I had sex with you.
When the hell had her life become the plot of a romcom? And a bad one, at that.
Throwing herself into cleaning the messes of her professional life, she got up and closed the door to her office so she wasn’t enticed by going down the hall to see what Greg and Sebastian were up to.
Then she opened her e-mail and prepared to do battle.
* * *
Baz wanted to slam the door closed behind him but he didn’t want to give Tru the satisfaction of knowing she’d gotten to him.
Because she hadn’t.
So maybe he’d thought last night had meant a little more than a good fuck to her. But it didn’t bother him that she didn’t think so.
Alright, maybe it bothered him a little. Fuck. It bothered him a hell of a lot.
Damn it, he liked her. And he’d thought she liked him but obviously he was a complete idiot who didn’t know what the fuck he was talking about. She’d just dismissed him like a . . . like he was a groupie and she was a rock star on her way to the next show.
Christ.
Maybe he really did need to get the hell out of here and back where he belonged. On the road with his band.
His chest tightened as if someone had stuck him in a vise and started to twist the screws.
It’d been so damn long since he’d played in front of an audience, just the thought made him want to puke like he was a rank amateur at his first gig.
And maybe it wouldn’t matter because Nik still hadn’t called him back and he’d had more than enough time to listen to the music Baz had sent. Maybe Nik would never call back.
At what point did he throw in the towel?
Fuck that. It wasn’t time to throw towels or anything else. Was he fucking nuts? Obviously, he was because it’d only been an hour or so since he’d called Nik.
He needed to get his head on straight. And fucking around with Tru wasn’t going to help.
“So, you wanna tell me what the hell happened last night or do I have to drag it out of you?” Greg stalked into the studio, pushing the door shut behind him with more force than Baz had used. “And don’t fucking tell me nothing.”
Uh-oh. “I made new music. I thought you wanted to hear it.”
Greg shook his head, his expression dark, something he rarely was. “Bullshit. You know that’s not why I’m asking. What the hell happened between you and Tru?”
He stared straight at Greg. “Did you ask her?”
Greg’s response was immediate and fierce. “No. Because I’m asking you.”
Shit. “Maybe it’s none of your business.”
“Maybe. But you and Tru are my friends. And whatever’s going on is making both of you act like crazy people.”
“Maybe I already was to begin with.”
Greg smirked, raising Baz’s blood pressure. “Oh, fuck that, Baz. You’re not crazy. But you are pissing me off. Jesus, you’re so fucking talented and you’re pissing it away. And if you think I don’t see what’s going on between you and Tru, you’re a fucking idiot and that doesn’t mean I think you’re stupid, so don’t even go there. I think you’re gonna let a damn good thing get away from you because you’re too damn stubborn.”
