“It could work for nineties’ night,” Jamie mused, dropping the tube back in her suitcase-like purse.
“You mean like Kris Kross and Vanilla Ice?” Zane laughed and flicked a hand through his currently blond on top, brown underneath hair. “I could try to rock that pompadour.”
Oz nudged his shoulder. “Don’t let Daze hear you say that or she’ll make it happen. She has a sadistic side.”
Zane’s brow arched. “Yet you sound as if you like it?”
Oz grinned. “Love it.”
“Oh, put a sock in it. I’m sick of people who are in love. It’s sickening. I already live with Romeo and Juliet while we’re touring, now I have to watch you get your hair French-braided while you recite poetry to her.”
“Wise ass, it was the lyrics to ‘Booty Poppin’, that new song by The Imperials.”
“Whatever. It’s unnecessary. We’re a rock band. Love makes you all messy and shit.”
“We’ll see what you say when your day comes, DuCaine.” Cooper sat back in his chair and kicked out his legs.
She snorted. “Never gonna happen.”
The door opened again and everyone fell silent as Noah stepped into the room, dressed in camo pants and a skintight black shirt that highlighted a hell of a lot of muscles. The foolish girl inside me who’d once crushed on him may have swooned a little, but mostly, I looked at him fondly, like a well-remembered former love who hadn’t, you know, actually loved me.
And from his assessing glance in my direction, someone who might still metaphorically kick my ass for my door stunt this morning.
All that felt like a lifetime ago.
“Sorry I was late. Unavoidably detained.” Noah’s voice was clipped as he stood next to Donovan.
Apparently, sitting was for us little people.
“No problem,” Lila said smoothly. “Donovan and Noah are joining us today just so everyone is up to speed on where we’re at collectively as far as the tour. There have also been a couple of unfortunate events.” Her gaze centered on me and I would’ve sworn I flushed down to my curled toes in my boots. “There will also be some changes.”
I expected accusing stares to be directed my way, but when I took a quick guilty look around the table, no one was looking at me.
So, what the hell. I’d woman up and handle this situation. As much as I could anyway.
“Just so everyone knows, I wanted to practice last night. My pianos are in storage, and I was about to start renovations on my place. You know, new start.” I took a bolstering breath. “Sometimes I can’t sleep, so I play. It helps to settle my mind.”
“Wine works wonders. And sex. Wine-soaked sex works really well.” At Noah’s frown, Jamie fluttered her lashes. “Some need a lot of both to unknot their shorts.”
“I’ve tried it,” I said quickly before Lila could reprimand Jamie for getting off task. She couldn’t help herself. Making jokes was how she made people feel better or diffused tension. And yeah, she liked to snark too, but it was harmless.
Usually.
“Wine-soaked sex?” Zane slid a glance toward Cooper. “You know anything about that?”
“Of course not,” I snapped before he could speak. “Why would Coop know anything about what I do naked?”
Zane coughed into his fist. “I didn’t mean he did. I was asking if he’d gotten any. But now you have a guy wondering.”
“Don’t be stupid.”
“I try not to make a practice of it, but thanks, I’ll take that under advisement.”
Face burning, I darted a glance at Cooper. He simply gave me a level look that made me feel like even more of a jackass. “I just mean I’ve tried both, not necessarily together. Never together. Though I could. I should.”
I didn’t know what I was saying or if I was even making sense, but Zane decided to toss me a bone. “I can vouch for its efficacy.”
“Efficacy?” Oz snorted and shoved Zane’s shoulder. “Word-a-Day calendar working out for you, huh?”
“Look, I’m trying to explain.” I glanced at the head of the table at Lila, more than a little surprised she hadn’t spoken up yet to cut me off. She nodded for me to continue, so I brushed a stray curl behind my ear and forced out the rest. “So, anyway, I couldn’t sleep, so I took an Uber here.”
“Here?” Lindsey placed her perfectly manicured hands flat on the table. “Late at night?”
“Yeah. I’ve done it before. I like to go to some of the venues and pretend I’m playing for the crowd. And now I don’t have my pianos at home, so I couldn’t play there even if I wanted to.” I hated, absolutely could not stand, that the corners of my eyes prickled. If I started, I wouldn’t be able to stop. “But I shouldn’t have come.”
“No, you shouldn’t have.” Noah’s voice lashed across my skin with enough force that I wouldn’t have been shocked to see blood. “Especially now with our increased security measures, which were put in place due to a credible threat. But even if that threat did not exist, you are a member of a world-famous rock band. Going out alone in the middle of the night without security is stupid.”
“Hey.”
When Noah didn’t so much as acknowledge Cooper, he slammed a hand on the table and whirled to face Noah. “You do not get to call her stupid. Ever. Understand me?”
Noah’s jaw ticked. “I didn’t call her stupid, Dallas, I said what she did was stupid. As I would say the same about you if you did similarly. Or supported such a moronic move.” Then under his breath, he added, “Though you have plenty of your own.”
“Coop,” I pleaded, leaning across the table to reach for his hand. But he paid me no mind.
Cooper rose slowly to his feet, much like a cobra rearing up in preparation to strike. “Seems like you have something you want to say to me.” He cracked his knuckles. “Let’s take this outside.”
“Let’s not.” Lila sat back in her chair
