“Hey,” Jimmy said quietly. I hadn’t realized the rest of them were behind me, lounging, waiting to take their turn.
“Hi, Jimmy.”
He gave me a strained smile. His suit was gone. So were the pin-prick eyes. “It’s good to see you here.”
“Thanks.” I didn’t know what the etiquette was regarding rehab. Should I ask after his health or sweep the situation under the rug? “And thank you for calling Martha.”
“She came to talk to you, huh? Good. I’m glad.” He slid his hands into the pockets of his black jeans. “Least I could do. I’m sorry about our previous meetings, Ev. I was … not where I should have been. I hope we can move on from that.”
Off the drugs, the similarities between him and David were more pronounced. But his blue eyes and his smile didn’t do to me the things David’s did. No one else’s ever could. Not in five years, not in fifty. For the first time in a long time, I could accept that. I was good with it, even. The epiphanies seemed to be coming thick and fast today.
Jimmy waited patiently for me to come back from wherever I was and say something. When I didn’t, he continued on. “I’ve never had a sister-in-law before.”
“I’ve never had a brother-in-law.”
“No? We’re useful for all sorts of shit. Just you wait and see.”
I smiled and he smiled back at me, far more relaxed this time.
Ben sat on the corner of a black leather lounge, talking with Mal. Mal tipped his chin at me and I did the same back. All Ben gave me was a worried look. He was still every bit as big and imposing, but he seemed more afraid of me than I was of him today. I nodded hello to him and he returned it, with a tight smile. After talking to Martha, I could understand a little better where he’d been coming from that night. We’d never be besties, but there would be peace for David’s sake.
The guitar solo cut off. I turned back to see David watching me, pulling off his headphones. Then he lifted his guitar strap off over his head and headed for the connecting door.
“Hey,” he said, coming toward me. “Everything okay?”
“Yes. Can we talk?”
“Sure.” He ushered me back into the booth. “Won’t be long, Jack.”
The man at the board nodded and fiddled with some buttons, turning off the microphones, I assume. He didn’t seem overly irritated with the interruption. Instruments and microphones were everywhere. The place was organized chaos. We stood in the corner, out of view of the rest.
“Martha came to see me,” I said once he’d closed the door. He stood tall in front of me, blocking out everything else. I rested my back against the wall and looked up at him, still trying to catch my breath. My heart had been calming down after the sprint. Had been. But now he was here and he was so damn close. I put my hands behind my back before they started grabbing at him.
David did the wrinkly brow thing. “Martha?”
“It’s okay,” I rushed on. “Well, you know, she was her usual self. But we talked.”
“About what?”
“You two, mostly. She gave me some things to think about. Are you busy tonight?”
His eyes widened slightly. “No. Would you like to do something?”
“Yeah.” I nodded. “I missed you this morning when I woke up, when I realized you’d gone. I’ve missed you a lot, the last month. I don’t think I ever told you that.”
He exhaled hard. “No … no, you haven’t. I missed you too. I’m sorry I couldn’t stay this morning.”
“Another time.”
“Definitely.” He took a step closer ’til the toes of his boots touched mine. No one had ever been more welcome in my personal space. “I’d promised we’d start here early or I would have been there when you woke.”
“You didn’t tell me about the band recording here.”
“We’ve had other things to deal with. I thought it could wait.”
“Right. That makes sense.” I stared at the wall beside me, trying to get my thoughts in order. After a whole lot of slow and painful, everything seemed to be happening at once.
“… About tonight, Ev?”
“Oh, I’m going to dinner at my parents’.”
“Am I invited?”
“Yes,” I said. “Yes, you are.”
“Okay. Great.”
“Did you actually buy a house here?”
“A three-bedroom condo a couple of blocks up. I figured it was close to your work and not too far from your school … you know, just in case.” He studied my face. “Would you like to see it?”
“Wow.” I changed the subject to buy some time. “Uh, Jimmy’s looking well.”