Chapter Thirty-Five
A Few Days Later
I’ve been keeping myself busy helping Joseph and Danny with everything that is their restaurant. I haven’t heard from Colt, but Johnny says that’s normal, as the first week is intensive for patients, and they don’t allow them to make outside calls.
Wanting to get any information I can, I open my laptop to a bunch of Google Alerts, and like an idiot, I open them.
They have theories about Colt trying to purposely overdose because he found out I’d moved on with Joseph.
There are tons of people saying I’m responsible for the band breaking up and having to end their tour prematurely.
There’s even a ‘We Hate Deliah-the-Devil Norman’ Facebook group.
Oh, wow!
Then others are saying Colt was lost without his one true love, and I talked him into going to rehab, and how much they love me for persuading Colt to get the help he so desperately needs.
I smile at that one.
There’s a press release from Rob saying that the band has not broken up but is merely taking a much-deserved break while the Slade brothers recuperate.
There’s even a press release from Jessi stating she wishes Colt well and hopes he recovers quickly, but it was all my fault that he started with drugs in the first place.
I roll my eyes and stop reading.
Joseph walks in and tuts when he sees me on the laptop. “I thought we’d agreed you’d stay away from the trash?” He softly closes the laptop.
“Yeah, I should’ve listened to you and avoided it. I miss him, you know? I wish I had some way of talking to Colt to make sure he’s doing okay.”
“I know it sucks, but he will call when he can.” He smiles and changes the subject. “But for now, I need some people to try out our menu. People who aren’t biased like you. Know anyone you want to invite over for dinner?”
I pick up my cell and dial Anna’s number.
“Dee, hey,” Anna says chirpily.
“Hey, how are you?”
“The same as yesterday. Relaxing at home on the sofa with my husband and spending as much time in the bedroom with him as possible. It’s so much better when you don’t have to be quiet because people are in the next damn room. I simply love life,” she replies with a giggle.
I know they struggle with band life, so I am glad they are having some normality.
“So, Madam A has re-surfaced then?” I ask with a chuckle.
She laughs and exhales. “Oh, yes. Well, she never really leaves, but she’s definitely more available to Johnny now, and he loves it,” she replies. “So spill, have you heard from Colt yet?”
“No, and I’m depressed. I miss his voice and want to know he’s okay.”
She sighs. “Yeah, I get it. I want to know how he is too. And Hux. Hopefully, they’ll let them call soon.”
“So, anyway, enough of the sad sack shit. What are you and Johnny doing for dinner tonight? Joseph and Danny want to trial their menu on a couple of willing participants. If you’re game?”
“As long as I don’t have to cook, we’ll be there. What time?”
“Well, you can come whenever you like, but food will start around sixish,” I say, and I hear her squeal. I laugh at her excitement.
“Johnny, stop! I’m on the phone,” I hear her mumble and then realize the squeal wasn’t from excitement.
“Sorry about that. Okay, we’ll be there soon. Even though I talk to you daily, it’s not the same as being with you.”
“Honestly, I can’t wait.”
Joseph is preparing the food when I enter the kitchen. “Anna and Johnny are coming. Now, please, be nice.”
“I was nice until she started on you, then my protective best friendness kicked in.”
“Best friendness?” I question, and he shrugs. “Well, you guys are my besties, so it would be great if you could get along for my sake?”
“Princess, as long as she treats you right, we’ll get along just fine. Plus, her husband is hot, and I like to look at him,” Joseph replies, raising his eyebrows insinuatingly.
I slap him on the arm and chuckle.
***
Probably no more than an hour passed, and Anna and Johnny arrived.
We’ve been in the dining area drinking tea and generally chatting about everything and nothing while Joseph and Danny cook up a storm in the kitchen.
We’re busy discussing the importance of Boozeline when my phone rings.
Pulling it from my pocket, my heart leaps into my throat when I see Colt’s picture lighting the screen.
“Dee, you okay?” Anna asks.
“Yeah, it’s Colt. I’ll put it on speaker so we can all talk to him.” They nod, and I answer the call by pressing the speaker button.
“Hey, babe,” I say, sounding chirpy.
“Hey,” he answers, sullen.
Instantly, I frown and look at Johnny for guidance. He nods, telling me to keep talking to him.
“Babe, Anna, and Johnny are here. I have you on speaker. How are you?” I ask, trying to sound upbeat.
He exhales, and I bite my bottom lip. “I’m okay. Taking it one day at a time, as they say,” he states emotionless, causing me to feel emotional.
“Colt, are you okay?” I ask, dreading the answer, but it seems to perk him up a little.
“Yeah, sorry. I’m really tired. I have zero energy, and all these sessions are harder than I thought. Plus, I miss you like crazy.”
“Oh, babe, I miss you too. So much.”
“They say we can have visitors next week. I’d love to see you… if you want to?”
“Of course. You just tell me when and what time.”
“I called Mum and told her that Hux and I are doing fine. She wants to come down to the visitor day, but I told her she didn’t need to do that. I don’t really want her to see Hux or me in rehab again. She deserves better than that. So I told her I would go and see her when we get out.”
“Babe, you do whatever you feel comfortable with. I know your mum will be upset knowing you’re both back in rehab, and if you don’t want to see her, then I’m not going to tell you any different. I support you, Colt.”
“Thanks, baby. We’ll find time to see Mum when I get out. I know you want to meet her.”
I nod even though he can’t see me. “Yeah, that’s fine with me. Whatever you want to do.”
“Hey Colt, how’s Hux doing?” Johnny asks.
Shit! I probably should’ve asked that myself.
“He’s doing well, flirting with all the nurses and keeping me entertained.
We have a joint counseling session to discuss our dad and all the bullshit that comes with that.
At first, he didn’t want to talk, but now I can’t shut the idiot up.
He struggled a lot the first four days with detox, but I was coming out of the worst part of mine when he was going through the worst of his, so at least I was there to help him.
If I were anything like Hux was when we were on that jet, Dee, baby, I’m sorry. You shouldn’t have had to see tha—”
“You stop right there, Colt. Of course, I’d be there for you, just like you’d do it for me. So don’t stress. I’ve become a tough girl. I love you, so that’s what I’m supposed to do. And if it helps you get better, then I’m all for working through the bad to get to the good.”
“Dee?”
“Yeah, babe?”
“Trust me, I’m working on myself to get to where I know you need me to be,” he says, sounding sincere.
“It’s okay, Colt. I’m fine. You concentrate on getting sober. That’s what matters right now.”
Joseph walks in carrying a tray of food. “Grubs up,” he says, not realizing we’re on the phone.
“Who’s that?” Colt asks, and Joseph looks at me and mouths, Colt?
I nod, and he frowns.
“Colt, it’s Joseph,” he says, and I look at him wide-eyed like he’s an idiot.
“What the fuck is your douchebag ex doing there, Dee?” Colt blasts out, extremely angry.
“It’s not what you think. I’m living with Jo—”
“So you wait till I’m gone, and you bastards party without me,” Colt interrupts.
“Colt, will you shut up and listen, dude?” Johnny berates.
Colt huffs down the line.
“Joseph is in a relationship with another man. Babe, Joseph is gay.”
There’s silence on the other end of the line, and we all look at each other and wonder what’s happening.
“Well, that explains a lot,” Colt replies, sounding like he’s trying to suppress a laugh.
“Wait! Why does that explain a lot?” Joseph asks.
“Well, for starters, look at how you dress, dude. I mean, what straight guy wears a sweater around their neck? And I’m pretty sure you were checking me out in the rose garden, now I think about it,” Colt points out with a chuckle.
“Yeah, I was checking you out, but don’t tell Danny I said that.”
I shake my head in disbelief at the two of them.
“Who’s Danny?” Colt asks.
“My amazing boyfriend,” Joseph replies.
This is so freaking weird—my current and ex-boyfriend are conversing without me, and I look at Anna, who’s smirking, obviously thinking the same as me.
“Oh, cool, congrats, man. Also, I want to thank you. I know Dee stayed with you while I was, well, being a dick, and I thought you were trying to get her back. But now I see you only looked out for her, so thank you. I really appreciate it,” Colt’s tone is much more upbeat.
“Anytime! But please, don’t make a habit of breaking her heart. I don’t think she could handle it again,” Joseph says.
“Message received loud and clear. And trust me, I’ll never leave that beautiful woman again. She’s stuck with me, isn’t that right, baby?”
“Sure is.” Hesitantly, I ask, “Colt?”
“Yeah, baby?”
“Thanks… for understanding. Joseph’s been amazing support, and Danny too, and you reaching out with an olive branch makes me happy,” I say.
“Well, I’m glad because I want to make you happy, Dee.
I’ve been told I can be hot-headed, jump to the wrong conclusions, and react before thinking.
But I’m working on that. I know I reacted to Joseph before knowing the full story.
I trust you, so I don’t even know why I went off.
Damn jealousy took hold, and I am a very jealous man when it comes to you. I miss you, baby,” he says.
“I’m glad you’re getting all the help you need. I can’t wait to see you next week,” I say, smiling at the thought.
“I’m allowed to make calls now, so I’ll call you as often as possible, okay?”
“Yes, all the yeses.”
“Well, chatting with you all was great, but I have to get going. Baby, can you take me off speaker so I can talk with you about something privately?” Colt asks.
“Ah, yeah, sure, say goodbye, everyone.” I hold my cell up.
“Bye,” everyone calls out.
I leave the room, taking the cell off speaker and placing it to my ear. “Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, everything’s fine, baby. I wanted to find out what you’re wearing?” he asks with a slight chuckle. My eyes widen, and I can’t help the giggle that escapes my lips.
“Seriously?” I ask, and he laughs.
“Yeah, it’s been so long since I was last with you, and I’m dying over here. Every time I close my eyes, all I can see is you naked, and it’s doing my damn head in.”
I look behind me to ensure no one’s in the room or nearby, and I lower my voice so they can’t hear me. “I’m wearing a black lace corset and a lace thong, suspenders, and stockings, and I’m bent over the lounge waiting for you,” I say sultrily.
“Fuck, baby, you gave me an instant hard-on. I wish you were here. I’m gonna have to jerk off in the shower to that image now,” he says, and I laugh.
“I miss you, babe.”
“I miss you too, but I’ll call again tomorrow. I promise.”
“Great. Love you. Have a good night. Say hi to Hux for me.”
“I will, and Dee?”
“Yeah?”
“Only you, always,” he says, and my heart fills with joy. I know it’s not exactly what I want to hear, but it’s pretty damn close. So I’ll take it—I’ll take anything.
“I love you, too. Now go and jerk off in the shower,” I joke.
I sit on the sofa for a couple of seconds, reveling in the three words he said to me. Yes, it’s not those three words, but I’m more than happy with what I got.
Eventually, I get up and walk back into the dining room with a bright, maybe-too-obvious smile.
Johnny doesn’t miss a thing. “He wanted phone sex, didn’t he?”
My face erupts in heat. I gasp dramatically, moving my hand to my lips and miming a zipper, locking it shut.
Laughter erupts around the table, the mood lighter, easier than it’s been in days.
Someone cracks a joke. Another playfully shoves their plate toward Johnny, demanding he “taste-test this one first.”
The tension melts away as they dive into sampling the new menu, passing plates, trading bites, and getting lost in conversation.
And for the first time in a long time…
I feel okay.