Chapter 8
Derek
“We’re crashing Allegra’s happy hour on Friday night,” Mav informs me.
I glance up from the lyrics I’m working on. “How’d you swing that? Does she know I’m coming?”
“She doesn’t know I’m coming,” he replies, walking into my kitchen and swiping a can of Pringles. Popping the top, he grabs a handful of chips. “Her friends invited me.”
I narrow my eyes. “Her friends?”
Mav chews loudly, crumbs tumbling to the floor the cleaner mopped an hour ago.
Fucking Mav. While Levi, Jameson, and I all bought houses, or in my case, a condo, in cities around the country, Mav still couch surfs like a college kid who can’t afford decent beer.
“Yep. They like me; I’m charming.” He grins, his blue eyes gleaming.
“Whatever. What time? And where?” I stuff my lyrics into a binder and stand from the couch.
“Place called Chance. Six p.m.”
“Sweet.” I smack him on the back. “Thanks for hooking that up.”
“I’m hoping I can get a hookup out of the arrangement too. Have you seen A’s friends?” He whistles. “Fucking smoke shows.”
I snort and swipe my keys off the kitchen counter. “Nah, haven’t met any of them yet. I’m going to run some errands. Need anything?”
Mav gives me a look. “Stop stalking her.”
“I’m not—”
“Go.” He points to the door. “I don’t want to hear your dumb excuses.”
I chuckle and head for the door. Before I leave, I tug on a baseball cap. I don’t know if the hats conceal my identity, but I continue to wear them when I’m out in town.
Settling behind the wheel of my ride, I drive down to the NGO Allegra volunteers at. As much as I want to disagree with Maverick, I can’t.
I am following Allegra. I’m worried as fuck about her, and I hate that I know nothing about her life here. She’s the busiest college undergrad I’ve ever known, juggling work and extracurriculars and friendships the way most college kids juggle beer pong tourneys.
I park my car—a nondescript Toyota Camry I use to get about when I’m trying to blend in—near the entrance to the NGO. It’s next to a large park, and moments after I arrive, I spot her.
Allegra, with her shocking blonde hair and her tight-ass jeans, sashays over to a group of homeless guys.
They check her out hard but don’t make a move to touch her.
She says something and a few of them chuckle.
One of them points to something in the distance.
Allegra pops that sexy hip and places her hand on it, drawing another guy’s attention.
I sigh. Fuck. I hate how accessible she is, simultaneously out in the open yet all alone.
Still, I’m proud of her for finding something she cares about and sticking with it.
From the start of last summer, Allegra had her heart set on social justice initiatives and community engagement.
It’s nice to know that she carried that back to LA with her and it wasn’t a one-summer thing.
I look around the area, noting how seedy it is. The asphalt is cracked, with weeds growing. The space it littered with squashed Coke cans, used condoms, and the occasional needle.
Does she come here at night? Alone and vulnerable?
Does she carry Mace or a whistle on her keyring?
Does she think of consequences before flinging herself, idealistic and delusional, into environments like this one?
My jaw tightens and a sourness coats my stomach as I consider all the awful things that can happen, at any time, to any woman. It’s not something I ever considered before and as I watch Allegra interact with the group of men, the feelings coursing through me pull me up short.
Did I expect Allegra to come back to California and fall into the life she left behind? Yes, I did.
I didn’t expect her to forge a new path, one with dangerous side effects and unforeseen issues.
One of the guys slings an arm around her shoulders and she doesn’t recoil, doesn’t shake him off. Whether it’s because she doesn’t want to hurt his feelings or because she truly doesn’t mind his touch, I don’t know.
I don’t know anything about her anymore.
And it bothers me a hell of a lot more than I thought it would.
A text beeps on my phone.
Mav: Hey! Jess is doing the paperwork so we can visit Levi as soon as he’s cleared to see us. Most likely in a month. Maybe A will want to come?
I toss the phone on the passenger seat, not bothering to respond.
Levi. Allegra. Right now, I don’t understand what either of them is doing with their lives. For years, I was the one fucking up, stepping out, making mistakes. Now, two people I care about more than most—the Rousell siblings—have become strangers when I’ve always considered them steadfast.
Friday night, at happy hour, I’ll remind Allegra what we once had. What we can be, together. I’ll show her that I’m not giving up on us, the way I stupidly did in August. I’ll prove that this time, I’m capable of being the man she needs.
The guy she wants.
The one she first fell for.
My week passes quickly as Johan tosses some tasks on my plate. Between work, keeping tabs on Allegra, and getting pulled into Mav’s social circle, Friday’s happy hour is a welcomed reprieve.
I dress in ripped jeans, a fitted black T-shirt, and fancy kicks for the laid-back vibe. Mav raises an eyebrow when he spots my sneakers, but he doesn’t comment.
“Alfred lined up a driver for the weekend,” he says, referring to our driver in Boston. “Security too.”
“Thanks for organizing everything, Mav,” I say, realizing just how much shit he’s sorted for me, and the other guys in the band, over the last week. Hell, the entire time we were on tour.
Mav stops short, giving me a wide-eyed look. “Yeah. It’s no problem.”
His obvious surprise makes me feel worse. Over the past few months, since Allegra, and tour, and Levi checking into rehab, it’s dawned on me that I’m not as tuned in as I should be. Not with my surroundings, or my friends, or life in general.
I love the music. I breathe the notes and bleed the lyrics. I’ve been doing it for so damn long that I’ve mentally checked out of parts of my life that require attention and care.
Fucking consideration and common decency.
I grip the back of my neck and pinch the skin. Throw Maverick a bone I should’ve tossed his way years ago. “Want to work on some lyrics this weekend?”
He straightens, his eyes studying me. “Yeah. Sure.” He plays it cool but the excitement that flickers through his eyes, the way the corner of his mouth curls into an almost-smile lets me know it’s important to him.
“Sweet,” I agree.
“Come on, we don’t want to be late. Your Cinderella may leave with another prince if—”
“Shut up,” I cut him off.
Mav snickers as he pulls the door closed behind him. We slip into the back seat of a black Suburban, exchange greetings with the driver, and talk about music until we arrive at Chance.
A flicker of unease rolls through me as I follow Mav into the packed space. I keep my head down, ignoring the whispers of my and Mav’s names, pretending the cameras pointed in our direction aren’t there. Our security cuts a path forward and when I look up, we’re standing beside Allegra’s table.
“Hey, Mav!” One of Allegra’s friends waves.
“Ladies.” Mav grins his irresistible smirk, dialing up the charm.
He wraps an arm around Allegra’s back and presses a kiss to her temple.
“A. Introduce us to your friends.” He’s hilarious, keeping up the pretense of needing an introduction, when it’s obvious he’s already connected with Allegra’s girls.
Allegra huffs, her glare cutting to me for a breath, before she turns her gaze, considerably less annoyed, back to Mav. “Seems you already know them.”
Mav and one of the women laugh.
“Nope. Just me!” The laughing woman raises her hand. Ah, she’s the friend Mav must have reached out to.
“I’m Nova, this is Ivy, and”—Nova points out the women at the table—“Kenny.” She taps a woman with strawberry-blonde hair and unsettling blue eyes.
“Kenny?” Mav quirks an eyebrow.
“Mckenna,” Mckenna clarifies, her eyes narrowed as they take in Mav.
I stifle a laugh. Mckenna may be the only woman I’ve ever seen not instantly eat up Mav’s charm. A fellow skeptic. I like her already.
“Hey. I’m Derek.” I shuffle forward to introduce myself to the table.
All four women stare at me for a long moment, their expressions ranging from curiosity to dislike to outright hostility.
Damn, tough crowd.
“All right!” Mav claps his hands together. “How ‘bout a round of shots?”
All four women swing their gazes—and smiles, save for Kenny—toward Mav.
“Tequila would be great,” Ivy concludes.
Mav signals for a server who swoops toward our high-top. I squeeze my way in between Allegra and Nova, hooking my elbows onto the table ledge. Mav orders shots, I tack on a beer, and the girls ask for another round of cocktails.
“Allegra was just telling us how she managed to get off work tonight,” Nova says, easing into a group conversation.
“We’ll come visit you one of these Fridays,” Ivy promises. “Beirut is always a good fucking time.” She glances at Mav. “Have you guys been?”
Mav shakes his head. “No, it’s a club?”
“More like a lounge,” Nova tosses out. “But Allegra makes good money there so it’s more of a professional than student scene.”
Beirut. The lounge where she serves.
“You work weekends too?” I blurt out, my tone more hostile than I would have liked.
“Gotta pay the bills, Reign,” Allegra tosses back.
Nova bites her bottom lip to keep from laughing.
“When do you study?” Mav wonders.
“She doesn’t,” Mckenna answers, her tone serious.
Allegra rolls her eyes. “I’m doing fine in my classes. Why is everyone ganging up on me? This is happy hour; it’s supposed to be fun.”
“A’s right,” Nova agrees, rushing to her friend’s rescue. “TGIF!” She lifts her mojito glass and juts it toward the center of the table. “And we’re reunited.”
The girls follow suit, so Mav and I clink our glasses as well. We all take long sips, the levity easing some of the tension now hovering over the table.
“Allegra!” a voice calls out.
I turn and sneer when I see—
“Ethan!” Allegra lifts a hand in greeting. “I’m glad you could make it!”
“When did you invite Ethan Dresden?” Nova asks.
“When did you invite Mav and Derek?” Allegra shoots back.
Nova’s face falls at Allegra’s sharp tone, and Allegra dips her head, embarrassed. “We had coffee this week after class, and I mentioned it to him.” Her eyes dart around the table. “It’s cool, right?”
“Of course,” Kenny says soothingly.
Not at all.
Mav shoots me a warning look. I drain my fucking beer.
Ethan reaches our table and pulls Allegra into a hug. He says what’s up to the other girls before saying hey to Mav and flipping his chin at me. I can tell he can’t stand me but that’s fine, I don’t like him either.
“How’d your exam go, babe?” he asks Allegra like they’re a fucking couple.
I narrow my eyes. Are they?
“Fine. Good.” Allegra flicks a wrist, turning more into his frame. “I passed so, that’s all that counts, right?”
No one, not even Ethan, replies. Allegra was a stickler where her grades were concerned. It’s something I remember about her from when she was in fucking high school.
“Don’t stress it,” Ethan says finally. “One poor exam won’t mess with your GPA.”
Allegra shrugs like she doesn’t care either way.
Her friends exchange a worried look that clues me in just how out of behavior her new outlook is.
“Let’s get you a drink,” Allegra says, glancing around for a server. She flags one over.
Her eyes dart around the table nervously, taking in her friends, me, Mav, and Ethan. She smiles but it’s forced. “Let’s party!”
Everyone takes a gulp of their beverages but I’m not sure if it’s in agreement or apprehension.
Either way, I order more shots and another beer. Tonight’s off to a rocky start and I can already tell it’s going to head downhill from here.