Chapter Twenty-Four
KNOX
EVEN THOUGH we don’t work tonight, my body still wakes me before my alarm sounds.
I plow through my morning routine, workout, shower, quick coffee break, and some breakfast. By noon, my day seems mostly done, so I decide to camp out in the living room with the others, avoiding the heat of high summer behind closed curtains and in air conditioning.
“Hey Knox, I invited your girlfriend over this afternoon.”
That wakes me from my half-doze in one of the recliners. I sit up from the chair I had just been becoming one with and look at Via.
“You invited Ray over?”
“Yeah.”
“Why?”
“After the show the other night, we were chatting, and I mentioned I had a hang drum and that old hammer dulcimer. She was interested in seeing them, so I invited her over on her next day off.”
“Okay…” I say, sensing there is more.
“And…”
“Just say what you want to say, Via.”
“I don’t know.” She looks away thoughtfully. “I like her. And more importantly, you like her. So, I guess I want to hang out with her and get to know her outside of work.”
I suppose that makes sense. They’ve all taken their turns at worrying over my romantic endeavors or lack thereof. I haven’t always made the best choices on that front. In fact, I’ve often made the worst choices.
“She hadn’t mentioned coming over,” I say.
She and I texted late into the evening last night. We talked about everything under the sun, but she never said she planned to finally come over to the house. So far, Ven’s outright refused, citing the fact that we were keeping things just between us for a while.
“I told her I’d let you know.”
I stand. “Okay. When is she coming over?”
“Fifteen minutes, give or take.”
“Octavia!” I run my hands through my hair to smooth the locks out. “You couldn’t have told me this in the morning?”
She shrugs, completely unapologetic.
I leave the room quickly, changing out of the old sweats I had been in into something more presentable.
With no time to brush my teeth again, I pop in a couple of mints on my way out of the door.
I know there is a bus stop two blocks from our house, and that is exactly where I find Venny when I turn the corner.
She’s just stepping off the bus. The hem of her blue dress catches a sudden gust, and Ven catches it before it blows up. Readjusting the strap of her bag, she turns, seeing me at the same time.
“Oh hi!” she says, obviously surprised to see me.
“Hello, sweetheart,” I respond, giving her a kiss.
“I wasn’t expecting to see you here. You didn’t have to walk all the way down here just to meet me.”
I shrug. “I didn’t want to miss a single second with you.”
“God.” She rolls her eyes, leaning into me with her whole body. “That was so cheesy, but it’s working.”
“Good.”
I take her hand and lead her away from the bus stop towards the house.
“How are you today?” I ask.
“Honestly, ready to be in some decent air conditioning. The unit in my apartment isn’t working right, and by midday it’s hotter than the devil’s booty hole in there. Thunder thighs and heat do not mix well. And don’t even get me started on the boob situation.”
I chuckle. “Please do.”
I can’t help but slow my pace so I can look at her longer than my first glance.
What I mistook for simple blue at first glance is actually a gradient from dark blue to almost pure white.
Her hair is partially pulled up, with several of her long, straight braids curled to frame her face.
I’m suddenly very glad I took the time to change out of my threadbare old joggers.
I would not want to look like I just crawled through the streets while she’s looking like this.
Ven bursts out in laughter.
“Stop that. You’re staring at me.”
“Have you seen you?” I ask.
“As a matter of fact, I have.” She grins even larger now. “So keep staring if you must. But please continue walking. August is no joke around here. I’m missing that California ocean breeze.”
“So what’s going on with your unit?” I ask her as I lead her down the final block to the house.
Shrugging, she says, “Not totally sure. It hasn’t been working great since I moved in, but the last few days it’s really been struggling. I emailed the landlord again, but still nothing. I’m this close to putting myself up in a hotel for the next few nights if this heat doesn’t break.”
“Hmm…”
I consider some options for a moment. I’ve already proven I know my way around a screwdriver when I fixed the 3 on her door, but I can be handy beyond that, so it might be worth my looking at it.
Then again, if Ven’s apartment remains too hot to live in comfortably, maybe I can finally convince her to stay with me a few nights.
I know I could make better company than a lonely hotel room. But before I can do that…
“I should tell you something before we go in,” I say as we take the half-dozen steps up the porch of the house.
“Yeah?”
“So I know you wanted to keep this between us, but I told the band.”
Ven bites her bottom lip. “What did you tell them exactly?”
When I told Cash, Via, and Zeke a week ago that I was spending less time at the house because I was dating someone, they demanded answers immediately.
I told them the unvarnished truth, that I was in love with a fellow musician.
It took them all of forty-five seconds to put together that it was Raven.
“That we’ve been on a few dates, and I have no intention of stopping. That you’re special to me.”
Venny glances at the front door like it might bite her. I watch her take several breaths before meeting my eyes again.
“Okay. Sorry. All of that’s true. I’m just…God. I’m nervous now. I thought I was coming over as a friend.”
Not in that dress.
This is only the second time I’ve seen her in a dress.
The first time was at her sister’s reception.
As fashionable as it had been, it also had an unshakable air of professionalism.
Black and streamlined. Perfect for someone with fashion sense but working in the background.
This dress is all about her curves. Sharply cut, revealing in all the right places, shaped with her in mind.
Tipping her head back so she has to look at me, I kiss her on both cheeks before returning to her lips. Blush pink and so soft.
“The three people in this house have been through hell and back again with me. They have seen me when I was at my absolute lowest, and they never left my side. They would want to know if I found someone who makes me as happy as you do.”
“They’re not just your band mates. They’re your tribe,” she concludes.
“Yeah.”
Ven nods along for a moment. I see something change in her eyes and in her body. She takes a long breath, relaxing her shoulders and expression at the same time.
“Okay. Let’s go.”
We step into the house, the cold air greeting us like an old friend.
I’m not really sure what Venny was worried about. She and Via start chatting immediately, discussing everything from the instruments that brought Ven over here to the latest blockbuster releases and future dream vacations. I stay engaged with them, pleased to see them getting along so well.
“I’m running out of my favorite hair oil blend, and I can’t seem to find a store anywhere near here that carries it. I’m two seconds from ordering more online. My ends are not loving the summer weather here,” Via laments after Raven mentions it’s time for a wash day.
Whatever the heck that means.
“I know a place in downtown that carries tons of hair products for our hair. I can send you the info.”
“Yes, please. I’ll be going tomorrow at the latest.”
Ven pulls out her phone and types something in.
“Actually…they’re open for two more hours. We could pop over there and see if they carry your brand.”
“Yes, please,” she repeats with a wide smile.
“You want to come?” Ven asks, turning to me.
I nod, saying, “Sounds like an adventure.”
We all pile into the van to cross town. The outside of the building is completely nondescript with no windows in sight. I wouldn’t even know what’s inside except for the medium-sized sign indicating it carries beauty supplies.
As nondescript as the outside is, the inside is an explosion of sights, sounds, and smells.
So many smells. Sweet and flowery, harsh and acrid, earthy and dark.
There are even products claiming to have no scent at all.
Row upon row of makeup, braiding hair, wigs and extensions, beauty tools, and every possible product to change the look of your hair: perms, dyes, straighteners, curling irons, lotions and oils.
It’s totally overwhelming to my brain, but Raven seems to know exactly where she is going.
She and Via walk up and down the aisle together, trading war stories centered around hair.
Listening to them makes me very thankful to be a man with short hair.
As we are leaving the building, we’re hit by the full force of the August heat.
Colorado is already a dry place, but the sun has been baking the entire state for weeks now.
The hot tendrils rise from the asphalt in long bands, the wind catching the dust and tumbleweeds alike, the cracked earth visible where the grass has died.
Which incidentally is just about everywhere I look.
“Anyone else up for some ice cream or smoothies or something?” Via asks as we pile into the van once more.
Raven raises her hand. “No way I’m going back to my apartment until after dark.”
“Satan’s booty hole, right?” I ask.
“What?” Via questions, looking concerned and confused in equal measure.