Chapter 45 #2
“I will,” Tucker says and cracks his knuckles. “I’m going to show them that I don’t need their connections or their fucking last name.”
“So…no music,” I say.
He shakes his head and looks at Zeke. “Before you two leave, I need a loan. You owe me that much.”
“So, where are you planning on setting up this empire?” I ask, trying not to sound condescending, because he’s seriously being an ass.
“Anywhere but here,” he answers, “or California.”
Alex and I look at each other and say, “Denver.”
Tucker looks at Alex. “Why is he here again?”
“He came with me,” I explain.
“Are you having accidental sex with him again?” Tucker asks, glaring at Alex.
I shake my head. “This isn’t the time to discuss my love life.”
“We like you, man, but if you hurt her, I’ll make sure you don’t see the light of the day ever again,” Tucker threatens him.
I roll my eyes, then ask Rocco, “Where’s your stuff? I’ll pack for you.”
“Upstairs,” Ethan says.
“Zeke, help me. You need to get ready, too,” I order.
On our way upstairs, I say, “You said you fucked up, what exactly did you do?”
“I knew Rocco was having trouble staying sober, and I... I haven’t been clean for months.”
“Z, why didn’t you reach out?”
He shrugs.
“What can I do?”
He swallows hard. “Tuck’s never going to forgive me.”
“He will, he’s upset.” Carefully, I touch his swollen face; he flinches. “I didn’t see any bruises on anyone else. Care to explain?”
“They messed up with Tuck’s mom. He holds me responsible for all the shit that happened in Cancun.
I invited the strippers. The blow was mine.
So, I let him swing once. There’s too much going on in my head,” he explains.
“You sent lyrics, they’re hardcore, and we worked with them.
I miss composing. There’s all this stuff messing me up, but I don’t want to talk about them. Work’s boring, and I needed an outlet.”
“Drugs are never the answer, but you know that. I’m sorry I left you guys for so long.”
He hugs me.
“You’re always taking care of us, even from San Fran. Maybe we need to learn how to be us, you know. Or just give up, maybe I’m just a junkie?”
I tilt my head, looking up at him. My heart is breaking. “You’re more than you realize. I believe in you, Z. But if you don’t think you’re worth anything, nothing I say will change it. Promise you’ll work on yourself, and you’ll let me be there for you.”
He nods. “I promise.”
“Let’s get your things together.”
Once we finished packing for him and Rocco, we go back to the studio. Alex is on the phone. Tucker is sitting right next to him on his computer. Ethan is with Rocco, who’s sleeping on his shoulder.
“I have to ask, Ethan, what’s with the mansion?”
“Lori chose it,” Tucker answers. “When things ended, he converted the downstairs into a studio. The next floor is a library, and the top floor has five rooms.”
“Lavish,” I say and take a seat next to Tucker, looking at his computer.
“Colorado?”
“The Speedman convinced me to go there. It’s not too expensive. It has the right market.” He looks over at Alex, who’s listening to whoever is on the other end of the line. “He has people there.”
“But you’ll be so far away from us,” I protest.
“Two and a half hours,” Tucker corrects me. “Apparently, I’m buying a plane too. Because, even when I’m flipping the finger to my family, according to your boy, I can’t cut ties with everyone because I’m pissed at my parents.”
“Wow, Golden Boy is giving advice,” I mock him.
Alex glares at me, but the corners of his lips quirk into a light smile.
“So…Ethan doesn’t want to tell me the story, can someone give me the 4-1-1 on his breakup with Lori?”
Zeke looks at Tucker. Then, they both look at Ethan.
“Picture this, boring party, too much booze, nothing to do,” Tucker explains. “Someone shows an empty bottle of Jack Daniel’s and says, let’s play spin the bottle.”
“Leaving wasn’t an option?”
Zeke laughs. “Told you we should’ve skipped the party.”
“Don’t digress,” Tucker orders. “So, there were more guys than women in the room. Lori was horrified because of how that would work. I explained the rules to her. You kiss whoever the bottle says. She asked, “what if it’s a guy’s turn and it points to a...Guy.””
“They kiss,” I answer.
“Rocco was drunk, and he said, ‘don’t be such a fucking prude. It’s hot to see two guys kissing,’” Zeke continues. “Then, he pointed at Tucker and said, he was your guy’s first kiss. I’d pay to see that.”
“I’m guessing she didn’t know Tuck was his first kiss?”
“Or his first love,” Zeke adds. “She went on and on about him not being honest. Suddenly, she gave him an ultimatum right in front of us. She’s always been jealous of you. Now she was jealous of all of us.”
“Wait, did she know you’re bisexual?” I ask and Ethan shrugs. “Why not?”
“I mentioned it a couple of times, she disregarded it as if it was nothing. I should’ve pressed and made her understand. When it finally clicked during that party, it was ugly.”
I look at him mildly horrified. “Are you okay, Eth?”
He nods. “Better than I was while dating her. It’s a work-in-progress.”
“That’s all, Em. Yes, I swear it’s temporary, I’m sure you two will work out something else when you’re done with this contract.
If he needs anything else, I’ll have him contact you directly.
Thank you for taking him as a client. Yeah, I vouch for him.
Hannah appreciates you, too. Yes, I’ll tell her. ”
“Em wants you to call her. Something about the cats,” he says, after he hangs up. “Also, next time we’re visiting the family, we have to stay at Em and Jack’s.”
“But June?” I ask, knowing she’s going to complain.
“Emmeline is taking your boy as a client. Em’s the best virtual assistant. If someone can help him set the business up right, it’s her. You kind of owe her. We just have to balance who we stay with while visiting my family.”
I nod and say, “Thank you for helping them.”
Then, I gasp because we sound like…a couple. Are we a couple?
“You should tell the Speedman about your first kiss, in case you have to dump him,” Zeke says, looking at Alex. “I come first, right?”
Alex looks at me curiously.
“Zeke was my first kiss.” I smirk. “Davis was going to pick me up, we were going to an award ceremony. I was nervous about it because what if he kissed me. I had never kissed anyone before.”
“She was too worked up,” Zeke adds.
“So, he just did it and said, ‘there, your first kiss. You should be cool now.’”
Zeke and I laugh. Alex blinks twice and shakes his head.
The doorbell rings before anyone can talk. It’s Duncan’s assistant. Alex and Tucker help Rocco get into the helicopter. Once they’re back, Zeke quietly says something to Tucker, and they hug each other tightly. He does the same to Ethan.
“Take care of them, and if you fuck with Nana, I’ll hunt you,” he warns Alex.
He hugs me and kisses my cheek. “Thank you, Nana.”
“Promise me you’ll do it right this time.”
“I swear, for you.”
“No, for yourself,” I press.
He nods.