“I don’t know, it just came out,” Cici says with a laugh. “And you know we’re going to want details.”
“No details.”
“You’re no fun.” Riley pouts and crosses her arms over her chest.
“You’ve never wanted details before,” I point out.
“You’ve never had sex with Jake Knox before,” Mia says.
“Keller,” I reply automatically.
They all blink at me for a minute, then look at each other.
“She’s got it bad,” Kat says. “Not that I blame her.”
“He’s the trifecta,” Cami says. “Music, hot body, and personality.”
“I’m jealous,” Cici says with a sigh.
“You have an awesome husband,” I reply with a roll of my eyes. “And he worships the ground you walk on.”
“True. But he’s not a rock star.”
“No, he’s just a literal rocket scientist,” Riley replies. “You don’t ever get to complain.”
“I’m not complaining. I’m coveting.”
“We’re all coveting,” Mia says. “But I’m so damn happy for you.”
“And if he hurts you, we get to kill him and hide the body,” Kat says as she pops a frozen grape in her mouth. “We’ve always threatened to do that, but now we’d get to make good on it.”
“We can still kill Jeremy and hide the body,” Riley suggests. “And speaking of that, what was he doing in the alley, Addie? That doesn’t make any sense.”
“He was just drunk, and being stupid. It’s really no big deal.” If any one of them lied to me about something like this, I’d be pissed. But I don’t want them to worry. It’s over. Jeremy’s too lazy to come back for more. He’s most likely moved on to someone new now. And good luck to her.
“I don’t think Jeremy’s worth potential jail time,” Mia says.
“And Jake is?” I ask with a laugh.
“Hell yes. Jake’s the real deal. He could seriously do some damage.”
That’s what I’m terrified of.
“Or he could be the best thing that ever happens to you,” Cami says thoughtfully. “Just lead with your head and not your heart. ’Cause your heart’s an asshole.”
“They all are,” Kat agrees with a sympathetic smile. I nod and chew my lip. Cami’s advice is exactly what I needed to hear. And being with my girls tonight is exactly what I needed for my soul.
Chapter Six
Jake
Max and I are in the studio, finishing up a song and checking our schedule for the next week.
We’re swamped. And damn if that doesn’t make me happy. When we started the business, I was terrified that we’d fuck it up. That artists wouldn’t want to work with us.
But it seemed that from the minute Max came to me with the idea and we set it in motion, it had a life of its own.
We have to turn people away.
“I know you don’t like to work on Sundays,” I say to Max while examining the schedule, “but it’s the only day we can get Steve in the studio, and I’m not willing to turn a musical legend down.”
“Agreed,” Max says with a nod. “It’s fine. Maybe I’ll just bring Tiffany along. She’d get a kick out of it.”
Max and Tiffany have been together for more than ten years, with no sign of marriage in sight. She’s been through everything with him. Sundays are their one day off a week together.
“Good idea.” I wonder if I can talk Addie into coming too.
What am I thinking? This isn’t a backyard barbecue. This is work.
“Wanna start that new song for Starla tonight?”
I shake my head and close the laptop. “I can’t. I have to get ready to go.”
“Go where?” Max asks with a raised brow.
“I have a date.” I grin, but don’t look him in the eye. He’s going to give me shit. If I don’t look him in the eye, maybe he’ll leave me alone.
“A date? With who?”
And maybe not.
“With Addie.”
Silence. Finally, I glance up to find him watching me, hands on his hips, a frown between his eyebrows.
“Addie from the restaurant?”
“That’s the only Addie I know.”
“So, you have a girlfriend?”
“No.” She’s not a girl, she’s an incredible woman.
“So, you’re gonna bang her?”
“You’re starting to piss me off, man.” I cross my arms and stare Max down, eye to eye now.
“I’m confused. You don’t date. You work and you sulk, and sometimes you get laid because you’re Jake fucking Knox, but you don’t date.”
I sigh and rub my hands over my face. “What’s your point?”
“That’s pretty much it.”
“I like her,” I reply with a shrug. “I want to hang out with her. It’s really that simple. There’s no need to make a big deal out of it.”
“She’s beautiful.”
I narrow my eyes on my friend.
“Come on, man,” he says with a chuckle. “I may be taken, but I’m not six feet under. She’s a beautiful woman. Smart. Too smart to waste her time with a bozo like you.”
“I love you too.”
“Do we need to have the talk?” His grin has turned pure evil now. He loves flinging shit at me.