They began to discuss the chances of a little sightseeing while on tour until after some time — and several rounds — Greg said he had to get home. Dmitri was surprised when he looked at his phone to see how late it had gotten.
“I should be heading out, too,” Andre said, sliding from the booth. “I need to drive down to San Diego in the morning.”
“You’re walking home?” Dmitri asked as he, too, moved to the edge and stood. “I’ll come with you, if that’s okay. My car is back at the studio.” He lived a bit outside the city, preferring to drive so he could have a place with a small yard rather than an apartment like Andre’s, which was closer to the studio. He’d gotten his place before Andre had joined the band, or else he might have been tempted to take a place in Andre’s building, just to be in proximity.
“Sure,” Andre agreed easily, warmth in his eyes. Again, Dmitri considered shooting his shot, but he made himself stay quiet. Maybe while on tour, he could tempt Andre enough for him to make the first move.
“Afraid someone will steal you, Blondie?” Kit asked. “I guess you’re little enough for them to stuff you in a trunk.”
“Height is not everything,” Dmitri shot back.
Laughing, everyone said goodnight, and Dmitri headed out with Andre by his side. He’d been to Andre’s apartment before, of course, though it had been several months since the last time. They headed back in the direction of the studio.
“I hope you have a nice time with your family,” Dmitri said casually after they’d turned off the main drag and onto the quieter, more residential streets. “I’m sure they miss you while you’re on tour.”
When he looked at Andre’s face in the illumination of the streetlights, his expression seemed pensive. “They do, yeah, and I miss them,” Andre admitted. Then he shrugged. “It can’t behelped, which I have explained as best I can. It’s the price of the job, right?”
Dmitri frowned, slightly confused at the words. “Well, yeah, it is, but surely they can understand, right? And it’s not like you can’t call. I mean, aren’t they excited to have you in a band that’s doing so well?”
Strangely, Andre hesitated. “Look, it’s… complicated. And some of my relatives are… young. Young enough not to really understand why I have to be away so much.”
That was the first time Andre had ever mentioned anything revealing about his family, and questions almost burned on Dmitri’s tongue, begging to be asked. But he bit them back. “Oh, I see,” he replied, keeping his tone neutral, but hoping that Andre would volunteer more information.
For a moment, they continued in silence before Andre sighed and stopped, turning to look at Dmitri. “Look,” he said, his tone urgent. Then he stopped suddenly, freezing in place as he looked over Dmitri’s shoulder at something.
For a moment, Dmitri was confused, since he thought Andre had been on the verge of confiding in him. Then he realized where Andre’s attention was focused and turned to look over his shoulder.
“What is it?” he asked, not seeing anything immediately related to them. There was an apartment building across the street, but though Dmitri saw people inside going about their lives, no one seemed to be paying attention to them as far as he could tell. Otherwise, there was no one on the street. As they stood there, a car turned off Santa Monica and headed in their direction, driving past without slowing down.
“Nothing, it’s nothing,” Andre said, swiping a hand across his brow. “Sorry, I thought I saw someone watching us, but I think it was just the shadows.”
Alarmed, Dmitri peered closer among the parked cars across the street, but he didn’t see anyone at all. “It must have been,” he agreed. Dismissing the incident, he smiled encouragingly. “You were saying?”
“What?” Andre still seemed distracted. “Oh, nothing important. I don’t remember what it was now.”
Disappointment was like a weight in his stomach. He was certain Andre had been about to admit something important, something personal, but the moment had been snatched away, and unfortunately, Dmitri had to let it go.
“Oh, okay,” he said softly. “Shall we go on and get you home?”
“You know, actually, I left my headphones at the studio, and I need them while I’m gone. Why don’t I walk you there, then I’ll catch an Uber back home, since it’s getting pretty late.”
“An Uber, are you serious?” Dmitri frowned. “Dude, I’ll drop you off if that’s what you want. You don’t have to pay for a ride back. It’s no problem.”
“Um, oh. Okay, thanks,” Andre said slowly. “I guess we should head back to the Boulevard.”
“Okay, sure.”
Andre was quiet as they walked back to the busier street, then on to the studio. Perhaps it was his imagination, but Dmitri thought Andre was paying more attention to the reflections in dark windows as they passed businesses that were closed for the night. He thought again of the letter incident from weeks before and wondered if they were related.
Then again, he might be grasping at straws in his disappointment over not learning more about Andre’s life. Perhaps Dmitri himself was getting a little too obsessed and needed to step back.
Andre ducked into the studio while Dmitri went to get his car. He pulled around to the front of the building just as Andre stepped out.
“I appreciate the lift,” Andre said, smiling more naturally now. Perhaps his odd mood had been nothing more than Andre being distracted by having forgotten something. “Hey, do you want me to bring you some chocolates from Montressor when I come back?”
The shop Andre mentioned had Dmitri’s favorite gourmet chocolates, though he seldom indulged because of the calories and the expense. “Sure, but only a small box,” Dmitri replied. “Those things are too damned addictive.”
“Got it.”
