They locked stares and nodded curtly as if they had communicated telepathically. Aidan’s anxieties got the best of him, and he flipped. “Care to share? I swear the both of you freak me out sometimes with this silent talk thing you do.” Aidan glanced from Noah to Tristan and then back, as if the was sitting at a fucking tennismatch.
“That’s a good one,” Noah chuckled and patted Aidan on the back, before turning to leave theroom.
“Never heard that,” Tristan added with a broad, sincere smile as he gently set the guitar against its stand on a corner and followedNoah.
“Hate when they do that,” Aidan whispered to himself, but loud enough to beheard.
When they reached the living room, Aidan grabbed his coat to leave since it was clear they would not rehearse afterall.
Noah frowned. “I thought you’d stay longer. Want a ride? Tristan’s about to leave for therestaurant.”
“About that,” Tristan started, but was interrupted by his cell phone. He answered it and informed whoever was on the other side. “I’ve got just a couple of hours before my shift at the restaurant. It takes half-an-hour to get there.” Tristan checked his watch as he walked around the room collecting wallet and car keys. A slow smile hitched the corner of his lips as he shrugged. His voice dropped to a low rumble when he added, “If you say so, gorgeous. Be there in ajiffy.”
“Seriously?” Noah’s high-pitched question pierced the air much like the stare Tristan trained onhim.
“What now? You going to control my sex life aswell?”
“That’s not it. See what you do? Two minutes ago, you said you didn’t have time for the band. Someone calls, and you’re out the door. I get it, sex is great. No-strings sex is even better, I’m all for it. The thing is the band’s nowhere on your radar. You just don’tcare.”
Aidan hated to agree with Noah, but hedid.
And that scared the shit out ofhim.
He had a feeling they were sitting on a goldmine. Tristan’s talent had little competition in the rock and roll scene, Noah played the drums like a madman, a fucking talented nut job at that. Aidan had had formal training, which took his natural talent to the next level. It was not uncommon for Aidan to hear people say they didn’t hear the bass in rock songs. People who said that had no idea what rock music was about. Drum and bass made for the heart and soul of a rock song. Guitars and vocals were just the pretty face ofit.
Fearing what the future would bring for them, Aidan watched Tristan as he stood by the door, fisted hands on his hips, blue eyes turned darker. He opened his mouth then closed it again. Then, he finally spoke. “I don’t want to do this now. We’ll end up fighting. If you don’t get why I’m not ready, I don’t know how to explain it toyou.”
“I get more than you think. Fucking half the town won’t make the pain go away,” Noah advised Tristan as the guitar player opened the door to leave. Freezing at the doorway, he didn’t look back or reply. Noah added, “Believe me, I’vetried.”
A loud bang as he shut the door behind him was all Tristanoffered.
Although Aidan had read about Tristan and Izzie’s ugly breakup, the details escaped him, so he could not gauge how much damage Noah’s words had the potential to cause. If Tristan’s expression and attitude were good indicators, he worried about the consequences. He didn’t want to think of them, though. He didn’t want to consider his dreams could be atrisk.
So, Aidan stood in the middle of the room, stunned, his forgotten coat hanging from hishands.
“Don’t worry about it. I’ll get him around, even if it’s the last thing I do. Just stick around, and I’ll make a rock star out of you.” Noahpromised.
