Tyson opened a music app and propped his phone up on the small console between their seats. The speaker started blaring Imagine Dragons. The music helped filled the silence while Dom figured out a way to get to know his bandmate better withoutseeming like he was interested in more, because he’d gotten I’m-into-you vibes from Tyson since day one.
“So does your aunt get migraines often?” Dom asked.
“More now than she used to. She was sleeping when I left, so she’ll be okay for a few hours until Bree gets home from work.”
“Bree’s your cousin?”
“Yeah.”
Tension and sadness were rolling off Tyson in waves, so Dom backed off the family interrogation. He did make a mental note to ask Trey about the situation. Trey had known Tyson for a year or two, so he’d have a better handle on what was up with the tight-lipped drummer.
They rode in an uncomfortable silence the rest of the way. The bar they were playing was super easy to find, right on the main drag and lit with bright neon signs. Dom had to pay extra attention in the parking lot, because the place was jamming for a Thursday night. He ended up around back near the service door, double-parked in front of a Dumpster.
“We’ve got an hour to kill before we even need to start setting up,” Tyson said. “You wanna get dinner somewhere?”
Dom wanted to find Trey and nail him, that’s what Dom wanted. But they’d already made plans to meet during the set break. Trey said he knew a guy who worked at the club and could get a key to the supply closet. Dom had never done fast and dirty in a closet before, and the idea was all kinds of exciting.
“Yeah, sure,” Dom said.
They went inside first, to tell the manager they were in town and the van was theirs, so it didn’t get towed. Dom didn’t feel bad about not eating there once he spotted the torn vinyl stools and a small cloud of fruit flies around the bar. Places that weren’t good on the upkeep skeeved him out. If he had a drink in the place, he’d stick to bottled beer.
Bad for bloating, but at least it wouldn’t have flies in it.
Dom didn’t have any particular kind of dinner in mind, so he let Tyson choose a small sandwich shop off the beaten path, with a sign that boasted the best Philly cheese steak sub in town. Dom took that sign as a personal challenge and ordered one, along with bottled water. The sandwich came with an order of fries so big he wouldn’t be able to finish them—half if he was lucky.
Tyson ordered a French dip, then surprised Dom by paying for both meals. “My treat for the ride down,” Tyson said.
It felt kind of first-datey, but Dom thanked him instead of protesting.
“How is it?” Tyson asked after they’d both eaten about half their sandwiches.
Dom shrugged. “If this is the best cheese steak in town, then the rest of them must be pretty terrible. I mean, it’s edible but not like, orgasmically great.”
“Mine’s good. Like you said, not the best ever, but worth the time and energy. Kind of like a hookup.”
He nearly snorted water through his nose on that one. Dom coughed into a napkin. “Right?”
“You gotta suffer through the so-sos to the find the caviar.”
Trey was caviar. Trey was an entire fucking bowl of it spread over the very best salmon and steamed asparagus. Not that Dom had ever actually tried caviar, but he liked the metaphor.
“What’s that smile about?” Tyson asked.
“Huh?”
“You started grinning at your sandwich like it had all the answers to life. Find someone good recently?” A sly bit of jealousy crept into that question.
Dom had no intention of sharing his discovery of Trey. “Nah, thinking about something else.” He steered the conversation back to band talk, and soon they had to head back to the club.
It was still stifling hot for nine thirty at night, and he’d worked up a good sweat by the time they got there. Lincoln andBenji were already unloading equipment through the back door, so they jumped in to help. The crowd dancing along to the VJ was pretty big, not a lot of space between bodies. Dom liked that kind of crowd, even though his first glimpse sent anxiety jolting through his belly. He fumbled a lock on the keyboard stand twice before it snapped into place.
He spared a few looks out into the crowd. With the main stage lights off, he could see faces pretty well, and he kind of hoped to see Trey out there somewhere. Except he’d probably stay hidden so Dom’s bandmates didn’t spot him. Sure, Trey could explain it away as spying on the competition, but Dom wanted to keep Trey’s presence all to himself.
A few minutes before ten, his phone buzzed.
Trey:I see you.
Dom grinned.Good. I’ll see YOU soon.
