Okay, look at this, they’d sorted shit without Brek even being in the room. They were practically adulting the hell out of this situation. Someone should give them a gold fucking star on the door.
“I see you met a girl.” Knox gave Linx a knowing, not-an-asshole grin that Linx didn’t realize he’d missed. “I wanna hear about her.”
“Becca.” Linx nodded. This was good. Truce was good. Getting back to making music was good. “You’ll dig her. She’s the best.”
“Glad you found that.” Bax sat on the chair between both of them. “Serious. You deserve a dose of happy.”
Looked like the band was on the road to back together. It should’ve felt great, but all Linx could think about was when they went back in the studio and back on tour. How long until the sour seeped in again? How much he’d miss Becca. How much he’d hate missing sets with Tanner and Mach. The relief just wasn’t there.
And what in the hell was he supposed to do with that?
He rubbed at his temples. He’d try. That’s what he’d do. Hopefully, the guys would be on board with trying.
“Mom and Dad are in town.” Linx picked at the edge of the vinyl table with his thumbnail. “You should stop by the house. There’s food.”
“Food’s good.” Knox lifted his fist for a bump.
Linx obliged.
“Heads up, Courtney’s here, too.” Linx slid a glance to Bax. Was it his imagination, or did Bax blanch a little at that? Then again, he and Courtney were oil and water. If oil and water caused a combustion that could take out an entire city block. Those two had been in some serious shouting matches over the years.
“Go easy on her, she’s having a rough time,” Linx added.
“What’s up with Courtney?” Hans asked.
Bax sat straighter, all ears about Linx’s sister.
Did he tell them she was pregnant? He shouldn’t. She said to keep it to the family. Then again, they were family. And if they were going to be around, he needed Bax to not be a total dick to her.
“Keep it on the down low. She’s not telling the dad yet.” He leaned in, talking low even though no one else could hear. “She’s pregnant. Keeping the baby. Living with me in Denver, for now.”
The air in the room chilled like one of the cooks had left open the walk-in freezer.
“Fuck,” Hans said, kicking off from the wall.
The color drained from Bax’s face, and his eyes got so big the whites were visible.
“She’swhat?” Bax sputtered. The strong words were quiet, filled with shock, and doused in emotion.
What in the hell was going on with Bax? Linx had known the guy for dozens of years and had never seen his veneer crack the way it just did.
His movements suddenly jerky, Bax stood. His chair clattered to the ground. He moved mechanically to set it up. “Where is she?”
“You wanna tell me what’s going on?” Linx asked, his chest tight and his fingertips numb. He stretched them open and closed in an attempt to restore feeling. It didn’t work.
Linx looked between Bax and Knox. Back to Bax, who looked like he’d just got caught with his dick in his hand.
“Is this the part where you tell Linx you banged his sister?” Knox’s glare at Bax was like a switchblade. “Or should I?”
It didn’t seem possible, but Bax lost more color. He pressed the heels of his hands against his lower jaw. “This cannot be happening.”
Linx’s lungs seemed to stop processing air.The fuck? Bax and Courtney?
No. That wasn’t possible. The guys had an unwritten code. All of them honored family. Hell, even Lennox, their first drummer, abided by that rule. He didn’t follow any of the other rules, but he damn well followed that one.
“Tell me you didn’t sleep with Courtney.” For all that was holy, he couldn’t wrap his brain around the idea that Bax had been the one to screw his sister. Literally, and now figuratively, with the baby coming.
He’d rather it was that Alan What’s-his-name. And he despised that guy.
