Bax didn’t know about the rest of them, but he worried that if he said something, it’d really ruin shit.
Finally, Hans piped up. “Talked with the guys.” He jerked his thumb toward Bax and Knox. “We’re ready to get back to work.”
“Oh, well, then, by all means, let’s get back to work.” Linx stretched his arms wide with fake excitement that turned Bax’s stomach.
Bax didn’t want this to be the end. He was ready to move forward like Hans said they could. “Figured we’d come tell you in person.” He paused. “Didn’t expect to find you having extracurricular fun with another group.”
Except he had. He knew that Linx was moving forward. That was the part that rubbed. Bax made plans to move forward, and yet he was stuck.
“If we’re going to keep taking a hiatus from Dimefront, I’m going to have to find a new gig.” Linx said this like he’d been rehearsing the words for years.
“You should know that Em left him.” Hans folded his hands together on the table, keeping his focus on Linx. “You all have been doing your own shit, and Bax’s world collapsed.”
Wasn’t that the fucking truth?
Linx looked at Bax with pity.
Bax did not love the pity. The question in Linx’s eyes was clear.
Bax nodded.
Linx ran his hand over his hair. “Fuck, man. I’m sorry…”
“Just cut him some slack, yeah?” Hans asked.
Knox kicked back in his chair until it was on two legs instead of four. “There’s shit he needs to catch you up on.”
Bax glared at Knox. There was no shit he needed to bring to the table. Not now. Never. Some things were best left in the shower.
“I’m sorry she took off.” Linx moved forward and clapped Bax on the shoulder, leaving his hand there in apparent solidarity with his bandmate. “That fuckin’ sucks.”
“We’ve all got crap to deal with.” It sucked. He’d moved past it. Was ready for a different future. “A lot can change in a couple of months.”
“You think we can call a truce on whatever this is with you guys?” Hans asked. “Because I don’t like it.”
Bax nodded. He liked the idea of a do-over. “I’m game for a truce.”
“When we go back to work, we need a new agreement.” Linx dropped into a chair across from Knox. “Something that spells out vacations, time off, everything. So I’m not stuck twirling my thumbs while you assholes do your own thing.”
“Fair.” Knox nodded.
Bax’s shoulders lost a whole lotta tension at that. They weren’t a lost cause.
“Fair,” he said.
“I see that you met a girl.” Knox gave Linx a knowing, sage grin. “I wanna hear about her.”
“Becca.” Linx nodded. “You’ll dig her. She’s the best.”
Bax knew it. Becca was a good person.
“Glad you found that.” Bax finally sat on the chair between both of them, cementing the truce. “Seriously. You deserve a dose of happy.”
“Mom and Dad are in town.” Linx picked at the edge of the vinyl table. “You should stop by the house. There’s food.”
Bax’s throat seemed to swell. If Linx’s parents were in town, then Courtney couldn’t be far behind.
“Food’s good.” Knox lifted his fist for a bump.
