“I didn’t say that.”
“Oh, you didn’t have to. You forget, Jim. I know you better than anyone. You don’t like my new look.”
“Do you?”
“Do I what?”
“Like your new look.”
Silence followed for a long moment.
“It doesn’t matter. Money talks. Is GP coming with you?”
I gritted my teeth. She knew that he didn’t go by that nickname anymore.
“Tate? Coming with me where?”
“To my party.”
“I’m not going.”
“What?”
“I’m not going to your party. That’s why I called.”
“You’re kidding. This is the biggest party you’ll get invited to this year. Easily.”
“So? Tierney, we aren’t friends anymore. You only invited me to gloat. Although I’m not even sure about what.”
She scoffed.
“Wow, so you can’t be happy for me for even one night. You fucked me over so easily I thought you’d be okay supporting me a little this once. Thanks. Good to know.”
“Why do you need me there? You’ve got Jules Daly right there with you, right?”
I felt like the biggest dick throwing him in there, but I couldn’t help it. She pissed me off. How could she? She confessed to me that he raped her and then got her addicted to drugs. How could she date him after that? It was disgusting. Tierney didn’t say anything for a long moment. Each second that passed made my stomach hurt just a fraction more. I fucked up.
“You know what, Jim? You don’t get to act high and mighty. You don’t get to judge me for this. Do whatever you want. I’m putting you on the list. Just know, if you don’t come to my party, I’ll make you regret it.”
She hung up before I could protest, but it didn’t really matter. I wasn’t going, and I considered her threats empty. What could she do? I lost everything last year. I was barely above ground level with my music career. There wasn’t much more damage she could do.
That next day I went to work with Cash, determined to book a gig for the night of the party. I didn’t want to be sitting at home during it. I wanted something not only to keep my mind off of it, but to show her that we were all moving on past her drama. She had her music world, and we had ours. They never needed to intertwine.
Thankfully, we were able to book something, and the venue was a good one. It was the biggest one The Homewreckers had performed yet. Word was spreading that we were solid. It wasn’t a headlining gig. We had actually only gotten the spot because we knew the top billed band and one of their openers had canceled, but it didn’t matter. All that I cared about was that the night of her party, we were performing.
Word got out about the party. Tierney was all over social media promoting it. Each fifteen second video more risqué than the last. I gagged each time Dally, Cash, or Ronny showed us. They all found it hilarious and awesome that I turned it down.
“Fuck that bitch,” Ronny smirked when I asked him if they were mad I made the decision for them rather than ask before I spoke to her. He popped a cigarette in his mouth and lit it. He took a drag before looking back down at me and flashing a smile. “She was always petty like this. She knows what she’s doing. I think it’s funny that we’ll be playing a show during her party. It’s the best way to show her we don’t give a fuck.”
His words did help settle the nerves in my stomach. Each day that crept us closer to her party made me more and more nervous. Her words about me regretting it started to haunt my thoughts. Would I?
Eventually, I mentioned her threat to Tate to see what he thought about it. His face scrunched up and then he decided that he deemed it empty.
“What worse could she do? Everyone who cares about us already knows details. If I’m over it then who cares about what everyone else thinks?” He hugged me tightly until I relaxed in his arms. “Everything is gonna be fine. She’s all talk, always has been. Me and you, remember? That’s all that matters. I won’t let her hurt you.”
“She has her ways. I don’t put anything past her,” I said.
“Let her do her worst.”
