Surge

“Mom?” we said at the same time.

“She knows everything.” I shook my head. “Aren’t they worried about any privacy laws at all over there at RI? They always spill the beans to Dixie Lewis.”

“She’s on the board now.” Tyran scratched his chin and a five o’clock shadow. “Doesn’t it count as working there?”

“Yeah, but that doesn’t just mean she can have access to any and all information within the company. Not necessarily.”

“If we can barely say ‘no’ to her, what chance do you think some minimum-wage admin has when Dixie wants the scoop? But anyway, she hears things from Gina.”

Gina and my mom had always been close, but since my mom’s drunken neck-breaking accident, Gina had kept her in the loop even more. Maybe she’d thought that giving Dixie purpose would help her keep her mind off things. She was probably right.

“So what did Mom tell you about Quinn? I know Drake’s version but I’d love to hear what’s circulating at RI.”

I actually wanted to know what Quinn was doing about everything.

“Mom said Quinn went to Jules demanding he fix the issue and make Drake come to his senses. But Drake told Jules they had to part due to irreconcilable differences. Apparently, Jules tried to set up a meeting with the entire band, and Drake refused to even be in a room with her.”

I couldn’t help but shine inside. That bitch didn’t deserve to be in his presence.

“Drake apparently also said that the one good thing to come out of this lawsuit was not having to be contractually bound to her anymore.”

I glowed with evil satisfaction. “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t happy.”

“Goes without saying. But will Drake have even more legal shit to deal with now?”

Damn. I thought about another layer of crap Drake’s life was under. I hadn’t even thought much about how the band breakup meant he lost sole control over even more of his material. How hadn’t I thought of that? I’d been blinded by the exhilaration of ridding our relationship of Quinn Hartley.

Drake must feel like he was at ground zero. Starting from total scratch. Depression seemed more probable. A current of sadness ran through me, ending in my chest, a light sting tingling inside.

I tried to shake it off. “It’s more stressful on an emotional level than a business one. RI put legal agreements in place right from the beginning. The crappiest thing is that Drake will have to part with thirty-three percent of songs that he mostly wrote. They belong to Graphic Temple, not him, according to the contracts.”

“Well, that’s a good thing. I think? I mean, this whole thing is just a pile of shit, isn’t it? He can do this. The fact that he’s a name now is something nobody can take away.”

“True.”

I didn’t really want to talk about this anymore. My head tensed, and the same ache I used to get in my jaw when in law school threatened. I rubbed one of my temples. It was so much worse for Drake, of course, but I wanted this to end for both of us. We needed a good long vacation after all was said and done. We’d never been away before. I could only imagine how amazing it would be to go see the gang in Nakiki.

“Can we talk about something else, Tyran? Honestly, I need to take my mind off this stuff. Usually, my work is a sort of meditation, like escape from emotional reality, but this time they’re too closely intertwined.”

“I feel you.”

“So what’s up with you these days? Not like you to recommend a vegan restaurant. I’m highly suspicious. There’s a story behind it.”

He stared straight into my eyes with a bit too much intensity. “Nothing behind it. Just want to be more healthy.” A poker face meant he’d lied.

“Whatever. Are you dating a cougar now and the purely carnivorous diet is pushing you toward spinach? Constipated perhaps?” I teased.

He laughed lightly. “Definitely not.” The server arrived with our drinks. He took a long sip from his paper straw then stirred his drink with it. “This has got to be the worst eco invention ever.”

“I actually keep metal straws in my purse.”

“Seriously?”

I nodded. I dug around and offered him a straw.

“Sweet. Now you know what to get me for Christmas.”

“Done. Now spill it. Why are we in a vegan restaurant? Not that I’m complaining.” I glanced around. “I like it.”