Yet, here I am thousands of miles from home and so damn tired.
A little pick-me-up for a few days won’t hurt. I did it before and everything turned out fine. I can do it again. Then I’ll never touch the stuff. “Thanks.”
I shove the tiny container in my pocket and head home to my girl.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Mallory
“Wake me fifteen minutes before you’re ready to leave,” Chaser mumbles as he crawls into bed with me.
I crack open one eye and stare at the clock. I need to be up in less than two hours. I hate like hell waking him up when he just got home. But he’ll be more upset if I go without him.
“Okay,” I whisper, but he’s already asleep.
I wake about a minute before my alarm’s about to go off. I flick the switch and take a look at Chaser’s peaceful expression one more time before getting ready.
The scent of coffee lures him into the kitchen fifteen minutes later.
“I was going to let you sleep a little longer,” I say, handing him a cup.
He yawns and scratches his hand over his stomach, drawing my attention to the trail of dark hair disappearing under his unbuttoned jeans. God, he’s a beautiful, beautiful man.
“How’d it go last night?”
“Shitty until about midnight when Jacob finally found his inspiration.”
From what I’ve overheard the guys saying, Jacob has been increasingly difficult during the recording process, so this doesn’t surprise me.
We hurry through our morning routine. Chaser is sluggish, until right before we leave, when he ducks into the bathroom for a few seconds.
“All right, babe. Let’s go,” he barks, slapping me on the ass.
“Hey,” I squeal. “Save that for when I actually get the part.”
He leans down and growls in my ear. “You bet I will.”
We’re playful like that all the way downstairs.
At the audition, he walks me inside.
Once he’s convinced it’s legit, he nods. “I’ll be waiting right outside if you need me.”
I reach up and give him a quick kiss. “Thank you.”
I’m really not sure what I would do without him.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chaser
In a matter of weeks, my passion for jamming with my band has been replaced with a passion for cramming tons of powder up my nose.
We were only supposed to be in the studio for a couple of days. Not a lot of time to record an album, but plenty of time to record the demos we need to give Cutter.
With Jacob showing up late and high almost every day, our schedule keeps getting pushed back. There’s a ton of pressure from the label to finish a new album, get it mixed, and get it into stores. None of which can happen until we get these demos done.
“Should we look for someone besides Cutter?” Alvin asks while we’re waiting for Jacob to finish his time taking a “steam bath” to help his throat.
“Why? If he can’t get his shit together now, how’s he going to be when we’re actually recording the album?”
“Good point.” Alvin stubs out his cigarette and stares at the control board. “We’re so close.”
That’s what makes it all the more frustrating.
Val isn’t thrilled with us, either. We’re making her look bad. Like she can’t control us—which she never could, I don’t know why anyone thought otherwise.
While we’re slowly grinding out the demos, Mallory’s career rockets ahead, leaving me burning both ends. I’m still not letting her go to appointments by herself. No fucking way.
This means I’m shoving increasingly larger quantities of powder up my nose just to function. I try not to dwell on what a cranky asshole it’s turning me into.
It’s only temporary.
“Can you talk to him, Garrett?”
“Bro, I tried. Maybe we should pack it in for the day and try again tomorrow. He’s not feeling it today.”
“None of us are feeling it right now, but we need to stop screwing off and get this done.” I’m really sick of all the excuses Garrett makes for Jacob.
To top off our shitty afternoon, Andrew stops by the studio, not looking much better than the rest of us.
He motions for me to follow him into the parking lot out back where he lights a cigarette and paces over the crumbling asphalt. “How’s Mallory?”
Did he really come all the way down here to ask about my girlfriend? “She’s fine. Why?”
He shrugs. “Haven’t seen you two in a while. Was wondering if you split.”
“Fuck no. Not happening.”
“Cool.” He takes a long drag and blows out a thick stream of smoke. “So, what’s going on, Chaser?”
“With?”
“Dude, I went out on a limb.” He waves his cigarette at the studio. “Talked you up to Cutter. You wait much longer and you won’t be able to finish an album before we go on tour.”
I hold out my arms, palms to the sky. “I’m trying. We’ve got three songs ready to go.” I really don’t want to throw Jacob into the fire, but Andrew has a point. He stuck his neck out for us and we’re making him look bad.