“HIS ego? You mean yours? You have more ego than anyone else I know.”
Their bickering was cut short by a scream. A really loud scream from the back room. A long scream followed by a few shorter ones, like yips. Everyone grinned.
“I guess she didn’t know,” I said.
“They’ll be screwing soon,” Carlie said. “They’ve never screwed in her office but I bet they do today.”
“There’ll be none of that. I don’t pay people to screw on the job.”
Alex moved toward the door but Carlie grabbed him.
“They haven’t seen each other in four weeks. What are you doing? Let them have some fun. It’s not like Violet doesn’t work thousands of hours of unpaid overtime.”
They glared at each other for a moment then Alex sat back down. I bet he didn’t want to walk in on them. I didn’t even want to think about what they’d be doing but, thanks to Carlie, that image was planted in everyone’s mind.
“I don’t think he’s been kicked off the tour, Alex,” Drew said. “I think he’s been offered a recording contract and he’s getting big bucks so he’s come back to propose to Violet.”
“What makes you think that?” asked Alex.
“He had the look of a man about to propose. Didn’t you see the light shining in his eyes when he walked in?”
“So, Drew, in your life experience, how many men have you seen about to propose?” Alex asked.
Drew screwed up his face. “You’d be surprised, Alex.”
Maybe Drew was right. Razer sure hadn’t looked upset when he walked in. He definitely had a glow. I wondered if he would propose to Violet. I hoped so. The two of them were so good together.
I’d always dreamt of getting married but it seemed like it would never happen for me. I wanted the full works, the white dress with a long, flowing train and a huge veil. A church filled with flowers and bridesmaids in pastel dresses. When I thought of it now though, I imagined Jackson waiting for me at the altar. Hell, that would never happen. It was difficult to even sit in the same bar as him.
“They’ll be at it right now,” Carlie said, mainly for Alex’s benefit, I think.
Then Jackson walked in.
“Decided to come back?” Carlie said. She looked at me as she said it. That kind of embarrassed me, but Jackson didn’t even give me a glance.
“I’ve been busy,” he said.
I wouldn’t look at him. I refused to acknowledge his existence. I wanted to look so badly though. I made a promise with myself. I’d buy myself that new book I wanted if I went for five minutes without glancing at him.
He nodded at Drew. “How’s practice going?”
Shit, I looked.
Drew jumped up and ran to show Jackson his callouses.
I wondered if I should leave. The atmosphere was really uncomfortable. If t
here’d been more people in the bar, it’d be okay, but with just this small group, I was the odd one out. I didn’t even know why I felt like that. Carlie and Drew were my friends as much as they were Jackson’s. And, even if it was awkward with the two of us, I really had to find out what was going on with Violet.
Carlie filled Jackson in on the Razer situation. Then Violet and Razer came out of the office.
“We’re going out for a while,’ she said.
“That was quick,” said Carlie.
“Huh?” But she blushed. She blushed bright red.
Carlie was totally right. Violet’s hair was a mess and her clothes were in disarray.