"Love you too." I hang up the phone. I try to tur
n my attention back to the storied crime procedural, but I can't find humor in any of the wisecracks.
Divorce is my new least favorite word.
But it's the only word in my brain. The entire episode of Law and Order, and the one that comes after, my brain is screaming Mom and Dad are getting a divorce.
Marriage is bullshit.
Until death do us part is bullshit.
It's all bullshit.
I lie back on the couch and try to make my mind blank. No amount of closing my eyes or focusing on my breathing helps me wipe the word divorce from my thoughts.
Usually, I know what I want and where I stand. I want to be behind my drum kit. Then I want to be inside a beautiful woman. Then I want to crash in my bed, alone.
Right now, Bella is in my bed.
I want to be inside her, but I don't want to be alone after.
I don't want to kiss her goodbye after breakfast.
Fuck. I've dealt with a lot of weird shit since I started touring, but being a married man takes the cake.
In the morning, I try to get back to my usual routine. I get ready. I head to the gym down the street. It's early enough that no one is looking for celebrities.
I spend an hour sweating through my legs routine, but the entire time I'm lacking focus. Between my parents' divorce and Bella in my bed, I'm distracted.
I try to shake it off on the walk home. I've got three missed calls from Mal. And a voicemail.
A guitar riff flows through the speakers. It's Good Dirty, the song that has been haunting the singer for the last month.
This riff is different than what we've got so far. Really fucking different.
But it's perfect.
I text Mal.
Joel: That's it.
Mal: I'll be at your apartment in twenty minutes.
Finally, my thoughts settle. The riff plays in my head as I get home and get into the shower.
I turn the water, wrap a towel around my hips, and I slip into my bedroom.
Bella stirs. Her eyes blink open. She reaches for her glasses on the bedside table and slides them on.
"Hey." She gives me a long once-over. Her tongue slides over her lips. Her eyes fill with desire.
With sunlight streaming in through the windows behind her, Bella really does look like an angel.
I can't help myself. "Good morning, angel."
She cocks a brow. "Angel?"
"You disagree?"