Joel shakes his head.
Kit looks to Joel. "Maybe the man wants to save his dexterity for his guitar."
"Yeah, his guitar. Right." Joel looks to Violet and nods hello. After she nods back, he turns to me. "You really going for this?"
Fuck yes, I'm going for this. But Joel doesn't need those details. My entire life, I've had an older brother watching over my every move, telling me what I should or shouldn't do. Now that I'm in Dangerous Noise, I have two extra older brothers. I get that I'm younger than everyone else. I get that I've fucked up shit and let people down in the past.
But I've been devoted to music since I turned shit around. I've been devoted to this band since the day I joined. I never let anything get in the way of our future.
It's about time people stop looking at me like they're expecting me to let them down.
Last thing I need is Joel and Kit getting involved.
They'll only fuck this up. It's better if I play cool.
"You really going to keep being obnoxious?" I tease.
"Of course," he says. "It's my favorite pastime. That a yes or a no?"
"Time will tell."
Joel laughs. "That's such a load." He looks to Kit. "You buying that?"
Kit shakes his head. "You're gonna fuck this up for him."
"No, he's gonna fuck it up for himself." Joel waves Violet over. "Hey, Violet. You finished with work?"
She stops chewing on her pen to pull her headphones off her ears. "What?"
"Still working?" Joel looks to me, raises a brow as if to say watch this, and looks back to Violet. "Get your sexy ass over here and take a break."
"You're the second drummer to compliment my ass today." Her voice is playful, especially given the tension that hung in the air when Joel walked in on our kiss.
"Tom Steele was moving in on my territory?" Joel shakes his head.
"You'd have to ask him that." Violet pushes herself from her seat. She doesn't move closer yet. She goes to the kitchen and grabs a water bottle from the fridge. "You want anything?"
"Man's already got fame and fortune," Joel says. "And now he's trying to win your favor too. That hurts me, Violet. That hurts me real bad."
She laughs. "You also have fame and fortune."
He smiles. "Glad you noticed."
"I've known Tom for longer than I've known you," she says.
"Are you telling me he's already won your favor?" Joel mocks outrage.
She laughs. "My favor is still unassigned."
"Will it help my case if I compliment your tits?" Joel asks.
"Can't hurt." Her eyes find mine. There's something in them—an invitation.
Every part of me—one in particular—wants to take that invitation.
But there's something else in her eyes. She's nervous.
I'm not doing anything that scares her off.