we used to do playing? We were worse than a garage band. More like a basement outfit.”
“Yeah, and what we were is what led to me hooking up with Ryan and West when you weren’t into it anymore.”
“You always wanted more. Music’s in your blood.” The corner of Mal’s mouth lifted. “Only thing Dad gave us worth having.”
“Not true. They both gave me a kickass older brother. Even if he tried to sell me for sixteen dollars online when I was nine.”
Mal shocked him by letting out a laugh. “Twenty-six dollars, bartered down from fifty. And I could only get that much because you came with your guitar. Besides, you counter-sold me for thirteen, and that included my fucking glorious Sonor drum set. Damn steal that guy would’ve gotten if our auctions hadn’t been shut down.”
“Your drums.” A buzz skipped along the back of Michael’s neck as he turned toward his brother. “Do you still play?”
Malachi rasped out a sound that wasn’t quite a laugh. “I work at a chop shop. It’d be kind of idiotic for me to whale around on those when I get home every night, wouldn’t it?”
“You still do. Holy shit.”
“How you got that from what I just said, I don’t know.” Mal shook his head. “I play now and then. Mostly keep going over the same songs we used to play.”
“What about ‘In The Air Tonight’?” Michael questioned. “You still play that?”
His brother jerked a beefy shoulder. “I guess.”
“You had a killer sense of rhythm. Have you ever considered joining a band? Like a real band?” My band, but he didn’t say it. Mainly because he didn’t think he could actually force the words past the rock in his throat.
“Me? Dude, are you crazy? I spend my days up to my elbows in grease and shit. I’m not meant for some pussy band. No offense,” he added quickly.
“Pussy is one of the main benefits,” Michael said, keeping his face sober until Mal drove his fist into Michael’s arm. Hard.
Damn, that asshole never pulled a punch. Ever.
“You might need that dick prop in front of you to get girls, but some of us do just fine on our own. Anyway, I gotta go. Just wanted to tell you about the wedding. Hoped I’d convince you to go with me.” That mercurial half smile flitted over his mouth. “Be my date or some shit.”
“I haven’t gone to the last two, so why would I go to this one?” Besides, their mother hadn’t invited Michael, unless maybe his invite had gotten lost in the mail.
Small favor, that one.
“She insists it’s the last time. Came to me crying last night, drunk off her ass, begging me to get you to come. Says all she wants in this world is for her boys to be with her as a family. Biff wants that too.” Mal rolled his eyes. “I called her driver and sent her home with a travel mug of coffee.”
“But you promised.”
He shrugged. “It made her stop crying.”
“Softie.”
Another shrug. “It’s hard to say no to a crying woman. You gotta have some experience with that.”
“Nah, they usually make me want to cry lately.” Michael shook his head and shoved Tabitha to the back of his mind. “Or more accurately, get drunk.”
“Drunk for sure.”
Wheels spinning, Michael cocked his head and gave his brother an easy smile. “How about we make a deal? One where we both get what we want, and everyone goes home happy?”
Mal crossed his arms in front of his barrel chest. “I didn’t realize you wanted for anything. Big fancy rockstar, making good and making his own money now.”
The faint tinge of pride in his big brother’s voice could’ve bolstered him for months. Maybe years. “I’m getting there. We still haven’t figured everything out yet. The band lineup is still in flux.”
“You will.” Mal’s utter certainty just increased his certainty that it was no coincidence Mal had shown up when he did. Michael wasn’t one to believe in woo woo crap, but he also knew when the universe had dumped the perfect opportunity in his lap.
Whether or not Lila would agree was another question, but they’d get there when they got there. He needed to get Mal on board first.
If that meant offering a temp role until he got his brother to agree to more, then he would do just that. Whatever it took.
“We have to. We’re on the way up, but we won’t make it if we don’t have the right people in place.”
“Which people