be playing for the next couple of days. He promised he’d be home on and off and finally for a longer stretch in a month.
“I don’t even know where we’re playing anymore. It’s always the same thing. Different view.”
I stole one of his fries. “Do you ever get tired of it?”
“Parts of it are tiring. Seeing Noah’s face gets old. But we worked so hard for this. It would seem ungrateful to find it tiring.”
“But normal. It’s grueling.”
“It is. And if we get more successful, it will only be crazier. I know what Adam’s life has been like. It’s no wonder he’s used parenthood to take an extended break to be with his family.”
I didn’t mention how much the fans hated that. I didn’t mention why I would know that. After his mini freak out earlier, I just wanted to relax into him and have this lightweight conversation about the near future. I’d figure it out. Maybe I’d just hand the forum over to Ash and be done with it. I didn’t think I could hang out in there like I once had anymore anyway. I’d seen too much. Fiction and reality had become divorced, and I couldn’t pretend otherwise.
“So, when will I see you again?”
He grinned. “You’re seeing me now.”
But I’d be on a train back to New York in the morning. He’d be on a bus to Providence. “And after this?”
“I’ll be home Wednesday for two days.”
“Two days. Well, we’ll have to make the most of our time together.” I touched his hand. “How tired are you now?”
He ran his finger up my arm. “I can sleep later.”
That was what I wanted to hear.
Talking Disaster Forum
Topic: Other Bands - Festivals - Boston Calling - Theater of the Absurd - Page 9
Hipster101 wrote:
That’s all my videos, guys. There are some better ones over on the TotA forum.
Sailor8 wrote:
Did you hear whether Noah’s still moping around?
Hipster101 wrote:
Um, no.
CubbiesFan wrote:
@Sailor8 - There’s some talk about him bringing a girl to the show. There’s more detail on their forum—some pictures, too. Looks like he left with her.
Sailor8 wrote:
Thanks, CF. I guess it was only a matter of time before he’d move on. Wonder if that’s a new girlfriend or if he’s open for business again.
DeadFan wrote:
Guys, can we get back to talking about Hipster’s videos?
CubbiesFan wrote:
Sorry, DF. On topic, did anyone notice whether they played any other new songs?
Chapter Twenty-Four
After such a killer weekend in which literally all my rock n’ roll fantasies came true, I worried I’d lose the thrill of going to the office. But it would take me about a thousand years to fail to be awed every single time I came up out of the subway into Midtown Manhattan. The small-town girl in me couldn’t even pretend to adopt an air of nonchalance about the big city.
Once I got to my desk, I settled back into my groove and remembered why I loved doing what I did. Ajit had helped me install coding software and showed me around the source files. It was better than constantly asking him what logic they’d used behind every feature or how they might implement something new. The code was a maze and a puzzle, and time slipped by much more quickly while I tried to navigate the complex web.
Suddenly it was time for lunch. I grabbed my purse and headed out where I got in line at a cart to buy my new favorite food: street meat. I carried it over to a ledge to enjoy the warmth and get some sun, legs stretched out.
“Can I join you?”
Without waiting for an answer, Gabe sat beside me with his own sandwich wrapped in the aluminum foil.
“It’s a free country.” I kept eating. Damn, the lamb was too delicious. I’d never be able to go back to Indiana where I couldn’t get this right outside my workplace.
“You have a good weekend?”
“Indeed.” I dragged a wedge of pita across the tzaziki sauce, sighing as I took another bite.
“You seem pleased. Your boyfriend didn’t dump you?”
I choked. “What?”
“I figured he’d balk at dating someone who’s so obviously using him.”
I breathed in and counted to five. “Gabe, not that it’s any of your business, but I’m not using Shane.”
“So, he’s okay with you upgrading?”
“What the hell are you even talking about? I haven’t—”
“Friday. Aren’t you sitting in with Walking Disaster? Wasn’t that your goal all along?”
I shook my head, trying to ignore him. The rice had a spice in it that I couldn’t