“Aren’t you coming to the party?” Matt asked, after they’d all exchanged another loaded look.
“I don’t think so,” I said. Which they all knew by now meant no.
Matt and Summer got up and gave me a quick hug before heading out. Summer thanked me, like she always did, like I was doing them some major favor by gracing them with my presence. She followed Matt out, but Xander and Ash didn’t budge from their seats.
I met Ash’s eyes. He was sitting up now, on the edge of the couch, and he was staring at me. “We should talk.”
“Okay.” I sat back down, facing him.
“It’s about Taylor.”
Oh.
“Right.”
“She doesn’t have a brother,” he said seriously. “Or a dad who gives a fuck, apparently.” His black eyebrows angled in that look of his that meant you either listened to what he had to say, or you were on his shit list. “So now I guess that shit is my job.”
I glanced at Xander, who looked away with a smirk and pretended to be absorbed in searching for splinters on a drumstick. Of course, I’d given him shit about putting his hands on my sister, not so long ago. He was probably loving the hell out of this.
“Here’s what I know about Taylor,” Ash said, and I met his eyes again. “She’s strong. She’s got a huge heart. She’ll admit when she’s wrong. She doesn’t ask for much. And she’s been a hell of a friend to my wife. So I guess what I’m saying is it would be swell if you could get over your shit enough to talk to her. If you’re pissed at her—”
“I’m not pissed.”
“Well, whatever it is. Even if you just don’t want to be with her… Taylor can take it. If I know anything about having your heart stomped on…”
I looked away, and he got to his feet. He came over and stood in front of me.
I looked up at him.
“Trust me,” he said. “I know a thing or two. She’d rather hear it from you than not hear anything. Don’t leave her wondering what the fuck went wrong. I’ve been there. It sucks. And I know you’re better than that, man.” He tapped his fist to my shoulder. “Don’t leave her like that, adrift.”
I didn’t say anything.
He lifted his chin at Xander, who said, “See you tomorrow,” and Ash headed for the door. But then he stopped and turned back to me.
“And maybe while you’re at it,” he told me, “you make a decision on what you want to do here. Are you in our band, or are you out?”
Then he slipped a joint between his lips, lighting it as he shouldered through the door.
The door shut in his wake. I met Xander’s eyes across the room.
“How about you?” I said. “Got anything you need to unload in my direction?”
“I’m not Taylor’s daddy stand-in,” he said. “But I mean, if you’re asking for my opinion on the matter… You fucked up. You had a woman who not only helped you in the studio but somehow motivated your ass to walk in here. She’s the first woman I’ve seen you show any interest in in the last five years. Throwing that away because what, you’re scared? That seems like a douche move to me.” He got to his feet, stretching. “Ash is right. You’re better than that.”
I got up. “Thanks for the pep talk.”
He grinned. “Always here for support and advice.”
“Was there advice in there? I didn’t hear any.”
“The advice is simple. You fucked up. So, unfuck it.”
“And how do you suggest I do that?”
“You look her in the eye. Tell her the truth. Whatever the truth is.”
“Maybe she was right,” I said grudgingly. “You have matured.”
“Uh-huh,” he said, not really listening. “Or, you get down on your knees and beg. And while you’re down there, slip your tongue in her panties. There’s not much that can’t be fixed by a mouth-to-pussy apology—”
“Nope. Totally not hearing this from the man who’s engaged to my sister.”
He patted me on the back as I walked away. “Come on, aren’t you and Liam dropping me at home?”
“Only if you promise not to say another word.”
“I’m telling you, though,” he said, following me out. “Mouth-to-pussy. Works every time.”
“I’m calling you a cab.”
At home that night, I put on Taylor’s vortex playlist, like I did pretty much every night, just trying to soak up the essence of her while I flaked out on a couch in the studio.