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“I just went on a little personal spirit quest after ABCR fell apart,” he said. “Explored several countries. Spent a while in Thailand. Got married. Had my son. Got divorced.”
“Lived, you mean,” I said. It was obvious that I hadn’t. Did he feel sorry for me? Was he back to take me up on my offer to just be friends?
“Learned some things.” He gave me another heated, stomach-flipping, heart-skipping look. “Came back to implement what I learned.”
What had he learned? Something must have happened, but what?
“You came back because you heard my sister was free.” Again, I tried to redirect him and misdirect anyone from Martin’s camp who might be around and listening.
“What?” Barry’s brows snapped together, and he shook his head. “No. I came back because you’re here.”
“Oh. Well.”
I slid the towel off my shoulders. The damn thing was my security blanket since I couldn’t have him. It also gave me something to do rather than throw myself at him. Twisting the towel, I gave Barry a furtive glance.
“Hold that thought.” I was afraid another unpleasant talk was in our future.
“Will do, darlin’.” He lowered his voice, and hearing it, I trembled with longing. “Been holding it for a while. It’ll keep.”
Shivering, I refocused on my niece. “You’re fantastic, Claire. Better than your mother, and that’s not to put her down. Your mother is an amazing vocalist, but you’re better.” I lifted my towel in the air and swung it like a lasso while making eye contact with all of them. “I have an opening, and you three are gonna fill it. You’re going to be my new house band on Tuesday nights.”
Tommy thrust a fist in the air. “Righteous!”
Claire looked happy for a moment, but then she frowned. “I can’t. I have homework.”
I waved a dismissive hand. “Do it during lunch.”
Her brow furrowed. “I have band practice after school.”
“Forget that shit with Asa.” I wrinkled my nose. “It’s a waste of your time and talent. Being in the school band isn’t gonna get you a record contract.”
Ducking her head, she shrugged. “We’re not that good.”
“Yes, you are, though you can be better. And I’m gonna help you.”
When Barry chimed in with, “Count me in too,” I nodded at him.
He and I were going to have to talk. I didn’t know what I was going to say, just that I had to keep him off Martin’s radar.
“My mom won’t like it.” Giving that lame excuse, Claire crossed her arms over her chest.
“Let me handle your mom.”
“You don’t understand—”
“I think maybe I do.” My lips flattened. “Your mom thinks music caused all the problems with Andy, Collin, Barry, and me.”
I gestured at the man beside me, and my niece’s lips parted. I think she was processing to some extent like I’d been how connected we all were.
“Rach believes music destroyed ABCR.” I knew my sister, and that mindset was a big part of why she’d given up music. Her choosing to give it up and my inability to hear it inside my head could be traced back to when the band imploded.
“And it didn’t?” Claire asked, her brow creasing.
“No. Music brought us together. It was drugs that destroyed the band. Everything fell apart after Andy OD’d.”
“You mentioned drugs being involved before,” Claire said. “But not yourself, really.”
“I guess not.” I frowned. ABCR’s demise as a group was the only thing I didn’t feel directly responsible for. “I wasn’t in the band, but I did PR for the group. We all hung together. It wasn’t just about the gigs, we were friends, some of us closer than others.”
