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7
Maddox
Hanging out in my dressing room, Adam and Derrik continue to laugh. No, laugh is too small a word for what they’re doing. They’re in hysterics. Convulsing in howls. I roll my eyes, wishing I never told them what happened. What happened between Cecelia Mavin and me happens to guys all the time. Just not to me.
“And then …” Adam tries to compose himself, grabbing his stomach in laughter. “He … He … He called her Baby Mavin.”
Derrik doubles over on the leather couch he’s sitting on. “Dude! Everyone knows she hates that name.”
“I forgot!” I yell at both of them.
Adam wipes the tears from his eyes, the smile still plastered across his face. He makes an O shape with his mouth, rubbing his cheeks. “Oh, my face hurts. I don’t think I’ve stopped laughing since you told me.”
“If you two can contain yourself from humiliating me for five seconds, I do have a defense.”
Derrik calms his laughter enough to quirk an eyebrow at me. “Oh, this I have to hear.”
“First of all, you were both here opening weekend. Did you see her anywhere?”
“No,” Derrik answers.
“Do you know what she looks like?”
Adam, still smirking, wiggles his hand back and forth. “I mean, kind of.”
“Really? So you could pick her out of a lineup of hot chicks?”
“Okay, I might not be able to do that, but you saw her at the deli. You mean to tell me after meeting her that day, then you being in the elevator—the employee elevator—that it wouldn’t finally dawn on you who she was? She’s in nearly as many gossip rags as us.”
He waits, glancing over at Derrik, who also stares at me with an incredulous expression. Both are waiting for my answer.
“She was a hot chick!” I throw my hands into the air, trying to control my annoyance. “I’m not thinking about some hotel heiress who’s being gossiped about in Page Five!”
“You and Peter met with her when you wanted this gig,” Derrik adds. “How do you not remember her from that?”
My brow furrows, but all I can do is shake my head at him. “I wasn’t paying attention. I figured I had it in the bag. I’m Maddox freakin’ Barkley.”
Derrik starts laughing again. “Damn, Adam. How does he get that ego through the front door in your guys’ apartment?”
“It’s a struggle,” Adam goes with the joke. “We’ve had to take down the door a couple of times.”
“I hate you guys.” Getting up, I start to do some light stretches with my shoulders and fingers. I learned a while back when the Kings were touring it’s good to loosen up your limbs. I thought it was stupid at first, but after being sore for a week, I started doing that before our shows and found out it helped immensely.
A knock at the door sounds. “Five minutes,” Frank says, popping his head inside. He’s basically the roadie for the club. He sets up my stage, makes sure all the lighting is working, and works the sound system when we’re playing random music in between sets.
“Thanks, Frank,” I tell him. “If you jackasses don’t mind, it’s time to go to work. If you’re still laughing at me when my first set is over, I’ll make sure you’re both kicked out of the club.”
“Fine,” Adam replies, defiantly. “We’ll just call your boss on you and have you embarrassed again.”
My jaw clenches in aggravation. “Idiots,” I hiss at them, leaving the room.
* * *
Finishing my first set, the crowd applauds, and I lift a hand to them. The heat around the stage isn’t really there when I first start, but after two hours of working the boards, and more and more people in the area, the mugginess is inevitable. Grabbing a bottle of water, I down the entire thing and head off to the side. While I was playing, I saw Adam and Derrik leave the backstage room and head up to the second floor in our private booth.
While the random radio hits play for the crowd, I’m approached by attendees, giving thanks and respect for the session. Making my way up to the booth, I find Jenny sitting next to Derrik and Adam, as they chat. Zoey, Derrik’s girlfriend, sits next to him and talks with a couple of the other girls that Adam must’ve invited.
Jenny sees me and gets to her feet, hurrying over to me. “Great set, Maddox,” she says, taking my hand. Leaning closer, she gives me a kiss.
