I considered our new drummer for a moment. “What were you planning on doing with that Chem degree?”
“Be a chemical scientist? Maybe? I just put in my application for a doctorate the following September… Oh shit.” He looked horrified all of a sudden.
“Hey, no worries. That’s over a year away. If Brian May could find the time for his astrophysics doctorate, we’ll figure it out for you.”
The buzzer sounded from the front, and Taylor trotted off to answer it. He yelled back a minute later, “I need help with the food!”
“I’ll uh…I’ll go,” Aaron said.
“Stay,” I said. “I’ll go. Take a minute. Bryce, someone, show the kid where the powder room is. I think he needs a minute.”
“I gotcha,” Jace said, hopping up. “Come on, we’ll get a fresh water while we’re out there.”
Aaron nodded and followed him out of the room.
Hailey unfolded her arms and stared at me. “Where did he come from? I want to hear him on just about every album I’m working on. He’samazing.”
“He answered the ad, that’s all,” I said. “But you’re right. He’s amazing. He comes polished and ready.”
“And he has a style.”
“He does.” The way he had just a touch of eyeliner on, just a little gloss on his lips was super appealing. Jace did it once in a while, when he was feeling sassy. “Do you think it will affect our fan base that he’s gay?”
“Don’t assume he’s gay,” Hailey said.
“He’s gay,” Holland said.
“Guys! You can’t assume that!” Hailey ran a hand down her face. “You don’t know that he doesn’t identify as enby or genderfluid. And don’t fucking ask. God, in Heaven, don’t fucking ask if he’s gay. Let him get used to you all, and let him tell you in his own time. And yes, I do think that having a queer band member will affect your audience, but it’s going to be net zero because for as many as you lose, you’ll gain back.”
She turned and headed over to where Bryce was tinkering with the computer. Pausing she turned back and looked at us again. “And don’t fucking ask!”
Rand leaned over to me. “You’re going to ask, aren’t you? You can’t stand not knowing something.”
“I’m…going to try not to ask.”
“Your best friends outside of us are gay, how are your queer manners so bad?”
“I don’t know, maybe I hang around too much dick.”
“Hey speaking of dick, where’s your girlfriend?” Rand asked.
“There was a sale at Bergdorf. A couture liquidation,” I said. “She was desperate to go.”
Taylor groaned, “Don’t tell me—”
“—you gave her your credit card?” Rand finished.
“I did.”
They both threw their hands up and took a step away from me. Rand was back first, with his finger shaking at me. “You cannot complain when you see your credit card bill next month! How many times are you going to give that woman your card and let her go hog wild. In Bergdorf of all places!”
“You do this every time, Doxx,” Taylor said. “You set a limit and she just maxes it out.”
“It’s not like I can’t afford it…”
“Dude, this isn’t about the money!” Rand scraped a hand down his face. “It’s never about the money. It’s about you supporting her leeching lifestyle.”
“It’s not leeching if—”
