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"Nobody asked for your fucking opinion." Joel shakes his head. His hair falls over his eyes. "I know a lot of sweet fucking love songs."
"Everything by The Cure," Mal offers.
"It's not a fucking crime liking 80s music." Joel shoots me a panty-melting expression. "I was thinking Like A Prayer."
I'm only somewhat aware of 80s music. I know that's a Madonna song, but I always thought it was about… well, I guess it's one big reference to oral sex.
Oh.
My blush spreads to my chest. "Um, I think Mal was telling me the story of how Dangerous Noise formed."
"Joel's good at derailing shit," Mal says.
He really is.
Mal continues. "Dangerous Noise used to be Joel and Kit. This guy named Gavin was their singer. And Drew, the guitarist who's in Sinful Serenade now, was—"
"Their guitarist," I offer.
Mal nods. "They all went to college together. Well, no, I think Drew and Miles were at a better school than Kit and Joel."
Joel flips him off.
Mal chuckles. "Kit and Joel dropped out pretty fast. Drew and Gavin too, actually. But now I'm getting off track." Mal shoots Joel a knowing look then his gaze goes back to me. "Gavin was good. Not as good as me, or as good as Miles, but he was good. Only he had an attitude. Even worse than mine."
"I still can't believe that happened," Joel says.
Mal nods. "It's hard to fathom."
"You're okay with everyone thinking you're bossy and annoying?" I ask.
"Who's calling me annoying?" Mal feigns hurt.
"Mal loves people knowing how bossy he is. He thinks it will make us all respect him," Joel says.
"You respect me, Young," Mal says.
Joel shrugs, but his expression is clear. He does respect Mal.
In fact, it's clear everyone respects Mal. Maybe he assumed the position of de facto leader, and maybe people get irritated about it, but they all respect him.
"We're all used to getting what we want, whenever we want it. Makes shit difficult. I'm sure you've noticed that about Joel," Mal says.
"She's too busy thinking about me naked," Joel says.
I am busy thinking about Joel naked. But not at all too busy.
Mal turns to Joel. "You want to stop interrupting or you want to tell the story?"
"I want to keep interrupting," Joel says. "Is that an option?"
I squeeze his hand. "I want to hear the story."
Joel nods to Mal go ahead.
He does. "Shit was okay with Dangerous Noise, until Drew started dating Gavin's ex. You know men with egos. The last thing they can stand is a woman leaving them then coming with someone else."
I don't know that. My ex and I left on pretty amicable terms. But I do get his meaning. The thought of Joel with another woman is awful.
