Alex stepped to the side, and Lon stormed out.Alex grabbed a chair and turned it around, sitting on it backward.He rested on the back of the seat, leaning toward Ry.
“What was that about?”Ry asked.
“Hasn’t been sleeping and hangs out here too much.Gave him a scare.”Alex ran his hand through his hair.“Said you blacked out on him.”
Alex’s face betrayed a flicker of fear in the depths of his eyes, while grief tugged at the corners of his mouth.No twist of anger, leaving his features smooth.
“I did.”Ry reached toward Alex, his thoughts sluggish, his tongue thick and unwieldy.“My fault.I—overheard Arend and Lon at the hotel.Wanted to know why Lon thinks I’m a liability.But he said that it was Arend trying to get him to join another band if we crashed and burned.Lon told him no.”
Ry shifted in the bed, trying to find comfort.Fatigue made it hard to keep his eyes open.
Alex’s face softened.“Sticking your head into trouble.”
“He was here, said I might be fined for this.”He gestured to the room.
“He’s a prick.Don’t let him get under your skin.”
Ry grunted in response.
Alex pulled a rolled-up paper from his back pocket, and it crinkled as he smoothed it flat.Two photos accompanied the headline, “Rock Star Relapses: Drinking Back in Spotlight or Was Rehab a Sham?”, one of him downing a shot, and the other an unflattering photo of him sitting on the ground outside the club.
“Jesus,” Ry said.“He really did it.”
“Did what?”Alex handed him the tabloid.
“Arend said they’d believe anything he told them.”
“Well, it happened.”
“The recovery being an act,” Ry said.
Alex nodded.“Make it tough for him, then.Are you returning?
“You’re right,” Ry said.“He just ….Going back where?”
Alex chuckled.“To rehab.”
“Oh,” Ry said.“I don’t see any other way.‘Slip-ups can happen to anyone.’Guess I have more work to do.”
Brand knocked lightly on the doorframe, dressed as usual: his clothes immaculate and freshly pressed.He looked weary.Lon followed up behind him, lingering in the doorway.
“Ry,” Brand said, entering the room.“You are up.Any improvement?”
“Better than earlier.”
“Good.”Brand headed over to the other side of the bed.“So, what happened?”
With a resigned sigh, Ry steeled himself.He owed them the truth.He squirmed under the weight of Lon’s gaze as he brought up the overheard conversation.Saw Brand frown when he spoke of the texts from Arend.Alex shook his head at downing two drinks back to back.The explanation of the panic attack, that overwhelming need for relief that drove him to pills.He ended with the decision to return to Rosewood.
“I see,” Brand said, adjusting his glasses.“I agree rehab is the best option.”
“With the contract, we have another album that needs to be released,” Ry mentioned.“And an additional tour.”
“Take care of yourself first,” Lon said.
Alex agreed.“We will have to make it work.”
“We aren’t expected in the studio for at least a couple months,” Brand said.“You’ll have the time you need to get better.”
