Page 26 of Unfinished Noise

The Montana sky stretched across the canvas in wide strokes of blue and gold, the kind of light you only got right before the sun dipped behind the ridge. He’d painted the barn in that warm weathered-red that always made Spencer think of winter mornings and coffee steaming in the cold air. The fence line curved like it did on the property, and Jamie was adding tiny flecks of white where snow used to cling to the posts.

Jamie missed that place. Spencer knew it without needing to ask.

He tugged on jeans and a shirt, watching Jamie blend a shadow under the barn roof with the side of his thumb. He wanted Jamie with him tonight—wanted him at his side when they sang, wanted that grounding presence he’d gotten used to. Leaving him here with Alfie wasn’t ideal, but Alfie clearly needed someone, and Jamie had already made up his mind.

Spencer grabbed his guitar. “Are you sure you’re good staying here?”

A smudge of blue paint covered one of Jamie’s knuckles. “Yeah. Alfie shouldn’t be alone.”

Alfie didn’t look up from his sketchbook. “I’m fine.”

Jamie shot him a soft expression. “You’re not.”

Spencer walked over, leaned down, and kissed Jamie—slow enough to linger, quick enough not to make Alfie roll his eyes. “If you guys change your mind, take an Uber. I’ll get you backstage.”

Jamie nodded. “Okay.”

Spencer squeezed his shoulder, gave Alfie a quick nod, and stepped out into the hallway.

Nathan’s room was only a few doors down. Spencer knocked, and when the door opened, Nathan looked like someone had unplugged him with his shoulders slumped, eyes dull, and mouth tight.

Nathan’s room shifted the moment Spencer stepped inside, like the air had already been argued in. Nathan sat on the edge of the bed, as if standing was too much.

Good thing he doesn’t need to stand to play the drums.

“What’s up with Alfie?” Spencer asked, closing the door behind him.

Nathan let out a rough breath. “Some bullshit about me being more worried about Billy than him. Typical Alfie jealousy.”

Spencer moved farther into the room, leaning against the dresser instead of the wall—closer, more present. “What got him so upset?”

Nathan rubbed both hands over his face. “I told Alfie not to upset Billy, and that set him off.”

Spencer frowned. “Why would you say that?”

“Because he had a big fight with Billy over the phone,” Nathan snapped. “Alfie told Billy to stop causing shit like last night that had all of us searching for him.”

Spencer exhaled, slow and controlled. “Maybe you should’ve stayed out of it.”

“Maybe and maybe not.” Nathan’s voice sharpened. “Alfie has to understand what it means to be in a band. We look out for each other. We can’t afford to lose Billy over bullshit.”

Spencer pushed off the dresser, stepping closer. “All that’s true,” he said, “but Alfie isn’t a band member. He’s a little, just like Jamie, on the road with us. He needs more attention, not less.”

Nathan’s jaw tightened. “I told him if he doesn’t behave, I’m sending him home.”

Spencer stopped dead. “Nathan. You didn’t.”

“I did. This is our job. No one can interfere with the band. We’re on a comeback tour, and I want it to be successful.”

Spencer’s pulse kicked hard—not anger, but something protective and sharp. He thought of Jamie back in the hotel room, painting Saddle Creek Ranch because he missed home. He thought of Alfie’s red eyes earlier, the way he’d tried to pretend he was fine. He thought of the years Nathan spent trying to rebuild this band with Spencer, and how fragile everything still was.

He stepped right in front of Nathan, blocking his line of sight. “You can’t threaten him like that.”

Nathan blinked. “Spence—”

“No.” Spencer’s voice came out firmer than he expected. “You can’t. Alfie’s not built like Billy. He doesn’t bounce back from shit like this. You scare him, he shuts down. And Jamie’s sitting with him right now trying to keep him together.”

Nathan turned away, jaw flexing.