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Michael shrugged. “I think you’re used to the universe acceding to your wishes, and Mal just isn’t.”
“You made a deal for him to show up at one show and take off? What did you get out of this deal? Or is this like your situation with your ‘new wife’?” Lila made air quotes. “The deals you make never seem to benefit you very much.”
“Don’t,” Michael said, voice low. “Seriously, do not. Let’s keep this about the band and only the band.”
“So you don’t care that she told me on the plane last weekend that she’d sign anything I wanted her to dissolve your marriage?”
He should have expected it. He knew Chloe wasn’t exactly jumping for joy over their accidental bed-and-wed situation, and Lila had probably exacerbated Chloe’s feelings by goading her when they were alone on the flight back. But it still stung.
“That was then, this is now,” he said quietly, putting away his phone before he could send out another unanswered message. Whether the recipient was to Mal or Chloe, he was at his limit.
“Look, Michael, I know how you view marriage, and I understand after what you saw your parents go through. You don’t want to be the same kind of guy who gives up on a relationship. But you have to admit that this isn’t a real anything. Accidentally pulling the trigger doesn’t give you feelings for another person.”
“Did you not hear me when I told you the other day that I fell for her?”
“Sex isn’t falling for someone.”
“No, but it’s a pretty damn good start.”
He wasn’t about to try to explain the complicated mess of emotions he had for Chloe, because he couldn’t. He just wanted to live his damn life, not analyze it. And right now, he wanted to be with his wife, whether or not it made sense to anyone else.
Even himself.
Lila gripped her iPad to her chest. “I hope you know what you’re doing.”
“Me too.” He picked up the pink Takamine he’d set beside him and strapped it on. The Blue Rhino didn’t have an elaborate stage set-up like the House of Blues, so they were pretty much on their own for managing their instruments. Fine by him. He was glad to take it back old school. “I’ll see you later.”
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“Break a finger,” she said softly, her bastardization of the old stage adage “to break a leg” before a show.
Taking it as the small olive branch it was, he gave her a quick smile and moved toward the stage. It was almost time to start.
Ry, Juliet, and West were standing around laughing, and Molly was near the drum kit with her sister, Jazz. Though Jazz was the eldest, you never would’ve known it since Molly towered over her older sister. They also didn’t look much like sisters. Molly was blond, Jazz dark. Until he got close enough to hear what they were saying, and yep, they were definitely waving their sibling card.
“I know you’re doing us a favor, and we all appreciate it, but you can’t just come in here and change the setlist. We have a way of doing things.”
“Right. I’m changing the setlist for only my selfish whims, not the fact I don’t know those two songs and I don’t want to screw up your show.”
“Ladies,” Michael said smoothly, looping an arm around Molly’s shoulders. The icy look she gave him made him smirk. He loved riling her up. “So glad you’re joining us tonight, Jazz. Whatever set changes you need, we can make.”
Molly rolled her eyes and stalked off.
“That went awesome.” Jazz sighed and tapped her glow-in-the-dark sticks on her thigh beneath her flared tutu-type skirt.
It couldn’t actually be a tutu, right?
Hell, maybe it was. He understood women’s fashion about as much as he got everything else that had to do with the more heartless sex.
“She’s a bit type A,” he said with a shrug. “Doesn’t like us to alter the plan, especially if it means she might get less time behind the mic.”
“Lead singers, man. They’re a handful. I’ve got my own to deal with, and believe me, I slap Simon around as much as you probably wish you could with Mol.”
“Nah. I enjoy her attitude. She brings it to every show, so eh, what are you gonna do? Freaking musicians.”
“Truth. So much truth.” Jazz grinned and waved as a couple of people sneaked backstage. The Blue Rhino was old-fashioned enough to have an actual curtain. “Michael, you know Harp already, right? Deacon’s wife?”
“Sure.” He stuck his hand out toward Harper McCoy. “Always good to see you.”
