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“I don’t know what’s up,” Augie said to Stevie. “But I don’t like it.”
“Don’t really matter if you like it. Kinda her business.” Ox fiddled with the string on his bass without looking at it.
Augie rolled his stool back and stared at the other three. “Any of you idiots remember what happened the last time Danny broke her heart? It almostendedher.”
“Don’t be such a drama queen, Augie. That was what? Almost twenty years ago? Shit, she’d been split from him for almost a year when I met her.” Ox continued to watch the scene beyond the window.
Augie swiveled to stare at Ox. “Dude,” he said, the single word an indictment of Ox’s nonchalant attitude. “You didn’t see the actual breakup, but every goddamn one of you saw the aftermath.”
Ox set his jaw in a stubborn line. “Mano, she ain’t made of glass. Plus, she left him behind, and it was—literally—years before her coke problem.”
“She might have left, but he’s the one who broke off their relationship.” Augie pushed the words out through his scowl. “And it took years todevelopher coke problem.”
Ox was about to respond, but Stevie interrupted them. “You’re right, mate. She’s not made of glass, but I’m with Augie. We’ve got a shite-ton of work ahead of us on this album. Her lyrics are nowhere as good as they could be. I don’t want some barmy affair taking her off the rails now—not when the critics are licking their chops and waiting for us to tank.”
“Bunch of nervous-fucking-Nancys,” Ox groused. “She’s had other relationships bust up, and she never went south. Been a pain-in the-ass, yes. Let her handle her business.”
Augie glanced out the window again. “Those other relationships weren’t Danny.” He wanted to be glad for Lauren but seeing her with Danny didn’t make him happy. It filled him with dread.
“Plus, what do you think she’s going to do if we all tell her it’s a bad idea?” Stevie asked.
“She’ll want it even more. They fooling around or not?” DJ pressed his mouth into a thin line.
Augie stood up. “We’ll know soon enough. If they are, it isn’t like she’s going to be able to keep a secret.”
“Going to chaperone?” DJ asked.
“Have to take a piss, if you need to know.”
“Well, awesome. I’ll alert the media.”
Augie couldn’t help but crack a smile. “You’re an asshole.”
“Yeah, but you love me.”
Augie gave DJ the finger.
“You said to stop by sometime,” Danny said. “I just thought it would be a nice surprise. I’ll go if this is a bad time.” He squeezed her hand and rubbed his thumb across the back of it.
“No, it’s fine. I’m always happy to see you.” Lauren’s throat tightened, making it hard to swallow. They weren’t sharing a bed, and they hadn’t kissed since that one lapse in judgment at her apartment. But they weren’t being honest either and that fact ate at Lauren.
“You don’t seem happy,” he said.
“I just—” She cut herself off. “What are we doing, Danny? We might not be sleeping together, but we’re sneaking around—and like I said before, I won’t be anyone’s dirty little secret, not even yours.”
“I’ll figure things out, I promise.”
They were so engrossed in their conversation that they didn’t notice Augie until he was in the room with them. Both had the decency to look embarrassed. Her cousin gave Danny a grunt as he walked by.
“Augie hates my guts, doesn’t he?”
“Hate’s a strong word,” Lauren said, even though she suspected it was true. “Come in for a minute, meet the rest of the guys.”
She took Danny’s hand and led him into the recording studio. “Danny, this is DJ, Stevie, and Ox. Guys, this is Danny.”
“Good to meet you, mate,” Stevie said.
“The man, the myth, the legend.” Ox laughed.
