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“Does that mean I’m still Winona Rider, or does that make me Ethan Hawke?” I asked.
Alys seemed to come from nowhere. “Ethan Hawke is here? Where?”
“Do you think he’ll sign my boobs?” Maddox asked.
Onyx looked the most laid back of all of them—of us. “Really glad you all made it.”
“Of course we did.” I wasn’t going to miss this.
“I heard Plaid Peanut Butter is playing,” Aubrey said. “They’re like… my favorite.”
“O. M. Gee.” Gage squealed.
I smacked his arm. “They’re going to think you’re being sarcastic.”
“They speak fluent sarcasm, I’ll fit in just fine. You’re just jealous that I know the band. Oh. Hey, baby, I know the band. What’ll you give me if I get you backstage?” Gage said.
I was going to reach in my pocket and offer him whatever lint I found there.
Maddox beat me to a response, imitating Gage’s squeal. “Oh my God. You know the band? I’d blow someone if they introduced me.”
Onyx scowled. “Don’t go giving those things out like they’re candy.”
“Those things?” Aubrey repeated, as people brushed around us, giving us weird looks. “As in, blow jobs?”
“They are. Candy, I mean.” The duh in Maddox’s voice was playful, and he wiggled his eyebrows with a grin.
Alys grabbed my arm and Aubrey’s. “Come see the booth.” She pulled us in a new direction.
Our group headed to the table nearest the stage, though it was still a ways away. The tables under this awning were covered with CD’s for every band playing today, and there was a sign explaining how to request autographs.
Though the tent itself was as simple as everyone else’s, the decor shone with Alys, Maddox, and Onyx’s influence. The splashes of color and the obscure music references were so very them.
I was so happy for the three of them, and it was about fucking time they got together like this.
We all chatted for a few, until Onyx had to get back to work, and Alys and Maddox had to go find the other half of Plaid Peanut Butter—he was the bassist and she was the drummer.
Aubrey, Gage, and I found a spot close to the stage, to watch our favorite band play.
As an emcee warmed up the crowd, my phone rang. The number on it was from the bank that held my biggest loan, and I wasn’t taking this call in front of my friends. “I’ll be right back.”
“Want me to have them pause it for you?” Gage offered.
I smiled. “Right back.” I walked away to the closest thing to a quiet corner in this place, and answered.
The finance office and I exchanged a few empty rounds of how are you? She’d been great, working with me while I tried to get on top of this one bill. When I borrowed the money, I’d needed to use my hardware store as collateral, and I’d been struggling to make sure I didn’t lose the very thing I was trying to save.
“I have bad news for you,” the finance officer said. “We need a big payment, you caught up on your late payments, in sixty days, or we’ll put a lien on the building, and foreclose.”
“No.” My gut twisted in on itself. “I’ve been on time with my payments. I’ve been good.” Not a great argument. I knew she’d ignored a few deadlines on my behalf, and lost a couple previous notices, to make sure I could stay in my place.
“I’m sorry.” She sounded like she meant it. “No one was even looking in this direction, and then we got a big offer on your place. Now people above me know you’re past due… I can’t stall anymore.”
“Do I have any options?”
“You can start the short sell process now. Get a buyer before we force you out.”
No. I wasn’t going anywhere. I loved that business. It was mine. “I’ll find a way to get you the money by the deadline. How much is it?”
