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And that wasn’t relevant in the slightest right now.
Nick left me a note. Don’t tell him I’m texting you. I just want to know he’s okay. That you’re okay.
Lila sucked in air, her thumbs hovering over the keys. Bravery came in so many forms.
I love you.
She waited two minutes for either of the Crandalls to acknowledge her texts, then gave in and called in the reserves.
Margo answered on the second ring. “Hey, Lila.”
“Hey. Where’s Simon? Did he get back yesterday like he was supposed to?”
“Yeah. He’s sleeping.” Margo’s tone revealed the frown she was doubtlessly wearing. “Why? What’s up?”
“Nick left a note that something bad happened with his dad. He went to be with Ricki back at their old place. I don’t know where that is.” Lila swallowed hard. “Simon knows.”
Margo hesitated just long enough for Lila to question the wisdom of her impromptu plan. She rarely made them, and for good reason. They tended to go sideways.
But one thing she was exceedingly good at was adapting to the situation. She refused to stand around and wait for Nick or Ricki to contact her when she knew they were hurting. Even without knowing exactly what had happened, she knew that much.
And for fuck’s sake, Simon was Nick’s best friend. This ridiculous cold war they were engaging in needed to stop. If that meant she had to wade into the fray to bring them back together, even for a night, then she damn well would.
She’d managed their band for long enough. If necessary, she’d manage their friendship too.
“I’ll go wake him up. Hang on.”
Lila paced back and forth beside the kitchen counter. Somehow she resisted checking her screen to ensure no texts had come in. Of course they hadn’t. She was holding her phone.
Holding her ass too.
“Lila?” Simon’s sleep-roughened voice made her close her eyes. He didn’t sound like he was in any shape to even give her directions, never mind drive them both where they needed to go. “What’s wrong with Nicky’s dad?”
“I don’t know. More of the same he’s been dealing with, or maybe worse. Nick didn’t leave me much of a note, and he and his sister aren’t answering. But they’re at their old house in Carson, and we need to go there. You need to come with me,” she added into the silence that followed. “In case it wasn’t clear—I’m not asking you.”
His abrupt chuckle made her narrow her eyes. “You just can’t help yourself, can you?”
“This isn’t about me taking control. He needs me. And you know what? He needs you just as much. Maybe even more. You might not care about that, but I do. If I have to drag you to him by your ear, then that’s exactly what’s going to happen.” She tipped back her head long enough to catch her breath. “How long until you can get over here to pick me up?”
“Give me twenty.” He clicked off before she could respond.
When he texted her that he was outside—twenty-three minutes later, thank you very much—she was already on her way downstairs. She slipped into the gleaming black Audi idling at the curb and spared Simon the briefest of glances before she motioned him on.
“Hello to you too.” He draped a wrist over the wheel as he maneuvered into the late evening traffic.
“I don’t have time to spend chitchatting.”
“Sure you do. It’s going to take me forty-five minutes to get to Carson, if we’re lucky.”
She glared out the windshield. “You can’t make this rocket go any faster than that? Granny driver,” she added under her breath.
His laughter scraped raw all the nerves already rubbed to smithereens. “I know you’re worried. I am too. Can I see the note?”
Forcing herself not to growl, she withdrew the folded paper from her purse and passed it to him. At the next light, he scanned it before giving the paper back to her.
“You see what women deal with when it comes to you jerks?” She thumped his arm since Nick wasn’t around and derived sick satisfaction from his pained grunt. “No worthwhile information whatsoever. And you wonder why so many of us turn lesbian?”
His eyebrow waggle seemed forced. “I thought that was just because tits are indisputably the greatest.”
