Shit.
When the hell did I get jealous over anyone?
I had a hard time keeping up with the question and answer session after that revelation, but somehow I managed not to flub my answers or completely space out while soul-searching for the root of this new, and somewhat astounding, development.
Unfortunately, the answers weren’t ready to be found.
Chapter 17
(Steel)
One of the perks of having a day off, especially when we were booked into the hotel, was having the opportunity to get a workout in and hit the pool. For me, it was not only the best way to keep my muscles loose and prevent them from aching after a grueling session lifting weights, but being in the water also let me clear my head. The indoor pool was empty at this time of morning, when the sun was barely high enough for glittering gold rays to streak into the domed space. Whoever had designed the area needed a gold star, because the glass around the pool offered a beautiful view of the mountains in the distance.
I was just finishing my thirty-third lap when feet appeared directly in front of me, dangling into view over the edge of the pool. Pulling up short, I blinked several times to clear the water from my eyes, since swiping at my face with a wet hand didn’t help. The last face I expected to see was Johnny Amaral’s.
Glancing around, I saw Draven dressed in board shorts, spreading a beach towel out on a chair, his guard stationed beside the door, and Johnny’s behind the chairs they’d claimed. Guess they’d decided on an early morning swim too, not that Johnny looked dressed to get in unless he had swim trunks beneath the cutoff jeans he had on.
“Can I help you with something?” I asked, curious as to why he’d interrupted me when I was never assigned to the members of Blissfully Immune and, aside from Rebel, had very few interactions with any of them.
“Naaa, but I think maybe I can help you,” Johnny said.
“And what, exactly, do I need help with?” I asked, feeling slightly amused now as I closed the distance between us to lean against the side of the pool so I wouldn’t have to keep wasting energy treading water.
“Well,” he began. “Getting your head out of your ass, for one, and not being a dick to my best friend, for another.”
With that comment I went from amused to pissed off in less than a heartbeat. “You’re out of line.”
“No, I’m not,” Johnny declared, a cheeky grin on his face adding to the level of pissed off I already felt.
“Look, I don’t know what Rebel told you, and I’m not sure I care right now,” I snapped. “Since it has nothing to do with me.”
“When you trample on the feelings of someone I love, it has everything to do with me,” Johnny declared.
“He had a hand in it too," I grumbled, unable to deny that his protectiveness struck a chord with me, considering my own tumultuous feelings about his band’s infuriating guitarist.
“He knows,” Johnny replied. “Believe me when I say that he earned one hell of a lecture too, so don’t think I’m picking sides. I’m just trying to make sure you two don’t waste a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
“And what opportunity would that be?”
“To fall in love with the person, or people, you were meant to belong with.”
“I hate to break it to you, but I don’t think love was what Rebel had in mind when he hooked up with me.”
“So? I doubt it’s what you had in mind either,” Johnny pointed out. “Only now, you’re both all broody, and with the exception of the times when he’s eyeing Kit, Rebel’s eyeing you like he’s trying to piece together some puzzle he doesn’t understand. To be fair, he’s kind of an ass when it comes to relationships; weall are, so it’s not surprising he fucked things up and wound up pissing you off in the process. If you care about him, you’ll forgive him and start spending time with him again. He was much happier when he was ditching afterparties to go watch hockey with you.”
“From what I heard in the park, his ditching afterparty days are over.”
When his eyes immediately darkened and that grin smoothed out into a hard, firm line, it completely transformed his face. For a moment, Johnny looked dangerous, which caught me completely off guard.
“Knightly is a whole other issue that spans back over a decade,” Johnny said.
“So, they know each other?” I asked, unsure of how I felt about that.
“Oh yeah. Though I didn’t think they were still on speaking terms.”
“I guess your best friend doesn’t tell everything.”
I’d gone for glib, but when Johnny’s eyes narrowed to a glower, I decided that making light of this situation might not be the best thing for me to do if I truly wanted his help figuring out what to do about the feelings I harbored for Rebel.