“Yeah? Cool enough. I can’t wait to see your face.” He was addicted to Kyle, finding himself thinking about his new lover, again and again.
“Mm. I can’t wait to kiss your face.” Kyle had a little growl in his voice. “Don’t dawdle, lover.”
“No dawdling. Gon’ look at this room, say it’ll work, and come to you.” It was a plan. It was possibly even a good plan.
“I’m waiting.” Kyle ended the call.
Timmy was laughing. “Dude, you should see the look on your face.”
“Is it a bad look?” He was tired but happy, so that should balance everything out, right?
“No way, man. It’s a good look. A lot like that look you get when you’re playing and hit a sweet spot.”
“He’s a sweet spot, all right. Let’s do this thing. You said your roommate went to Texas?” He’d played Houston, Dallas, SXSW a lot.
“No. He went with a Texan. They’re still here, most of the year. They travel back and forth.”
“Ah.” They went to a decent enough place with a nice room that he could settle in with his guitar. The kitchen was functional, and the front room was fine. It worked way better than some hotel room. “I want it, me. We work good together.”
“We do. I wouldn’t have offered if I didn’t think we could hang, dude. I work a ton, you work a ton, we get each other. You don’t mind a little smoke now and then, do you?”
Colt snorted. Shit, he’d probably done more things in his time than Timmy had even heard of. “I got no issues with the green—smoke or fairy.”
“You like that shit, dude? I know a bar for you next time you’re interested. And just so you know, if I light up and you’re around, you’re invited. Just assume. If I didn’t want to share, I’d wait.”
“Fair enough. So, how you want we should do this? You want me to come after I get done with Kyle?” That could be tomorrow morning, could be Monday. He didn’t know. He didn’t really care.
“Hang on.” Timmy disappeared into the kitchen and came back with a key ring. “The big one is for the foyer doors, and these two are for the apartment. Top lock, bottom lock. There’s only a few days left in the month, so we’ll call us square until the first. I have to walk the rent over on the last business day of the month, so I’d appreciate your piece in cash a few days early, if that’s okay.”
“I can do that. I’ll bring it when I come back. Kyle said you could call me an Uber?”
“Oh. Yeah. You should get the app on your phone.” He watched Timmy call up an app, tap a few things. “All set. He’ll text when he gets here. Driver’s name is Ray.”
“Thanks. I’m still learning this new phone, but I’ll figure it. Does he know where to go, or do I need to text Kyle?”
“He knows. I’ve been to a couple of parties at Kyle’s, so I have his address in the app. Oh, man. You should convince him to throw a party. They’re… an experience.”
“Mmm. I like that. Not today. I’m wore.” He was running on fumes and a handful of hard candy.
They talked shop for a while, waiting on the car. When the car arrived, Timmy grabbed the door for him. “Get some rest. Only a few days left next week, but they’re going to be long ones. We’ve got some work to do.”
“And then we move on to a whole new band.” A whole new sound, a whole new style.
“You moving to a new studio? You’re not playing with the group that’s coming in next, are you? Or are you?”
“I got a email. It’s staying in your place, hmm? Rockabilly? Ring a bell?” He didn’t know. He went where he was sent.
“Totally! Ohhh, duuude.” Timmy drew the words out ominously. “Those guys… they’re friendly and talented and stuff, but they’re gonna try your patience. I’m just sayin’. Show up ready to go with the flow. They never start or end on time. They drink. They take crazy breaks to, like, brainstorm over Mongolian barbecue.”
“So long as they pay me, huh?” Goodie. Of course, he could be flexible, couldn’t he? Hell yeah.
“They always pay me.” Timmy winked. “You better run, dude. See you whenever. Or Monday.”
“I’ll text. Bye.” He ran down and looked for the car, so ready to get to Kyle, to somewhere quiet for a minute.
The Uber was anything but quiet. His driver, Ray, had questions.“Where you from, brother? What brings you this far north? What do you play? You know Peyton Manning was born in New Orleans? Jared Leto? Reese Witherspoon? Great food down there…”and on, and on, and on.
He answered and laughed, letting himself enjoy the company, the questions, because this was what it was all about, right? Learning stuff about people. Hell, by the time they pulled in front of Kyle’s, he felt better, more solid.