Chapter Eighteen
Jake
Hey old man. We’re going to weho tonight. You in?
I’ve barely read Darren’s text in the group chat—and definitely haven’t responded to it—when I get one from Beau.
Miss you. Love you. Promise not to give you shit about anything if you come out with us tonight
I smile before and after I see a text from Riley.
I’ll be there too
Their message says a lot without saying anything, a reassurance that I’m wanted by more than just the loudest in our little group. I look at the time and try to figure out whether the three of them are together already, but both Darren and Riley will be off tonight while V works with a bartender she hired a week ago, and Beau is probably between afternoon appointments.
I’m busy working at home, but I’ll have it wrapped up in an hour or so.
Sure. What’s the occasion?
Darren, unsurprisingly, responds first.Impromptu promo for Supine. Adrian made stuff
That last bit could’ve come from Beau, but he surprises me with a different follow-up entirely.
The lead singer will meet us there to help with hype
Sebastian Sadler. A recovering addict who will promote his new bar gig by traipsing through a city with no shortage of vice fulfillment. It all feels like a bad idea wrapped in a slightly worse one, but I suppose Riley and I—and probably Adrian, though I’m loath to admit it—will offer the calm, steady presence the others can rely upon. And as far as I know, Darren and I are the only ones aware of Sebastian’s history.
I don’t think I’m supposed to be, but a week and a half ago, when Darren had showed up at my door after lunch with his father, I’m pretty sure I became privy to every thought he’d had throughout their meal and every second since. He was angry—or as angry as Darren ever gets, I suppose—but I watched the gray overtake the blue in his eyes when too many of his father's failures aggravated scars of his own. We didn’t have much time together before he had to go home and change, especially because he’d driven completely out of his way to see me, but I took care of him however I could and whispered a quiet goodnight. We haven’t seen each other since, but I’ve checked on him as much as any friend would, and I hope it's helped his eyes return to blue.
When I walk away from my computer, I head upstairs, shower, and change into a pair of dark wash jeans and a blackbutton-up I leave open enough to show off my chest hair and a decent amount of ink. I’ve never been afraid of how I look, but I think I own it differently now, and the confidence I’m bringing to West Hollywood tonight has changed, even from the night of the gallery opening.
The last time we promoted Trailhead like this, Darren enjoyed the company of a stranger while I sat at a bar without dreaming of doing the same. If he and I stay out late tonight, I’m curious to find out whether I’m ready to be the one who steps away fromhim.
Part of me thinks I should try, just to make sure I can.
I hop on my bike and stop trying to plan a night that hasn’t really begun. It’s also worth remembering that it’s an unremarkable weeknight, and maybe not the best time for any of what we hope to accomplish, together or separately. That takes any pressure back off me, and by the time I’m parked and walking toward Darren, Riley, and Sebastian, I’m ready for anything.
Darren eyes me up and down, a secret kept from the other two. “That’s a new look. I like it.”
He knows he’ll have at least as many admirers as I do, drawing everyone’s attention with a long sleeve mesh shirt in the deep purple I favor and black pants I want to touch. I smile a thank you and take in Riley’s sinfully soft sweater and Sebastian’s combination of leather and plaid. We’re missing two others, and I’m not ashamed to admit I’m eager to be reminded of how attractive they are, too.
“Do I even want to know why Beau and Adrian arerunning late?” I ask.
“Beau’s not shy,” Darren says. “If you liked Adrian a little more, he’d probably invite you to watch.”
It’s a joke, and Riley nearly chokes on their laugh, but I do them the courtesy of saying nothing about it when I step forward and hold out my hand to Sebastian.
“Hi, I’m Jake. Nice to officially meet you.”
He takes it, and his green eyes hold me still. “Sebastian. Nice to meet you, too. Darren says you’ve been a Trailhead regular forever.”
“Forever feels like a pretty accurate description sometimes, but they haven’t thrown me out yet.”
“You’re one of my favorite people,” Riley says. “Nobody’s allowed to throw you anywhere.”
“Hey, wait, I thought I was your favorite.”
We all turn at the sound of Beau’s voice and watch as he whispers something in Riley’s ear that’s probably both filthy and endearing. Riley ducks their head in response, Beau cutting right through any potential embarrassment with a quick kiss to their temple and an exaggerated wave for the rest of us. For his part, Adrian offers more mellow hellos, and then we make a quick plan to hand out gorgeous postcard-sized invitations to Supine’s debut. We’re all sticking together, strength in our numbers on a quieter WeHo night, and it’s easy to lose track of time as we roll from one conversation to another. Sebastian is a hit with everyone, his charm as undeniable here as it is on stage, and Beau and Darren have always made the world fall in love with them.