Drawn to you (21 page)

“You are a fucking legend. I can’t wait to tell Hayes that he missed his woman ripping into Will Anderson,” Gavin says with a laugh.

“You okay, Libs?” I ask, looking over to her. She’s sitting in the corner, her cheeks are bright red and she’s nursing her drink.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” She smiles weakly.

“He is a fucking creep, Libby, and blind. I would love to get into your panties,” Gavin says, grinning proudly like he’s just awarded her an Oscar and not a crude compliment.

I open my mouth to have a go at him when I see her embarrassment turn into a blush, and a shy grin creeps up her face.
Unbelievable.

“So, are you trying to piss off every friend you have in your life or just the males?” Gabe’s deep voice says from over Gavin’s shoulder. “If you like breathing you won’t mention her panties ever again. Now who upset my girl?” he asks, making Libby almost combust with joy.

I can’t help but smile broadly. She and Gabe are just too perfect for each other. Brad appears behind Gabe and squeezes past him to take a stool opposite Gaby and me.

“Hey, girls. Good to see you all out. It’s been too long. You know what they say, all work and no play.” He leaves his comment open-ended and brings his beer up to his mouth, chugging the whole thing down.

“Long day?” I ask nodding towards the bottle.

“When aren’t they? It’s a good job, though. Hayes pays me well.”

He lifts his bottle up towards the bar, pointing his finger at the bottle, and gets a nod from the redhead Gavin assigned to us for the night. She’s over at our table within seconds, bringing everyone a fresh round. She spends a little extra time handing Gavin his, and smiles at him over her shoulder as she leaves, swinging her hips.

“Diddling the staff, Gav? That’s bad for business,” Brad says with a smirk.

“I’m not, actually, despite how desperately she wants me! Fuck you very much.”

Gaby shifts in her seat and looks up at a Gavin. Damn it, she has that look in her eyes.
She’s jealous.

“Gaby, have you heard from Mike?” I ask, drawing her attention to me.

She looks over but her eyes stray back to Gavin. “Yeah. I text him to tell him we’re going to be here tonight and he said he might come.”

“That’s improvement.”

“Yeah. We’ll see.”

I notice Gavin’s GAZE is fixed on his bottle. I feel for him. I really like him but as much as I don’t want to be like my mother, I can’t help but feel he’s not right for Gaby and she’ll end up hurt. The conflict it would cause with Finlay would be too immense for anyone to salvage friendships.

Libby’s giggle soothes my inner woes. Gabe has his hand on her knee while he whispers in her ear. The music fades out and a man starts speaking over a mic on the stage, making everyone turn and focus in that direction.

“Hello, everyone, and thanks for coming out tonight! We have a treat for you all. This is a new up and coming band just signed and already in high demand, so we got real lucky when they agreed to play for us tonight. Put your hands together and please welcome to the stage The Rush!”

Clapping drowns out the end of his speech and “Fuck,” spills from my mouth.

“You got that right, ” Gaby says, making me realize I’ve spoken out loud.

They guys all look over at me for cussing.

Blond, blue eyes, lean body wearing a black sweatshirt, black faded jeans and green converse. Making his way to the microphone with his guitar over his shoulder is
James!

Big fat holy crap.

The rest of the band take to the stage. Matthew holding his bass guitar; he looks the same as when I last saw him, shoulder length mousy brown hair hanging loose around his cute baby face. He tried to rocker himself up by having a full sleeve tattoo done but when his mom hit the roof after his first sitting he never went back to get it completed.

The rest of the band ribs him for it constantly. Andrew follows; he looks older and slimmer. He was always lean but he’s taken it to a new extreme.

He sweats from playing drums, which is also why he shaves his head completely bald.

He has a distinctive scar cut into his eyebrow. He got it during night fishing with the band.

Matthew swung the rod the wrong way, leaving it embedded in Andrew’s face and then swung it forward, not realizing, and ripping it back out.

The boys said Matthew screamed louder than Andrew when he saw what he had done. They had to row back to the harbor with Matthew holding his own shirt over the wound while throwing up over the side of the boat.

Daniel AKA guitar god, is the last on stage. His crystal blue eyes scan the crowd, jet-black messy hair making them even more startling.

When he smiles at the girls screaming at him, his dimples show, making him even more gorgeous. They are all wearing jeans and sweatshirts, except Andrew who’s wearing a wife beater vest. When James voice croons over the mic, I’m transported back in time to countless gigs I’ve accompanied them on, and practice sessions in Daniel’s house. His mom and dad own a huge house with multiple rooms that never get used, so they transformed the second living room into a music room for him, including top of the range amps, mics, recording equipment, sound proofing—the works.

They knew how talented the band is, and their investment was well place because they made it and it’s so good to see, despite everything that’s happened.

“This is going to be our first single from our debut album, it was written by me for someone special who I miss every day.”

I begin to shake, waiting for the lyrics to follow. James’ velvet voice with a touch of husk comes over the mic like silk draped on sand.

“You’re the sun that rises,

the moon at night

When we’re apart nothing feels right

I didn’t voice it out loud that I needed you to stay,

All I did in the end was push you away

Come back to me

Find me

Love me again

Come back to me

Find me

Love me again

Regret is an endless torture that eats me alive

The road to recovering an endless drive

I let you down when you needed me

I lost you to the memories they are all I could see

Come back to me

Find me

Love me again

Come back to me

Find me

Love me again.”

“Antonia, are you okay?” Gaby asks, grabbing my arm as I leap from my seat. I break away and bolt for the toilet. When I get there it’s empty, which is a first. Everyone is too busy listening to the band, which I’m grateful for when I catch a glimpse of my black streaked face in the mirror.
I always end up crying.

Grabbing some paper towels, I dab at my eyes to try and fix the mess that is my face. The door swings open and Gaby and Libby rush in.

“You okay?” they ask in unison.

“Yes, I’m sorry. The song got to me.”

“It was beautiful. God, they’re going to be so big!” Libby gushes.

“It’s James’ band,” I spew, pointing towards the door. “That’s James out there. That song, I’m pretty sure, is about me,” I say without lifting my head to look at them.

“Your ex-boyfriend James?” Gaby asks.

“Yes.”

“Oh my God, how romantic,” Libby says.

“Leaving her wasn’t romantic,” Gaby replies, shaking her head.

“He wrote you a song and he is gorgeous,” Libby continues. “What happened with you two?”

“It’s complicated.” I sniffle

“Well, maybe you should talk to him. Maybe you could sort it out.”

“Libby, she’s with my brother. Can you give us a minute please?”

“Oh, yeah. Sure. I’m sorry, I forgot about Finlay.”

Libby rushes out leaving Gaby to comfort me.

“I think you do need to speak to him. He should have given you warning about that song. Did you know he was in town? What’s he doing here?” Her hand caresses down my back to soothe me.

I look at her in the mirror. “I knew he was in town. I didn’t know about the song though, and I didn’t know he was going to be here tonight.”

She shifts, shuffling from foot to foot. I can tell she feels torn between her friendship with me, and her brother.

“Finlay knows, Gab. I should have told you everything but I just haven’t had time to process everything myself.” I take a look in the mirror at my reflection, making sure I’m presentable, and I snake my arm through Gaby’s. “Let’s get drunk and I’ll fill you in properly,” I say walking us to the door.

After a few shots and venting to Gaby I start to relax.

The Rush have played an amazing set and as uncomfortable I was with their first song the others are familiar and just as good as I remember. I laugh along at Gavin being cheeky to Brad, when a few of his friends come over to join us—including Julie.
Urgh.

I haven’t seen her since Finlay’s dismissal of her from his place when we first got together.

“Hey, do you guys know Jacob, Kurt and Julie?” Gavin introduces their presence.

“Hey,” everyone shouts.

“That’s Libby, she’s a friend of Antonia’s, and apparently Gabe’s tonsils.” Gavin laughs until Gabe punches him in the arm

“Whose friend?” Julie asks, acting confused about who I am.

“Antonia’s.” Gavin gestures to me. “You’ve met before, right?”

“Oh, right, yes. Aren’t you Gaby and Fin’s lodger? They were babysitting you or something, weren’t they?” Distaste is clear in her sneer
.

What a bitch.

“I don’t need babysitting. Gaby is my best friend and was putting me up for a couple weeks while my place was being finished, and Finlay is-”

“Finlay is her boyfriend.” Finlay’s voice cuts through the tension, walking over to me and pulling me off my stool into his arms.

“I’m sorry I lost it,” he whispers in my ear.

He rescued me. Bite me, Julie.

“You look amazing. Way too sexy to be sitting there without me draped on you,” he says.

I want to stay mad but I can’t. A smile slips onto my lips and I have to fight back the urge to mount him right here in front of everyone.

“Boyfriend? Finlay Hayes doesn’t do relationships,” Julie spits, trying to sound casual but failing miserably.

“That’s not true. I just haven’t wanted to be in one with anyone until Antonia.” He picks up a shot and knocks it back. The tension is thick and everyone is watching us. Julie’s fists clench; she can’t take her eyes from Finlay’s arms around me.

“Come on, Julie. I want to dance.” Kurt reaches out, grabbing her by the arm.

“Taking one for the team. Thanks, Kurt,” Gavin jests.

“Fuck you, Gavin” Julie shouts, strutting away with Kurt.

“Oh, come to Daddy,” Jacob says at a generously-sized female in a top a few sizes too small, with flesh spilling from every opening as she gyrates.

“Really?” Gavin asks.

“Hey, you know me. I like ’em round, more of them to pound.” He grins, nodding his head with a sexual glint in his eyes and making me cringe at his bluntness, not that I expect anything else from Gavin’s friends.

“Gaby, Mike’s at the bar. He wants to talk,” Finlay says.

Gavin’s eyes follow her as she gets up and leaves. I return my attention back to Finlay who’s rubbing my bare back.

“I’m sorry about my parents. I want you to know that whatever they think, it’s not what I think, and I will be speaking with my mom . . .” I don’t finish what I’m saying; Finlay glaring at something over my shoulder distracts me and I follow his gaze.

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding,” he growls.

“Hey, thanks for sticking around, guys. You were excellent tonight. I really appreciate you playing here,” Gavin says, accepting a hand from James, who has invaded our section.

“Not a problem. It’s live gigs that we enjoy most so we’re happy to not to be cooped up in a studio.” He scans our small crowd and rests his eyes on me, a smile lifting the corner of his mouth. “Small world, Toni. You look amazing, by the way.”

Finlay stiffens under me and not in the good way
.
I see the twitching in his jaw. James is being bold and out of line.

“Shit, you two know each other?” Gavin asks, astounded.

“Yes, we go way back. Antonia is my first love.” James looks directly at me causing my stomach to bottom out. I can’t find my voice.

Finlay’s fingertips dig into my flesh, making me let out a tiny whimper. He looks at me and his expression softens, taking his hand away. “Sorry, baby. I didn’t realize I was doing that. I just want to punch his face. Can I?”

I let out a little laugh, grateful that he’s restraining himself but surprised by his question. “Sorry, but I can’t let you do that. I want to take you home and make love to you, not go home alone because you’ve been arrested.” I brush my lips against his.

He growls deep in his throat and nuzzles into my neck. I giggle before realizing that everyone is still staring at us, including the other members of the band who have just joined us.

“Holy shit, Toni, it is you! Come here!” The rest of the band grab me from Finlay’s lap and huddle me into a group hug, kisses rain down on my cheeks and compliments fly at me. It’s a shame they couldn’t be this way with me when I was at home, suffocating in my own company. They left me so lonely, it was like I died.

“Well, isn’t she popular.” Julie’s snarling voice penetrates my ears as she pushes past and throws her nasty arse in my seat next to Finlay. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep you company while your ‘girlfriend’ becomes a groupie.”

“Back so soon, Julie? Where’s Kurt? You didn’t eat him, did you?” Gavin jokes, making everyone laugh then cough to try to cover it up. Flipping him a finger and an evil look, she takes the glass from Finlay’s hand and downs the liquid inside. My body heats with rage, the need to yank her hair out in clumps is coaxed by the toxicity of my earlier binge drinking.

“Toni, can we talk?” James brings my attention from Julie drooling over Finlay to him.

“I don’t really want to do this tonight, James. It can wait.”

“Okay, fine. We’re off now anyway. We need to get some rest. Come on, lads. Let’s leave Antonia to her new life.” There’s sadness and anger in his tone and the mood I’m in makes it hard to stomach. Why did his sudden clarity have to come now I’ve moved on? I pull on his arm to stop his departure.