Love Evolution (19 page)

CHAPTER 21 

Marcus was having a major freak out, the drive to Nanaimo a total blur. At the seaplane terminal, he parked the minivan in the garage and left the keys with the attendant. Once airborne en route back to Vancouver, he scrubbed his fists over his eyes, wishing he could erase what just happened from his memory. Mental snapshots of every time he
’
d touched Avery ran though his head like a slide show. He
’
d deliberately avoided thoughts like these, telling himself any feelings he had for Avery were strictly fraternal. Ha! When had he ever thought about kissing Dwight on the lips? And he had just about sealed the deal, too. He hadn
’
t been able to get out of there fast enough.

Ray picked him up at the terminal. On the way back, he kept glancing at Marcus in the rearview mirror, concern etched on his features.
“
What?
”
Marcus finally asked, exasperated.

“
Is everything alright?
”
Ray asked.

“
No,
”
Marcus muttered, closing his eyes. What he needed was to forget that this day had ever happened. He ran his hands through his hair.
“
Take me to Afterglow. I need a drink.
”

Marcus slumped in a velvet lined booth in the back of the trendy Yaletown bar. The place was dimly lit, and so far no one had bothered him as he knocked back shot after shot of tequila.  What the hell was going on with him and Avery? He had never been attracted to a man. True, he had grown out of the sad girlfriend in every city game. But he liked women. He just wanted something real, like his parents had. Not with a guy, though.

The heavily made up platinum blonde was eyeing him again. She
’
d been watching him all night.  Maybe he
’
d just been spending too much time with Avery. He felt this overwhelming need to prove something to himself. Crooking his finger at the blonde, he was sure she would be more than willing to help him. They had a couple of drinks together while she gushed on and on about how much she loved his music, and pressed her body closer and closer to his.

Somehow they ended up back at his apartment on his sectional, him shirtless and her in his lap.  He didn
’
t even remember her name. She
’
d probably come with him so she could brag to her friends that she
’
d hooked up with a rock star. Not that he cared, he just wanted to forget. They were both just using each other. It was pathetic. His mother would be appalled.

*****

After their heart to heart talk, Rheta drove Avery to the seaplane terminal in her car. As they parted, she gave Avery an affectionate hug.
“
The sooner you tell him the better.
”

Avery caught the last plane of the day. Downtown was busy when she arrived, and she had to wait in line to get a taxi to Marcus
’
apartment. Her stomach was in knots by the time she got there. She keyed in the code to enter the private elevator, and straightened her shoulders as the elevator doors closed. The ride up seemed to take an eternity, but when the elevator opened the scene that greeted her caught her completely off guard. She
’
d never imagined he wouldn
’
t be alone.

“
Who is that?
”
the blonde suddenly asked, pointing toward the elevator and scooting off his lap.

Marcus stumbled clumsily to his feet, and turned around.
“
Avery,
”
he whispered.

The color had drained from Avery
’
s face, and her breath had lodged in her lungs. Her crestfallen gaze slid uncomfortably back and forth between Marcus
’
bare chest and the woman
’
s lipstick smeared face. She gently placed Marcus
’
guitar case down on the foyer floor.
“
You forgot this.
”
She swallowed back tears.
“
Sorry to interrupt.
”
Quickly turning on her heel, she hurried back to the elevator. As soon as the door closed, Avery fell back against the elevator wall and slid to the floor, covering her face with her hands.

Marcus couldn
’
t do this anymore, shouldn
’
t do this. He turned back around to face the blonde, eyes hooded, hair falling forward, shadowing his face.
“
Sorry. This just isn
’
t working for me.
”
 
Seeing Avery doused whatever dwindling interest he
’
d felt for this woman. He just wanted her to pick up her stuff and get out. Once she found her purse, he herded her unceremoniously toward the elevator.
“
I
’
ll have my driver meet you in the lobby. He
’
ll take you wherever you need to go.
”
He breathed a heavy sigh of relief when she was finally gone. A wave of nausea washed over him. Marcus wished he had a do over switch for this whole wretched day. 

*****

Avery saw Ray when she exited the elevator and waved him off.
“
Avery, let me take you home. It
’
s wet out.
”
He frowned, looking down as his cell phone buzzed.

“
No, thanks, Ray.
I
’
m ok. I want to walk.
”
As she set out on foot, it started to rain. She chided herself for building such a stupid little fantasy world. The idea that somehow the two of them could have worked things out with a fairy tale
ending,
was a joke.

In a daze, Avery walked, watching intermittent fat drops of rain fall and splash one by one like sparkling crowns onto the sidewalk beneath her feet. Halfway back, the rain started pouring down in
sheets ,and
by the time she got to her hotel, she was soaked to the skin and freezing.  Shivering, she let herself into her room. She went straight to the bathroom to shed her saturated clothing. Angrily, she kicked the piles of wet clothing aside, tears dropping steadily down her cheeks. She swiped them away and stepped into the shower. Plunging her head under the steaming hot water, Avery pounded her fists on the shower tile in frustration. She had really blown it, was disgusted with herself, with him, with the whole situation. She tipped her face up under the spray and prayed for the strength to see this thing through to the end.

CHAPTER 22

At Black Cat Records the next morning, Avery paced back and forth with nervous energy, waiting for Dwight and JR. She
’
d stayed up all night finishing the lyrics for
“
Love Evolution.
”
Hopefully, Marcus would be too hung over to come in this early. There was no way she could get through her part of the vocals with him in the same room.

“
You and Marcus missed a great Thanksgiving meal,
”
Dwight said when they arrived. To his frustration his Mom had refused to give him any explanation for the previous day
’
s events.
“
What
’
s going on with the two of you anyway?
”

“
Um, we kind of had a disagreement.
”
Avery stared down at the floor.
“
I
’
m really not sure if he wants me to stay in the group.
”

“
Bullshit. Let me call him right now, Avery. I
’
ll straighten this out,
”
Dwight insisted. She laid her hand on his arm.

“
No, Dwight, don
’
t. Not right now, he
…”
She trailed off.

“
Why not?
”
he asked, noting her troubled expression.
“
He
’
s not doing drugs again is he?
”

“
No. No, I don
’
t think so,
”
she said, remembering how Marcus and the woman had reeked of booze and cigarettes.
“
Listen,
please don
’
t tell him I said anything. Things are bad enough between the two of us
…
 
I just want to finish this last track. We
’
ve been struggling with it, but I was able to finish it last night.
”
She handed the music to Dwight. Picking up her Ibanez from the stand, she strapped it on.

Dwight picked up his bass, still reluctant to drop the subject. He shrugged at JR, who had settled down behind his drum kit. Reading over the lyrics, Dwight looked at her quizzically.
“
It
’
s a beautiful song, Avery, but it
’
s a duet for a man and woman.
”
 

“
Yeah.
About that.
”
Stepping back, she unzipped her hoodie, revealing a form fitting t-shirt sans ace bandage. 

“
What the hell!
”
JR exclaimed, eyes bugging out. He whistled appreciatively.

“
Holy crap!
”
Dwight shouted
,
grabbing a fistful of hair like his brother was prone to do.
“
Does Marcus know? Is this what you guys were arguing about?
”

“
No, he doesn
’
t know. I
…
It
’
s complicated. I planned to explain everything this weekend but Marcus
…
he left before I could. Now with us leaving for LA tonight, and the concert tomorrow, I figure I better wait till after.
”

“
Hell, yeah,
”
Dwight agreed.
“
He
’
s
gonna
totally freak.
”
He frowned.
“
You
’
re right. I would be surprised if he keeps you in the group
…”
He trailed off, understanding dawning in his eyes.
“
You
’
re in love with him, aren
’
t you?
”

“
Yeah,
”
she nodded.
“
I am so screwed.
”

Dwight sighed, putting his arms around her.

JR came over, sharing the hug.
“
It
’
ll be ok, kid,
”
he assured her.

“
You think?
”
she asked, eyebrow arched in disbelief.

“
No, probably not,
”
JR snorted.
“
But that doesn
’
t change the fact that you
’
re still the best thing that
’
s ever happened to this band.
”
He glanced at Dwight for confirmation.

Dwight nodded.
“
If we can do anything to help, we
’
ll do it.
”

“
Thanks, guys. I just want to tell him myself. I appreciate the support, the kind words. It
’
s more than I deserve after this stunt. But I
’
m not getting my hopes up, you know.
”
 

Dwight doubted that things were as dire as Avery seemed to believe. He had seen how his brother looked at her. Now it all made sense. No wonder his mom had been so circumspect.  Avery had clearly made some dumb decisions, but Dwight liked her and believed her heart was in the right place. He only hoped his pig-headed brother had enough sense to forgive her.
“
Hey, kid. Come on. Let
’
s get this beautiful ballad recorded.
JR?
”

“
Yeah, lets,
”
JR agreed, taking his place behind the drums again.

“
Thanks, guys,
”
she said, forcing a cheerful smile. It took a few tries for them to catch on to the rhythm, and for her to settle down to get the vocals just right.  But when they
’
d finished, Avery
sighed, feeling like a huge burden had been lifted off her shoulders. All Marcus had to do was overlay his vocals. Then the song and album would be complete. They would have to find another guitarist to take on tour, but she
’
d done all she could to affect closure on the situation while expressing how she felt to Marcus in a way he couldn
’
t reject. 

*****

Marcus dragged into the studio around noon, bloodshot eyes covered by mirrored sunglasses, hair pulled back in a rubber band, wincing at every loud sound. He wouldn
’
t have been there at all today if Mary hadn
’
t insisted he sign off on the
“
Brothers
”
video before the band flew to LA for the Grammy nomination concert. It had been a horrible night. Worshipping the porcelain god for most of it, he had only managed a couple of hours sleep. 

He sat alone in the dark viewing room, sunglasses up on his head. The video was fantastic. It really made the members of BS appear approachable, like the guys next door. Avery fit in seamlessly, a definite asset to the group.

Marcus found himself strangely unable to keep his eyes off Avery in the video. He really needed to do something about this obsession. Just hadn
’
t figured out what, yet. If this was going to work out long term he would have to keep his distance. No more sightseeing or hanging out together.   From here on out, Marcus planned to keep their relationship strictly professional. After the events of this weekend, he was sure Avery would prefer the same.