by Lane Hayes
The guy was dangerous as hell. He might look like an angel with those big blue eyes, flawless skin, and full lips, but he was a freaking demon. No joke. His blond curly hair framed his face like a halo. I had a lot of skate and surf buddies who rocked the tumbling locks beach-do, but they tended to look messy and unkempt. Charlie was completely put-together at all times. He was perfect…looks-wise anyway. He dressed in quirky but fashionable clothes, occasionally wore lip gloss and eyeliner, and had a tendency to buff his nails when he was pissed or just wanted to be left alone.
Whoa. I probably shouldn’t admit I noticed shit like that. But hey, the truth was…if Charlie wasn’t the band’s manager, I might have asked him out months ago. He was exactly my type. Minus the razor-sharp tongue and sarcastic sense of humor.
I captured his finger and squeezed it hard. When he tried to shake me off, I yanked his hand behind his back and inadvertently pulled him against me. Bad move. My heartbeat went into overdrive. I played it cool, like I had him where I wanted him. I didn’t, but I’d learned that it was best not to show fear or hesitation around Charlie, or he’d eat me alive.
“I keep my promises, Char. I wouldn’t have offered if I didn’t want to do it. So lay off and maybe just say thanks, eh?” I suggested before dropping his hand and taking a step back.
Charlie balled his hands into tight fists at his side. “You have no idea how much I want to punch you right now.”
“Because I offered to teach your brother how to skateboard? C’mon, give me a fuckin’ break. I like Ollie. That’s it. No hidden agenda.”
“Hmph.”
“And this is where you apologize,” I singsonged, bracing myself for attack.
Charlie opened his mouth like he was going to blast me but released an unsteady rush of air and inclined his head. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I’m having a day.”
I narrowed my eyes. “That was too easy. Are you punkin’ me now?”
“Not at all. I apologize. I shouldn’t have come after you.”
I shook my head in disbelief. “I must have entered an alternate dimension. You never let me off the hook easily. This must be a trick. Where’s the truth serum, Char?”
“Trust me, you don’t want the truth,” he huffed derisively.
“Probably not, but tell me anyway.”
“O-kay…” He turned to wave at his brother through the window before refocusing on me. “I’m going to be brutally honest with you, Ky. I’d prefer if you didn’t make plans with Oliver, because I don’t think you’re going to be around for long.”
I frowned. “Did you hire an assassin or somethin’?”
“No, idiot. I don’t think you want to be in a band.”
“Excuse me?”
“You heard me. This is fun for now, but it’s not your passion,” he stated matter-of-factly. “I can tell. And when you leave the band, you’re not leaving Oliver too.”
I flashed a feral smile as I stepped into his space again. “Are you kicking me out of the band, Char?”
“No. I’m hoping you leave on your own.”
“Why? Because you don’t like me? Oh no, don’t answer.” I put my finger on his lips and snatched it away with a laugh when he bit me. “No biting.”
“Back off.”
“Not until you listen to me. I don’t care if you like me or not. I’m not giving you the satisfaction of going anywhere. That means you get to see me practically every day for a long, long time. Either get civil fast or watch the fuck out. I can get nasty too.”
“Are you threatening me?” he asked incredulously.
“Not at all. I’m just reminding you how things are. We work together, Char, and we have friends in common. Why make everyone miserable by acting like an asshole? Be fucking nice. Got it?”
Charlie crossed his arms and glared. “No.”
“Well, I suggest you work on it. Or it’s ‘game on,’ baby.”
I winked ’cause I knew he hated it. Then I propped my skateboard in front of my crotch and clandestinely adjusted myself when my dick swelled against the Velcro seam of my shorts. Charlie growled before disappearing inside Scoops.
And just like that, the taunting grin I’d given him became a genuine smile.
Okay, I admit it. I liked ruffling Charlie’s feathers, but I had no desire to get on his bad side. First of all, he was too damn smart. Charlie could chew me up and spit me out without blinking. And though he didn’t strike me as the malicious type, I should have been slightly concerned that he might go out of his way to cause trouble within the band. It was hard enough to get four guys with strong personalities to cooperate some days in the studio. Add an excitable manager with a flair for theatrics and anything could happen.
But there was something about Charlie that drew me in every damn day. Sometimes I egged him on just to get a reaction out of him. He’d give me his signature icy once-over with a straight spine and his hands on his hips, then blast me with a dramatic dose of reality that got to me every time. I’d never met anyone who could make me laugh one second and want to put a muzzle on him the next.
We’d been going at each other like this since the day we met. Charlie jumped down my throat when I’d insulted his rock and roll knowledge. Before I could apologize for the unintended slight, he made it crystal clear that he’d happily tear me a new one if I didn’t watch my step around him.
For the last six months, we’d been tormenting each other with silly jabs and harmless pranks. For example, last week he put googly eyes on the coffee cups littering the table in the studio. There were three and yeah, they all happened to be mine. He didn’t just put one pair of eyes on each cup, though. He covered them with those little fuckers, and they were hard to remove. I retaliated the next morning, dropping a plastic spider into his coffee when he wasn’t looking. Big mistake. In my defense, I didn’t know he was deathly afraid of arachnids. He screamed bloody murder and didn’t talk to me for days. Now he wanted me out of the band. Not gonna happen.
It took insane willpower not to go after him and demand to know what the hell he was thinking. At the very least, I would’ve loved to march back inside and find twenty new ways to wind him up. But not with Oliver there. Family dynamics were tricky. No one knew that better than I did.
I turned away from Scoops and pulled my phone from my pocket when it buzzed. Missed call from Karly. I secured my earbuds and pushed Call as I jumped on my board and headed down Santa Monica Boulevard. I veered to the right to avoid crashing into a posse of muscle studs exiting the gym and leaned into the turn on Hilldale before coming to a stop at my ancient white pickup.
“Hey, did you butt dial or call me on purpose?” I asked.
“I called. I wanted to be sure you’re okay.”
“I saw you half an hour ago, Kar. Of course I’m okay.” I tossed my board on the floor of the passenger side before putting the key in the ignition and fastening my seat belt.
“Don’t bite my head off. I worry about you, Ky. You know, I didn’t want to tell you because you get so worked up about him. I just thought you’d want to know.”
I let out a humorless half laugh. “Bullshit. You don’t want to deal with this on your own.”
“Okay, maybe you’re right. And…whether you want to hear it or not, he’s the only family we have left, so we—”
“No.” I slammed my foot on the brake and checked my rearview mirror to make sure there was no one behind me. I rubbed my chin and sighed wearily. “He’s not my family. We have each other. And you have Stephen and Lacey too. He’s not in my life for a reason, and I’m keeping it that way. So don’t try to drag me into your family fun. It’s not happening.”
“Family isn’t always fun, Ky. I know how you feel, but—”
“Then leave me out of it,” I said sharply.
“You’re being selfish.”
“What you call selfish is another name for self-preservation. I’ve finally got my shit together. I have my own place and a job I love, so—”
�
��You’re in a band,” she huffed.
“What’s wrong with being in a band?” I furrowed my brow and checked the rearview mirror again.
“It’s not a real job. It’s a hobby. Geez, I love you, Ky, but I really wish you’d grow up. You’re almost thirty, for fuck’s sake.”
I bit the inside of my cheek hard and sighed before easing into traffic behind an ancient Mercedes. “I’m making a living doing something I love. I’ve got some money tucked away from my wins too. I’m not exactly a bum. And I’ve got two fucking years until I’m thirty, so back the fuck off.”
“Sorry. I’m just…stressed.” She went quiet for a moment before adding in a choked voice, “What if he has cancer?”
I didn’t reply right away. I hated that word. Maybe even more than I hated our father. When the silence went on a little too long, I figured I should fill it before Karly went to a dark place.
“Don’t do that to yourself, Kar,” I said gently.
She sniffed loudly. “You’re right. Can I call you? Just to talk. I don’t really have anyone else who knows…that part.”
“You have a husband,” I reminded her.
“Stephen and I don’t talk about stuff like that.”
“Stuff like what…your lives? Jesus, Kar.”
“Cool it. Stephen’s a good dad. That’s all that matters.” Karly ignored my sarcastic huff and continued, “I need to get back to my real life. My two-year-old isn’t as high-maintenance as you.”
“Hmph. Give Lacey a kiss for me.”
I disconnected the call before she could lecture me about how long it had been since the last time I saw my niece. I got it. I sucked. I was a crappy brother, a worse uncle, and a complete disappointment as a son. This was why I kept my distance. I loved my sister, but I didn’t understand her obsession with the past. I preferred my own mantra.…When it isn’t working anymore, let it go. Relationships, jobs, hobbies, whatever. Life was too short to dwell on shit that couldn’t be changed or toxic people who loved to see you fail. Even family.
What was done was done. I had good friends and a job I loved, working with people I admired. Especially Charlie.
Wait.
I didn’t mean it like that. I meant…okay, so maybe I admired him a little. Charlie made me laugh. Sometimes he was just fuckin’ crazy, but he was never dull. I’d never met anyone like him. Most of the time, I had no idea how to talk to him, so I teased him instead. I’d probably overdone it today and then overcorrected by offering to teach Oliver to skateboard. But that seemed kind of genius now. If nothing else, it was an excuse to hang out with Charlie that had nothing to do with the band. So yeah, there was no point in looking back when the future finally seemed worthwhile.
That was how my afternoons with Ollie started. Zero practiced at Gray’s home studio six days a week on average. The times and lengths of our sessions varied if we had an upcoming gig or if we’d played a show the previous night. But after our accidental ice cream date, I spent forty-five minutes with Oliver every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I knew the days and times because Charlie had a thing for schedules.
“Oliver’s a busy kid. Soccer practice, chess club, piano lessons with Gray, and now skateboarding with you. His mom suggested fencing the other day, but when? His calendar is booked.” Charlie set his hand on his hip and glanced at his brother rolling around in the grass with Chester. A golden curl fell across his forehead, messing with his no-nonsense vibe. I wanted to tug at it but wisely kept my hands to myself.
“The better question is why?” I snarked. “By the way, do you think he has enough padding?”
Practically every inch of the kid was covered. His elbows, wrists, knees, shins, head. I wouldn’t have been surprised if he was wearing a protective shield under his polo shirt.
“I don’t want him to get hurt.” Charlie narrowed his gaze. “I mean it, Ky. No broken bones.”
That stung a little more than I let on, but I snorted dismissively, then lowered my sunglasses to give him the full effect of my eye roll. “I’m a professional. He’s in good hands. I promise.”
Charlie nodded. “I believe you.”
“Good. But the thing is, he’s gotta be able to move. Those shin pads are for soccer, not skateboarding. He’s gonna have to lose those.”
“But what if he falls?”
I studied Charlie thoughtfully…his pointed chin, high cheekbones, long eyelashes, and the way he worried his bottom lip, dragging his teeth hard enough to draw blood. And in the baffling way clarity strikes at odd moments, I realized a couple of things at once. Good or bad, Charlie wasn’t kidding about his inability to keep his feelings on the DL. Even when he didn’t say a word, his expressions alone spoke volumes. When he loved someone, he loved completely. I knew without asking that if there was a way for him to personally absorb any scrape, scratch, or potentially serious injury on Ollie’s behalf, he’d volunteer without hesitation. It was kind of humbling to witness. My fingers itched to smooth the crease of worry between his eyes. And if I was totally honest, I wanted to touch his lips. Maybe just set my thumb where his teeth wore at the skin. Or maybe lick it or—oh.
Fuck, what was he saying? Oh yeah…falling.
“Everyone falls sometimes, Char. It’s how we learn.”
He tilted his chin and gave me a wry smile. “You’re right. Just be careful.”
I nodded absently as I glanced over at my bandmates, playing guitars and hanging out by the pool at the other end of the yard. I’d given the guys a heads up about the lessons the day after I’d opened my big mouth. It went something like…
“I told Oliver I’d teach him how to skateboard after school. I need a forty-five-minute break when he’s here three days a week.”
“Did Charlie ask you to teach him?” Tegan had asked, squinting in confusion.
“No, he asked me not to.”
“That makes sense,” he’d replied sarcastically. Tegan had looked like he wanted to ask twenty more questions, but I’d hightailed it out of the studio before he had the chance. I couldn’t explain what I didn’t understand, and let’s face it…Charlie was out of my sphere of comprehension.
I lowered my sunglasses then dropped my board and hopped on. I made a sharp right, crouching low into the turn before grabbing the nose and dismounting in front of Oliver.
“You ready to do this, kid?”
Oliver jumped up and grinned. “Yeah! Can I do that too?”
“You can do anything, Ol. It’ll take some practice, but yeah. No limits. Let’s get to work. First thing you gotta figure out is your footing. I like my left foot forward so I can push off with my right, but there’s no real rule. You can experiment and do what comes natural.”
“Okay.” Oliver put his left foot forward like he was on a tightrope and put his right one behind it…and fell on his ass.
Charlie hurried over. “Oh, my God. Are you okay?”
Oliver brushed himself off and gave a sheepish thumbs-up. “Yeah.”
I shoved my sunglasses on my head again and shot an irritated look at Charlie. “He’s fine. Give him some space.”
Charlie put his hands in the air and shook his head. “You know what? I think you should teach me too. If I know the basics, I can coach Ollie in between lessons. It’s a great idea if you think about it. I’ll get one of Gray’s boards. I hope they have a helmet. A clean one. If not we can try another day. Like tomorrow. Oh, wait. That’s not gonna work. I have an appointment with Sandstone, the record company. Did I tell you they’re interested in Zero? They said they want…”
I crossed my arms and waited until he ran out of steam. When he sucked in a gulp of air, I motioned for him to stop before hooking my thumb toward the house. “Can I talk to you? In private.”
He frowned as he slowly removed his oversized sunglasses. “Um…okay.”
I squeezed Ollie’s shoulder, then pointed at Justin, Tegan, and Johnny. “Do me a favor and ask the guys which foot they put forward on their boards. I bet you anything Justin and T
egan are left footers and Johnny’s a righty. I’ll be back in a couple of minutes.”
The second he skipped away, I tapped Charlie’s elbow and headed inside to the great room.
“I know that was random, but it’s not a bad idea if you think about it. Want something to drink?” Charlie asked as he moved toward the kitchen.
I grabbed his wrist before he got anywhere. “Hang on. What are you doing?”
He cocked his head curiously but didn’t pull away. “I’m being practical. If you read any further about Virgos you probably found out we’re known for being sensible. And polite. So, I’m politely asking if you’d like a beverage while sensibly suggesting that I help out with your skating lessons.”
“Okay. First up…I don’t want a fuckin’ snack and second, it’s not a skating lesson. We’re skateboarding,” I said, glowering at him.
“I’ve heard it said both ways. Skating, skateboarding. I looked it up in Urban Dictionary too, so I’m pretty sure I’m right.”
“No. There’s something in your tone that makes it all wrong. Like you’re purposely trying to sabotage this.”
Charlie opened his mouth in a perfect O. “Gasp! I wouldn’t do that!”
“Cut the crap. You’re doing it now. You don’t want to learn, and you don’t want Oliver to either. It’s a control thing. But you can’t control what you don’t fuckin’ get. So take a seat and let me teach him without you freaking out or—why are you looking at me like that?”
“Like what?”
“I don’t know. You’re doing something weird with your eyes, though. You look spaced out.”
“Mmm. I’m trying not to swoon. You look so fierce and you’re holding my hand, Ky. You should feel my heart. It’s beating out of my chest. Seriously.” He fluttered his lashes a few times and bit his bottom lip.
I chuckled softly and stepped closer. “Are you flirting with me, Char?”
“No, it’s the other way around. You’re flirting with me. Big macho displays really get my motor running. Medium-sized ones do too. I love it when…”