Page 97 of Beneath the Stain

“Yeah, well, it wouldn’t have been a big deal if someone hadn’t gotten the bright idea of going to get a quote from my little brother.” God. Fucking Cheever. They’d warned Mom, and she’d warned Cheever, but the fucking school had let the reporters in anyway, and there was Mackey’s pain-in-the-ass little brother, living off their dime, saying, “Just because he’s a rock star don’t mean that’s right that he does that. I ain’t gay like my brother.”

Jesus.

“You could take the car,” Shelia said. EverybodybutMackey, Trav, and Blake had gone out the night before. Some new nightclub—Kell wanted to scout it out to see if they played any good music. They all came back early to report the music was trance bullshit, and that was that. But Kell hadn’t been able to drive the sweet little Mercedes he’d just bought, because they’d needed the security guy who was authorized to run those people over behind the wheel—or at least that was what Mackey hoped.

“Well, that’s how we go to work, sweetheart,” Mackey said, trying not to be bitchy. “And that’s probably how we’ll go out on this damned date. But right now? I don’t need that shit. I just spent four goddamned weeks learning how to live a simpler life—how in the hell am I going to do that if I can’t make the damned choice between catalog shopping and going somewhere the girl will offer to blow me if I make commission?”

“Do they do that?” Shelia asked curiously. “I barely get soda water.”

“Kell and Blake used to go shoppingjustto get BJs,” Mackey confirmed sourly. “Man, once I got my fucking jeans, I wasdone.”

“Well, punch in your credit card right here and you can buy your fucking jeans and be done,” Shelia said. He got the feeling that she was laughing at him just like he sort of thought she was stupid. Well, that was only fair.

“Thanks, Shelia,” he said, meaning it. “You were a real help today.”

She kissed his cheek. “Just have a good date, Mackey.” And then she danced away.

“Your mouth to God’s ears,” he muttered. For just a stupid trip to the movies followed by dinner and a walk somewhere that didn’t suck, this was starting to really scare the shit out of him.

HEFIDGETEDin the driveway as the car pulled up, trying not to fiddle with his hair. He’d just gotten it layer cut, so it was a little too short to fit comfortably back in the ponytail, and he resisted the urge to drag his fingers through it.

Trav was late. Trav was late and he lived in the same goddamned house.

Get your ass down here, Mackey typed irritably.

OMW.

“Fuck that,” Mackey grumbled, turning around and getting ready to stomp into the house. “On your way? You’d better be fucking on your way. Get me all dressed up and sweating through my pits at the end of fucking October, and you’re on your fucking—oh.” Mackey scowled at him. “Hey, Trav.”

Trav twisted his mouth in that way that told Mackey he wasn’t fooled at all. “Getting impatient?”

“You’re ten minutes late. We can’t leave for our run more than thirty seconds late or you are up our asses like an ugly bug. I dress up for a date for the first time in mylife, and you are fuckinglate?”

Trav grimaced. “I was confirming our reservations and they put me on hold. I got pissed, I canceled the reservation and got a line on some place not quite so exclusive but hopefully pretty good. How’s that?”

Mackey squinted at him. “You didn’t pull any Hollywood douche bag crap about ‘Do you know who I work for?’ Because if you did, this relationship is over.”

“You worried that I was dropping your name, Mackey? Well, don’t.”

Mackey grunted. “Well, good.”

“I dropped Heath’s—got me right in.”

“You’re fucking hilarious. Are you ready?”

The car was idling, and the driver, who, to Mackey’s shame, Mackey didn’t even know, was standing out by the door, ready to let them in. Mackey started hustling toward it when Trav stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.

“What?” Mackey couldn’t quite meet his eyes.

“You know why people date, Mackey?”

“To get laid?” Becauseduh!

Trav growled and moved in closer. His heat was breath-stopping. “To get to know each other when we’re at our best. You said you wanted me to see you not awful. This here’s your chance.”

Oh, fuckhim.“Awesome,” Mackey muttered. “And now if Iamawful when I’m not trying to be, I’mscrewed.”

“Which is why there’s more than one date.”