Page 12

CHAPTER 12

Zeb

I stare at Geo’s number, debating if I should call him or not.

In all the years since he left, I never pulled a stunt like this.

Mostly because I was convinced he wouldn’t even remember me, and even if he did have my number still, he’d take one look at it and ignore me because he was a big fucking rockstar and I was just part of his history.

Not his future.

But then I think about the phone call that started all this, and how he called me to apologize, and I reckon it’s probably the right thing to do.

So we’re on the same page.

In a way, I guess it makes us even.

Sort of.

The phone rings once, before he picks up.

“Rough night?” His voice is edged in sarcasm and humor.

“I’ve had worse.” I don’t hide the sarcasm in my own voice.

“Is this how you became the Master of Hangovers?” he asks, and I hear a lot of crashing and thuds in the background.

Wherever he is, it’s noisy as hell.

“Honestly, I’m usually pretty good at holding my liquor, really.” I laugh.

“Yeah, sure, isn’t that what they all say?” Geo’s voice is light, energetic.

“I’m serious!” I defend my honor nobly.

“How many martinis was that again? I need to know for scientific purposes.”

I shake my head, pinching the bridge of my nose, sighing deeply.

“For scientific purposes? Three.” I reach for my coffee as I settle on my couch, turning on my laptop.

“Noted,” he says as the background sound dies down, and I hear a door shut.

“Where are you?” I ask, curious.

“Sound check. Our tour kicks off tonight.”

I blink, reality hitting me.

That means.

.

.

“When, uh, when are you headed home?” I ask.

“I’ll be in on the twentieth. Three weeks from today.”

There is a pause before he starts to speak, then stops.

I can hear the hesitation in his voice, and immediately, panic floods me.

“Everything okay?” I ask cautiously.

“Yeah. I’m fine, just... never mind.”

“So, uh, Katy said you weren’t dead set on a place to stay.”

Geo’s voice drops an octave.

“I mean, I was going to stay at the hotel, but?—”

“You can stay with me. If you want, I mean.”

He lets out a breath, his voice dark and smooth, like my fucking coffee.

“That depends...” he says cautiously.

“On what?” I ask.

“Do you... want me to stay? With you, I mean?”

I set my coffee down.

Something about the tone of his voice feels different.

Like he means to say something else, but what, I’m not quite sure.

“I mean, I am like ten minutes down the road from your parents, and we both know you’ll probably be on edge if you stay with them.”

I shrug.

It’s the truth.

“You didn’t answer my question,” he says quietly.

I suck in a deep breath, knowing I’m digging my own grave.

“Of course I want you, ” I say, closing my eyes.

“To stay, I mean. Do you... not want to... stay with me ?” I try to feign nonchalance, but I fail miserably.

Geo is quick to answer.

“I think I would really like to stay with you, actually.”

“Really?” I ask, the surprise in my voice evident.

“Yeah, I mean, otherwise it’d just be me and my boring self back at the hotel now that everyone on the fucking label has a boyfriend, except me.”

My blood chills, because his words are loud and clear.

But I know he didn’t mean them like they actually sounded.

“Something in the water over at Casualty Records?” I say carefully.

“Apparently.” He sighs.

“You know, I’m like, totally cool with that, right?” he says.

“Cool with what?” I ask, noting he sounds shaky.

Nervous.

“The... gay thing. Just saying. I’m not like my parents.”

What the fuck?

Where did that come from?

Panic floods me as my eyes widen, did I.

.

.

Fuck, did I say something?

The fact I don’t remember causes a fresh wave of anxiety to swell in my stomach.

“I never said you were,” I reply defensively.

At first, I tried to keep my sexual confirmation on the down low, but after a year of Deb and Joel constantly trying to push me to date their daughter, I finally just had to tell them the truth, that that was never going to happen.

They weren’t thrilled with the admission, at first.

Debbie just didn’t acknowledge it.

Joel gave me a bit of a wide berth, at first, but he came around a lot faster than I thought he would.

My own parents were actually less accepting than Geo’s, to tell the truth, which is why I haven’t talked to them much over the years.

“I just... needed you to know that,” he says softly.

“Totally cool with all of... that.” And then there is a tense silence.

My cheeks flush because I know he is just saying he’s supportive of his other label mates, but it feels like he’s saying he’s cool with it the.

.

.

other way, but I know that’s fucking impossible.

Right?

Right.

Because if that were true.

.

.

“ Okay...” I say casually.

“Thanks for letting me know. I guess.”

This conversation is making me feel like the kid who dreams he ends up naked at the talent show.

“Okay,” Geo’s smooth voice breathes in my ear, and it makes my stomach flip.

“I’m going to be a little busy over the next few weeks, so I can’t promise you I’ll be able to call, but... just know, if I could, I would, okay?” I can hear the lilt in his voice.

I let out a deep breath, nodding even though he can’t see me.

“I get it. You’re busy. You don’t have to?—”

“I’ll call you when I can, I promise,” he says, and my stupid heart threatens to beat a little faster.

“Okay. Just, uh, call me when you can, and I guess I’ll see you in a couple weeks when you get in.”

“Can’t wait,” he replies, and the excitement in his voice is genuine.

The moment is short lived as I hear the crashing and thudding again.

“Gotta go, Z. See you soon.”

I suck down my coffee, letting the warmth soothe my nerves.

This is really happening.

Geo’s coming home, and he’s coming here.

And for the first time in a long time, I think maybe the future is looking a little brighter.