Page 69 of Hard Rock Deceit

He removed his arm from around my waist reluctantly. "A beerisfine."

"Aren't you sick of us carrying your drunk ass home?" Damon smirked and nodded to August. "This guy's a total lightweight. Gets pissed after twobeers."

"Like you can talk," August retorted. "How many times have you puked your guts out in the cabridehome?"

"Too many to count," Damon said with acheekygrin.

I followed Damon to the busy first floor bar. As we waited for the bartender to notice us, I stared at Damon, a small smile playing onmylips.

"What?" He leaned against the bar casually. "You'restaring."

"I think Hope and Ian are really happy with what you'redoing."

"Getting her adrink?"

"Beingnice."

"Yeah, well…" His shoulders slumped. "I guess I've been thinking about what you said. I don't want to make my brother feel like he has to choose. That was a dick move onmypart."

"I'm sure Ian understands why you were jealous. But he seems to reallyappreciateit."

"And I really appreciate what you're doing forAugust."

A wave of panic hit me. DidDamonknow?

"The rest of us guys are so used to being the ones to follow August. He's always been the leader. It's good for him to have someone who can call him onhisshit."

"I don't know how well I'm doing with that last part. But I want tohelphim."

"I still can't believe none of us noticed." Damon ran his hand over his face. "We've all been so caught up in ourownshit."

"I didn't figure it out until the end,either."

"I'm glad you're here. And even though you told everyone his secret, I know August isglad,too."

The bartender took Damon's drink order, preventing me from having to respond. He turned back, expression worried,somber.

"Do you really think it's going to be this easy?" he asked. "August said he only took stuff once in a while. It's not like he's going through withdrawal, right? Maybe everything really willbeokay."

Damon looked torn between hope and doubt. I was sure the expression was reflected on myownface.

When Damon and I returned to the lounge with drinks in hand, one of the members of the opening band, Cherry Lips, had descended uponAugust.

"Wouldn't it be freaking awesome, though?" heasked.

I recognized him as Seth, the drummer. The guys all called him kid, but he probably wasn't any youngerthanthem.

"What would be awesome?" Damonasked.

"A drum-off!" Seth declared. "Me and August, man against man, may the best person win, etcetera."

"Sure," August said. "I'min."

"You sure you're up to this?" Ian asked. "You're supposed to be takingiteasy."

"I'll be fine. We'll just replace one of our encores with the drum-off. I won't be playing for any longer thannormal."

Ian and Damon exchanged worried glances. I knew they wanted to talk August out of it, but it would be a waste of breath. August had been challenged. He was too stubborn tobackdown.