Page 32 of Hard Rock Muse

“She always did say she was your biggest fan,” Julian told Seth.

“Pass along my best to her,” he said. “It’s been a while.” He turned back to Julian. “You coming? I’ve got a great new idea for our drinking games.”

“I’m going to call it an early night, too,” he told Seth.

Seth raised an eyebrow at him and cast a surreptitious glance at me.

“Sure,” he said, drawing out the word slowly. “I’ll see you tomorrow at the studio, then.”

“Don’t make the others suffer too much,” Julian said.

“Who me?” Seth asked with feigned innocence, but he couldn’t keep the evil grin from his face. “I’ll see you later, Ever.” Seth gave Julian a squeeze around the shoulders before heading off in the other direction to find the others.

“Seth still likes to make people drink his disgusting shots?” I asked.

“He’s only gotten worse.”

“I didn't think that was possible.”

“Don't test him.”

A chill went through me at the echo of Keith’s words. How long did I have before he went after me again? I had to nail down this work with Cherry Lips and get it finished before he put whatever plans he no doubt had into action.

“Are you really heading home?” Julian asked.

I shrugged. “I’m just not feeling the club vibe tonight.”

“Me neither,” Julian said. “But I was wondering if you wanted to go get a quiet drink?”

I wanted to shoot him down. After seeing the way Julian acted around Seth, after seeing how different he was around his best friend, I wanted to go home and wallow in misery by myself.

I used to think I was special. I thought that Julian had only ever opened up to me like that. I got to see the parts of him that no one else did.

But every so often, I’d seen him with Seth, seen the way Julian smiled at him like he never smiled at anyone else…

Deep down inside, it had made me wonder. Was I secretly in a competition with Julian’s best friend for his affection?

I’d never voiced my concerns out loud. I always thought I was being dramatic, overly sensitive. I knew how much Julian loved me, even if he never said it.

But seeing the way Julian blossomed under Seth’s attention…

And considering the fact that Julian had left me and chosen to follow Seth…

A little piece of my heart that I hadn’t known was still holding onto hope splintered, nearly taking my breath away.

I was more sure of it now than ever. Julian was in love with his best friend. They’d known each other since they were kids. They understood each other.

I was never going to be able to compete with that.

“How about it?” Julian asked.

I blinked. “What?”

“That drink?” he repeated.

I wanted to turn him down. I didn’t want to spend any more time with Julian than necessary. It hurt too much.

Still, a part of me couldn’t help wonder what Julian was going to say before Seth interrupted.

I wanted to tell you…

Maybe a drink or two would loosen his tongue.

“Where did you want to go?” I asked.

“I know a great place.”

What had Julian been trying to tell me that was so hard to say?