Page 41 of Reflex

Spook threw a grape at him.It bounced off the back of Xane’s hand and landed in his coffee.

Xane sighed and fished it out with a teaspoon.“Also, what bollocks!The woman’s waited around for you for a year already.She’s committed.Whatever taste you’ve given her clearly has her hooked.Not that I find that overly surprising.I know you’re a sexy bugger.”

That was not a title he aspired to.He spread some toast with butter and commandeered a soft boiled egg to dip it into.“Can we drop this until later?It’s not putting me in the right headspace to play.”

“Your hand okay?”Xane asked, immediately switching to musician mode.He wiped his mouth and poured another coffee before pushing back his chair.

“Stings a bit.I should be okay.Have you heard from the others?”

Xane got up and fetched his phone from the bedroom.“Ash says they’re unloaded, and they’ll meet us there.When can they expect us?”He quirked a brow upwards.

“Ten minutes?”Spook suggested.

Xane typed with his thumbs.“I’ve said thirty.”

“Because?”

His friend bowed his head and looked at his bare toes.“Because I don’t want to do this.I must have been insane when I suggested it.”

Spook left the table and went to his friend.“It’ll be okay.We’ll get through this.All of us.Together.And, I know it’s hard, but this is the right place to say our final goodbye to him as a band.”He squeezed Xane’s shoulder.“Come on.Let’s get our act together.Have you any clean socks I can commandeer?”

Xane gave him an up and down once over.“Apparently you found everything else.”

“Yeah, but I didn’t want to go furtling about amongst your underwear, and wind up with the pair you use for cock warming.”

Xane trotted into the bedroom and came back.“Socks,” he bounced them off Spook’s head.“It was just them you wanted?”He held up a pair of boxer briefs.

Spook scowled.“I’m good going commando.Never am I ever wearing your kecks.”