Page 23 of Reverb (Larkspur Book 3)

Miles turned the oven temperature down to low to keep the food warm as he heard Liam greeting his bandmates at the front door.

“What’s going on, Lee?” he heard Jamie ask, voice full of concern.

“Come and sit down and we’ll tell you everything,” Liam replied. As they entered the open-plan living area, Liam’s eyes met his, and he gave him what he hoped was a reassuring smile.

“Hi, guys. Take a seat and get comfortable,” he said as way of greeting.

He noticed the worried glances traded between the two couples as they settled around the large dining table.

“Can I get anyone coffee?” he offered.

“Is this a coffee or a something stronger kind of meeting?” Seth asked. His faux hawk was flat against his head, a faint line of stubble gracing his jaw. Getting up early had evidently not been part of his plans for today.

“Coffee will suffice for now,” he replied with a small smile.

“Why don’t you tell us what’s going on, and then we can relax,” Jamie said.

Miles glanced at Liam, who gave him a reassuring nod. He was pale, with dark circles under his eyes. Neither of them had slept well the night before. They hadn’t had the energy for sex, content to be wrapped in each other’s arms.

Miles moved next to Liam. He didn’t sit, though, resting his hands on the back of the empty high-back chair.

“Jax called me last night about a story YNG is going to run in a few hours.”

“If Jax called you, it has to be about one of us,” Seth said. He glanced around the table at his bandmates. “For once, I’m pretty confident it’s nothing I’ve done. So, Jamie, what have you and Kel been up to that warrants a story from the rats at YNG?”

Jamie and Kellet shared a glance and Kellet shrugged as he shook his head.

“Nothing I can think of.”

“It’s not about you guys,” Liam said quietly, and all eyes turned to him. Seth looked concerned, but Jamie frowned, before lifting his eyes to Miles’s. Whatever he saw there had him nodding once and settling back in his chair.

“This is about you and Miles, isn’t it?” Jamie said.

Liam’s head snapped up, looking like a deer caught in headlights. He looked up at Miles, who gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

“What about Liam and Miles?” Cal asked, head swiveling back and forth like he was at a tennis game.

“Lee?” Seth questioned softly, concern for his bandmate all over his face.

“Um… M… Miles and I are in a relationship.”

“Since when?” Seth asked.

“I’d say since Vegas,” Jamie said.

“Why do you think since Vegas, Jamie?” Miles asked curiously.

“Lee was super stressed, and you were watching him more closely than normal, considering our relationship was hitting the news and Seth had disappeared with Cal in tow. You had more than enough to worry about with all of that. Lee is the cool, calm, level-headed one of us. If you were worrying about him, something else was going on.”

“We didn’t get together until break week,” Liam admitted.

“Well, that explains why you weren’t so stressed for the last few gigs we did,” Seth said. “So, how serious is it?”

“Our relationship or the story that YNG is planning to run?” Miles asked, pulling out his chair and sitting down. Liam’s thigh pressed against his, as he moved his foot to rest it on top of Liam’s. Some of the tension in Liam eased at the touch.

“Both,” Kellet said.

“We’re still finding our way, relationship-wise. It’s very new and we’re taking it one day at a time. As for the story, I don’t know. Jax is trying to get an advance copy from her contact, but I haven’t heard from her yet.”

“How did this happen?” Seth asked. “How did you go from being friends and colleagues to sleeping together?”

Miles and Liam shared a glance, a faint blush heating Liam’s cheeks as he remembered the first night at Miles’s penthouse apartment.

“I went with Miles to look at a band during break week. I stayed at his place, and we got talking and one thing led to another.”

“And neither of you even suspected a mutual attraction until then?”

“Seth, that’s enough,” Cal admonished his husband. “It’s between them, and besides, you can’t cast stones considering how you proposed in a bar in a Vegas hotel and less than twelve hours later, we were married and we hadn’t even dated.”

“Thank you, Cal. I knew I liked you for a reason,” Liam said, breaking some of the tension with humor.

Cal gave him a smile in return, before snuggling into his husband, whose frown of annoyance disappeared in a second.

“How’s this going to affect us as a band?” Jamie asked. “Are you still going to be our manager?”

Miles was grateful to Jamie for bringing the meeting back on track. He didn’t feel the need to discuss the dynamics of his and Liam’s relationship with them all.

“I don’t believe there is a conflict of interest, although I’m certain people will question it. I would like to stay on as your manager. Although, if you’d feel more comfortable with me stepping aside and appointing someone else, then we can definitely do that.”

Jamie, Kellet, and Seth exchanged glances before turning back to Miles. “I don’t have a problem with you staying on as our manager. Lee, how do you feel about it?”

“We’ve discussed it briefly, but I’m okay with Miles staying on. It’s not like we need much managing anyway, and now we’re on break until we start the new album in the new year. It gives us time to get used to the idea. If things change on either side, then we can discuss it.”

“Okay, that’s that settled then,” Seth said with a clap of his hands. “Now, I need coffee and food. You dragged me from my bed at an ungodly hour on a Sunday morning, so you have to feed and water me.”

“Thanks, guys. For understanding,” Liam said.

“Of course we do,” Jamie said. “Why wouldn’t we? We’ve been friends for over half our lives, Lee. We’re family.”

Miles sent a smile of quiet thanks to Jamie as he stood up. “Right. I have breakfast cooked. Give me a few minutes and we can eat.”

“I’ll come and help,” Liam said, scrambling to his feet. He clearly needed to escape his friends for a few minutes, so Miles didn’t protest, just led the way to the kitchen.

***

“Are you okay, baby boy?” Miles asked softly so as not to be overheard.

Liam nodded, turning to lean against the kitchen counter after turning on the coffee machine.

“Yeah. I’m still worried about what the article is going to say, but I feel better now that the guys know.”

Miles paused in pulling plates from the cupboard, moving to stand in front of him. “Whatever it is, we’re releasing our own statement right after. Jax has already drafted one, and once we know the content, we can alter it to refute or confirm the details.”

Liam nodded and tilted his chin for a kiss. Miles gave him the small private smile only Liam saw and pressed his mouth to Liam’s. It was a brief kiss, just a lingering press of lips, but they both drew back quickly when a cough from behind Miles interrupted them.

“Ah. Sorry. Just wondered if you needed any help, but I’ll just go back out there,” Cal said, hitching a thumb over his shoulder.

“You’re okay, Cal. If you can take the plates out, that would be great, thanks,” Miles said, moving away from Liam.

Cal grinned at them as he picked up the stack of plates from the counter. “You two look good together,” he said with a waggle of his eyebrows before leaving the kitchen.

Liam moved to whisper in Miles’s ear. “He’s right. We do look damn good together. We need another session in the gym later.”

Miles scowled at him over his shoulder as he reached to subtly adjust himself. “You’re going to pay for that, baby boy. Just you wait.”

Liam hip-checked Miles as he passed by him to grab the coffee mugs, grinning as Miles shot him a smoldering look.