We can all use a little pick-me up after all the shit that’s going on. When I got home later that day, I had a stern talk with Jonah about keeping each other informed and he apologized. I can say I was a big fan of his method of apologizing, because I’m still seeing stars from the intensity of the orgasms he gave me.
Right now, we’re all in Dean’s car driving over to Kinseltown. He follows my directions, and I’ve only sent him the wrong way three times. To my defense, I know how to get there, I just don’t know the difference between left and right so I might have said the wrong thing.
“Next left, then find a place to park,” I tell him.
“Are you sure it’s left?”
I hold my hands out, making an L with the left hand and nod. “Yeah, it’s left.”
“If you’re sending me the wrong way again, I’m punishing you.” He doesn’t make it sound like a threat at all. Damn, these boys are messing with my views on what is normal and what isn’t. Dean takes a left, and I see the place we’re looking for. Not sure if I’m happy that I got it right, or a little disappointed that I won’t be getting punished.
We’re in some back alley in Kinseltown, and Dean finds a place to park his car. I round everyone up from the car, open the trunk and get Dean’s guitar out that I’ve stashed there earlier when this plan came together. He looks at it apprehensively.
“What are we doing?” he asks with a look of terror in his eyes. The other guys also look at me for answers, I haven’t told them about any of this.
“You owe me a dare. There’s this little bar over there where people can play live music. I signed you up for a song. It’s your dare.”
Oh, I think punishing me is back on the table if I’m reading his look correctly. Why does that make my insides do a little happy dance? He doesn’t seem to share my excitement though.
“I don’t want to do that,” he grunts.
“I know, that’s why it’s your dare. You won’t do it otherwise, and it would be a shame for the whole world to miss out on that.”
Jonah slams a hand on Dean’s shoulder and squeezes it. “Come on, I’ll buy you a drink first before you have to put out.”
Together we walk into a little bar with wood everywhere. It’s jam packed with people who all look extremely different. There’s rockers and there’s country singers with honest to god cowboy hats. On stage is a beautiful girl singing a song I don’t know with the voice of an angel. She makes me want to jump in front of my guys so they can’t see her.
There’s this little green monster inside of me that makes me want to act rather possessive towards what’s mine. Never mind that the lady on the stage doesn’t even notice us.
O grabs us a little table while Jonah walks to the bar to get us a round of drinks. Gil sits next to Dean, who looks uncharacteristically pale. He leans into the cook while he nervously ticks on the table with his fingers, their shoulders touching. “You can do this,” Gil tries to soothe him.
“No, I can’t, I don’t want to make a fool out of myself,” he mumbles.
“You won’t make a fool out of yourself,” I say. “You’re an awesome musician and the proze in your lyrics has me a little jealous. And I’m a writer.”
That earns me a half smile.
“We’re kind of curious as well,” O says. “You only play around Mor, we’re never allowed to listen.”
“That’s because she’s the only one where I’m comfortable enough with to play around.”
“You know we’ve got your back, right?” Gil asks Dean as he gives him a serious look. I love watching the bromance between these two unfold. It’s not like they’re going to run off into the sunset together, but there’s something more between them that I can only encourage. Dean just grunts.
Jonah joins us with drinks, giving everyone their preferred poison. Dean throws his one back in one big gulp, searching for his courage at the bottom of his glass.
“So, what’s so bad about having to sing a song? You like playing right?” O inquiries.
Dean sniffs. “Loraine convinced me that my music sucks.”
“You know what sucks?” I snap. “Loraine. Loraine sucks.” I hate that bitch. I’m usually all for women empowering women, but that girl wakes something nasty inside of me. Kicking the man you pretended to love while he’s down, when you’re sleeping around yourself? No. That’s against the ho-code.
Gil chuckles. “What better way to prove her wrong than to go up there and slay it?”
Dean keeps being grumpy, so I wiggle myself on his lap and kiss his cheek. “Just look at me once you’re up there, okay?”
He rakes his teeth over his lip. “What if I answer the question and forfeit the dare?”
“Nope, too little, too late. Get your cute butt ready, because you’re up next.”