Free Stage Dive 02 Play by Kylie Scott Page A

it.”
    “Well, thank you for paying my rent and for the furniture and everything.”
    “That was nothing. I would’ve done that anyway. Didn’t like seeing you sad last night.”
    “Really?” My throat tightened and I stared at the door, amazed. That was huge. I really didn’t know what to say. He barely knew me and yet he would have come to my rescue? Mal Ericson might be a bad boy, but he was also a good man.
    One that I liked very much.
    “Yeah. ‘Course. It’s going to be fun, Anne,” he said, his voice close to the door. “You wait and see.”
    “Okay.”
    He sounded like he needed me to believe him. Funny thing was, I did.

CHAPTER SIX
    I started getting Mal’s texts just before lunch.
    Mal: Awake
    Anne: Morning
    Mal: Going for a run with Jim
    Anne: Have fun!
    Mal: Back from run having lunch
    Anne: K
    Mal: Where’s cleaning stuff?
    Anne: To clean what?
    Mal: Pizza exploded in microwave
    Anne: Spray bottle under sink
    Mal: When you home?
    Anne: 5:30
    Mal: Bored
    Anne: Sorry
    Mal: What you doing?
    Anne: Working right now. Gotta go. Talk later.
    Mal: Your taste in music sucks
    Anne: Thanks
    Mal: Seriously, we need to talk it’s that bad. Everything apart from Stage Dive needs to go.
    Anne: Wait. What are you doing?
    Mal: Fixing it
    Anne: Mal, WTH are you doing?
    Mal: Making you new playlists with decent shit. Relax
    Anne: K Thanks
    Mal: Bored again
    Mal: Ben’s coming over to play Halo
    Anne: Great! But you don’t have to tell me everything you do, Mal.
    Mal: Davie says communication’s important
    Mal: When are you on the rag? Davie said to find out if you want cupcakes or ice cream
    Anne: I want to not talk about this ever
    Mal: Bored. Ben’s late
    Mal: Let’s get a dog
    Anne: Apartment has no pets rule
    Mal: Nice green lace bra
    Anne: Get out of my drawers, Mal.
    Mal: Matching panties?
    Anne: GET OUT NOW.
    Mal: :)
    Mal: Sext me
    Mal: Come on it’ll be funny
    Mal: Plz?
    Mal: High level of unhealthy codependency traits exhibited by both parties relationship possibly bordering on toxic
    Anne: WTF?
    Mal: Did magazine quiz. We need help. Especially you
    Anne: …
    Mal: Booking us couples counseling. Tues 4:15 alright?
    Anne: We are not going to counseling.
    Mal: What’s wrong? Don’t you love me anymore?
    Anne: Turning phone off now.
    “Problem?” asked Reece, moseying on up and looking over my shoulder.
    “No. Sorry.” I shoved my cell into my back pocket. “I’m working, I swear.”
    “Sure you are.” He winked. Being friends with the boss did pay off sometimes. “Do anything interesting last night?”
    Had I ever. Mal seemed hell-bent on driving me crazy today, but last night had been fantastic. We’d had a floor picnic with some of the best tapas I’d tasted in a long time, washed down with Spanish beer. He’d told me hilarious stories about big-name musicians. Lots of tawdry sexploits and insane backstage demands, Mal knew about them all. He made for awesome company.
    I wasn’t ready to explain Mal to Reece, however. Looking at Reece, I might never be ready. Where would I begin? Even if I could keep a straight face, he knew me well enough to know I didn’t jump into relationships. Not in this way. Luckily, Reece’s attention had already slipped away. I shouldn’t have worried. His gaze rested on a young woman browsing in the True Crime section. You’d have thought he’d have enough sense to turn away when she picked up a book on female serial killers, but no.
    “I didn’t get up to anything much last night,” I lied, feeling zero guilt.
    He did a half nod, probably not even listening. “I’ll just go see if she needs help.”
    “Okeydokey.” I pulled my cell out, switched it back on. As soon as the screen flashed to life I started one finger typing, a smile already on my face.
    Anne: Ben arrive yet?
    Mal: He’s here. How you doing? Home soon?
    Anne: Soon.
    Ben was lazed on the love seat, hands busy on the game controls, when I walked in the door. There was lots of blood