Free Chase the Road (A Brothers of Rock - GONE BY AUTUMN - Novel) by Karolyn James Page A

”
    “ Not
in the mood. ”
    “ Since
when are you not in the mood for a party? ”
    “ I
know, right? ” Blake forced
a laugh. “ No, they ’ re going out with, you know,
like a couples thing. I ’ m
kind of … I don ’ t know … just a little tired right now. ”
    “ How
was the show? ”
    “ Great.
Always great. You know that. ”
    “ Yeah.
I wouldn ’ t expect anything
else. ”
    And then came the awkward silence.
    Fuck, Blake thought.
    “ Blake,
I ’ m sorry I ’ m not there, ” Maya said. “ I know you wish I was there. I
know everyone does. I just … I can do everything from here, you know? ”
    “ I
know, ” Blake said. “ You have to do what you have to
do. ”
    “ Yeah,
I guess. ”
    Blake swallowed hard. “ Just, for a second, Maya, just
be honest. Do you want to be out here? With us? ”
    “ Yes, ” Maya whispered. “ I was always there. ”
    “ Then … why …”
    “ Blake,
I don ’ t want to sound the
wrong way in all this. Okay? I ’ m
here. Right where I … where
I need to be. ”
    “ Need
to be? ” Blake asked. “ Not where you want though. Is
that what he tells you? Is he worried about you with the band? Or with me? Or
better yet, are you worried around me? ”
    “ Should
I be worried? ” Maya asked.
    “ Maybe
you should. ”
    “ So
I could stare at you, Blake? And wonder what the hell you ’ re thinking … but you never talk. ”
    “ I ’ m talking right now, ” Blake said.
    “ Then
say something. ”
    “ Say
something, ” Blake murmured. “ Like … what do you want me to do? Make
it harder for you? Make it harder for me? ”
    “ Make
what harder? ” Maya asked.
    She was playing coy. And she was
being real snotty at it, too. Blake couldn't fault her though. All he wanted
for her was to be happy …
    Then tell her that.
    “ I
just want you to be happy, ” Blake said. “ That ’ s it. Whatever it is. If it ’ s here on the road with the
band, then be out here. If it ’ s
there, wherever you are, with someone else, then be there. That ’ s all I have to say. ”
    “ And
what if I wanted something like both? ” Maya asked.
    “ What
does that mean? ”
    “ I
don ’ t know, Blake. ”
    “ Fair
enough. Then just answer one thing. Are you happy? ”
    Silence.
    Fucking silence.
    The silence was intense.
    “ Wow, ” Blake whispered. “ That ’ s what I get. Nothing. ”
    “ That ’ s what you ’ ve been giving me for years. ”
    Ouch.
    “ I ’ m sorry I called then. If I woke
you. Woke your boyfriend. ”
    “ You ’ re an asshole, Blake. ”
    “ Goodnight,
Maya. I … I miss you …”
    “ I
miss you, too. ”
    And the call went dead.
    Just like that.
    At one in the morning.
    Blake dropped the phone. He made
fists and gritted his teeth. He hated the idea that Maya was in bed with
another man. Sleeping or something else, it all bothered him. Yet at the same
time, Blake knew his crutch for his pain and jealousy was booze and sex.
    Both of which he would take
advantage of right now.
    He spun around and was surprised to
see the woman standing there. Fully dressed.
    “ Hey, ” Blake said. “ What are you doing? ”
    “ Going
home, ” she said.
    “ Why? ”
    “ I ’ m … good. ”
    “ You ’ re good? What the fuck does that
mean, sweetheart? ”
    “ It
means what it means, ” the
woman said. She started to walk and stopped next to Blake. “ For the record, I ’ m a huge fan of the band. You ’ re the hottest drummer I ’ ve ever seen. And you ’ re amazing in bed. ”
    “ So
then name the reason you ’ re
actually leaving. ”
    “ Because
whoever you were just on the phone with deserves you. All of you. And you
deserve all of her. So figure that out, Blake. Stop sleeping around like a
cliche rockstar and go for her if you love her. ”
    The woman walked off the tour bus.
Blake looked forward and grabbed a bottle of whiskey and slammed it off the
table, shattering the bottle. He stood there, now completely alone, pissed