Don't You Dare: A Synyster Gates Story

Chapter Thirteen

Matt and Val's house was booming with people before they even arrived. Matt and Jason Berry had snuck over early and, using their spare keys, set everything up as more of a "Welcome Home" party than a "We're Home" party.

Aubrey was surprised to see how big and extravagant Matt and Val's house was considering how down-to-earth and low-key they both were. It was crafted modern-style, very white and bright and open. It was beautiful, and the size and openness made it the perfect house for hosting parties.

Their backyard held a huge patio that led down to a pool and deck that overlooked the ocean, which was about 500 feet away from their house and seemed to be on a private beach.

"Aubrey!" Matt Berry greeted when he saw her. "My replacement!"

"Hey!" She greeted happily, despite feeling like she did not know him well at all. She did his job on the tour but she only knew him for two whole days.

"Thank you so much for holding down the fort while I was gone," he said kindly to her. "I hope they didn't give you too much trouble."

"Hardly any," she said with a wink then her expression changed to a sympathetic one. "Hey, I'm so sorry to hear about your grandmother."

Sadly, Jason and Matt's grandmother passed away three days ago.

"Ah, thank you," Matt sighed. "I was able to spend so much time with her in her last few months and I owe that all to you."

"It wasn't a problem at all," she said.

"Here, babe," Brian said as he appeared beside her, handing her a beer.

Matt gave her an interesting glance but didn't say a word about the interesting interaction.

"Thanks," she replied as she glanced at Brian then took the beer and took a sip. She couldn't help but think how handsome he looked in his button-down plaid shirt with the sleeves rolled up, exposing his lean tattooed arms.

"Welcome home, Haner," Matt acknowledged with a nod.

"Thank you, sir," Brian replied, tilting his beer toward his friend.

They had a quick silent conversation through the expressions in their eyes, something only the closest of friends could do, then Matt smirked.

"Well, let's get this party started, huh?" Matt shouted, throwing his hands up and turning around to the growing group of guests, who simultaneously shouted happily in response.

Throughout the day, she met so many of their friends. She had been so cooped up with the six of them for so long, she found it interesting to see all these other people that they knew and loved. And she especially enjoyed hearing stories about their childhood and adolescence from friends who had known them for years.

That evening, she found herself sitting on Brian's lap in a lawn chair by the pool as all their friends sat around listening to Jimmy tell stories from tour.

"Listen, I woke up snuggling a burrito," Jimmy said with a snorting laugh.

Their friends let out booming laughter as they pictured the scene.

"Johnny was using his taco as a pillow," Val noted, chuckling. "An open taco. As in, he was laying directly in his food."

Despite having lived through the story, Brian and Aubrey were as hysterical as the rest of the guests who were hearing this story for the first time.

"At one point, he sat up and looked at us, and there were pieces of lettuce and ground beef hanging off of his cheek," Aubrey added through her laughs.