On the Way Down

Chapter Eighteen

"I'll get him." Nash winks at me. "Let me go rescue your boy. If you don't stick around until after the show, get my number from Ava or Phoenix if you feel like bouncing theories or ideas off of me, or if you have questions about Len. I'd love to help if I can, as a tribute to her."

He gives Ava's elbow a squeeze and then heads off to the corner where Phoenix and Torin are. Torin still seems heated as he says something it's impossible to make out from over here. Phoenix appears calm while he listens, even though a couple of people standing nearby openly stare, slack-jawed, at whatever comes out of Torin's mouth. He stops speaking when Nash joins them, but irritation remains written all over his face when he turns and walks in the direction of the stage.

Why can't he follow Ava's example and chill out for a couple of hours? There's no chance I'll be talked into staying here for a possible second round of this after the show is over, but I will reach out to him after I'm back in L.A. to discuss why he's so upset and to make a few things clear about boundaries and what he doesn't have a say in.

"I'm going to the bar," Ava announces. "Want me to get you a shot of something strong? You look like you need it."

"I'm good, thanks." The tightness that's settled into my jaw and shoulders probably tells Ava otherwise, but she only gives me a quick side hug and doesn't say anything else before she saunters off.

As tense and annoyed as I am, the feelings begin to fall away as Phoenix makes his way through the throng of people crowding the space between where he just stood and where I am. Whatever went down, he doesn't seem fazed by it. His gaze softens when our eyes meet, and his lips curve up into a smile the moment he's next to me again.

"I'm glad you made it back in one piece," I tell him, only half-kidding. "Is everything all right?"

"Everything is fine. Torin just wanted to remind me how amazing you are, and how lucky I am to be in your life."

"Why do I feel like that's a creative spin on things?" I straighten the collar of his shirt, then rest my hand over his heart, feeling its steady beat below my palm. "He was fuming at you. What did he really say?"

"That he cares about you and has concerns about me. I can't blame him for that. I didn't come here expecting him to be thrilled."

"And the agreement he mentioned?"

"It wasn't an agreement. He was concerned about me approaching you the last time you were here and had a few things to say about it after you left his house that night. That's all."

His heartbeat remains the same steady rate, which is a good indication he's telling the truth. Even so, this sounds like one of the short versions of the story he's so good at, and I want the longer one.

"What things?" I prompt, removing my hand from his chest.

He chooses that moment to take a long sip of water. For someone who used to be a top-rated actor, he's not doing a great job of hiding the fact that he's stalling.

"I can badger him about it later and get his version of events, or you can tell me now. It's your choice."

My tone should tell him I'm not here to play, and that he doesn't need to sugarcoat whatever Torin said. He puts the cap back on his water and meets my eyes.

"It was mostly that his drum sticks would stay away from my kneecaps as long as I kept my distance and left you alone. We're working that out."

I love Torin like he's my flesh-and-blood sibling and this doesn't change that, but he's taking his protective big brother role a bit too far. Making physical threats isn't okay, whether they're explicit or implied, and whether it was three weeks ago or tonight.