to have gotten quite that far.”
I whip off the towel around my waist, my hard-on definitely killed now, and start rubbing at my chest and arms to warm up.
“What the hell did you want to talk to me about, Walsh?” I’m getting pissed quickly here. Tammy has sent Walsh to do her dirty work and he doesn’t even realize it.
“Sit down, man.” He gestures to the nearby table and chairs on the pool deck.
I sit, but not happily, and I convey that to him in every move I make.
“Look.” He starts. “Tammy is all kinds of freaked out about you and Mel being buddies or whatever you’re calling it at this point.”
“And I care about this why?”
“Christ, Joss! What is your deal with Tammy these days? It’s like anything she says or does pisses you off. I feel like I spend all damn day tiptoeing around the two of you and whatever fucking axe you’ve got to grind.”
I sigh and run my finger along the glass top of the table, noticing how the drops of water from my arms have smeared across the surface, kind of like how my night with Tammy has smeared across the surface of my life.
“I don’t have any deal with Tammy,” I snap back. “I just don’t like being told who I can and can’t see. Tammy may be the boss of you, but she’s not my girlfriend or mother or sister. I don’t do her bidding, and she’d be smart to remember that.”
Walsh clears his throat. There are some guys who’d kick your ass if you talked about their fiancées that way, but I know Walsh isn’t one of them, so I push it farther than is kind.
“Look, Joss, I’m not here only because Tammy’s worried. I happen to agree with her on this one.” He holds up a hand, telling me to wait as I open my mouth to protest. “I’ve known Mel since she was ten years old, man. She’s like a little sister to me, and I care about her being happy. You’re my best friend, and as much as I want you to be happy too, I don’t think you’re the right thing for Mel.
“She’s not like us, man,” he continues. “She’s got this, I don’t know, this special way about her. She’s an artist, and she’s sort of a new soul or something, you know? You and me and Tammy, we’ve been around this whole life a few times. We’ve seen it and felt it all before, but Mel, she’s just discovering.”
I watch him, amazed that he really does seem to understand her. He sees her. He gets her, and in some ways it makes me sad. I thought I was the only one to see those things. I thought if I realized she was special, it meant I was special too, and now I see I’m one of many.
“In all the years I’ve known you, Joss, you’ve never stayed with one woman for more than a few weeks. You’re not a dog like Mike, but you’re also not the settling down kind. I’m worried you’ll hurt Mel, even if you don’t mean to.”
I ponder the tabletop some more before I finally look up at him. While I want to be the good guy, the guy who says, “Yeah, I hear you and I respect that you’re looking out for your future sister-in-law,” I can’t be. I’m already in too deep. I deserve my turn, dammit. I get to be happy too. So instead, I stand up, looking down at him, fisting and unfisting one hand at my side while the other holds the towel.
“I’m sorry you feel that way, man. I’m the first to admit that I’ve never stuck around with any one woman very long. I’ve never met one worth sticking to. But Mel might be that woman, and I’m not going to miss the chance to find out because you and Tammy are in overprotective-parent mode. Mel’s an adult. She can decide who she wants to see and when. I can promise you I’ll respect her, and I can promise you I won’t do anything to hurt her if I can help it. Other than that, it’s between me and Mel.”
Mel
I’ VE BEEN avoiding Joss for three days now. Through two more concerts, twenty hours of bus rides, two nights in hotels, and another of the band’s well-known green room post-show parties. He hasn’t
I whip off the towel around my waist, my hard-on definitely killed now, and start rubbing at my chest and arms to warm up.
“What the hell did you want to talk to me about, Walsh?” I’m getting pissed quickly here. Tammy has sent Walsh to do her dirty work and he doesn’t even realize it.
“Sit down, man.” He gestures to the nearby table and chairs on the pool deck.
I sit, but not happily, and I convey that to him in every move I make.
“Look.” He starts. “Tammy is all kinds of freaked out about you and Mel being buddies or whatever you’re calling it at this point.”
“And I care about this why?”
“Christ, Joss! What is your deal with Tammy these days? It’s like anything she says or does pisses you off. I feel like I spend all damn day tiptoeing around the two of you and whatever fucking axe you’ve got to grind.”
I sigh and run my finger along the glass top of the table, noticing how the drops of water from my arms have smeared across the surface, kind of like how my night with Tammy has smeared across the surface of my life.
“I don’t have any deal with Tammy,” I snap back. “I just don’t like being told who I can and can’t see. Tammy may be the boss of you, but she’s not my girlfriend or mother or sister. I don’t do her bidding, and she’d be smart to remember that.”
Walsh clears his throat. There are some guys who’d kick your ass if you talked about their fiancées that way, but I know Walsh isn’t one of them, so I push it farther than is kind.
“Look, Joss, I’m not here only because Tammy’s worried. I happen to agree with her on this one.” He holds up a hand, telling me to wait as I open my mouth to protest. “I’ve known Mel since she was ten years old, man. She’s like a little sister to me, and I care about her being happy. You’re my best friend, and as much as I want you to be happy too, I don’t think you’re the right thing for Mel.
“She’s not like us, man,” he continues. “She’s got this, I don’t know, this special way about her. She’s an artist, and she’s sort of a new soul or something, you know? You and me and Tammy, we’ve been around this whole life a few times. We’ve seen it and felt it all before, but Mel, she’s just discovering.”
I watch him, amazed that he really does seem to understand her. He sees her. He gets her, and in some ways it makes me sad. I thought I was the only one to see those things. I thought if I realized she was special, it meant I was special too, and now I see I’m one of many.
“In all the years I’ve known you, Joss, you’ve never stayed with one woman for more than a few weeks. You’re not a dog like Mike, but you’re also not the settling down kind. I’m worried you’ll hurt Mel, even if you don’t mean to.”
I ponder the tabletop some more before I finally look up at him. While I want to be the good guy, the guy who says, “Yeah, I hear you and I respect that you’re looking out for your future sister-in-law,” I can’t be. I’m already in too deep. I deserve my turn, dammit. I get to be happy too. So instead, I stand up, looking down at him, fisting and unfisting one hand at my side while the other holds the towel.
“I’m sorry you feel that way, man. I’m the first to admit that I’ve never stuck around with any one woman very long. I’ve never met one worth sticking to. But Mel might be that woman, and I’m not going to miss the chance to find out because you and Tammy are in overprotective-parent mode. Mel’s an adult. She can decide who she wants to see and when. I can promise you I’ll respect her, and I can promise you I won’t do anything to hurt her if I can help it. Other than that, it’s between me and Mel.”
Mel
I’ VE BEEN avoiding Joss for three days now. Through two more concerts, twenty hours of bus rides, two nights in hotels, and another of the band’s well-known green room post-show parties. He hasn’t
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