Page 273 of Hot Mess
“Of course,” Jesse said, and I could feel his sympathy for me. They all felt kinda bad I wasn’t on this tour with them.
They all wanted me to find success with my new band.
And my new relationship.
“They will,” Dylan said. “And hey, we’ll be back before you know it—”
“LISTEN UP, YEAH?!” Brody suddenly shouted over the noise of music and a dozen different conversations and video games playing all at once. “I’ve got some shit to say to you all.”
Someone turned down the AC/DC that was rocking through the house, as Brody made his way into the games room and everyone listened up. He threw his arm around Jesse’s shoulders and leaned on him, which seemed to be out of necessity, for balance, as much as it was out of love.
“Before I get too drunk—”
“Before…?” Zane challenged and everyone laughed, including Brody.
“Before I getmoredrunk,” Brody tried again, “and forget to say it, I need to thank you all for being here for me, when I know you’re all busy. I’m grateful we can all get together like this, even in the middle of a tour.”
“We wouldn’t miss it,” Jude said, and all the guys clapped their agreement.
“Yeah, Brody!” someone shouted from across the room. Pretty sure it was drunk Haz. Most of the security guys were off-duty and drunk, and my bodyguard had been pounding beers for hours.
They didn’t always get a chance to let loose with the rest of us like this, so it was a good thing.
“I need to thank Jesse for putting up with this mess in his house,” Brody went on. “As many of you know, my friend here doesn’t often host parties because he can’t handle anyone using his favorite whiskey glass or touching his shit.” Jesse grinned and Brody patted him on the back. “So I’m really honored that he’s opened his home to us tonight.”
A bunch of cheers went up for Jesse.
“I need to thank Jesse and Jude and Zane for taking me on a wicked trip up the coast this week, and for being my oldest friends and my brothers,” Brody went on, getting a little emotional, his voice all gritty. “I don’t know where I’d be without you guys, but it sure as fuck wouldn’t be here.”
More cheers and a few whistles went up.
“I’m also fucking stoked that in less than twenty-four hours this guy right here—” he jabbed Jesse in the ribs, “—is gonna be my brother, for real.”
“Love you, Bro,” Jesse said, and they gave each other a big bear hug.
There were more claps and a couple of jealous-macho groans when the hug lingered.
“Get a room!” Con called.
“I love you, brother,” Brody told Jesse as they pulled apart.
“I’m just glad my sister picked you and not Zane,” Jesse said with a big-ass grin, and Zane swaggered over to punch him in the stomach, lightly.
“Jessa and I look forward to seeing you all tomorrow, at our wedding,” Brody told us all, “so please have a good time tonight, take a cab home, and make sure you stop drinking by noon tomorrow so that you can at least show up at the wedding semi-sober before you start drinking again.”
Guys laughed and cheered some more, and someone passed forward a shot that Flynn handed over to Brody.
“Flynn,” Brody said, clapping a hand on Elle’s bodyguard’s shoulder. He was off-duty tonight, too, but he didn’t look drunk, just stiff, as usual. “This is a good man. Trust this man with my life, with Elle’s life. Trust a lot of you guys with our lives, the safety of our families. That’s not a small fucking thing.”
“Hear, hear,” Jesse said and lifted his drink.
“Don’t make Flynn cry,” Zane’s bodyguard, Shady, said, and the guys laughed.
Brody threw back his shot and the rest of us drank.
“So,” Brody continued, “Zane and Maggie are hosting the wedding at grandma Dolly’s place, because they’re fucking fantastic people. So please try not to destroy Doll’s flowerbeds. And make sure you piss in the toilet. Con, I’m looking at you.”
More laughter, and Jude gave Con a shove. “What?!” Con balked. “That wasone time. I couldn’t find the light switch and it was pitch black in your bathroom.”
