Page 55 of Hard Count
“What?”
“Grunge,” Piper said after a moment. “That whole era.”
Noah raised an eyebrow. “That was a long time ago. You’re a secret Seattle guy now?”
“I’m a secret not- L.A. guy.”
Piper shifted his weight, still looking out the window.
“I used to listen to the band Hole,” he said. “More than I probably should have.”
Noah blinked. “That I didn’t expect. They were not even Seattle grunge.”
“Courtney Love married into Seattle Grunge,” Piper said, then added, “She was a beautiful mess, but nobody tried to clean her up.”
Noah watched him more closely at that.
“I’ve always had a thing for misunderstood people.”
“That tracks,” Noah said as he reached for his phone and tapped Spotify. Music came in low, filling the room.Miss Worldby Hole.
Piper turned. “You’re kidding.”
“It’s on my lifting playlist.”
“That’s fucking absurd.”
“It works.”
Piper studied him, then looked away again. “I believe you. You’re a fucking riddle.”
The song settled into the room. The guitar heavy as Piper leaned back against the glass.
“This is better than anything on the charts right now.”
“That’s a low bar.”
“Still counts.”
Noah didn’t argue. After a moment, quieter, “One day we should go to The Abbey.”
Piper glanced at him.
“The gay bar.”
“I know what it is,” Piper said.
“Good.”
Piper looked back out at the water. “That would require being seen there.”
“Yeah.”
“That would be a problem.”
“Yeah.”
Neither of them tried to resolve it.
