Page 102 of Just Wait

Riser leans against the wall by them. His dark curls are still wet from his post-show shower, and he’s wearing a Liminal long-sleeve T-shirt. He looks damn good with the way it stretches over his slender frame. It’s rather short, so when he moves just right, it shows a few inches of his dark olive skin and multitude of tattoos.

He catches me staring and winks.

I smile back.

I haven’t had the chance to spend much time with him today, but I want to.

Tennyson laughs, slapping hands with Rhys. Wren rolls her eyes, glancing away, like she can’t stand to be in Ten’s presence. That should make for an interesting dynamic once we’re back on the bus.

Parish bumps his shoulder against mine, nodding to the table. “I cut fresh straws. Pick your weapon.”

I laugh, grabbing the closest one and doing the line on the edge.

I’m probably going to owe them a ton of money before I leave.

Drugs aren’t cheap.

When I was bartending, I ended up accidentally dealing to find a way to offset the cost of all the weed Theo was smoking.

My coworkers were well-connected, and one introduced me to her dealer.

It started out small.

I’d get weed or whatever else for me and Theo. Then I was buying enough to get what the band needed. It was convenient, since what they bought ended up covering what we were using, plus a little extra spending money.

Among our friends, we always had a network where if someone found something they would offer to grab it for everyone, and vice versa. Only, when they’d reach out to ask if I knew where they could find something, I’d already have it.

It was relatively harmless.

It wasn’t like I was selling to strangers.

I was just the middleman for people I knew, and it really helped make ends meet.

It took me a while to realize that’s probably how all dealers get started, which scared me.

So I stopped.

Luckily, Theo’s band was scouted not too long after. We needed that break because the money I had been squirreling away was almost completely gone.

“Can I tell you a secret?” Parish asks as I settle back on the couch cushion.

I don’t want to know anyone’s secrets.

I’m already screwed up enough.

“No,” I say, laughing to offset the sting.

At the same time, he blurts out, “I really like that chick.”

“Wren?” I whisper, trying to be covert.

“That’s the one,” he agrees.

“It seems like she and Tennyson don’t get along very well…”

“Not at all.”

“Shit.”