Cole was here. He was most likely broken and upset. I wanted to call him. I wanted to rush over and take care of him. I wanted him to need me. I wanted to be that person he could lean on when things got crazy.
But then I remembered my firm resolve to be absolutely nothing to Cole Brandt.
I chewed on my bottom lip. “Is he okay?” I asked, knowing I couldn’t go to the source to find out.
Maysie brought her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them.
“I don’t know. He’s been different. They all have been. Even Jordan. They say fame can change you. And I think that’s what was going on. Their star is rising and they start falling apart. I never thought it would happen. But it did. And truthfully, I’m thankful that Jose made them all go home. I’m glad they were kicked off that tour. The best thing for each and every one of them is to come back to Bakersville and get a little perspective.”
Maysie was one smart cookie.
“I think I am thirsty. Mind if I take you up on your offer for a cup of coffee?” she asked and I shook my head.
“Not a problem, babe. Let me fix you a mocha latte.”
Gracie and I went with Maysie back to Garrett’s house later in the day. My roommate had gotten up not long after I had made Maysie her cup of coffee and she had to launch into the entire story again.
Gracie was just as shocked as I had been. I was surprised that she hadn’t already gotten the scoop from Mitch. Typically she was the first person he would call when anything was going on. But her obliviousness to the situation made me wonder what was going on between the two.
Pulling up outside of Garrett’s home, I felt faintly sick. I wasn’t sure whether Cole would be there or not. And I hated to admit that my offer to hang out with Maysie there had something to do with my desire to see him. To make sure he was okay.
I couldn’t call him. I wouldn’t be weak enough to go by his apartment. But Garrett’s was neutral territory in a sense and I could feel less pathetic if I happened to run into him there as opposed to hunting him down.
Because despite everything that was going on his life, I had made the choice to cut ties. I’d feel like a bit ole’ pile of wuss if I caved in so soon. No matter what the reasons.
The three of us walked into the house and found Jordan, Garrett, and Mitch sitting in the living room playing video games.
Finding them like this, you would think nothing was wrong. A case of beer sat opened on the coffee table. Jordan and Garrett were cussing each other out as they tried to shoot each other while playing some combat role-playing game. Mitch was strumming one of Garrett’s acoustic guitars and none of them seemed overly concerned that their music career was set to implode.
But there was one major change in this familiar scenario. Cole was noticeably absent. Typically he would be right there with his best friends, shouting inappropriate commentary or getting wasted.
The void I felt by his absence was intense.
Garrett looked up when we entered and lifted a hand in greeting and then promptly let loose a string of curses when Jordan shot his character on the screen.
Maysie dropped her purse on the pool table in the corner and went to sit in Jordan’s lap.
“Hey ladies. Guess you weren’t expecting to see us around so soon,” Jordan said wryly, kissing the side of his fiancée’s neck.
I guess he was going to acknowledge the giant elephant in the room before it had a chance to trample us.
Gracie seemed oddly uncomfortable and I couldn’t help but notice the way she and Mitch purposefully didn’t look at each other. There was something definitely going on between the two and when I had a chance I would be finding out.
Gracie sat down on the Lazy Boy across the room and I made myself comfortable on the couch beside Garrett.
“Yeah, I was pretty stunned to find Maysie on our doorstep at ten-thirty on a Sunday morning. My first thought was she had wised up and left your sorry ass,” I teased, trying to lessen the tension.