Exactly. Kellen snorted because Owen’s thoughts mirrored his. “Don’t you see what he’s doing?” Kellen asked.
“Being the biggest fucking idiot who ever lived?” Gabe yelled.
“He’s calling her bluff.”
Tina didn’t have as many aces as she thought she did.
“What bluff?” Owen asked.
“I don’t know,” Kellen said, “but look at her face. She started off smug—like she had him by the balls, like she was in charge and held all the aces. And now she looks like she’s ready to fold.” Or puke.
“You don’t honestly think he’s willing to give up everything just to get back at her?” Gabe said. “And he’s not the only one he’s screwing here. What about us? We have a stake in this too. Did he ever consider how this would affect anyone but himself?”
“It has to have something to do with Julie,” Owen said.
Kellen’s heart skipped a beat. Owen was probably right. Jacob’s seemingly irrational behavior likely involved Julie. She was the only person on the planet that Jacob would sacrifice everything to protect.
“I’m going to kill him,” Gabe said. “If Adam doesn’t get to him before I do, I’m going to reach into his gut and yank out his balls from the inside.”
“Give him a little time to sort himself out,” Kellen said. Jacob wouldn’t betray them for the hell of it. Kellen hadn’t been sure of that before, but now, seeing him with Tina, he had no doubt that she’d somehow forced his hand, and he’d called her on it.
“He’s getting back together with Tina.” Owen pointed at the television where Jacob was discussing plans for his less than spectacular future.
“I might paint houses,” Jacob said. “Or sell tires. I do want to finish my education—get my GED and set the right example for my daughter.”
“I don’t think he is.” Kellen tilted his head slightly, looking for more clues in the couple’s body language. All was not easy and happy in the Silverton household, that much was clear.
“You’re going to let him get away with this bullshit?” Gabe said. “He walked out on us, Kellen. And without him fronting the band, Sole Regret will never be the same.”
Lead singers almost always made the band. Kellen couldn’t deny how much easier it was to find a replacement for a rhythm guitarist, a bassist, even a drummer. But a singer? Or their lead guitarist and songwriter? The two of them really made the band. None of them could deny that reality.
“Maybe he’ll change his mind,” Owen said.
“And maybe we’ll tell him to fuck off,” Gabe said.
“He’s obviously struggling. Look at him.” Kellen rose to his feet and pointed at the screen. Couldn’t they see the tension right before them? Or maybe he was the odd one for recognizing it so easily. “Look at his posture.”
When Owen and Gabe looked at him as if he were discussing an imaginary friend, Kellen sighed. They really didn’t see it. Did either of them ever pay attention to how Jacob normally behaved?
“He was acting off before Adam left, you morons. I’m telling you, something is going on with him that he didn’t share with us.”
“Obviously,” Gabe said. “But that’s no excuse to stab your friends in the back. He just up and left.”
“Adam also fucking left,” Kellen shouted, since calm discussions didn’t get through to Gabe.
Gabe punched the sofa’s arm and growled, “And the three of us are left here holding our dicks.”
Kellen couldn’t argue that fact. The three of them were totally screwed if Jacob and Adam never reconciled. And Jacob was the key to settling their differences. Adam was too self-centered to put anyone before his own agenda.
“Jacob has only fucked us over this once; Adam has left us high and dry dozens of times,” Owen said.
Kellen smiled at his friend—who always sided with him, always had his back—but Owen’s attention was fixed on Gabe, so he offered no return smile. Jacob had left, but only because Adam had added the final straw. Jacob needed their backing right now, not their animosity. Adam needed support as well. Hell, Kellen could use a little reassurance himself, and he was sure he wasn’t the only man in the room feeling that need. They had to come up with a way to get everyone back together and on speaking terms, or this band really would be over.
“I think we have to support him until he figures out what he wants,” Kellen said, figuring Gabe wasn’t ready to hear that. He’d never seen the guy so angry before.
“I’m not supporting his insanity.” Gabe jerked to his feet and covered his head with his ball cap. “We put all our faith in him, and he left us. Without a word, he left.”
Gabe’s anger was a front for his hurt, Kellen realized. Jacob had hurt Gabe by leaving, by potentially breaking up the band, and Gabe didn’t know how else to react.
“You need to think this through before you go off, Gabe,” Kellen said. “You could make things worse.”
“Stop being so goddamned even-tempered, Cuff! This doesn’t piss you off? Not even a little?”
Kelly shook his head. “It makes me sad.” Which hadn’t been his first reaction. Like Gabe, he’d been pissed, but Kellen was past anger now and falling into despair.
Gabe glared at Owen, who grimaced. “And I suppose you’re in agreement with your friend here. You two practically share a brain.”
“Maybe Julie is sick,” Owen said, and immediately Kellen’s heart sank. Julie being sick would be terrible, but it would explain Jacob’s rash behavior.
Gabe’s rage finally ratcheted down a notch. “Why would you think that?”
“He’s been adamant about spending time with Julie lately. Scheduled the entire tour around his visitation days. So maybe something is terribly wrong with her.”
“It could be that,” Kellen said. He hoped not from the depths of his soul and searched for any reason to discredit the idea, because thinking Julie was sick was too agonizing to face. “But I don’t think he’d hide that from us.”
Gabe was standing over them with his fists on his thighs—a divisive force in the room. Except nothing would ever divide Kellen and Owen. Not even Gabe’s temper.
“Will you sit down?” Kellen said to him. “We need to figure this mess out.”
“We need to get Shade back,” Owen said.
Kellen loved that they were thinking the same way—not that it surprised him. He smiled and nodded at Owen, but noticed that Caitlyn was doing a good job of offering her silent support to Owen, so turned back to Gabe.
“Maybe I don’t want him back,” Gabe said, but he sat.
“Which of us do you think he’d be most likely to listen to?” Kellen asked.
“Gabe,” Owen said. “But not if he goes there all pissed off like he is now.”
“I’m not pissed off,” Gabe said.
“Riiiight,” Owen said, rolling his eyes, and Caitlyn giggled.