4 Chapter 4

I assumed things went well after that, as they’d flown to New York to meet with the label’s executives. I hadn’t been able to get time off work, although I hadn’t actually been invited to go with them anyway. The lack of an invite hurt, even though none of the other guys had taken their partners. I glance over at Tank, still nervously drumming. Things haven’t been the same since New York. What hurts the most is Tank pulling away, not wanting to make love with me. He’s claimed tiredness and stress, but I know there’s something else. I take comfort from the fact he asked me to come to tonight’s concert and drive him home afterward.

The silence stretches out between us. Sure, it’s usual for Tank to be subdued after a performance, but this is different, and it makes me uneasy.

In an attempt to restart the conversation, I say, “As soon as you all got it together after Blaze’s mistake you really kicked it up a couple notches.”