Total pages in book: 126
Estimated words: 121916 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 610(@200wpm)___ 488(@250wpm)___ 406(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121916 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 610(@200wpm)___ 488(@250wpm)___ 406(@300wpm)
“Three,” I reply, throwing down my discards, and C-Bomb slides over some replacements with one of his tattooed, insanely talented hands.
C-Bomb’s sandy hair is shaved close today, and he’s wearing his beard long. He’s shirtless for this poker game, which means his muscles are on full display, along with the ink that covers every inch of him, literally, other than his face. To top off his legendary-rockstar vibe, he’s got a blunt hanging out of his mouth and a bottle of Jack sitting next to him on the green card table.
I’ve known C-Bomb for years now, and he’s always been a friend and mentor to me and our whole band. But even so, it’s hard not to stare at him in awe, even now, as he sits across from me. The dude’s a legend. The guy we all want to be. Minus his anger management issues, anyway. Also, if you ask Ruby, his substance abuse and addiction issues. Ruby’s been vocal she thinks C-Bomb needs rehab, badly, more than anyone we know. But C-Bomb always scoffs at the idea, and he seems to be doing pretty well in life, so we leave him be. But, yeah, other than those things, the man’s pretty much life goals. A towering figure to all of us at this table—a beacon of what’s possible to achieve as a musician in this world.
“How many cards for you, Fish Taco?” C-Bomb asks the bass player of 22 Goats.
“Zero,” Fish says with confidence.
“You sure about that, kiddo?”
“I’m sure.”
C-Bomb arches an eyebrow and inhales from the blunt hanging out of his mouth. “Very interesting, Fish Taco. Can’t wait to see how that pans out for ya, kid.” He addresses Colin Beretta, Fish’s drummer, next. “Colinoscopy? How many cards, my friend?” Those two have become particularly close lately, I’ve noticed, ever since Colin married C-Bomb’s favorite former PA, Amy.
“Three for me,” Colin replies, laying down his discards.
All discards handled, it’s finally time to play the game. Betting starts, and our usual, light chatter begins.
“Why couldn’t Titus make it tonight?” C-Bomb asks, after inhaling from his blunt.
“He’s meeting his girlfriend’s parents tonight,” Kai replies.
“Sounds serious,” C-Bomb mutters. “Is she cool?”
“We don’t know,” Kai says. “They met right before we left on tour, and she only came to visit him once. After that, they were long-distance the whole time.”
“He likes her a lot, though,” I interject. “He didn’t seem even tempted to break things off during the tour, even though she could only come visit him that one time.”
“What about you, KC?” C-Bomb asks. “Are you dating anyone these days?”
I shake my head. “Other than my fake relationship with Ruby for the show, I’m single as ever.” With Kai sitting here, and with me knowing C-Bomb’s little sister is Miranda, a close friend of Ruby’s, I’ve got no choice but to stick to the story.
“In that case, ask my sister out, would you?” C-Bomb says, as he throws some chips into the pot. “Miranda’s newly single again, and I don’t want her getting with another douchebag.”
Kai interjects, “I’ll ask her out.”
“Fuck no, you won’t.”
Everyone cracks up at C-Bomb’s clapback, even Kai.
C-Bomb adds, “I just said I don’t want my sister dating another douchebag, remember?” As we all laugh again, C-Bomb returns to me. “Seriously, though, are you interested in her, KC? Miranda’s always liked you. And if I could handpick one guy to make an honest woman out of my wild sister, it’d be you.”
“Sorry, C-Bomb,” Savage interjects. “KC can’t date your sister, when he’s madly in love with Titus’s.”
I glare at Savage with wide eyes that scream, “What the fuck, man?” But it’s a pointless exercise. He’s visibly drunk and stoned off his ass. Which means his filter is now gone, baby, gone.
“So, all that kissing you’ve been doing with Ruby on the internet has been real,” C-Bomb says with a chuckle. “I figured as much, but Miranda swore it was all an act to piss off Cooper or whatever.”
“It’s not necessarily real, but it’s not fake, either,” Savage says incoherently. “He’s madly in love, but Ruby thinks they’re only having a fling.”
“Wait, what?” Kai blurts.
“Savage. Please, shut the fuck up now.”
“Ooooh, this is getting interesting,” C-Bomb says. “You’re flinging with your bestie, while secretly wanting more? Nice.”
“Oldest trick in the book,” Savage says. He raises his index finger. “But also, highly effective.”
“Kendrick, what the fuck?” Kai says. “You want Ruby for real? Since when?”
I run a hand through my hair. “Guys, listen to me, this conversation can’t leave this room, okay? Please. I’m begging you.”
“Calm down,” C-Bomb says with a laugh. “Savage didn’t tell us anything we didn’t already know. We all know you’ve been love with that keyboardist of yours for years now.”
“I didn’t know that,” Kai insists.
“How is that even possible?” C-Bomb says to Kai. “He’s not subtle. The kid wears his heart on his sleeve.”