Breaking Her Bad by Michelle Mankin
Claire
I wanted to jump Kyle, wrap my legs around him, and have him make me his, preferably against the nearest wall.
My man was a serious guitarist. He could sing divinely, but now I knew he could also dance. He couldn’t be any more perfect for me, or sexier. But the wall would have to wait. My aunt was watching, standing below us, and she wasn’t alone.
“You play the guitar like your father.” Addy wagged an accusatory finger at Kyle, then pointed at me. “Why didn’t you tell me you could sing?”
I shrugged. “I don’t sing that well.”
“Bullshit,” the huge man at her side said, his voice deep and loud like a sonic boom. “Barry.” He pointed to himself.
“Hey, Dad.” Tommy waved with his sticks, then carefully laid them on top of the snare as he stood. “What’s going on? Who’s watching the restaurant?’
“Closed it for a few off-hours. Wanted to meet your friends. Connect with an old one of mine.” Barry glanced at Addy, and she looked like she might faint again.
“I’ve had too many surprises today.” Addy loosened her grip on her white bar towel, threw it over her shoulder, and turned to Barry. “Why don’t I pour you a drink on the house, and you catch me up on your life. Haven’t seen or heard from you since everything went to shit. Rach and I thought you were dead.”
“The rumors of my demise were greatly exaggerated.” Barry grinned, and his dark brown eyes crinkled at the edges. “I just went on a little personal spirit quest after ABCR fell apart. Explored several countries. Spent a while in Thailand. Got married. Had my son. Got divorced.”
“Lived, you mean.”
“Learned some things.” He gave Addy another meaningful look. “Came back to implement what I learned.”
“Came back because you heard my sister was free.”
“What?” His brows snapped together and he shook his head. “No. I came back because you’re here.”
“Oh. Well.” Addy slid the towel off her shoulders. Twisting it again, she gave Barry a furtive glance. “Hold that thought.”
“Will do, darlin’.” He lowered his voice. “Been holding it for a while. It’ll keep.”
Shivering, Addy refocused on me. “You’re fantastic, Claire. Better than your mother, and that’s not to put her down. Your mother is an amazing vocalist, but you’re better.” She lifted her towel in the air and swung it like a lasso while making eye contact with all of us. “I have an opening, and you three are gonna fill it. You’re going to be my new house band on Tuesday nights.”
Tommy thrust a fist in the air. “Righteous!”
My heart soared for a moment, then came crashing down to earth. “I can’t. I have homework.”
Addy waved a dismissive hand. “Do it during lunch.”
“I have band practice after school.”
“Forget that shit with Asa.” She wrinkled her nose. “It’s a waste of your time and talent. Being in the school band isn’t gonna get you a record contract.”
Ducking my chin, I shrugged. “We’re not that good.”
“Yes, you are.” Addy frowned at me. “Though you can be better. And I’m gonna help you.”
When Barry chimed in with, “Count me in too,” Addy nodded at him.
“My mom won’t like it.” I gave her my last excuse, a lame but legit one.
Addy crossed her arms over her chest. “Let me handle your mom.”
“You don’t understand—”
“I think maybe I do.” Her lips flattened. “Your mom thinks music caused all the problems with Andy and Collin, me, and Barry.”
When she pointed at Tommy’s dad, it hit me how connected we all were. We were a circle, just like Tommy said his dad believed in.
“Rach believes music destroyed ABCR,” Addy said.
“And it didn’t?” I asked, feeling like I was missing something.
“No. Music brought us together. It was drugs that destroyed the band. Everything fell apart after Andy OD’d.”
“You mentioned drugs being involved before,” I reminded her. “But not yourself, really.”
“I guess not.” Addy frowned. “I wasn’t in the band, but I did PR for the group. We all hung together. It wasn’t just about the gigs, we were friends, some of us closer than others. Friends, as I’m sure you’re aware, are a lifeline in Southside.”
She glanced around, and I noticed that Chad and Missy had abandoned their table and moved closer.
“I’ll let your mom fill you in on the more intimate details.” Addy averted her gaze for a moment. “There are a few involving her. Just know that though all the guys had a thing for her, she never was really interested in anyone until the day she met your dad.”
“Oh my.” My eyes rounded.
“Yeah.” Addy shook her head. “It was that kind of moment when they met. Rachel looked at Daniel like he hung the moon and made the stars shine. She shone around him like you do with Kyle, and like I did with Collin before our whole world went fucking bad.”
“What happened?” I asked in a whisper.
“Money started pouring in. Andy started doing drugs. Collin and Andy were best friends, but they started arguing about who was going to get credit for each song, instead of focusing on the music and friendship. I can’t believe your mom didn’t tell you any of this.”
“She didn’t. I still find it hard to believe my mom was in a band with your dad.” I turned to look at Kyle. He didn’t seem as surprised by all of this as I was.
“And don’t forget my dad,” Tommy said, then muttered, “Everyone forgets the drummer.”
Addy’s brows rose. “I can’t believe Barry the Beast had a kid.”
Tommy rubbed the back of his neck. “He just goes by Barry these days.”
“I’ll go by that title under certain circumstances,” Barry said as he shifted closer to Addy.
Addy gestured to herself. “Like if I let you in here.”
“Hell yeah,” Barry said.
“Right.” Addy scoffed. “As if you were ever interested in me. You’re such a pain in my ass.”
“I’m serious. Not joking around. But speaking of pain . . .” Barry exhaled. “It pains me to leave, but I need to. I have a business to run.” He placed his hands on Addy’s shoulders. “Rain check on the drink?”
“Yeah, sure.” She nodded but looked dazed again.
“Okay then.” Barry released her, but it didn’t seem like he wanted to. “C’mon, Tommy.”
“Right, Pop.” Tommy nodded, then gave Missy and me a long look. “It’ll be tough for me to fit in band practice and additional activities, but I’ll rearrange stuff as needed.”
Oh, right.I suddenly remembered my request for a martial arts lesson. That seemed a lifetime ago. The world as I’d known it had shifted.
It was different knowing all the stuff I’d learned about my mom, Addy, and Tommy’s dad. Also, I was in a band now. With Kyle. I liked that development, creating something new and unexpected together. I liked it a whole lot. But it was going to take time to digest everything else.
“But you’ll make it work. Right, Tommy?” Addy asked. “Band practice, I mean. Can’t have a band without a drummer.”
“I’m totally down for a next-generation band.” Tommy lifted his chin to Addy, then glanced at his dad. “With us picking up where ABCR left off, it seems like one of those full-circle do-overs you believe in.” He grinned. “Only we’re gonna rock it way harder.”
Barry nodded. “I hope you do, son.”
I watched as Tommy and his dad left Footit’s together. Side by side, they were both tall and wide-shouldered.
“Get a practice schedule figured out,” Addy said, and I shifted, catching her zeroing in on Kyle.
“We don’t have any songs.” He threw up his hands. “We haven’t even practiced for real, yet.”
Addy shook her head. “You have talent. The rest will follow. Tuesday night is a shit night for gigs, but I’m doing you a favor. You’ll get a little cash and gain a lot of experience.”
“But—”
She cut Kyle off. “It’s not up for debate. I’m not letting you waste your talent like your father did.”
Kyle’s gaze hardened and he lifted his chin. “I’m not my father. I’ll do my best to be here.”
“Not good enough. Say you’ll make it happen and be here Tuesday nights.” She wagged her finger at him.
It seemed Addy had singled Kyle out as our leader. It was a role that suited him.
“All right, it’ll happen,” he said firmly. “I’ll be here. I’ll make sure we all will.”
Addy grinned. “Come hell or high water.”
If Kyle was the band’s leader, it certainly seemed that she was more our manager than just the owner of the bar where we were going to play.
“Whatever you have to do. This isn’t just a chance for you and your uncle.” Pausing to make her point, Addy stared at me. “It’s a chance for my niece too.”