Hoping to see the smile I knew and loved, I crooked a grin and told her, “There’s always one thing you can do to wake me up…” I wriggled my eyebrows so she’d know exactly what I was talking about. She gave me a humoring smile as she shoved me toward the door, but that was about it. I’d kind of been hoping she would take me up on my suggestion. My bed had been so frosty last night it had made the Antarctic seem warm in comparison. It concerned me some. Anna usually attacked me when I came home from a trip, but she’d told me she wasn’t in the mood and had turned onto her side when I’d started nibbling on her. She hardly ever turned me down. And I’ll admit, the rejection hurt a little.
Thinking maybe a date night would cheer her up, I asked, “You sure you don’t want to go out with me? We could get a sitter for the girls?”
Anna looked around our home like she was memorizing it. “No…I want to be here tonight…”
I really didn’t understand the sadness that had been hovering around her since our argument. I’d expected the burst of anger, but the lingering melancholy…I just didn’t get it. I wanted her to be as excited about our new life as I was. It worried me that maybe she wouldn’t get over this…but we were L.A.-bound tomorrow, our new life awaited, and it was going to be epic. The Griffin Show: all Griff, all the time.
Hopping into my Hummer, I left my house for one last hurrah in Seattle. I really was going to miss it here, especially Pete’s, which is where I was headed. Even though I’d been raised in L.A., I felt like I’d grown up at the bar…come into my own, if you will. Since I didn’t know when I’d be back, I felt like it was the only place I should be tonight. As I pulled into the parking lot, I wished Anna had decided to come out with me. Since we’d met in this bar, it felt wrong to not say our goodbyes together. Pete’s was a milestone location for our relationship. She should be here.
Pushing aside that pensive thought, I shoved open the double doors to Pete’s like I was breaking them down. I wanted everyone to hear me coming. Since it was Saturday night, the place was packed. Numerous heads swiveled at my grand entrance; my skin sizzled as their eyes devoured me. Yeah…I loved being the center of attention.
A cheer went up in the bar when people recognized me. That was one of the best things about Pete’s—I was always recognized here. By the regulars, if nothing else. As expected, the fans started swarming around me, fondling me and asking questions. Their questions weren’t the kind I’d been expecting though, and their touches were more violent than usual. “How could you break up the band! How could you leave! Why are you doing this to us, when we’ve supported you for so long!”
The heat in their voices surprised me. I’d been expecting nothing but congratulations from the fans. “What the fuck are you going on about? I’m switching one awesomeness for another, that’s all.”
“You’re changing the band!” One red-faced girl shouted at me. “You’re ruining everything! How do you sleep at night, knowing you destroyed the D-Bags!”
I stared at her, dumbstruck. Ruining everything? I was making it better. For me, anyway. And I slept just fine, thank you very much. I was about to tell her that when a voice from the middle of the bar broke through the chatter.
“Yeah, Griffin! How do you sleep, knowing you fucked over the people who gave you the great life you resent so much?”
I looked over the various heads surrounding me until I found the owner of the voice. Matt. I should have known. He was standing near another clump of people, holding a beer and sneering at me like I was committing a sin just by being here. Rachel was with him, and by the way she was supporting him, I figured Matt was plastered. That would explain the outburst. Matt generally didn’t like to attract attention to himself.
Shoving some customers out of the way, I strode forward. “You got something to say to me, cuz?”
Matt tapped a finger against his jaw. “I’m not sure…but I think I just said it.” He turned to Rachel. “I was speaking out loud, right?”
Rachel sighed, then said something quietly and tugged on his arm. She looked like she didn’t want to be here anymore. I kind of agreed, but I was too mad to leave. “Screw you, Matt. I’m only doing this because you left me no other choice.”
Matt’s face turned an even deeper shade of red, and he started storming toward me; the fans between us quickly got out of the way, and Rita at the bar warned us to be good or she wouldn’t hesitate to call the cops on our asses. I glanced over to see her summoning the bar’s bouncer. I didn’t have time to worry about it though, because Matt had reached me, and he was pissed enough and blitzed enough that he wasn’t happy stopping with verbally assaulting me.
With both hands against my chest, he shoved me backward. I stumbled but caught myself. “Dude! Lighten the fuck up,” I snapped.
He let out a sardonic laugh. “Lighten up? You fucked the band three weeks before our album dropped. You’re the most selfish person I’ve ever met. I always knew you were a piece of work, but I had no idea what a fucking fucker you were until now. But you know what, it doesn’t fucking matter. We’ll replace your ass and move on. It will be easy as can be; I know a dozen guys who would love to have what you just threw away.”
He was in my face, shouting at me like I’d gone deaf or something. His words were tiny logs being set on my internal fire, stoking me piece by piece. If he didn’t shut his piehole soon, I was going to shut it for him. “Cool it, Matt. I’m just about done with you.”