Leather and Lace (Eddie Roundtree)

Misfire

"Don't you know honey that love's a game/ It's always hit or miss, so take your aim/ Don't you miss this time/Please don't misfire"

Interviewer: So what happened next? The next day?

Layla Dunne: Oh, uh...

Eddie Roundtree: Nothing really, [mumbles] unfortunately

The next morning, Layla awoke to a headache. Then, the memories started coming back, like so many mornings after drunken nights. The memories weren't bad- she'd given her brothers shit at the party, she'd have to apologize to Graham, but the night ended good. And then there was Eddie. Oh my God, Eddie she thought. Slowly, she opened her eyes and turned her head to look at him. He lay sleeping next to her, mouth slightly open, one hand resting on his stomach and one hand on top of her hand.

It's unfair, she thought, for him to look so good so naturally.

What had gotten into her last night? Whatever it was it was still making itself at home in her chest. An ache when she looked at him or thought about him. She felt like a teenager again, wishing her brother's friend would make a move on her. She wasn't like this with men now. Then again, Eddie wasn't just some man.

No, she thought, Eddie's my friend and I just got him back.

But, she could've sworn he felt it too last night. All the thinking was hurting her head and she sunk back into the pillow with her eyes closed. If he didn't walk into that bar she wouldn't be so confused right now. She might've just gone home or maybe to the party. Maybe she would've-

"I don't care if that Brit has a hundred good ideas, I still think he is distracting you"

"is your newest suitor here?"

The words from Teddy and Damien last night came flooding back to her. She had to get out of this bed and out of this room.

She got up and grabbed her clothes from the corner she left them in last night before going into the bathroom to change. She found a hair-tie on the counter and used it to pile her hair on top of her head. She couldn't believe she just forgot about Brian like that. She'd been seeing him a little over a month and she wasn't sure if they were serious or exclusive. Still, they were doing more than just sleeping together. They met at a show, his show. She had come with some people, she couldn't remember who, but she ended up with the band at the afterparty. And yeah they hooked up, but they talked a lot that night too. She liked how he listened to her. Queen had only a few shows left of their tour, just down the coast in San Diego, and he invited her to come with them. After that the band had been hanging around L.A, putting off their inevitable return to England. During that time Brian and Layla were more or less an item. And she was happy, she had had no complaints. He was kind and interesting, he made her music better, he was great. But he wasn't Eddie, a little voice nagged her.

No he wasn't Eddie, but he was here and he...

Eddie is here now

The girl bit back a groan of frustration and put her face in her hands. She took a moment to convince herself that what she was feeling for Eddie was just some left over feelings from high school. Yeah, just a little spillover from my life in Hazelwood. Anyway, if Eddie liked her he would've done something about it by now. Nothing happened last night and that was good. She'd feel better after she called Brain later.
She faced her reflection as she thought this last bit.

"Liar" she said to it before leaving the bathroom.

She made her way to the kitchen and saw Camilla starting on breakfast.