On the Way Down

Chapter Twenty-Six

The scene feels all a bit déjà vu when the Ocean Floor doorman checks my name off a list. He hands me a wristband and sends me on my way inside the bar, where the thumping drumbeat and thrashing guitars of the opening band have already taken over. Until a few weeks ago, I hadn't seen one of Torin's shows in practically an eon. Now, hanging out at his gigs seems like a regular occurrence, for better or for worse. At least this one will be absent of the usual tension between Phoenix and him.

Ava's text that she's already here landed on my phone a few minutes ago. It doesn't take long to spot her in the darkened room, chatting with Torin near the bar. Nash is here, too. He sits on a barstool, off by himself, with his eyes glued to his phone.

The atmosphere of the Ocean Floor is entirely different from Nebula. It's beachy and aquatic themed, features a floor-to-ceiling water wall, and has a laid-back vibe that may be more mellow than anything I've ever come across in Vegas. The contrast reminds me again that tonight should be less of an ordeal than the last two times I've been inside a bar with Torin and his band. I still have to force my shoulders to relax when I get close to the bar.

"We finally get her alone at a show," Ava announces to Torin with a wink. She's loud enough for me to hear her over the music.

Torin hugs me, then he makes a show of looking to my left, looking to my right, and looking behind me.

"What are you trying to see?" I ask.

"Not what, but who, and I'm glad I don't. Did you come to your senses and ditch him?"

So it's going to be like this tonight. Fantastic. I can't imagine why my shoulders tense up again.

"Comedians, both of you." I wiggle out of Torin's arms. "Phoenix had to work this weekend."

"What a shame," he quips. "At least he's finally working, or so he says. Has he explained what he's been doing in Vegas the rest of the time?"

Ava squints at him, then glances at me. Her entire face is a question mark. Wonderful. This is not the time to get into Torin's suspicions about how long Phoenix has been in Las Vegas for and if he's really working there. She's wary enough already after him disappearing for a few days and claiming reception issues.

"He isn't here, so why is he still living rent-free in your head?" I stare Torin down and silently dare him to pretend he isn't strangely obsessed.

"Dude, Del came here to have a good time and not for you to hassle her. Save the intensity for the stage."

Nash's voice comes from behind me. I turn around to see him now standing beside Ava, with his arm around her waist. How he turned out to be the peacemaker in all of this still puzzles me, but I'm grateful for his words and am more convinced than ever that Phoenix has no reason to be concerned about how he'll treat Ava. He's so far the only voice of sanity among us.

"Thank you," I say. "I came for the fun and not to be ambushed."

"Del knows we adore her." Torin squeezes my shoulder. "It's all in fun."

"Of course. What a blast for me."

The snark I thought I left at Granville yesterday afternoon seems to have come flying down the freeway and inserted itself into my replies again. I'm tempted to shrug Torin's hand away to punctuate what I said, but I don't. As inappropriate as this entire conversation has been, and as much as I expected my friends to be on my side and not come at me with quite this much force, at least half of my irritation isn't with them. It's with myself. I'm still not one-hundred percent sure Ava and Torin are wrong after talking with Phoenix last night.

It's also because I know my friends have my back in the end, even if I don't agree with their methods of showing it. Neither of them want me to get burned again. They have valid reasons to not hand Phoenix a get out of jail free card, and to remind me they aren't going to anytime soon.