Hard Habit to Break

Chapter 16

 Coming into the studio had been the cathartic release that Eddie needed. Him and the guys had come together like a well-oiled machine, the music and lyrics just flowing out of them with ease, damn near perfect the first time. They already had one album laid down. Their part was done for now. Now it was up to the sound guys to edit, mix, and master it so it would be ready for release.

Arty had loved the idea of a double album, teasing the second part to keep the fans hooked. The music was already written. They would just have to record it. He was so pleased with what they'd given him so far, that they'd gone above and beyond the twelve songs the label had demanded, that he'd told the guys to take the week off to have fun and enjoy their friends' visit.

He fidgeted, leaning from one foot to the other, his fingers twitching as his side, desperate for a cigarette he couldn't have right now. No smoking in airports. His teeth broke the skin on his bottom lip and he tasted blood as he scraped at it again and again, his eyes watching the runway, waiting for the moment when the plane touched down.

She wasn't going to be there. He knew she wasn't going to be there. They weren't going to convince her. So why was he so damn nervous? There was no way Tori was coming on this trip, not after the things he said to her, the way he treated her. He'd gone there to try to soften her pain and instead he'd only sharpened it, taken a knife and plunged it right into the soft flesh of her vulnerable belly.

What if none of them showed up? What if they were all angry at him for what he'd done? They'd never taken sides before. They hadn't dropped him after the split but this time was different. This time the line wasn't so murky. He was definitely the bad guy. Who said that kind of shit to someone who just lost their mom? Who pushed someone in their time of grief because they were so desperate to get what they wanted?

But none of them knew. None of them knew what had transpired between the two of them but him and her. Well, and Gareth. At least as far as he knew. If she'd told anybody, it was probably Robin. And while that girl ran off at the mouth, she was great at keeping secrets for the people she loved. She would never tell a soul if Tori asked her not to. That was what he kept telling himself as the plane slowly rolled into sight, preparing to connect with the jetway so passengers could disembark. Tori wouldn't have told everyone. She wouldn't.

"Hey man. Relax," Gareth urged, his hand grabbing onto Eddie's shoulder, giving him a shake to try to loosen his tense muscles. "This is going to be fun."

"Yeah," Jeff agreed. "I haven't seen these guys since they came to our show in Indy a couple years ago. We're going to have the best time while they're here."

"Did you make the reservations for dinner tonight?" asked Matt.

"Yeah, I made it for seventeen people at eight at Hotel Bel-Air. And I made sure to ask for outdoor seating."

"Seventeen, huh?" mused Gareth. "Someone's feeling optimistic."

Eddie pressed his hand into his shoulder, shoving. "Shut it. I'm not being optimistic. I just didn't want to assume anything and then not have enough room for everybody. That would look real good. Oh, sorry. We're short a chair because I didn't actually think you'd come. Yeah, that would go over well. I would rather have one empty chair just in case."

"You think she will come?" asked Jeff and Eddie could hear the hope in his voice. He hadn't seen Tori in five years. He hadn't gone to Hawkins for the funeral because him and Gareth had talked him out of it. He really wanted her to be on that plane but Eddie couldn't lie to him.

"No, man. I don't," he admitted. "She's not going to be on that plane. Trust me."

"But he's hoping. He made a call and we're going to The Viper Room tomorrow night," Gareth laughed.