No Way Back (a Taylor Hawkins fan fiction)

Chapter 14 - Ladies Nights and Invites

Gen sat on her balcony, coffee in one hand, cigarette in the other, feet resting on the railing. She gazed out at her view of the freeway and inhaled a drag of her smoke, hearing the glass door slide open behind her.

"Hey there, babe-friend!" Rachel cooed, taking a seat next to her. "Are you suffering from withdrawl?"

Gen laughed, still staring at the freeway. Taylor had left town two days before to play some dates with his side-project The Coattail Riders and wouldn't be back for another two weeks.
"I think I'll live."

"OH THE HUMANITY!" Rachel drawled dramatically, throwing her hand over her eyes. "Rock star boyfriend on the road. What will you do with yourself?"

"Well it's my night off, I invited Kate to come out for drinks. Perhaps we will visit your sorry ass at The Sunroom."

"Please," Rachel moaned, "I hate Tuesdays." She lit a cigarette of her own and exhaled a cloud of smoke at the sky. Gen's phone buzzed on the table beside her. She picked it up and grinned.
"Mr. T?"

Gen shook her head. She had only received a couple texts from Taylor since he left and she was quietly going crazy.

"Nope. Just Kate. I think she's looking forward to a ladies night."

"Ladies night at The Sunroom - sounds like a night of polar bear shots and poor decision making."

"The usual."

***

"You've got to be kidding me," Gen glared at Rachel as two shot glasses, smelling strongly of chocolate and mint appeared in front of her on the Sunroom bar. Rachel offered only a smug grin in response as Kate laughed at the exchange.

2 rounds of polar bears later Kate and Gen were laughing hysterically as Kate recounted the tale of the night she met Dave and a beer pong incident involving Taylor trying to use his ass as a weapon of distraction.

"Will he ever grow up?" Gen said, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Never," Kate laughed. "Neither will Dave. Those two are just giant children, and they do nothing but encourage each other."

"It's exhausting," Gen sighed. "I kind of love it though, have to admit."

A knowing smile crept across Kate's face.
"Miss him, huh?"
Gen laughed, blushing slightly.

"I do. It's driving me a little nuts."

"Unfortunately, you're going to have to get used to it," Kate began. "But if it makes you feel any better, I have it on pretty good authority that you're not alone."

"Oh?"

"A little birdy told me that T is totally crazy about you."

"Did that little birdy have a beard?"

"He certainly did... quite a scratchy one too," she lamented, rubbing her face.

"Did the birdy elaborate?"

"He said Taylor has a great deal of 'pep in his step' lately, and talks about you all the time," she paused, smiling. "He's falling for you, Gen... hard."

A warm smile lit up Gen's face accompanied by a dull throbbing in her chest.
"He's not alone either."

"Well good, because we all adore you," Kate assured her. "You fit into the family."

***

It was about 2:45am when Gen returned home from The Sunroom. She shushed no one in particular and giggled as she clumsily stumbled in through the front door and closed it behind her.