CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

Maggie

 

“He was just gone?”

“Yeah.”

“No note?”

“None.”

I was hiking one of the more challenging trails with Tammy as I told her about my night with Liam. I’d texted her the moment I woke up and we both called in sick. Might’ve looked suspicious, but I didn’t care. This was an emergency.

“What the actual fuck is that?” she asked. “Who does that? Well, I guess Liam Grayson does that.”

I didn’t even know what to say. I had no idea what had happened, what, if anything, I could’ve done to provoke his leaving. I’d thought we’d had a great night, despite the fact I’d been crushed about the rejections. The sex had been mind-blowing. At least, for me. Maybe it hadn’t been for him? No. Impossible. We were both there.

“Maybe he got scared?” I mused.

“Fuck that shit,” she said. “No. No one treats you like that. Fuck him.”

“You think?”

“I do.”

We hiked on in silence for a while. Pushing myself physically was the only way I was managing not to cry over this entire thing. If Tammy was right, and he was just an asshole, where did that leave me? How stupid had I been to trust him? After everyone, including my own brother, had told me not to trust him. I had been willing to just screw around, dammit, and he’d insisted on getting to know each other, saying he liked me. What the hell?

“Do you think he was just being cruel?” I asked, terrified to hear the answer.

“I don’t know. I don’t think so. That’s just beyond, don’t you think? You were there for the taking. He knew that.”

“My thoughts exactly. Should I call him?”

“NO!”

Tammy’s shout echoed through the forest and we both stopped and laughed. It was a nice break in the tension, something I hadn’t realized I’d needed.

“Hey,” she said. “I’ve got an idea. Why don’t we go away? There’s a great band playing in Rocky Heights tomorrow night that I’d love to go see. We’re both off Monday. We’ll stay the night and make a little vacation out of it.”

“And how do you propose we get away with that?” I asked.

“Don’t worry. My manager owes me a favour, and she’s friends with your supervisor. Let me ask if they can re-arrange the schedule tomorrow. I’ll tell them it’s an emergency.”

“That sounds like a great idea.”

 

*

Tammy worked her magic and Sunday afternoon we were in her car, driving through the mountains towards Rocky Heights. She’d scored tickets to the show, some metal band performing outdoors. I’d balked, telling her I was not a metal fan, but she told to me hold off on any judgment until I saw this act perform. Whatever.

I turned up the radio in the car and tried not to reflect on the fact that Liam had made zero attempts to contact me. It had been 36 hours since I’d last seen him, flushed from sex, collapsed in my bed. We had been at it for hours. I didn’t even know I was capable of so many orgasms. We moved through my house until we ended up in my bed, both of us spent, exhausted. And then I woke up alone.

“Fuck men,” I said.

“Yeah, fuck men,” Tammy agreed. “We can do that tonight if you like.”

I threw her a look.

“I think I’m done with that for a while,” I said.

“Oh, come on, don’t let one bad apple spoil the cake.”

“I don’t think that’s how that expression goes.”

“I like cake.”

I laughed as we pulled up to the hotel. Tammy found parking and we grabbed our overnight bags before heading in. The place was packed. I was shocked Tammy had managed to book us a room, but she’d explained that there was a network of hospitality workers in our area. I guess I just hadn’t been around long enough to find out about it.

“This is weird. It’s my first time staying in a hotel since I’ve been working in one,” I said, dropping my bag on the bed. “I almost feel bad about sleeping in the sheets.”

Tammy laughed.

“I always try to be extra nice at check-in. Job hazard, I guess. Come on, let’s get changed and find some food before the show.”

 

*

Tammy was right. Hammer of Thor was amazing. It was a perfect night—clear sky and a slight breeze. The crowd was enormous and thrumming from the band’s energy. It was unlike any concert I’d ever been to before. The ability to scream and move with complete abandon did wonders for my psyche. It was like the entire event was set up as a cover for me to release my frustration over Liam.

We stayed pretty far back from the stage to avoid the crazy mosh pit, but when the show ended Tammy flashed me a smile and grabbed my hand. She led me to the backstage area where she pulled out a pass that she’d obtained from God knows where and the security guard ushered us behind the rope.

I glanced down at my outfit - a short skirt with a crop top and a pair of sandals. I was very casual in comparison to Tammy, who was decked out in a pink off-the-shoulder dress. It would’ve been nice to have some warning, but I took it in stride and made a note in my mental friendship book: Always ask Tammy what to wear.

There was a lot of action behind the stage, but Tammy navigated it like a pro.

“I’m a summer groupie,” she confided as we weaved through the crowd.

“Every day it’s something new with you,” I laughed.

I saw the band up ahead and elbowed Tammy. A grin spread across her face and she grabbed my hand and led me over.

“Billy!” she shouted.

One of the security guys turned and saw her, breaking out into a big smile as he walked towards us.

“Tammy. Was wondering when you’d show up. Good to see you.”

The two exchanged hugs and he led us towards the band.

“Hey, guys, this is Tammy and her friend—”

“Maggie,” I interjected.

“Maggie. Fine ladies. They just wanted to say hi.” Billy bowed his head and moved back to his post.

Tammy walked straight up to the guitarist and put out her hand.

“Hey, Damien. I’m a huge fan.”

Damien was tall, olive-skinned with long brown hair that hung to halfway down his back. He was fierce-looking, tattoo sleeves on both arms and a large silver ring on his finger. He took Tammy’s tiny hand in his own huge one and shook it warmly.

“Pleasure to meet you, Tammy,” he said.

Tammy almost swooned and I put my hand on her back for support. She shot me a glance and smiled.

“Maggie and I were just wondering what you guys were up to. You heading to any of the bars?”

Damien shook his head.

“Straight to the casino. Got a spot waiting at the poker table.”

I snapped to attention and looked at him again. Heavy metal, poker player…

“Uh, do you by any chance know a Chef Liam Grayson?” I asked.

Maggie glared at me.

“Liam! Yeah, I know that dude,” he said, laughing. “He made us a kick-ass meal on tour a few years back. Great guy. You know him? Tell him I say hi.”

I shook my head in disbelief. No matter what I did, I couldn’t escape. My desire to party was rapidly diminishing, but Tammy took note and pulled me aside.

“Hey, we are going to the casino and we’re going to have a good time tonight. Fuck him, okay? Let’s go drink and dance and hang with some rock stars.”

I pulled myself together and forced a smile.

“Let’s have at it, then.”