Page 2 of Everything Changes

“Gotta go work the room, Jayden, and you need to stay out of the way for a little while. Carey, I think Layla and Quinn are over there. Why don’t you go say hi, and I’ll get away from the crowd as soon as I can and come find you.”

“But baby, I thought….” The blond’s whiny voice grated on Carey’s ears, and he lifted his eyebrow at Jase. Jase called over his shoulder impatiently as he moved off in search of possible label execs. “Christ, Jayden, give it a rest! I’ll see you later, yeah?”

The groupie glared at Carey like it was his fault, and Carey gazed impassively back at him until Jayden moved off and leaned against a wall, crossing his arms petulantly as he sulked. Carey wondered what Jase was doing with someone like that, a surprising frisson of anger burning through him. He tried to shrug it off. There wasn’t much Carey could do about it, and like with Jase’s failed marriage a couple of years ago, he was always around to pick up the pieces if needed.

Carey caught sight of Jase’s three bandmates, and a genuine smile broke out over his face as he made his way toward them. The four men had been playing together for the past three years, and slowly but surely they were making a name for themselves on the San Diego band scene. The concert tonight was the biggest venue they had been invited to play so far, and Carey was thrilled for his friends.

Realizing he was hungry, Carey made a detour toward the food and drinks table, perusing the offerings. He’d just popped the top on a bottle of Amstel Light when he felt someone sidle up next to him, and he glanced over to see Jayden looking back at him with barely concealed hostility.

“How do you know Jase?” he demanded. Carey’s first inclination was to tell the guy to fuck off, but he didn’t want to do that to someone who might be important to Jase. Better to err on the side of caution and at least be polite.

“We were in Afghanistan together,” he murmured, taking a sip of his beer.

“Ooh, Jase told me he used to be a medic in the Navy.” Jayden picked up a pretzel and popped it in his mouth. “Were you in the Navy too?”

“No,” Carey replied. “I was a Marine, but Jase was in my unit.” Jayden looked confused, so Carey went on. “See, Marines are focused on combat training, not training medical personnel, and the Marines are actually part of the Department of the Navy. The Navy already has a system in place to train medics, so it makes sense for them to just assign one of them to us.”

“Oh, okay.” Jayden had already lost interest, craning his neck around, obviously looking for Jase. Carey started to turn away, and then Jayden suddenly spoke again.

“I think Jase and I are getting serious, just so you know,” he said archly. “He said I can come to all his shows, and he gave me a backstage pass.”

“Good for you,” Carey muttered, trying to tamp down that feeling of irrational anger again. If Jase was serious with this guy, he would eat his beer bottle. He could see Jayden draw breath to say something else, but then Carey heard his name being called.

“Carey! Carey, oh my God, it is you! Quinn said you’d be here tonight, yay!” Carey set the beer on the table and turned just in time to catch the petite redhead who flung herself at him, and he grabbed her and hugged her tight.

Layla was the wife of Quinn Patterson, Jase’s drummer. She was also the group’s de facto manager, and Carey liked her enormously. She was small but curvy with a mass of red curls, and freckles dotting her nose and shoulders. Tonight she was dressed in a shimmery gold metallic tank top and tight black jeans, and even with her stiletto sandals, she barely reached Carey’s shoulder.

“Hey, hot stuff,” he grinned, setting her back on her feet. “Good to see you too.”

He picked up his beer, turning his back on Jayden and following Layla when she grabbed his hand and led him over to where Quinn slouched on a leather sofa, a plate of food balanced on his knee and his phone to his ear. He nodded at Carey, grinning at his wife as she perched on the arm of the sofa next to him, waving Carey to a chair.

Just then Jase walked by, clapping Carey on the shoulder as he passed. Jayden was suddenly there, intercepting him, planting himself right in Jase’s path.

“Come on, Jase,” he said with a whine. “I drove all the way from IB to be here tonight, and you don’t even seem to care!” Carey wouldn’t have been surprised if Jayden stamped his foot, and he turned slightly incredulous eyes on Jase, wondering why in the world he would put up with this kind of behavior. Jase grimaced and caught Carey’s eye, leaning down to murmur in his ear, “Dude can suck the chrome off a trailer hitch.” Carey snorted, shaking his head in mock disgust.

Jase smirked, then whispered, “Lemme get rid of him. Be back in five.” He gripped Jayden by the biceps of one arm, hustling him out of the room.

“Where’d Jase go?” Quinn asked, ending his phone call and leaning toward Carey to bump knuckles in greeting.

Carey gestured vaguely toward the doorway. “Getting rid of some groupie who wouldn’t leave him alone.”

“Jayden, ugh. He’s getting to be a real pest,” Layla complained. “He’s convinced himself he’s in love with Jase, and Jase is just using him like he does all the rest.”

“Quiet, honey,” Quinn said. “Not our business, remember?”

“I just hate seeing him fuck around with all this trash, and he doesn’t even try to find anyone halfway decent. He’s such a great guy, and I’ve tried who knows how many times to set him up with someone, both male and female. He’s always polite about it, but he’s never interested, and I hate seeing him waste time with these skanks who show up here.”

“No one can be as happy as we are, baby,” Quinn murmured, rolling his eyes discreetly at Carey as Layla leaned over to kiss the top of his head. Carey smiled, knowing how much the big muscular drummer adored his petite wife. He was the only one of the band who was married, and Layla seemed to have made it her mission in life to get the other three settled. They were all good-natured about her attempts, knowing it came from a big heart and a desire to see them happy.

“God, Carey, how long has it been since we saw you last?” Layla asked, leaning against her husband’s shoulder.

“I don’t know, about six months or so? I’ve been really busy at work, and time just gets away from me. Congrats on the long-term gig, by the way. This club is really nice, and it was a good crowd out there.”

“Thanks, man,” said Quinn, leaning up to kiss his wife on the cheek. “Or actually, thanks to this little bulldog. I think the club manager just agreed so that she’d go away and stop bothering him.”

Layla gave Carey an impish smile and a wink. “It helps that I just don’t take no for an answer.” Quinn grabbed her around the waist and pulled her onto his lap, growling something into her ear and making her squeal.

Carey watched them fondly for a moment, but then his gurgling stomach reminded him he still hadn’t eaten anything, and the two beers he’d already had were making him a little light-headed. He pushed to his feet, then staggered and caught himself on the back of the chair he’d been sitting in.