Page 100 of Under the Influence

“You are always eating, dude,” I laugh.

“I’m a growing boy,” he smiles, patting his stomach playfully.

I can tell Nash is aggravated by Madden’s absence, but he doesn’t let the others know, and Crew goes to his trunk and pulls out a cooler.

Wouldn’t it be nice if this was an actual party? A way to welcome the new teammate?

Madden pulls in, surprising everyone when Lainey gets out of his Honda.

“What is she doing here?” Nash seethes, stalking over to them. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“It looks like I showed up like you said. I had plans,” Madden says, calm and collected.

“This is a team thing. You brought her?”

Madden cocks his brow, “I brought my friend, the one I had plans with that you had to go and ruin with your games.”

Lainey doesn’t make eye contact with either of us, and she just follows Madden over where Crew is stealing the show. It’s almost like Nash has her with both hands tied behind her back, but he doesn’t realize the effect he has on her. The impact he has on everyone here.

“Are you okay?” I ask him, his eyes yanking from her lips locked with Drayton’s.

“Yeah, let’s get this over with.”

I sigh, following him over to everyone else.

I half expect him to challenge Drayton in a drinking contest or publicly humiliate him somehow, but instead, he completely ignores him at first.

I would say I’m relieved, but with Nash, it’s like waiting for a snake to strike. He sits and watches as the guys become more comfortable around him, and the more Drayton proves that he fits, the more Nash can’t stand it.

Nash turns up the glass beer bottle in his hand, finishing off its contents quickly and dropping it to the gravel with a crash. Everyone’s heads turn his way, and he stares straight at Drayton.

Crew walks over, patting Nash on the shoulder, “Let’s get you another drink, my man.”

Nash doesn’t take his eyes off Drayton, and I can tell he’s aggravated by Crew’s cheerful attitude, but you can also see that he appreciates the loyalty.

“What are you guys whispering about over there?” Nash asks Madden and some of the guys.

“Mom said they found a body here a couple months ago, in the warehouse,” Madden admits, shoving his thumb over his shoulder to the building.

“You should go check it out?” Nash smiles. “Unless you’re afraid.”

Madden laughs, “There’s no way I’m going in there.”

“Why not?” Nash snorts. “It really fits your whole twenty-first-century vampire vibe. I’m sure you can find somewhere really nice to put your coffin in there.”

Drayton speaks up, defending Madden, “Why are you so concerned with Madden’s vibe when yours is a little played out? You know everyone is getting a little tired of your shit, Nash.”

I can tell that things are going to escalate quickly, so I step between them. “You could go inside,” I tell Nash. “I can film it for the channel.”

Nash smiles, stepping around me, “No, let’s let Legacy’s new badass do it. What do you say, Drayton? You goin’ in, or are you gonna pussy out?”

He looks at Lainey, then back to Nash, his jaw tightening in frustration.

“Yeah, I thought so,” Nash says. “He talks a big game, but he isn’t shit.”

Drayton pushes away from Lainey, standing toe to toe with Nash, “I’m not afraid of the warehouse... or you.”

Nash smiles, stepping out of his way, “Prove it.”