Colt & Serena: A Hysterics Companion Novella (The Hysterics Book 2) (2 page)

“
H
ey Marty
.” Mav’s father looked up from wiping off the dinner menus with a towel.

“Colt, what are you doing on this side of town this late?”

I shrugged and grabbed the can of PBR that was set in front of me without even a question. “The guys all had plans tonight, so I figured I’d swing in for a quick drink.”

“Well, that’s nice of ya. Dane was just in here with a looker.”

“Yeah? What were they up to?” It was odd for Dane to be over this way too, without Maverick anyway. Those two were inseparable for the most part. It was all too cliché, the bassist and the drummer being best friends, but that’s how it had been since we were kids.

Marty leaned an elbow onto the bar top, sipping from his water bottle. “They went across the street to Vatican.”

That little shit.

“Damn, he knows how badly I want to finish my leg. Well, time to go give him shit for getting inked without me.” I threw a couple bucks onto the bar, taking the last gulp of my beer. “Catch you later, Marty.”

“Have a good one, Colt. Always a pleasure.”

Trotting across the street, I saw that almost all the lights were off in the shop. I knocked on the locked glass door and Cruz came around the corner.

Opening the door for me, Cruz grabbed my hand. “Hey, man. It’s been a while. When are we finishing that leg?”

“As soon as you have some free time, brother.”

Cruz nodded. “I’ll check the calendar and let you know. Dane’s getting finished up now.”

“Thanks.”

Making my way to the back, I saw the long legs and tattooed gorgeousness of the new chick Dane was seeing. I racked my brain trying to recall her name, pausing a little before making my presence known. Finally it came to me just as she started to turn around. “Hey Fae!”

Dane was right next to her, getting pushed down by a chick with a tattoo gun in her hand. In a high-pitched voice I heard the tattooist exclaim, “Hey, we’re almost done. Just finishing the last letter.”

I walked over to the table to check out what my band mate was getting. “Dane! That’s sick.” The bold lettering popped off his chest with so much meaning, I almost got choked up. I swallowed hard to hide it. Dane would have lost his shit if he knew I was getting emotional on him.

“Thanks man. What are you doing here?”

“Marty. I went in to grab a beer and he ratted you out.”

“Sorry man. This one I needed to fly solo on.”

“Solo, my ass. Fae is here.” I pointed my thumb over to his bombshell of a girl.

“It’s different.”

“Yeah, whatev—” And then my world stopped as her name hit the air.

“Colt, this is Serena.” Dane’s voice broke into my goo-goo-filled brain of ogling his hot-ass tattooer.

Her eyes got wide as her gaze darted up to me. “Ha-hi.” She stuttered as she wiped Dane’s chest and he cringed. “Am I done?” Dane tapped on her gloved hand, which was still rubbing down his chest as her stare stayed locked with mine.

“What?” She stammered, “Y-yeah! All done! Wanna look?”

Dane checked his tat out and then bolted to the back doubled over, clutching his stomach. He might have said something, but I was too enamored to listen or care.

We dove into chatting about her apprenticeship and how much she had fanned over our band for years. One thing led to another and I was inviting Serena and Fae to our next practice, completely ignoring the no girls rule.

“Yeah, we have practice almost every day. Why don’t you come tomorrow?” I sat down on her table, trying to play off how nervous I actually was. She was so flirty and touchy, I was shocked. I had her in between my legs, my hands on her ass, and she didn't seem to care in the slightest.

Coolest, fucking, chick! EVER!

“Oh, my god!” Her shrill was deafening. “I would fucking 
love
 that!”

“Fae, you should totally come too.” I had gone and invited one chick, might as well make a fucking party out of it.

“Come where?” Dane slowly walked back over to us, looking pale with his hands digging into his pockets.

“Colt invited Serena and me to your band’s practice tomorrow.” Serena popped up and started to clean and bandage up Dane’s new tattoo.

“How’re you feeling?” Her smile had faded as concern took over.

“Oh fine. I’m a big boy, I can handle the pain.”

Fae laughed. “I’m sure the toilet agrees.”

There was an awkward silence as Fae tried to salvage the situation.

“Colt, inviting chicks to our practice, huh?” Dane glared over at me.

I nodded, staring at the floor. I felt like a beat puppy whenever Dane gave me that look.

“Rodney is going to flip his shit.”

Dane was totally right, 
but who gives a shit? 
We needed to have some fun, and having our biggest fan at a practice might actually help us. Having Fae there so that there was more than one girl was a plus; girls liked to travel in packs. It confused the ever-loving shit out of me, but it was a social norm that I had grown to accept without question. “He can suck it. He’s too much of a prima donna, I’ll take care of him.”

Dane and Fae said their goodbyes and left Serena and me alone in the almost empty shop.

Cruz walked into the back. “Hey, you guys hungry?”

We both shrugged and Cruz smiled. “Got it. Well, I have some paperwork to do in the back. See you tomorrow at eleven, Serena?”

She nodded and grabbed my hand. “Yeah. I’ll be here.”

Cruz handed her a key. “Awesome. You open up then. See you at noon.”

Her eyes got wide as she stared at the shiny metal in her hand. I figured this was a big deal from her reaction, but I hated being out of the loop.

“You wanna get out of here?” I pulled her close to me as she nodded. “Good.” I slowly pressed my lips onto her soft cheek and I melted. I fucking melted right on the spot.

How is this real life? Is this shit love at first touch? Is that really a thing?

“
I
cannot fucking believe
how easy it is to talk to you.” Colt sat next to me at the bar waving to the older bartender to bring us another round of beers. “And it is a total plus that you drink beer!”

I laughed, putting my hand on his shoulder. “I’m stoked that we’re doing this. I can’t remember the last time I had this much fun just talking to someone.”

“So, Colt, are you going to introduce me to your lady friend?” The bartender was leaning on the bar in front of us.

“Oh, yeah, sorry. Marty, this is Serena. She works at Vatican.”

“It’s a pleasure, Serena. What a beautiful name.” Marty took my hand gently as a warm smile washed over his leathery face. “Well, smoke break time. Care to join me, Colt?”

Colt shook his head and lifted up his sleeve, revealing a clear nicotine patch. “Been going strong for a few weeks now. I can’t believe Mav hasn’t complained to you about my terrible mood swings at our last few practices.”

“Hold on.” My hand flew onto Colt’s forearm. “Marty knows Maverick Steele?”

A throaty chuckle came from behind the bar. “I better, that bassist of theirs is the fruit of my loins.”

“Holy shit!” I had to take a few seconds to compose myself, to keep the crazy fangirl at bay. “Your son’s band is my favorite of all time, sir.”

Marty shook his head, his smile never wavering. “Cut the sir crap out. Marty, Pops, or Papa Steele will do just fine.” He winked and started to polish the bar glasses in front of him. “And just to set the record straight, they’re my favorite band, too.”

I giggled and turned my attention back to Colt. “So, what is your biggest flaw?” It was blunt, but I was ready to kick the conversational getting-to-know-you crap up a notch.

“Hmmm, let’s see. A real flaw?”

I nodded.

“I don’t ever want to be married.”

I was shocked. How much more perfect could this guy be?

“Me either!”

His eyes got wide.

“Not the response you were expecting?”

Colt laughed a little. “Most girls would have walked out the door after hearing that.”

“Well, I am not most girls, and I want to be with my life partner because I want to be, not because of some piece of paper that is legally binding. Where’s the romance in that?”

He slammed his hand onto the bar with a huge smile taking over his face. “Exactly!”

“So, this is pretty awesome!”

Colt looked at me, a crooked smile playing on his lips. “So what’s your biggest flaw?”

I immediately regretted asking him that in the first place, but he had been honest with me, so I owed him something equally honest. “I used to do porn.”

His smile faded as he waited and stared at me.

“I’ve never done anything with a guy, always either solo or with a chick, mostly Maja. That’s it. It is what it is. Now it’s out.”

I had never told any guy I found attractive that before. I usually hid it and then a few weeks later they’d put the pieces together, freak out, and dump me. It had actually been so long since I had been on a date or anything close to a date that I couldn’t even remember the last one.

“Thanks.” Colt took a quick sip of beer.

“Thanks? For what?”

He grabbed my hand. “For being honest. What’s in the past can stay there. I won’t lie, it’s not thrilling that countless dudes have jerked it to you at some point, but who am I to judge? I watch porn. I’m a fucking musician for crying out loud.”

He swallowed his swig with an eyebrow raised, waiting for me to take the conversation from there.

“I just can’t believe what an amazing day it has been. I have never believed in luck or fate or anything like that crap, but today is kind of proving me wrong.”

“How so?” Colt’s hand landed on my thigh, sending chills throughout my body.

“Well, this morning I quit a fucking horrible job I hated where they treated me like shit, then I got promoted at Vatican, and now I am sitting at a bar, drinking with a totally hot guy that I have fantasized about on more occasions than I care to admit.” My cheeks burned immediately.

Did I really just admit that?

Those words really came out of my fucking mouth.

Smooth, Serena. Way to fucking go.

“Ha, really?” Colt started to chew on his bottom lip, eyes locked on my lips. It was written all over his face. I was slowly starting to turn into a piece of meat and grossness covered my entire body as Colt’s hand started to slowly creep up my thigh.

“I should go.” I shoved up from my seat, feeling way too exposed. I pulled my purse over my shoulder and started to make my way to the front door as fast as my feet could move on the slippery tile in my kitten heels.

“Wait, what happened?” Colt was trotting after me. “I thought we were having a great time.”

I spun around, trying to fight the tears that were welling up. I hated how sensitive I got about feeling cheap and used, but being a fucking porn actress will do that to a girl. “We were. I just can’t do this.”

“Do what? Have a good time? Be attracted to someone that is attracted to you? Have a beer with someone that doesn’t repulse you?”

The way he was putting it made me feel even more crazy. “I’m just not used to someone only wanting to have a beer with me. Usually there are strings.”

“Well, I am not most people, and I definitely don’t have strings in mind. Can we just finish our beers and then you let me drive you home?”

I nodded. “Yeah, ok. I’d like that.”

Once we sat back down and I took a couple deep breaths, everything seemed to flow smoothly. We kept the conversation light. He commented on how much he liked my mermaid pin up on my forearm and I picked his brain about what the next stage of The Hysterics’ musical progression would be.

“Hey, Pops.”

Marty hollered down from the other end of the bar. “What do ya need, Colt?”

“Two burgers all the way.” Colt glanced over at me. “If that sounds good to you. Marty makes a killer burger.”

“Sounds perfect.”

“Coming right up!” Marty made his way into the kitchen.

“Is he really going to stop what he was doing just to cook for us?”

Colt shifted in his seat so he was completely facing me. “Marty opened this place because he loves to cook. He just gets stuck working the front because he feels like he is more needed here. So whenever we come in, he likes to cook for us because it’s his real passion.”

“That’s sweet.”

After wolfing down one of the most delicious burgers in the entire world and drinking one too many beers, I was finally completely relaxed again.

“So, it’s getting late.” Colt looked over at the only other bar patrons paying their bill a few seats down. “I think Marty is going to close up here in a bit.

“Maybe I should call a taxi for you two?” Marty was grabbing our plates after putting a couple of waters in Styrofoam cups in front of us.

Colt shook his head. “I promise I am good to drive, Pops.”

With an eyebrow raised, Marty nodded. “You sure?”

Colt offered his hand to Marty. “I swear on Leilani.”

I was completely confused, but the guys seemed to have a strong moment of understanding as their eyes locked and they shook hands.

“It was so nice to meet you, Serena. Keep my boy out of trouble. He can be a little wild one.” Marty winked at me before grabbing my hand and kissing the back of it.

“I am so glad to have met you, Papa Steele.” I giggled a little. “It’s totally unreal!”

Colt hopped off his barstool, offering his hand to me. “Shall we?”

I grabbed it and started to follow him to the back of the restaurant.

“You don’t have a car here do you?” He glanced back at me right before shoving the kitchen doors open.

I shook my head. “No, I Ubered to work today. I was going to be late if I had to find parking and shit. Are we allowed to be back here?”

We started to weave through the cooks that were trying to clean up from the dinner rush. “Yeah, we all always park back here. It’s way easier than trying to parallel park on the street.”