Ravensong (12 page)

“
I love the new album,”
said the shorter of the two women, leaning over Ralph so Joshua
could hear.

Joshua smiled at her again,
but the smile never reached his eyes. “Thanks. What year are you
both?”

“
Seniors,” said the tall
one. “I’m studying Anthropology. I’m writing my thesis paper on
Native Peoples in America.”

Joshua’s mouth lifted in
his sardonic grin and he met Ralph’s amused eyes. “Really, how
fascinating,” he said, but his voice lacked all warmth. Another
California blond wondering what it would be like to bed the rock
star savage.

“
What a coincidence,” said
Ralph, and Joshua recognized the sarcastic tone to his voice.
“Joshua is Native American.”

“
Really?” said the taller
one, her eyes going wide.

Joshua drank another sip from his beer
and nodded at her.

“
Maybe I could interview
you for my paper.”

Joshua glanced at Ralph.
“Now wouldn’t that be fascinating.”

“
Oh, I’m sure it would,”
added Ralph.

Joshua threw her a smile.
“I think this place is a little noisy for an interview.”

She caught his meaning and
glanced around the crowded pizza parlor. “Yes, it is. Maybe we
could go...”

She stopped in
mid-sentence, glancing over her shoulder to where Joshua’s eyes had
drifted. Elena had just stepped into view. She was in the back room
by the pool table, laughing at something Elliot had said. Joshua
felt something fairly close to rage prickle down his spine. Picking
up his beer, he pushed away from the bar.

“
Excuse me,” he said,
brushing past the two college students.

He stepped into the more private room.
Michael and Robert were there with Elliot and Elena. As soon as
Elliot caught sight of him, he smiled and waved him
over.

“
Come on, Josh, we haven’t
started yet.”

Joshua’s gaze chanced to
meet Elena’s, but she quickly looked away, moving to the rack on
the wall and picking a pool stick. Joshua moved to her side, his
eyes surveying the many choices.

“
So, the California girls
didn’t interest you,” she muttered under her breath.

Joshua lifted his eyes to
her in surprise. He fingered the wood grain on one of the sticks
and lifted it down, balancing it in the hand that still held his
beer.

“
There’s a lot of women
here,” he answered, turning back to the table. “So, we playing
teams or what?”

“
So long as you and Elliot
aren’t together,” said Robert.

“
Why? You think we’re too
good for you,” said Joshua, setting his beer on the edge of the
table.

“
No, you cheat,” said
Robert, leaning over the table to take aim.

“
Bull shit!” shouted
Elliot, downing the rest of his beer.

Joshua laughed, then cast a
casual glance at Elena. “You ever play?”

“
Once or twice,” she said,
holding the stick as if she’d never held one before.

“
Where’s Ralph? We’ve got
an odd man,” said Michael, looking into the other room.

“
Ralph is certainly the man
then,” said Robert, drawing a laugh from his companions. He picked
up his beer and took a sip. “I’ll keep score this first game. Let
Michael or Elena pick who they want to play with.”

“
I’ll take Joshua,” said
Michael.

Joshua flashed a smile at
Michael, but it vanished as Elliot threw an arm around Elena’s
shoulder. “Then it’s you and me, toots,” he said, hugging her to
him.

Deliberately Joshua turned
away. He didn’t know why he was feeling so irritated tonight.
Elliot was interested in the woman, what the hell? He’d been
thinking of taking home the tall California blond just a few
minutes ago. And Elena had made it quite clear to him that she
wasn’t interested. Still he couldn’t deny the feeling, but he’d be
damned if he’d let anyone else see his weakness.

As the game progressed, he
forced himself to relax and enjoy himself. It wasn’t easy. Elliot
made it damn difficult. He kept hugging Elena every chance he got
and he got many. Elena hadn’t been exactly honest when she said
she’d played only a few times. The fact that she must have played a
lot became obvious right away.

“
Thought you didn’t play
much,” said Robert after she sank a particularly hard
shot.

“
Did I say that?” she
answered, batting her lashes in a move that made Joshua squirm.
“Well, maybe I played a little in college.”

Elliot laughed. “A little,
hell, I’m glad Michael left you to me.”

Joshua chewed on his lower lip and
leaned against the table, his arms crossed over his chest. He
glanced up at the clock, noticing it was only ten. This shit could
go on for a lot of hours still.

A waitress flounced into
the room, asking if anyone wanted anything else to drink. Joshua
shook his head, tossing her an automatic smile. She returned it
with a little more heat and Joshua felt Elena’s eyes on him. He met
her look. Was that jealousy he saw? Damn, he sure hoped so because
she was making him writhe with the way she laughed and talked to
Elliot.

After a while, Elliot moved
to his friend’s side, his eyes fixed on Elena as she bent over the
table before them. “Can’t hardly concentrate when she does
that.”

Joshua’s eyes followed the
line of Elena’s figure. “It
is
distracting.”

Elliot cast Joshua a quick
glance. “Distracting, hell, it’s damn uncomfortable.”

Joshua laughed. “She’s easy
to look at, but I bet she’s got one hell of a temper if you cross
her.”

Elliot smiled wickedly. “I
don’t intend to make her mad.”

Joshua shook his head. “Why
this one, El? It isn’t like you to go after another man’s
woman.”

“
She isn’t another man’s
woman. She told me she’s thinking about breaking off her engagement
when her fiancé gets back from sabbatical.”

“
Right. That’s why she
wears that huge rock on her finger.”

Elliot’s look turned into a
scowl. “Why do you care anyway?” he said in irritation.

Joshua lifted his brows at
his friend. “Calm down, El. I’m just trying to save you from
getting your heart crushed.” He hesitated, realizing he was lying,
but he pushed that thought from his mind. “Anyway, I thought no
woman was going to come between us.”

“
She isn’t coming
between us,” said Elliot, his voice still surly. “Unless you got
your eye on her.” He turned to Joshua and stared at him closely.
“Come on, Josh. You think she ain’t
my
type. Give me a break. That woman
ain’t one-night stand material.”

Joshua started to argue
with him regarding his intentions, but he thought better about it.
“I’m not interested, El. Really. I like ‘em without attachments,
that way I don’t feel guilty in the end.”

Elliot laughed, the sound
coming out forced. “That’s what I figured, but you been acting so
strange lately.”

Joshua shook his head.
“It’s Terry, that’s all.”

“
Again?” said Elliot. “What
now?”

“
Long story,” answered
Joshua, lifting his stick and moving toward the table. He leaned
over, taking aim.

* * *

They all sat at the table
eating pizza and drinking pitchers of beer. Elliot deliberately
placed himself next to Elena at the far end of the table where it
rested against the wall. He hemmed her in so well that she really
couldn’t talk to anyone else. Joshua watched him drink another
beer, then grab the pitcher, filling his own glass and then
Elena’s.

Joshua frowned, hating to
see Elliot drinking so much. He had a habit of drinking more than
his share. Many nights Joshua had dragged him up to his room, only
to support him when he got sick. Even though Elliot only got silly
when he was drunk, Joshua still hated it. It brought back too many
memories of his biological father.

Robert looked up from his
plate and met Joshua’s stare. “He’s had enough, hasn’t
he?”

Joshua nodded. “Too
much.”

Robert looked down the
table at his reeling friend. “Maybe I’ll walk him to the bathroom
and take him outside for some fresh air.”

“
Be my guest. I think I
babysat him the last time.”

Robert turned to look at
the clock over the bar. “It’s twelve already. Shit, I want to go
home. Mae’s gonna be pissed when I come in this late.”

Joshua leaned closer so he
wouldn’t have to raise his voice over the music and the loud
conversation around them. “Tell the others that you’re taking the
limo and Elliot home.”

Robert’s eyes shifted to
the pool room where Michael and Ralph were playing against the two
blond college women. “I don’t think they’re ready yet.”

“
Michael is. I’m sure his
wife’s waiting for him same as Mae. Tell Ralph you’ll send the limo
back for him.”

Robert nodded. “Good idea.”
He pushed himself to his feet and patted Elliot on the back. “Hey,
pal, what’s say we head out?”

Elliot looked up at the
keyboardist with a sloppy smile. “It’s not even midnight yet,
Bobby. What’s the hurry?”

Joshua watched his friend.
He’d been with Elliot enough to know he was dangling over the edge.
In the next few minutes his happy stupor was going to become
violent sickness.

“
Don’t you think you’ve had
enough?” said Robert.

“
Aw, hell, the night’s
young. Isn’t it?” he said, turning to Elena.

She forced a smile at him, moving away
a little when he swayed toward her.

“
You’re not ready to go,
are you?” he slurred.

“
I’m ready,” she said,
glancing up at Robert.

“
Well, I’m not.” He
clumsily reached for a half-empty pitcher and tried to pour it into
his glass. Joshua caught his hand and stopped him.

“
You’ve had enough, El,” he
said sternly.

Elliot blinked at him,
trying to focus. Joshua knew he wouldn’t listen to anyone else.
He’d probably start swearing at him, but he wouldn’t try to fill
his glass again.

Licking his lips, he nodded
his head. “Guess so.”

Joshua narrowed his eyes,
seeing the tell-tale signs appearing in Elliot’s face. No, Elliot
never got drunk enough to be mean, he just got sloppily, horribly
sick.

“
Take him outside, Bobby,”
he said, rising to his feet.

Robert put his arm under
Elliot’s, but Elliot waved him away, reeling crazily to his feet.
Elena was up in a shot and moving to intervene, but Elliot
side-stepped both her and Robert, careening into the next table. He
put a hand out to steady himself, waving Robert off with the other.
As he straightened and weaved toward the door, Joshua caught his
arm, supporting him. Only when he was sure it was Joshua did he
finally let go, sagging against his best friend.

“
I’m sick, Josh,” he
whispered.

Joshua nodded. “I know,
El.” He lifted his eyes to Robert and Elena. “I’ll get him to the
limo. Can you manage the rest of the way?”

“
Yeah,” said Robert, then
he turned to Elena. “You sure you want to come this time. I’ll send
the limo back for you if not.”

Elena’s eyes shifted to
Elliot. Joshua could see she was uncomfortable with the situation.
“I’ll give her a ride, Bobby. She doesn’t live very far from
me.”

Robert narrowed his gaze on Joshua,
then looked at Elena.

“
I’d rather do that, if it
isn’t too much trouble,” she said quickly.

Joshua nodded. “I’ll be
right back,” he said, pointing Elliot to the door.

“
Just let me check with
Ralph and Michael,” said Robert, hurrying toward the pool
room.

While he waited, Joshua
glanced back at Elena. “Sorry,” he said.

She shook her head. “No, I
should have stopped him long ago. Thanks for offering to take me
home.”

“
No problem.” He glanced
over his shoulder as Robert called to him from the door. “I’ll be
right back.”

“
Okay,” said Elena with a
worried smile.

She was still sitting at
the table when he returned. He drew a deep breath. It was just as
well that she hadn’t gone. Elliot had gotten sick the moment they
got him in the limo. Poor Elliot, he’d be suffering tomorrow from
more than a hangover.

Joshua slipped into the seat across
from her and flashed her his most stunning smile. She returned it
warmly.

“
I didn’t think you’d take
me up on my offer,” he said.

“
Why not?”

Joshua shrugged. “After
what’s happened...”

Elena chewed on her lower
lip. “I’m not very comfortable in those kinds of
situations.”

Joshua nodded in
understanding. Hell, neither was he. “Elliot means well, he just
gets carried away.”