Love Is Always Write Volume 4

again, scrutinizing, trying to read the situation. "Yeah. Okay. Come on, man." He patted Chad on the shoulder and led him away from the table.
    Chad hesitated, "Alright. I'll… ah… see you in a bit then." Zeb loved that he threw Chad off balance. He just nodded and pretended to focus his attention towards other people milling around the table, asking how they liked the show. He did catch the look Nick shot him once Chad's back was turned though. His band-mate had a brow raised and a little smirk on his face. Zeb could only imagine what Nick was thinking – probably all kinky – so he shook his head to tell him he had the wrong idea. Boy, did Nick have the wrong idea!
    ****
    Zeb took a second outside the dressing room door. A deep breath, gathering himself, followed by one more before he straightened his spine and opened the door. He walked in briskly, like he owned the room. The manager told them to use it as they pleased so tonight, he guessed, he did own it. He'd let Chad wait a good half hour. Plenty of time to prove Zeb wasn't in any hurry to see him, and short enough that it didn't look like he was avoiding him. God, how he wished he could avoid him.
    But… but, he was used to this – putting on a show. He could do this.
    Without even a glance to where he already knew Chad stood, he walked over to the mini fridge and grabbed an energy drink. Right about now he wished he touched the hard stuff cuz he could sure use a shot to calm his nerves. Outwardly he looked calm and in control. He knew that, knew it made him look a bit of a hard-ass. But that was okay. Better than showing weakness. A lesson he learned too many years ago to count.
    "So…" He started, and looked his ex-lover in the eyes, not letting anything show in his own expression.
    Chad was looking back, a small nervous smile in place. "So. Good performance tonight."
    "Thanks."
    "I really liked the song that opened with the piano solo. It's very different than anything I'd heard before."
    "Yeah." Zeb took a swallow of his drink, needing to keep his hands busy. "Thanks."
    When they'd first set up the night before and he'd seen their dressing room he'd thought the space was pretty big compared to some of the others they'd had lately. Now, it may as well be a hot, stuffy and overcrowded utility closet.
    Chad walked towards one of the far walls, facing away from Zeb now, and looked at the pictures of other performers that had played at the theater. They stayed silent for a while, minutes stretching, Chad shooting odd glances at Zeb every now and again. Zeb just watched, drank his caffeine supply, and waited. He couldn't seem to get a read on the situation.
    "I saw Callie isn't with you guys. She didn't quit, did she?" Chad finally broke the silence.
    "No." Zeb sighed, knowing he should be giving more than monosyllabic answers if he was going to find out why Chad was here. "She's back in Cali. Pregnant."
    That apparently surprised Chad. His head jerked to look at Zeb over his shoulder. "Oh? Wow."
    "Yeah. Too pregnant to be going on tour, so we have a substitute in place."
    "Well, the sub is good. He's no Callie, but… Wow, you're going to be an uncle then."
    "Kinda, but… not exactly."
    "What else would you call it? You're family, right?"
    "I guess." Damn it, this small talk was driving Zeb insane. The tension in the room reminded him of the electricity in the air right before a lightning storm. He wondered when the bolt would hit.
    "Oh, come on. You two are closer than I ever was with anyone in my family. She's your sister, blood or not." Chad turned back towards Zeb, his arms by his sides but not looking comfortable.
    There was something about him tonight. Zeb couldn't decide what it was. He looked happy but… not. Hesitant, but that was to be expected. But there were also the small little smiles, the way his eyes seemed to almost glow with something indefinable. Some little excitement, and Zeb couldn't help but wonder why.
    The strangest thing was the cloud of something darker that appeared and disappeared quicker than a lightning strike. It gave Zeb the odd sensation that Chad sat on a ledge, the good and the bad, teetering. He seemed so different yet so familiar.
    Zeb tried to shake it off. It had to be just seeing Chad again that was putting him so off kilter. And it bugged him that, even after all this time, it was so easy to read certain things about the man he used to live with. Little things, like how when he saw that little muscle in the