The Other Side of Wrong

by Christi Barth

  A bar that double fisted their Hoppy Dog beer orders without asking.

  Jake took that as a good omen. God knew he needed one. Something to cling to besides Cassidy. Despite what they’d agreed to when they hooked up, these last few days he’d been wondering if there was a way they could stay together.

  After her witnessing that epic scene on the bus? He was positive the answer was helltotheno.

  They both took a long swallow. Jake dove right in. “I apologized for ghosting on Riptide, as a group.”

  Cam eyed him over the frosted rim of the thick glass mug. “You did.”

  “That was lame.”

  The corner of Cam’s mouth lifted about a millimeter. “It was.”

  “The thing is, I owe you a way bigger apology.” Jake set down his beer. Then he rested his forearms on the scarred wooden table and leaned forward. “I’ve been a total prick ever since you told us we had to try Suzy’s idea of a new sound. I finally figured out why.”

  “Uh, because it tanked our career and got us dropped by our label? Because our fans hated it? Because I was a goddamned idiot?”

  Nice of Cam to throw him a bone.

  In a wry tone, Jake said, “Obviously all of the above. None of which explains why I continued to be a passive aggressive dick for so long. Talking about Kylie and Cassidy being in the mix was like a lightning bolt to my brain. Pretty sure I resented the fact that you took Suzy’s suggestions over mine. Because we’ve always made this music together.”

  “Shit.” Cam scrubbed his hand across his eyes. “Aww, shit, man. I never even thought of that. Looks like I owe you one right back.”

  “Aren’t we a pair?”

  They sipped their beers. A friendly golden lab came over, sniffed at their ankles and accepted pets. It was a welcome break.

  From the corner of his eye, Jake saw a gaggle of waitstaff gathering at the bar and whispering. He’d hoped sitting upstairs in the middle of the afternoon would give them some privacy. In case, you know, Cam ended up decking him for holding onto this stupid bitterness.

  “Let’s agree to close the door on the past. We both could’ve done better. The question is, what does the future look like.”

  “Fuck, Cam, I just don’t know. Too many people are depending on me. Pulling me in opposite directions. There’s no way to be make everyone happy.”

  “What would make you happy?”

  “If I choose that way, I’m a selfish jerk.” No better than his dad, freaking skipping out of the useless rehab and running around a city where anyone could spot him and tell the world. And then maybe leading to the FDA not approving their drug, ultimately affecting millions.

  No better than Sarah, deciding a quick payday was more important than Cassidy’s privacy. Sure, that only affected the four of them, but it was just as shitty.

  “I’m not going to make you sign a pact in blood. We’re just talking. What-ifs, like we used to do in college before the band took off. What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when you picture yourself six months down the road?”

  “Music comes first.” The answer popped out of his mouth before his brain even caught up. Because that was how it’d been his whole life. Making music, writing it…that was who Jake was.

  “Yup. The music is what matters. It’s what drives you and me.”

  Which was what had kept Jake’s stomach churned into a knot for the past few months. The thought of giving up—being forced to give up—what mattered most to him.

  But again, that was selfish. How could he live with himself if he chose this job that felt like sheer joy every day, playing with his best friends, over helping an entire corporation sustain itself and beyond that, the millions who counted on their products?

  “Music can’t help MCQ save lives, make sick people healthy. My sitting in that chair every day allows the entire company to keep running, keep churning out medicine that people count on.”

  Cam shot up one dark eyebrow. And squinted both eyes in textbook skepticism. “Someone with the McQuinn name sitting in that CEO chair? That won’t make a bit of difference in the long run. You know how I know? Because nobody asked your sister to move into that seat.”

  “Kimberly’s research is more important than running a company.” Yeah, that was the official line. But Jake honestly didn’t mind. He believed it, too. Five years older than him, she’d already come up with a new drug to fight RA and tweaked an existing cancer drug so that the side effects practically vanished.

  He did mind that the CFO and the four separate VPs that ran each division couldn’t come up with a better plan. A plan to find an actual CEO who knew business, knew medicine, and knew how to run a gigantic corporation so that MCQ Pharma could continue to not just do business as usual, but grow and flourish.

  Jake knew for sure he wouldn’t be any help with that.

  Cam absently reached down to the dog that seemed to have decided they were its best bet for head scratches. “Well, your music touching people, changing their lives, helping them get through their lives is more important than running a company.”

  “I’m not running it. They don’t let me make any decisions. They don’t even let me make my own coffee.” He was used to popping pods into Keurigs. One incident with using too many grounds in the industrial sized coffee maker that served the entire executive floor had gotten him banned from the break room.

  Way to inspire respect among the staff, McQuinn. Not only could he not make life saving pharmaceutical drugs, he couldn’t freaking make the life-saving non-drug beverage they all depended on.

  “Jake, there are lots of different ways to help people. Fake-running that company is not the only way to make a difference. What about the people who use your music for inspiration? The ones who use it to get through the pain of a breakup? Soldiers who use it to get pumped up before they go into battle? Baseball players who use it to get focused before game? People who use it to distract them to get through chemo?”

  It was like Cam threw him a lifeline with those words. Jake sipped at his beer, looking out the window at the leaves with the first tinges of yellow along their edges. What if that was enough? Enough to take away the guilt that clawed at him when he thought about not doing what the Board, the lawyers, and his mother all wanted?

  “Riptide can make a difference,” he murmured.

  “As EmKat has contractually pointed out, Riptide’s gotta have you in it to do so. You're the only one who can make the music with us that makes that kind of a difference.”

  They’d gotten a ton of fan emails over the years, messages on social media. From all the people that Cam had described. Daily notes saying how important Riptide’s songs were. Everything from big stuff like weddings, to a kid playing it in celebration his first time solo in a car to yeah, an entire platoon in Bahrain that blared their third album every time their tanks rolled out.

  “You know what, Watson? You’re pretty smart.”

  “I’m on a roll. Save the compliments till after the big finish. Because you know what's more important than all of that? Go back to my first question. Plain and simple, what makes you happy? What'll make you want to get up every morning and get through your day? Life’s short. Remember the last song from our second album?”

  Yeah, he knew where this was going. “Jones’s song? Live It Up?”

  Cam shook his head. “Who knew the first lyrics he wrote would be our best-selling single on that album? Freaking beginner’s luck.”

  That had chafed at both of their egos for a good long time. Happy for Jones, of course. But a little bent out of shape until the next Watson/McQuinn song topped the charts six weeks later. Jake lifted his mug in a silent toast. “I think your new song, Fight for Tomorrow, will outsell it.”

  “Only if we get this album produced.” Cam let the silence—and the unspoken question—hang there, weighing down on Jake for a few beats.

  Unable to answer yet, Jake quoted the start of Jones’s chorus. “Just try. Take the leap. Don’t live with re
gret.”

  “Powerful lyrics.”

  Funny—when he thought about taking a leap, it was with Cassidy. If he quit Riptide for MCQ, he’d regret it every day for the rest of his life. No doubt in his mind.

  Jake had an equally strong feeling, however, that if he didn’t tell Cassidy how much he cared, he’d regret it every day for the rest of his life, too.

  At least the MCQ thing would be for a reason. Not telling Cassidy he was crazy about her? That was nothing more than fear. Fear of not knowing how to fit her into his unknown future. Fear of not knowing if she felt the same way.

  What kind of dickless wonder didn’t at least try to be happy? No matter what?

  Jake hummed the next line. “Powerful enough to get through my thick skull. Looks like I owe him a couple of beers, too.”

  Cam’s eyes lit up. “Does that mean—”

  “It means I just got a reminder of how what a difference a well-crafted song can make in a person’s life.” Jake pushed his second mug toward Cam. “Enjoy this for me. I need to work some things out before our show tonight.”

  “Hey, Jake? Apology accepted.”

  “Whew.” He made a show of wiping imaginary sweat from his forehead. “And if you need something to do while you’re hanging here? Maybe brainstorm a list of titles for this hypothetical album EmKat wants to put out.”

  As Jake headed down the stairs, he heard his friend whoop so loud it made the dog bark.

  Hopefully, all the other wheels he set in motion today would get the same reaction.

  The loud excited buzz of the standing-room-only crowd filtered backstage to the green room. Well, in a club this, ah, intimate, it was just a couple of brown couches so small there wasn’t room for everyone to sit down. Kylie was in the basement selling merch. Cassidy and her makeup artist had just emerged from prepping in a supply closet. Tony was on the phone out in the alley—as he’d apparently been since the first hint of a deal came up—working all the angles to squeeze every last dollar possible out of EmKat.

  It was as private as they were going to get, and Jake intended to seize the moment. After he took the necessary moment to unknot his tongue after getting a load of Cassidy. She’d toned down her usual glitzy glamor for this space. Didn’t mean the sex appeal had toned down one bit. She’d poured herself into a black latex halter dress that swirled around her like a dark lake clinging to every single curve.

  “Where’s Sarah?” Jones asked. To his credit, he didn’t sound belligerent or threatening. But Jake knew damn well none of them wanted her in here.

  Cassidy lifted her chin, clearly bracing for a fight. “She’s at the airport. I put her on the redeye to Los Angeles. My manager will pick her up in the morning.”

  “L.A.? That’s not where your family is.”

  “Nope. I gave her two choices. Go back home or go to my home. Well, not my home. Sarah hasn’t earned the right to live in that lap of luxury. I’m fronting her first month’s rent and I found her a job. If she keeps working, I’ll pay for her to start the spring semester of college. As long as she behaves.”

  Jake liked the sound of that. Sensible. Gave Sarah a chance to prove herself. “How’d you find her a job and an apartment in four hours?”

  “I own a few residential buildings. Real estate is a fantastic investment. The apartment isn’t fancy, but it’s more privacy than she would’ve had with my family.”

  Superstar pop goddess and a real estate maven? Cassidy kept surprising him. And Jake loved every single new layer he uncovered about her. “That’s impressive, babe. And the job?”

  “My manager’s mom runs a restaurant in Beverly Hills. One of those places where all the waitstaff thinks every table is a chance to audition.” Cassidy rolled her gorgeous eyes that looked ten times bigger than normal with thick, cat-eye liner winging up from the corners. “Sarah can be a hostess. They film a reality TV show there, so if she’s interesting enough, the camera will be turned around on her.”

  Cam snickered. “Nice touch.”

  It was one hell of a smart move. There’d be opportunities to party with the staff, but every shift would be long, hard work. “How’d she take it?”

  “As you’d expect. Screaming and a whole slew of weak attempts at cussing mixed with more tears. Because she thought I was punishing her. But then I told her the rest of my conditions. When I’m in town, we’ll have dinner every week. When I’m not, we’ll have a Facetime date. It’s important that we learn how to be real sisters to each other. When I said that, she burst into a whole different kind of tears and hugged me.” Cassidy’s eyes glittered a little more with a hint of tears that matched the hint of a smile tugging up her burgundy glossed lips.

  Jones thumped his forehead with the heel of his hand. “She just wanted your attention.”

  “That was probably a big part of it. I think selfishness was mixed in there, too, but she’s still young and figuring things out. Her first seven-hour shift in stilettos should teach her the value of working for every dollar pretty quickly. Or agonizingly slowly, depending on how many blisters she gets.”

  “That was a good but tough call.”

  “I almost didn’t get through it,” she admitted. “I was so angry at her. Family sort of has to forgive each other, but when Sarah involved you guys? That was so over the line I wasn’t sure she deserved a second chance.”

  “What changed your mind?”

  “Realizing it was partly my fault. I didn’t give her a full first chance because I was a little distracted by this totally amazing man…” As her voice trailed off, Cassidy sat on the couch next to Jake. The meaningful look she shot him practically incinerated his lucky black tank with the armholes ripped wide to give him more room to bang away at the keyboard.

  How had he thought for even a second that he’d be able to walk away from her after a few weeks? Jake hoped like hell he could convince her to come along on this crazy roller coaster his life was about to turn into.

  He cleared his throat. “I guess that’s my cue.”

  Jones tapped out a quick riff with his sticks on Jake’s thigh. “Back off, McQuinn. She didn’t name names. And I’m clearly the hottest guy in the room.”

  “Yeah? When People magazine puts you in their Sexiest Man edition, then we can talk.” Cam smirked, because that cocky fucker had been featured twice. Talk about pouring salt on an open wound.

  Cassidy’s cheeks pinked up adorably. “You’re all studs, I promise. But…” she reached over to take Jake’s hand, “my heart belongs to this guy.”

  She beat him to the punch. Of course, she’d sort of been doing that ever since she accosted him in the garage in Jersey.

  Thank God.

  Jake squeezed right back, not caring at all that Cam and Jones were watching. “Let’s get more specific about that. Because I’m crazy about you, Cass. I want to change the rules. No more hooking up. No end date. Me and you, working on the most romantic duet ever.”

  “No more keeping it a secret?”

  “No. Hell, no. You deserve more respect than that, and I’m sorry as hell if I made you feel otherwise.”

  Those long lashes fluttered down onto her cheeks. “Are you sure?”

  Shit. Had he waited too long to stake his claim? “Are you not?”

  That snapped her head up. “Oh, I’m sure I want you, Jake. I just don’t want you to have any regrets.”

  Ironic that she’d use the same words he and Cam and kicked around earlier. “I don’t have any. I don’t regret sitting on my ass in MCQ for months because I needed to at least make that effort for my own conscience. Once. I owed my family that much. I don’t regret blowing off what seemed like common sense and secretly hooking up with you. And I sure as hell don’t regret,” here Jake grabbed her other hand and brought them both to his lips for a soft kiss, “asking you to stick with me. I’ve fallen for you so damn hard I practically see stars when I think about you.”

  Cassidy’s eyes flared wide, and she drew in a short gasp. “Ohhh, that’
d be a great song. Starstruck.”

  Laughter rolled out of Jake, slow and easy. Because he didn’t care that she got song inspiration as he bared his heart to her. That’s who they were. Rock stars, through and through. “How about you write one, and Cam and I will do our own version?”

  The leather sofa squeaked as Cam leaned forward, pushing to the edge. “Simultaneous release? Surprise drop on iTunes with no warning?”

  “It’ll explode the Internet.” Jones’s eyes gleamed. “It’ll fucking rock.”

  Cassidy threw her arms around Jake’s neck. “If we weren’t about to go on stage, I’d kiss you until all this lipstick came off. But for now, it’s a yes. A yes to staying with you, and,” she turned her head to face Cam and Jones, “a yes to this incredible scheme we just concocted.”

  “If Tony was down here, he’d make you say that again into his phone for a verbal contract.” Jones tapped his cheek. “I’ll settle for a big lipstick mark right here.”

  “Get your own woman,” Jake growled. He knew Jones would never move in on Cassidy. But he still needed to issue the warning. Cam had been the same way with Kylie.

  “Why the hell would I ever settle for one?”

  “You’d be surprised at how great it is,” Cam murmured. Then he stiffened, and sort of jittered to his feet. “There’s a hitch in this plan. It only works if Riptide—all of Riptide—is still a group after next week. Got something to tell us, Jake?”

  “Nothing you don’t already know. Because you and Jones, you knew all along that my place was with Riptide. Thanks for giving me the time to figure that out for myself.”

  Jones leapt up, too, pulling Jake vertical to give him a hug that was three fast thumps on his back. “It’s about fucking time.”

  Over Jones’s shoulder, Cam just held Jake’s gaze, as if waiting for the other shoe to drop. “What about MCQ? And your dad?”

  “Dad helmed that company for more than twenty years. When it came time to choose? To follow the recommendations of the board, the lawyers, and his wife in order for FDA approval to go through and the company to stabilize? He chose himself.” Jake shook his head. “I don’t like the way he did it, but the man should get to choose his own life.”