He doesn't even glance at the woman riding away. His focus is lasered in on me, searching my features to make sure I'm not lying or in shock.

"Draymond?" a smooth female voice coos. "What's going on, darling?"

"Yes, son, what seems to be the trouble?"

His parents are about as stiff as plywood, dressed in clothes that even I can tell must have cost a fortune. Nothing I read about Drax mentioned much about his family, but they're clearly well-off.

"No trouble," he says. "Mother, Father, this is Lauren Raines, Roadkill's manager."

Two sets of lips press into hard, thin lines of disapproval but they hold their tongues. I'm guessing they've had a lifetime of practice.

"Pleasure, dear. I'm Sandy and this is my husband Warren."

She puts out her hand so I shake it as I learned from my dads -- firm and fast. It's like holding onto a rotten fish and I can't wait to drop it. She clearly feels the same from the grimace she's wearing. His is a little better, but not much.

"Nice to meet you both. I didn't know you lived in San Francisco."

"Oh, God no," Warren snorts. "We live in Manhattan. We're just out visiting Draymond for a bit."

I try to resist but my gaze flicks over to where Shelby is now pouting with her fists on her slim hips. Sandy notices and breaks out in a megawatt smile.

"That's Shelby, our soon-to-be daughter-in-law."

"Mother, stop that. You know that's not true." Drax snaps, oblivious to the fact that the world just stopped spinning. I wonder if I'll ever breathe again...

"Oh hush, Draymond. One never knows where one's life will lead. It's possible my dreams could come true and you'll produce an heir with one of the most intelligent, beautiful and winning creatures in our circle."

"Sandy, leave the poor boy alone." Warren's voice drops to a loud whisper. "You know if you push him he'll push back, just to defy us."

He gives me a wink, as if to say, 'Ain't that right, sister?' I do my best to smile but it must not have worked. He looks almost offended by it.

"Well, we really must be off," Sandy says. "Poor Shelby's over there holding our place in line. I'm baffled as to why we're eating at an establishment that doesn't take reservations but I suppose we must all be up for an adventure now and then."

"It was...nice to meet you," I stutter, just now getting the feeling back in my extremities after her previous shocking announcement. "I'm sure we'll see each other again soon."

Warren snorts again. "I should hope not. No offense to you, my dear, but Draymond will be joining us in New York shortly and I only make it out here a couple times a year to race in the bigger regattas. I suppose you don't get back east very often."

It wasn't a question.

"And would you believe it?" Sandy cuts in. "Shelby has accepted a position teaching at Columbia. Isn't that wonderful? The Dynamic Duo together again. Hopefully till death do they part, this time."

"Mother..."

She waves a bony hand at him, despite the giant diamond weighing it down. "Never mind. Good luck with...everything, dear. Come along, Warren."

They totter off, waving madly at Shelby and trying not to touch anyone or anything along the way. I watch them as long as I can so I don't have to look at Drax. A lot of information came my way in the last minute or so and I'm having trouble processing it.

"You're moving to New York?" I squeak out. Naturally, there's a bigger question spinning around in my brain, but asking about Shelby would seem so...desperate.

"Guess that depends on you."

"H-how?" Is this where he pressures me again? Say you love me and I'll stay, is what I imagine he'll say. A little voice inside me pipes up, So say it.

"You have till the end of the week to come up with a plan or the band breaks up, remember? Otherwise, I suck it up and go work with my father."

"Doing what?"

"Teaching music. He's the headmaster at a private school. Figures a real 'rock-and-roller', as he calls me, will be a boon to their music program. Maybe I'll start another band."

"In New York."

He gives me a 'why not' shrug. "It's not like there's anything keeping me here. Right, Lola?"

I nod but I can't meet his eyes. They see the truth of me and that's not something I'm willing to share right now, mostly because I'm not sure what it is myself.

I hate myself for what I'm about to ask, but I can't resist. "And Shelby?"

I feel his hot gaze on me, but I carefully mask my features as I study the metal stud embedded on his jacket collar.

"Why do you care?"

"I don't! I just..."

"Listen up, darlin'. I've had just about enough of this wishy-washy bullshit. First you want me, then you don't. But wait, maybe you do. Nope, not this time. I'm crazy about you but there's only so much a man can take, Lauren. You need to figure out what it is you want. If you can do that by Friday, let me know. If not, it's been nice knowin' ya."

Crazy about me?

I'm left staring after him as he stomps away, my heart hammering in my chest. He's called me out, and he's completely justified. He's been nothing if not consistent in his pursuit of me. It's me who's the asshole, the one who keeps changing the rules of the game. He's right. I do need to figure out what I want, and fast.

 I ache for him to turn around, take one last look before following the hostess inside. If he does, that means there's hope I haven't waited too long. If he doesn't, it could mean he's so fed up that he doesn't want to waste anymore energy on me. Please turn around, please turn around, please turn around...

He doesn't.

The last three days have been sheer hell. Not only am I no closer to deciding what I want from Drax, my luck hasn't changed in finding a venue that will book Roadkill. I'm running out of time. If I could get them a gig, I might be able to talk Drax into giving me more time to figure out my own shit.

A steaming cup of Sleepytime appears before me. "You'll chew those things to nubs, honeybear. How's it going?"

I yank my thumbnail from between my teeth and sigh.

"Not so good, Dad. Marvin really covered all the bases. He must have sent out a mass email to every decent venue in the country. I'm at a dead-end."

"So, what, the band's just going to break up?" he asks, perching himself on the corner of the antique desk he and Papi bought the year I turned two. I have vague memories of pulling out the drawers and crawling up them like stairs to sit in the very same spot while Dad worked.

"Looks that way," I mutter miserably.

"Humph. Seems like the fans might have something to say about that. Can you imagine how that gang of goths will react when they hear?"

"I dunno. Bands break up all the time and fans don't go nuts."

"Don't tell that to Dimebag Darrell's family."

"Who?"

He gives me a look of sympathy that another music culture reference has gone over my head.

"So then what?"

"So then we all go our separate ways." I pretend that it makes no nevermind to me, that I'm not crushed at the looming inevitability.

"And you and Draymond are..."

"Are nothing." My voice seizes up and tears spring to my eyes. All this back and forth really is exhausting. I don't blame Drax for giving me an ultimatum.

"Really? Because I could swear that boy fell in love the moment he saw you. In fact, he said something strange the other night about marriage..."