He couldn’t decide who he should call first, Nik or Tru.

Considering it was only seven in the morning, he knew Nik was out of the running. He never got out of bed until noon. Tru was the better bet, but he didn’t want to freak her out by calling her when he’d see her in a few hours at the office.

But he knew himself well enough to know he had to talk to someone. He could feel the hyperactivity kicking in, amping up his anxiety and making his brain bounce around subjects like a Ping-Pong ball.

Another time, he would’ve gone down to the music room and played, but after last night . . . If he went there, he was pretty damn certain the only thing he’d be thinking about was sex with Tru and that would make everything else worse.

So maybe he should just go to the studio and start recording some of the music he’d written last night. Then he’d have something other than the piano track. He could lay down the guitar track and the guys could add their tracks to it later.

But that wasn’t how they worked. When he had new music, he sent it to Nik. Or if Nik had new words, he sent them to Baz. When he and Nik were satisfied, Baz would record the guitar track and send it off to the rest of the guys to add their parts, then Nik would add his vocal track to that.

So he really should call Nik. It was just too damn early and the only reason he was up was because he hadn’t been able to sleep.

Too wound up.

So . . . Breakfast. Somewhere with people so he wouldn’t feel so damn cut off. Maybe he could catch Tyler before the workaholic got going. Although Kate had been at Sabrina’s get-together the night before, which meant Ty was probably having breakfast with her.

Couldn’t hurt to check.

After texting him, Baz tossed the phone back to the table so he wouldn’t be tempted to use it, but it dinged at him within seconds.

You’re up early. Meet you in the restaurant in five.

Yes. Thank God. Usually just being in Ty’s presence was enough to calm him down. The guy had cool down to a serious science. And Baz really didn’t. Why Ty put up with him most of the time he had no clue.

He was in the lobby and headed for the restaurant in four minutes. Ty had still beaten him, his head bent over the phone in his hand as he waited at a table near the window looking out over his atrium.

“Damn, do you have some secret teleportation device? I just texted you.”

Ty raised an eyebrow at him, setting his phone on the table. “And I was already here. Was supposed to have a breakfast meeting but it was canceled at the last minute. Kate’s sleeping off last night’s fun and I didn’t want to wake her. What’re you doing up already?”

He shrugged, trying not to show too much agitation as he slid into the chair opposite Ty. “Couldn’t sleep.”

Now he had Ty’s full attention. “Something wrong?”

Baz filled a mug from the carafe on the table and took a sip, buying some time. “Nothing’s wrong. Just feeling kinda bouncy this morning. Had to get out of the room.”

“Wanna tell me why?”

“Got some new music floating around my head.” And I fucked Tru last night. And I wanna do it again. And again. “Recorded some of it last night but there’s more I gotta get down.”

Ty’s head cocked to the side, intrigued. “Can I hear it?”

“Sure. If you really want to.”

The guy’s elusive grin made an appearance. “I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t. So, what’s really on your mind?”

Like Greg, Ty didn’t beat around the bush. But whereas Greg had all the subtlety of a bulldozer, Ty would nudge him in the right direction and let him open up in his own time. Ty had the patience of a saint. Kind of like a sniper who could wait silently for hours for a target to show.

“I gotta call Nik. He’s my writing partner and I need him to hear the music. It’s just too damn early to call him and I was jumping out of my skin.”

“Did you sleep at all last night?”

He shrugged. “Maybe a few hours. Then I got up and played a little. Had another melody in my head that wouldn’t let me sleep. So I’ve been up for a while.”

“So you really think you need coffee?”

Because Baz had gotten to know Ty so well these past few months, he knew the guy was making a joke.

“Helps calm me.”

“Uh-huh.” Ty waited as the waitress came to take Baz’s order. Then he caught Baz’s gaze and held it. “So, you’re gonna call Nik. Things didn’t go too well the last time you guys met.”

Baz sighed. “No, they didn’t.” And this is why Baz had sought out Ty and not Greg this morning.

“Gonna be a tough call. So make it short and don’t lose your head.”

“Easier said than done.”

“Yeah, but if you wanted easy, you would’ve gone to Berklee, not start a rock band and spend years on the road.”

Ty raised another eyebrow at him and Baz started to smile, feeling the jittery energy start to even out.

Leaning back in his seat, Baz took a sip of his coffee. And nearly spit it out when Ty said, “So you don’t want to talk about Tru?”

Baz sighed. He should’ve known. “She let me use her tablet last night to record. She’s been helpful.”

“Is that what the kids are calling it these days?”

And there was that dry humor again. Baz couldn’t decide whether to laugh or sigh. “Yeah, I like her. But . . . it’s complicated.”

“Life usually is. So, beyond the fact that you’ve been at each other’s throats pretty much since you met, what’s changed?”

“Not sure anything has.” Baz held up a hand when Ty gave him a look. “I’m not bullshitting you. It’s just . . .”

“Complicated.” So much wry humor in Ty’s voice. “I get that. Tell me about the music, then.”

Baz would’ve kissed Ty for knowing when to change the subject but he didn’t want to embarrass the guy in his own hotel.

“It’s different. A little more melodic but it’s harder than the last album. A little more Anthrax, a little less Mötley Crüe.”

Ty’s eyebrows raised. “Mötley Crüe?”

He gave a little shrug. “I had a thing for the Crüe. Don’t judge.”

Ty’s low chuckle made Baz smile, too. “Not judging. Just surprised. So when are you going to call Nik?”

“I’m not sure.’

“Bullshit.” Ty took a sip of his coffee. “You’re gonna call him as soon as we’re done here.”

“So now you’re my mother?”

“No. I’m a friend who thinks you came to me because you knew I’d kick you in the ass and tell you what you need to hear.”

Baz might’ve taken offense to that except it was basically true.

“Yeah, yeah. You’re so fucking brilliant. Blah, blah.” He would’ve given Ty the finger but a group of little old ladies sat only a couple of tables away and he wasn’t that crass. “It’s just . . . we haven’t talked since we tried to kill each other. I don’t know how it’s gonna go.”

“Well, you won’t know until you’re in the same room.”

“Now you really sound like my mother.”

Ty laughed. “Fair enough. But I’m right.”

Yeah, he was. And when Baz left Ty a half hour later, he had a plan. He just had to put it in motion.

He nixed going back to his room. He’d find way too many things there to distract him from making this phone call. Same went for the music room. Too many memories that might actually make his head explode.

He stopped and looked to his right.

The atrium. Perfect.

At this time of the morning, he didn’t see anyone hanging out there so he headed for a corner far from the lobby windows.

His mom loved gardening and he’d spent enough time weeding and digging holes as a kid to know that Tyler had his shit together out here. The atrium changed with the seasons and the major holidays. Right now it was decked out for spring. Flowering bulbs and trees everywhere. The place looked like a goddamn Monet painting; it was that fucking gorgeous.

He knew he really should call his parents soon, too. Although they’d be at work and wouldn’t be able to talk now, he’d call them tonight. His parents called like clockwork every Sunday at one in the afternoon. They’d probably think he’d overdosed again if he called just for the hell of it.