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If I had shown up back up in Canfield and found Tommy was engaged to someone else, I would probably react in the exact opposite way. Not smiling, laughing, and trying to get to know the man. I would be feral with jealousy. Eager to break them up the first chance I had. But Dean was never like that.
Helena had met Ryan at the hospital she worked at as a nurse. He was a respiratory therapist, so they both worked crazy healthcare hours but seemed to adore one another. Ryan seemed eager to meet everyone, even after a long day of work. Hell, he cooked us dinner. I knew how exhausted I was when I come off the stage, and I wasn’t even saving lives for a living.
“Here.” Tom held out his hand to show me the s’more in it. “What? Don’t act like you don’t want one. I made it for you.”
That was another thing. Tom was acting like we were best friends again. Which, I mean, we were, but we hadn’t spoken in years. I was still pissed at him about everything.
“Thanks?” I raised my brows as I took the treat he offered. When I bit into it, I moaned softly. “Did you put a peanut butter cup in this?”
“Bug, who knows what you like?” He winked at me, and heat flamed over my skin. It wasn’t from the bonfire that was burning in the backyard, either.
I caught the stringy marshmallow before it stuck to my chin, then turned to him. “What’s happening right now? When you saw me yesterday, you acted like you couldn’t even stand to be within a foot of me, but now you’re making jokes, handing me snacks, and acting like nothing happened.”
“I’m trying,” he muttered, then sat back in the seat next to me.
My brows dipped. “Trying to what, Gretzky?”
He was going to have to give me more than that. He was going to have to apologize, take it all back, before I forgave him. Grovel, beg, get on his knees, and plead for forgiveness. If that’s what he wanted.
“To be your friend, let you back in, fix things between us.” Tommy stared up at the dark night sky. “I’m not the same kid I was when you left.”
Wasn’t that the truth?
“I’m not either.” I stared at his profile, the strong cheekbones, and the way his lips twitched, like he was trying not to smile. “I’m not.”
“I know, Bug.” Tommy glanced at me. “You’re still good, though. I can see it written all over your face.” He jutted his chin toward Killian. “Kill is the bad boy, Dean is the wildcard, Mav is the tragedy, but you, Blake Duncan, you’re the saint.”
I rolled my eyes at him. “You read the article.”
That article had pissed me off to the point where I told Lou, our PR woman, that I wouldn’t do an interview again with that magazine. That wasn’t normally how I was, but they’d made it seem like I was a choirboy compared to the rest of the band, and maybe I was. I just didn’t like to get in trouble, so I kept a low profile.
“I read everything written about Mulligan, Bug. I’m proud of you. I told you that you’d be the best, and you are.” Tommy turned his gaze back to the fire. “One of us had to be.” When I went to protest, he raised a hand. “Just let me say nice things about you.”
I gritted my teeth. “What about you, Tommy? Do you ever listen to other people or just the voices in your head telling your that career is over?”
“Want to get out of here?” he asked as he climbed to his feet. “I have something I need to show you.”
I stared up at him. “Where? Your place?”
“Yeah, Bug, my place.” Tom held out his hand.
When I took it, he gave me a big smile. When I looked at him, I didn’t see the scar. I saw my best friend, the boy who’d broken my heart because he’d wanted me to pursue my dreams, and despite everything, had saved my mother’s life.
Which was why I went home with him.
Chapter Five
Tommy
Five Years Ago
It was an unusually warm spring day, and we were out by the pool, which was still covered for winter, just soaking up the sun while we had the chance. It was close to ninety degrees, which was unusual, although not unheard of, for New England, and tomorrow we were expected to get snow. We had spent countless hours doing this. Chilling on the deck, having fun, joking around. Only this time, it was different.
I was mesmerized by the way Blake had filled out. His shoulders seemed broader, his biceps larger, his chest firmer and stronger. I couldn’t keep my eyes off him from the second he yanked off his shirt to reveal his toned torso to my prying eyes. Was it all the nights he spent lifting amps, moving them back and forth at gigs? We hadn’t been hitting the gym much unless he was going without me.
“So...” He smiled at me like he didn’t have a care in the world. Like he didn’t notice the way I was drinking in every single inch of his body. The way his muscles bunched and moved. Jesus, he was ripped. “What are our plans after this?”
My throat went dry as I let my gaze travel down his stomach, over the dusting of light hair that disappeared beneath his swim shorts.
