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“Yeah, well, it comes with the territory, I guess.” Jackson picked at the food on his plate. “Just hope the both of you are ready for that when it comes time.”
All I wanted was for people to hear our music. To enjoy the lyrics and get lost in what they could possibly mean. I opened my mouth to tell Jax that just as Maverick walked in with a girl I didn’t recognize. I felt Tommy tense beside me. Jackson had his back to the door, but if they walked by our table, if Maverick stopped to be an asshole to us, what would happen? I was afraid Jackson would break.
“You know what?” Tommy announced. “I think we should get our food to go. We could hang back at Mom and Dad’s, watch a movie or something. Get some privacy. That sounds good, right?”
I nodded. “Sounds perfect to me.”
“What’s going on with you two right now?” Jackson’s brows dipped. “I want to eat my food here before it gets cold and soggy. I don’t mind if people stop and say hello to me. It’s part of my job now.”
My stomach twisted as Maverick’s gaze drifted over to me. He smirked when he saw Tommy, but just as he started toward us, he stopped. He must have realized it was Jackson sitting at the table with us. Maverick’s green eyes narrowed angrily before he spoke quickly to the blond with him and ushered her out of the restaurant. Crisis averted for now.
“You’re right.” Tommy waved his hand in the air just as the waitress came over with more water to fill his glass. “I don’t know what I was thinking.”
Jackson chuckled. “Probably that you wanted to get into your boyfriend’s pants.”
“That doesn’t sound horrible.” I nudged Tommy’s thigh with my hand. Maybe it was time we came out as a couple so that we could kiss and hold hands in public. Everyone already knew Tommy was gay, and I didn’t care what they thought about me.
Tommy leaned his head toward me. “Mm, that’s not a bad idea.” His lips brushed the shell of my ear, and I shivered at the sound of his voice.
Our meals arrived then, and the three of us dug into our burgers like we hadn’t eaten in days. We kept the conversation light, careful not to mention Maverick when we spoke about Mulligan, and caught Jax up with some of the town gossip.
“Hey, whatever happened between Killian and Matty? Did they hook up, or did Matty finally move on?” Jackson asked as he finished off his fries. When Tommy and I just looked at one another, he tilted his head. “Spill.”
I sighed. “You can’t tell anyone.”
“Who am I going to tell? My teammates?” Jackson smiled.
“They’re sort of together. Killian doesn’t want anyone to know about it, so they go out of town or stay at the Hampton house. Matty lives there now,” Tommy told his brother.
Jackson’s brown eyes went wide. “You’re going to have to back up and start at the beginning. And don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone. I don’t talk to too many people from Canfield these days.”
Tommy and I took turns telling Jackson the entire story. How Killian found Matthias in his treehouse, kissed him, and then demanded he move in with them so his father couldn’t beat him anymore. We talked about the hickeys, the out-of-town dates, and how happy Matty seemed that Killian was finally giving him the attention he wanted. How over-the-moon in love he was with my singer. Despite being treated like a dirty secret.
“This is going to end badly.” Jackson sighed and dragged a hand through his curls. “Have you tried telling Matty that?”
I nodded. “Look, I don’t want him to get hurt either, but he’s in love with Killian. No one could have stopped him from doing this.” But then again, I was too busy with my own love life and spending time with my boyfriend. I was a terrible friend.
“We should go check on him tomorrow. You know, since he broke his wrist and all in that accident.” Tommy wiped his mouth.
That sounded like a good idea. “Jax, you want to come with us?”
“Can’t. I have to head back to Boston in the morning. We have some away games coming up that I need to prepare for. But tell Matty hello for me.” Jackson had that sad look in his eyes again, and I was glad he hadn’t seen Maverick. It would have crushed him.
We headed back to the Olson house after that. Once Tommy and I had settled into his bed, our legs intertwined, my head on his broad chest, I felt dread sink back into my body. My mother was coming home. She was going to need rehab for her stroke, possibly twenty-four-hour care, and I didn’t want to be the one to do that.
“I’m here, Bug,” Tommy assured me, his strong arms wrapped around me. “I’ll be behind you every single step of the way. It’s always going to be us. You and me.”
I borrowed my face into his skin without saying anything and somehow managed to fall asleep.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Blake
After the food fight, and Killian calling in a company to do a deep cleaning to appease Tommy’s mother, we all showered and changed into clean clothes. Now the band was all sitting on my front porch before Maverick and Jackson left for their month-long honeymoon to Hawaii. Mulligan had never played there before, and it was always one of the places Mav wanted to visit, so Jax made it happen. Because of course he did. He would do anything for Maverick.
“I’m going to spam you guys with so many pictures,” Maverick warned as he adjusted the crown on his head. I was starting to think that thing was a permanent fixture.
Killian grunted. “That’s not necessary. Please don’t.”
