“It’s not bad to get abreak every now and then.”
“No, I guess not,” I concededwith a sigh. But I couldn’t remember the last time I’d gotten a break fromfatherhood. Fromlife. Had Iever? What if I didn’t like it? What ifI liked it too much?
“I’m excited to meetthese other guys,” Tess mentioned eagerly, gazing out the window as we passedthe historic houses and buildings of River Canyon. “What were their namesagain? Chad and … Taylor?”
“Tyler,” I corrected,squeezing her thigh. “They’re nice guys. I think you’ll like them.”
“Well, if they’reanything like Devin and Sebastian, I’m sure I will.”
I scoffed, grinningwhile shaking my head. “I’m not sure I’ve ever knownanybodylike Sebastian …”
The car dropped us offin front of the car rental. Without any hiccups, I grabbed the keys and we gotinto the cheapest car I could rent on my miniscule budget, a little Nissan.Still, it was years newer than my mini-van back at home, and sitting behind thewheel, with the smooth ride beneath me, I couldn’t hold back my grin. Ifantasized about the day I would be able to afford a brand-new—or close toit—car of my own. A whole house of new furniture and separate bedrooms for thegirls. Brand-name food and the freedom of buying the snacks they wanted withoutworrying if they were on sale.
It was all so closenow, I couldactually tasteit, and the thought was sooverwhelming, an emotional boulder lodged itself in my throat.
I pulled up to thehotel and quickly ran to the front desk to check-in, leaving Tess in the car.Then, we were on our way to Devin’s house. It was a short ride, being such asmall town, and when we reached our destination, Tess smiled at me from thepassenger side and said, “You’re so different from the last time I saw youhere.”
“Oh, yeah?”
She nodded. “You’re alot more confident.” She hesitated, unbuckling as she continued to stare, andthen added in a near-whisper, “Happy.”
All I could do wassmile. I didn’t bother responding, because what else was there to say? I wasbeginning to sound like a broken record, that what I had to thank was her. Thatwhat made me happy was her. She knew it, but Istill keptthinking about it, kept reminding myself of it. I knew better than anyone whatit was like to take someone and their love for granted, but I had been given asecond chance … because of her.
***
“So, is this your two-week anniversary?”Sebastian asked, clapping a hand against my shoulder and Tess’s. “Because I’mfucking honored that you’dwannaspend it with me.”
I snorted, stillgetting used to his brash but likable humor. Tess blushed and gently placed herbag on one of the swivel chairs in the control room of Devin’s recordingstudio. She spotted Chad and Ty, picking at a small buffet table of doughnuts,a coffee carafe, and water bottles, and she immediately approached.
“Hey, you must be Tylerand Chad,” she interrupted their snacking, hand outstretched.
It never ceased tostartleme,how sociable she was. She couldn’t evenwait for me to make the introductions. Chad stuffed the remainder of hisdoughnut into his mouth and wiped his hand on his jeans before accepting thefriendly gesture.
Swallowing hastily, hesaid, “Nice to meet you. I’m Chad. You’re Tess, right?” He smiled, dimplesshowing and grey eyes shining.
“I guess Jon talkedabout me.” She returned the grin, shaking his hand.
Tipping his head, hiseyes met mine. “He mentionedya,” he replied, thenwinked. “Good things only, I promise.”
“Good.” She looked overher shoulder, smiling at me, before turning to Ty. “That must make you Tyler.”
“Please, call me Ty,”he answered with a smile, grasping her hand.
When I’d first met Tythe previous weekend, I had assessed that he was the oldest member of the bandwho treated his position appropriately, with a controlled maturity. He provedmy original assessment true as, with a gentle smile, he shook Tess’s handfirmly before turning a stone-cold glare on Sebastian.
“We have a lady here.You think you can keep your mouth shut?”
“Kylie’s a lady,”Sebastian shot back, quirking his mouth into a challenging grin.
“Kylie’s also used toyour shit.”
“Yeah,” Chad chimed in,looking to Sebastian. “We like Jon, dude. Wewannakeep him. Don’t scare his woman away.”
Hiswoman. The sentiment pushed a zing of excitement up from myfeet, through my legs, and out to my arms. I wanted to pull her into me, hugher tight, and prove to myself and everybody else just how muchmy womanshe was. But I just smiled,watching her watch me. Imagining thewaywe must’velooked to everybody else. Smitten. Sweet. Nauseating.
Sebastian turned tome,arms stretched wide. “Why do theygottapressure me like this? I mean, I like you, man, butfuck.” He bent his arms, pointer fingers aimed at his mouth as heshook his head. “I have zero control over this fucking thing. If you haven’tfigured that out yet, then, shit. You got another thingcomin’.”
Tess laughed. “You’dhave to do a lot to scare me away, don’t worry.”
