Chapter Thirteen

Tommy

Five Years Ago

It was standing-room-only for the Mulligan concert tonight, and I had never been prouder of my best friend than I was right now. I was glad that I had gotten to the show early so I could stake out my spot in front of Blake on the left-hand side of the small stage. Helena and Matthias showed up a few minutes later, only for Matthias to catch Killian talking to a girl from our school, take her number, and then smirk at him, like he knew it was breaking Matty’s heart whenever he did shit like that. It wasn’t right or fair. Matthias was a great guy, and he deserved someone who treated him like he was. Not that he had confessed to me or Blake that he was seeing Killian, but there were signs.

“Bastard.” I started toward the stage, only for Matthias to grab my arm. “You can’t let him use you like this.”

Matty shrugged. “I’m not letting him do anything I’m not enjoying.”

But the sadness in his hazel eyes was heartbreaking. After spending the past four years watching him fawn over Killian like a lost puppy, it wasn’t right for him to just have to sit back and take this. Then a thought occurred to me.

“You’re in love with him, aren’t you?” I asked as Helena giggled at something Dean whispered to her.

Killian was too busy hiding the fact he was bisexual or pan or whatever he was still trying to figure out while his best friend was clearly dating his sister right under his nose.

Matthias nodded. “Please don’t tell Blake. I don’t want him to say anything to Killian—”

“Hey, guys.” Helena wrapped her arms around us in a tight hug. “This place is crazy, right? I’m sooo proud of them. When they leave in a couple months for California, it won’t take long before someone signs them. Then we can brag about how we saw them first. I mean, can you imagine?” Her blue eyes danced with happiness. Was it weird that the three of us were secretly dating members of the band but hadn’t told anyone? Blake and I were official, not seeing anyone but one another, but what about Helena and Dean? Obviously, Killian was never going to be exclusive with anyone.

I twisted my lips as I nodded. “Actually, I can.”

I squeezed her tight before I let my gaze move to Blake, who was gesturing angrily with his hands as he spoke with Killian. Whatever it was, neither one of them looked happy.

“That can’t be good,” Matthias muttered just as Killian shook his head and bared his teeth.

I leaned in so Matty could hear me. “I think Blake wanted to perform the new song they wrote, but something tells me that’s not going to happen.”

“New song?” Matthias said, eyes fixed on the guys.

Killian stepped closer to Blake, and I wondered if I should interrupt. The last thing I wanted was to have to break up a fight between them. They both looked like they might start throwing punches at any minute.

I nodded. “Yeah, it’s pretty good. I heard it the other night when I was there. Blake wrote the music, and Killian wrote the lyrics. I was pretty sure it was about—” Shit, I couldn’t tell Matty that I thought it was about him.

“About what?” he asked, just as Blake turned away from Killian and his green eyes met mine.

A smile spread over his face that made my stomach swoop like I was on a roller coaster. His entire face lit up like it always did, and I couldn’t think of anything else. Luckily the lights dimmed, Maverick started the countdown into the first song, and I didn’t have to worry about telling Matty anything about the new song he hadn’t heard yet.

***

Mulligan Downtown needed to get the hell out of Dodge. And by Dodge, I meant Canfield, because this town wasn’t doing them any damn favors. They’d put on another fantastic show, one that had the crowd singing along to every single word, and even though they didn’t do the new one, Killian did tease it at the end of the night.

“We wrote a new song.” He motioned for Blake to come stand next to him. “I’m not ready to sing it live just yet, but soon, I promise.” He gripped Blake’s shoulder tightly. “It’s pretty personal to me, so just know that when I finally do let you hear it, it’s about someone special.”

Killian’s blue eyes landed on Matthias for a second, and I saw Matty’s entire face burn pink before he ducked his head. Maybe I was wrong about Killian and the way he was treating my friend, but I absolutely knew that “Smalltown, USA” was about him.

The crowd had started to clear out now that the show was over, but Helena, Matthias, and I stood around waiting for the band. We’d most likely go to an after party at someone’s house, chill for a bit, and then head home. I wanted alone time with my boyfriend. I needed to kiss him, get him off, and then hold him while he slept. It wasn’t too much to ask for, right? Blake enjoyed spending time with his bandmates and the fans that showed up, but it wasn’t unusual for us to leave together. No one would think anything of it if we ducked out early.

“Tom!” I turned at the sound of my name only to be engulfed in a bone-crushing hug. “It’s so good to see you. I thought I had missed you.”

I stared up into the blue eyes of my ex, Josh Bentley. “Oh, hey,” I mumbled out just as he moved in to slide his lips over mine. “Whoa, what are you doing?” I shoved at his chest, hoping Blake hadn’t caught that exchange.

“I’m sorry, I just... Weren’t we going to, I don’t know? Catch up the next time we were together?” His blue eyes sparkled with something I didn’t return. Yeah, we had said that when our relationship had ended, but things were different now. I was in love with Blake.

I didn’t have to look over to know that Blake had seen everything at the sound of things being slammed around a foot away from me. I was afraid to even look over at him for fear I would give everything away.

“I can’t.”

“Oh. Oh shit! Are you seeing someone?” Josh asked. “I didn’t even... Oh man, is he here?”

He dragged a hand through his raven-colored hair. We’d ended things on good terms; he was the one I thought I might have been in love with if he had wanted more, but he hadn’t. What Josh wanted was just someone to fool around with, and when he’d graduated, he’d told me wasn’t looking for a long-distance relationship. It had hurt, but I had bounced back. He was nice, good-looking with those blue eyes and that dark hair, but now that I was seeing him again for the first time in over a year, I realized he wasn’t endgame. I didn’t feel for Josh what I felt for Blake.

“Yes, I’m seeing someone,” I blurted.

Both Matthias and Helena’s brows shot up. Josh grimaced as he looked at Matthias.

“Not him, so don’t worry. It’s fine, but you should probably go.”

His shoulders slumped forward. “I’m sorry, Tom. I saw you standing here, and I thought I would just, you know, come say hello, and I...I should probably stop talking.”

“You’re seeing someone?” Helena asked the second Josh was out of earshot. “Since when? We haven’t seen you with anyone.”

Matthias tilted his head. “Who is it? Someone from school? Do we know who they are?”

“I’m not telling you two anything.” I glanced over at the stage to find Blake was gone. Wait, did he leave without me? I was supposed to give him a ride home. He’d ridden over with Killian and Dean, but we had plans. “Did you see where Blake went?” I asked.

“I saw him head out back,” Helena answered, then I was out the door before she or Matty could ask me anything else. I’d have to deal with that cluster later.

I found him leaning against my car, his guitar case sitting on the ground as he watched me approach. He had his hands at his side, and when I got closer, he held them out like he was trying to brace himself or stop me from touching him.

“Don’t.”

“Don’t what, Bug?” I invaded his space, pinning him against the vehicle. “It’s not what you think.”

Blake scoffed. “No? Because from where I stood, it looked like Josh kissed you.”

“I didn’t kiss him back.”

“That makes me feel so much better.”

I gripped his head with my big hands. “We had an agreement before he left.” His warmth draped over me, the scent of sweat and deodorant making me press my larger body against his smaller one. “That if he ever came back to town, we’d get together again.”

“Then what are you doing here with me, Tommy?” Blake asked. “Go have your fun with Josh .”

I dragged my nose over his cheek, down his jawline and neck. “Because I’m with you. Because I want you. Because...” I stopped to meet his moss-colored eyes. “I love you.”

“Oh, Tommy.” Blake whimpered, knowing damn well what that did to me.

I slanted my lips over his without a second thought, not caring if someone walked out here and caught us. He wrapped his hands around my biceps, his fingers digging into my muscles, and I groaned when his tongue tangled together with mine, my cock quickly hardening in my pants.

“We should go,” I suggested.

Blake nodded. “Yeah, good idea. Back to your place.”

I smiled down at him. His lips were swollen and red from mine. “My place, huh? Not the after party at Killian’s?”

“I don’t care about that, Tommy. I want to be with you. I want to get you naked, touch you, and make you come with my hands, my mouth, all my body parts,” he whispered as he leaned up to kiss me again.

I hummed happily. “All of them, huh? I like that idea, Bug.” I closed my eyes as I leaned my forehead against his. “Everything okay between you and Killian?”

“Fine. He was being a dick about the new song, but we agreed to play it next time. He said he doesn’t think it’s ready.” Blake reached up to touch my lips with the tips of his fingers. “You’re really mine.”

I nipped at his fingers. “All yours, Bug, and I’m sorry about Josh. He apologized for kissing me. I told him I was seeing someone.”

“But Matty and Helena were there.” His eyes went wide. “Did you tell them?”

I nuzzled his neck. “Did you want me to tell them? Because I will. I don’t care who knows. I’ll shout it from the rooftops if you want.”

“I like having you all to myself, but soon. Soon we’ll tell everyone so I can hold your hand in public and show everyone you’re mine,” Blake murmured softly.

I smiled against his skin. “We should probably go then, or someone’s going to find out sooner than we want.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right about that. I’m sorry I overreacted about Josh.”

“No, don’t do that. I would have done the same thing if someone had kissed you.”

Blake beamed at me when I released him. “Luckily, I don’t have any ex-boyfriends you have to worry about.”

He was right about that.