“Cordial. Right. So you’re going to do it? Sign with IRL? I’ll bet you haven’t even seen a contract yet. Ronni will try to control you.”
“Of course I’m going to sign. This could be my big break.”
I pick up the bottle of whiskey and take a swig. “You’re fucking welcome. Now get the hell out and go tell someone who cares.”
She puts her hand on the doorknob. “You left me, Garrett. You said you loved me and then you left me. What was I supposed to do? He was there when you abandoned me.”
I slam the bottle down. “You were supposed to wait for me. You weren’t supposed to fuck the next guy you saw, and you definitely weren’t supposed to fuck him. Damn it, Reece. Your goddamn heart lives in your vagina.”
“What the hell does that mean?”
“It means you think you love whoever the hell you’re boning. I should have known it would happen. You told me about all the other guys you’d been with. You were incapable of being alone. Still are.”
“I wasn’t sleeping with anyone but you, not until long after you left me. I’m not sleeping with anyone now either.”
I’m surprised to hear her say that. Then again, she could be lying. She is a liar, after all. “Will you quit saying I’m the one who left? I didn’t have a choice.”
“There’s always a choice.”
“You can’t put this on me. I may be the one who got on the plane, but don’t kid yourself, you’re the one who left. All that shit about always and forever was a bunch of crap.”
“You don’t understand, Garrett. You’ll never understand.”
“I understand you’re a slut.”
She marches over to me and slaps my face. “Don’t talk to me like that. You have no idea how I felt when you left. No idea how hard it was for me.”
“Because you didn’t tell me.”
“I told you, but you didn’t listen. That seems to be a pattern of yours. And then when… you know what? Forget it. You don’t deserve any explanation.”
“There isn’t anything you could say that would make what you did okay. You left, Reece. Own up to it.”
She pushes me. “You left.”
I grab her hand and then—I don’t know what the hell comes over me—I pull her against me and kiss her. She fights me at first. I feel like I’m forcing her when I push her flat to the wall, not thinking I could be doing this against her will. It only reinforces what an asshole I am.
But then she relaxes, kisses me back, and puts her arms around me. Her hands go through my hair, down my back, and over my ass.
Everything inside me is screaming to pull away. In what universe is it okay that I’m making out with the woman who left me for my brother?
A moan from deep in her throat takes me back six years. Suddenly she’s the eighteen-year-old waitress I woke up next to. The feisty, naïve stranger who had me falling for her before the damn sun went down. Her body feels different. Fuller. But the sounds she makes, the way she touches me, they’re exactly the same.
My cock is hungrier than it’s ever been in my entire goddamn life.
“Are you drunk?” I say against her neck as I suck on it.
“A little.”
My mouth travels down to her cleavage. I push her top and bra down and put my tongue on her breast. “Should we be doing this?”
“Probably not.”
She arches into me, sultry noises escaping her lips. My dick gets painfully hard. “Do you want to stop?”
She holds my face tightly against her. “No.”
I step back only as long as it takes to rip her shirt off, then my mouth is back on her. She tugs up my T-shirt and runs her hands along my bare back. I reach for the button on her jeans. She stops me, and I think maybe she’s come to her senses, but she drags me to the bedroom and turns off the light—probably so she doesn’t have to see who’s fucking her. But at this point, I’m too damn horny to care.
She takes my clothes off, something she never did before. I was always the one to undress us. She grabs my cock as if her life depends on it. When I reach between her legs, she’s so wet I curse. I’m about to shoot, so I yank on a condom, climb on top of her, and slip inside her. Holy shit. I want to say her name. I bite my lip hard to keep from saying it, because I’m doing something I said I’d never do. I promised myself I wouldn’t give in to the voice in my head that tells me I still want her. I’m drunk. I’d sleep with the housekeeper if she were doing these things to me.
The noises she makes let me know she’s close to coming. I know these sounds. I hear them in my dreams. They’ve haunted me for years. And they push me over the top. I stiffen, grunt, and blow my load, then roll off her.
I wait for her to cry. I wait for me to kick her out. Neither of those things happens. We lie here, staring at the ceiling, silent.
What’s she thinking?
I’ve never wanted to know something so badly. Is she wondering exactly which one of us is right? Because I am. Who left whom? I’d been sure it was her, but as I lie here, remembering the phone call that changed my life, I wonder if it’s possible that I pushed her away.
Chapter Twenty-two
Reece
Six years ago …
Garrett and Rob are waiting for me at table seven. I told them I wanted to shower the grime off before going to the concert, but they said there wouldn’t be time, so I wipe down with anti-bacterial wipes I stole from under the counter. Then I slather on deodorant and spray my neck with too much perfume. The last thing I want is to smell like French fries or chicken-fried steak.
“Where are the three of you off to tonight?” Missy asks.
“White Poison concert in Bridgeport.”
Her eyebrows shoot up. “Aren’t you still sick? Maybe you shouldn’t go.”
“I’m much better today.”
She looks disappointed, almost like she wanted my ticket. Rob went out with her a few more times after the bowling thing, but I don’t think he’s called her in a month.
“I wish you could go with us, but we bought the tickets months ago.” I lean close. “Do I smell like bacon grease?”
She circles me, sniffing. “You’re good. Have fun, and don’t yell too much. You’re still getting over your throat thing.”
“Yes, Mom.”
Garrett is waiting impatiently out front. He eyes my White Poison shirt. “Someday you’ll be wearing my picture across that amazing rack.”
“I’ll wear yours if you wear mine,” I quip.
“You want me to wear a T-shirt with a picture of a chick?”
Rob laughs. “He’d do it. You have my brother completely pussy-whipped.”
I gesture to Missy, who saunters by with a pot of coffee, casually not looking at Rob. “She seemed sad that she wasn’t invited. I think she was hoping I’d be too sick to go.”
“Screw her,” he says. “I’m done with all of them. After tonight, I’m done with everything but studying for the bar exam. No going out, no partying, no distractions. I have six weeks. I plan to use every minute of my free time hitting the books.”
I elbow him. “I’m sure you’ll do great.”
“Do you know how many people fail on their first try? Twenty-five percent. One in four. I can’t be the one in four.”
“Your dad’s a lawyer, and you’re super smart. I bet everyone else taking it will be at least three or four years older than you. You’ll be one of the youngest lawyers to pass.”
“Yeah, no pressure there.”
Garrett says, “If this is your last night, let’s make it a good one.”
Rob motions toward the door. “Lead the way.”
Ten minutes into our drive, we’re rocking out to a White Poison song. When it ends, Garrett pulls out his phone. His face loses all color. “Stop the car.”
“Why?” Rob says behind the wheel.
“Just stop the fucking car.”
Rob pulls off onto a side street and parks. “What is it?”
Garrett holds up his phone. �
��It’s a voicemail from Australia.”
“Gunther?” Rob asks.
“Don’t know.”
“Well, who the hell else do you know in Australia? Play it, man. Put it on speaker.”
Garrett takes a deep breath, blows it out and presses play.
“Garrett Young, there will be a plane ticket waiting for you at JFK the day after tomorrow. I don’t usually do this sort of thing, but given the time crunch, I doubt you could secure a trans-continental flight yourself. That is if you’re still interested in what I have to offer. I had a last-minute cancellation. Call this number and ask for Freddie. She’ll give you the details. If Freddie doesn’t hear from you in six hours, the offer is rescinded. Later, mate.”
“Holy shit, Gare!” Rob shouts.
Garrett gets out of the car and paces the sidewalk. Rob and I join him, following him with our eyes but keeping our mouths shut.
I’m not sure how to feel. The man I love was just offered a dream opportunity, but it means we’ll be apart for six months. That’s longer than we’ve been together. Why did someone have to cancel? Everything was perfect.
“I’m sorry,” he says. “I can’t go.”
My heartbeat slows and calm washes over me. “Of course you can’t. I’m sure he’ll understand. Nobody can pick up and move on such short notice. Maybe he can find someone local to fill the spot.”
“Reece.” He comes over and takes my hand. “I meant I can’t go to the concert.”
I close my eyes and lean against the car, my throat thickening with tears.
“Fuck the concert,” Rob says. “You’re going to Australia. It’s everything you’ve worked for. You’re going to be a star, little brother.”
Garrett gives me an anxious look. “I’m sorry. I can’t not go. I’ll never get this chance again.”
Rob says, “She knows that. Don’t you, Reece?”
I nod, tears rolling down my face. Garrett catches one with his thumb. “Hey, now. It’ll be fine. We can talk and text every day. We can FaceTime.”
I’m already mourning the lazy Sundays we spent in my bed. Our naked breakfasts. The nightly jam sessions. “It won’t be the same.”
“You need to call this Freddie person before she gives your spot to someone else,” Rob says.
“I have six hours,” Garrett tells him.
“Why wait?”
“Rob, can you drive us home? Actually, drop us at Reece’s apartment. I’m staying there tonight.”
“But you need to pack and tell Mom and Dad. You have a million things to do, like fucking calling Freddie.”
“Shut the hell up!” Garrett shouts. “I’ll get to it. Right now I need you to drive us. Can you do that?”
Rob gets in the car. Garrett hugs me. “I’m not letting you out of my sight for the next thirty-six hours.”
“But I work tomorrow.”
“Call in sick.”
I swallow. “I’m not sure it would be a lie.”
He kisses my forehead. “It’s going to be okay. When I return and get picked up by a famous band, things will change for us. Or better yet, we can start our own band. This is going to open up so many doors for us.”
I want to be happy for him, and in some way, I am. But the emotion I’m feeling more than anything is dread over what will happen when we’re apart. Over what might happen to me without him. Over what happens if he gets catapulted to stardom.
“Let’s go back to your place,” he says. “We have a lot of memories to make before I go.”
~ ~ ~
Thirty-six hours later, I’m at the airport with Garrett. Sandy and Rob say their goodbyes and wait by the exit.
“It’s not too late,” Garrett says. “You can still come with me. I’ll get you on the next flight out.”
I’ve thought about nothing else for the past day and a half. Could I get on a plane to follow the man I love? Twenty-two hours; the flight takes almost an entire day. Australia is literally on the other side of the world.
“I wish I could, Garrett. You have no idea how much I want to. But you know I can’t get on a plane.”
“It’s okay. You’d probably be bored out of your mind anyway. I have no idea how much time I’d get to spend with you, and Gunther might not let you stay in the guesthouse.” He glances at his mother. “She said you can go to the house whenever you want. Have dinner with her when Dad is out of town. Use the music room. Hell, sleep in my bed if you want.”
I grip his hand tightly. “Promise you won’t forget me.”
He laughs and wipes away one of my tears. “Don’t you know by now how unforgettable you are, Mancini?”
My chin quivers when I try to smile. “I’m going to write a dozen songs about you when you’re gone.”
“Good. With all the connections I’ll have, we’ll cut an album for you when I get back. We’ll send it to all the best labels.” He wraps me in his arms. “This is only the beginning for us.”
Rob catches his attention. “Gare, the line is getting long. You’d better go.”
He hugs his brother one last time and blows a kiss to his mom. He takes me with him to the back of the line. “I gotta go now. I love you, Reece.”
It’s only the third time he’s said it. Garrett isn’t big on words unless he’s talking about music, but he’s shown me how he feels in so many other ways. Like the way he held me in bed all night, looking at me. I knew he was imprinting my face into his memory. The way we made love made it a night I’ll never forget as long as I live.
“Always and forever,” I say as he walks away.
Sandy and Rob join me. Garrett looks back every so often, so I put on a brave face. But as soon as he makes it through security and around the corner, my knees buckle. Rob puts an arm around me. “It’s going to be okay, Reece. Six months will go by before you know it.”
I shake with sobs. I know he means well. But to me, six months sounds like a lifetime.
Chapter Twenty-three
Garrett
Light shines through the window, blinding me. I must have forgotten to close the curtains last night. I roll over and see her. My heart lodges in my throat as last night comes back to me. It’s like déjà vu, because once again, I’m waking up with a stranger.
I don’t know anything about her, other than where she works. Worked; she won’t have to waitress anymore after signing with IRL. I itch to trace the soft curves of her face. I’m closer to her than I’ve been in six years. Her eyelashes are long and thick, and I wonder if they’ve always been or if I’m just now noticing. A few freckles dot the sides of her nose. Have they always been there?
She moves, and I stiffen. I don’t want her to wake up yet. I have to decide how I feel about this before we have any kind of conversation.
Her arm sticks out from under the covers. There’s ink on her wrist. She has a tattoo? I strain to see it. It’s a single word.
Strong
She turns over and the sheet slips off her backside, revealing the sensual curve of her ass and a dimple low on the left side of her back. My dick hardens. I wish it down, but it doesn’t listen. I can’t be sleeping with her. I hate her. She’ll tell everyone I used her and then I’ll be the bad guy all over again. What was I thinking?
She yawns, then rolls over to see me staring. She covers herself with the sheet but doesn’t hop out of bed, like I thought she might. She gives me a sad smile, and I realize in this moment that I don’t hate her. “Hey.”
“Hey.”
“Are you okay?”
She nods. She eyes my right arm. “You have a few more tattoos than the last time we did this.”
I glance at her wrist. “So do you.”
She covers it with her hand. “Last night was—”
“A mistake?”
She sighs. “I was going to say unexpected.”
“Sorry. I didn’t mean it. I mean, I meant it. Sort of. We probably shouldn’t have. We were both drinking. We said stuff.” I run a hand through my hair. How much more awkward c
an this get? “Fuck, I don’t know what I’m saying.”
“It’s kind of messed up, huh?”
“To say the least.”
She sits up against the headboard, taking the sheet with her. “What are we supposed to do now? I’m tired of pretending like I hate you. Of tiptoeing around you. Of your bandmates having to choose sides. Everything.”
“Me too.”
“Suggestions?”
I scoot up next to her. “I have no idea.”
“I might have one.”
“Shoot.”
“What if we try to be friends?”
My eyes graze over the outline of her body under the thin sheet. I look down at myself, half covered. “After this?”
“It’s not like we have a choice. Do you want to go back to the way it was?”
“No.”
“Do you want me to be your girlfriend?”
The way she says it, it’s like she expects me to say no. Like she wants me to say no. “I, uh …”
“It’s okay. I don’t want that either. Considering what happened, it would be a disaster. We said things last night that needed to be said. Maybe now we can move on and be civil to each other.”
“I’ve seen you naked, Reece.”
“It’s nothing you hadn’t seen before. Just think of me as another groupie.”
I get out of bed, trying not to be pissed. I expect her to turn away, but she watches my every move as I pull on my pants. The way she’s staring at me contradicts everything she’s saying. I shove my hard dick into my jeans. “So we’re supposed to pretend last night didn’t happen? You’re not going to tell everyone?”
“You’ve already been keeping secrets from them, Garrett. What’s one more?”
“I don’t feel the need to air my dirty laundry in front of my friends, but I guess it’s all out in the open now.”
“You think I’m dirty laundry?” She smiles. Oh, that was a joke. She points at the door. “I want to get dressed. Can you go in the other room?”
Reckless Reunion (The Reckless Rockstar Series) Page 14