Lazy Sundays (Lazy Days Book 1)

by K-lee Klein

  Losing someone so loved and at such a young age had to be the most devastating thing in the world, and even though Devon and Shadow had fought the night of the funeral, Scott couldn't imagine they'd ever stayed mad for long in their extensive history. Thinking back to the things Devon had hidden and the assumptions Scott had automatically made, it was a wonder they'd ever gotten back together at all. And from what Devon had revealed, Shadow had a lot to do with that.

  He felt a powerful need to talk to the man who'd been both the unfortunate catalyst to Devon and Scott's break-up, and also the push Devon had needed to get them back together.

  Had the circumstances not been so messed up, Scott hoped he could have helped Devon during that time. Obviously, there was more healing to do and it was his intention to be there for whatever Devon needed, and he intended on thanking Shadow for kicking his boyfriend in the ass, literally.

  Scott squeezed Devon's hand, receiving a confused quirk of his lips. “I love you,” Scott whispered. “You're a very good man, Dev.”

  Devon turned to fully face him, smiling warmly but with concern shadowing his eyes. “And what did I deserve to receive such praise?” He leaned closer, bumping Scott's forehead with his nose.

  “Nothing. I guess I just like you a lot.” Scott widened his eyes comically, suddenly teeming with emotion that he did not intend on letting loose, at least not in the middle of a Valentine's breakfast with his man's friends surrounding him.

  “Good to know,” Devon sassed with a laugh. “I guess I like you too.”

  “Weirdo.”

  Scott glanced at Shadow again. He'd set the phone on the table in front of him, his gaze settled somewhere out the window. “Do you think I can…?” He let his words trail off but dipped his head in Shadow's direction.

  “Looks like he could use a break from his mind. Want me to introduce you?”

  “No. I think I'd like to do it myself. If you don't mind of course,” Scott replied.

  Devon nodded, returning Scott's previous hand squeeze. “Sure. You want to talk about how awesome I am, right?”

  Scott snorted in Devon's general direction. “Such an ego.”

  So Scott gathered his courage and rose up from the table, bending to kiss the top of Devon's messy head. He was amazed at his own courage when he approached Shadow. “Um, hi,” he choked so not intelligently.

  Shadow shifted his gaze from the dreary Vancouver day, brilliant green eyes barely visible behind the platinum strands that had come lose from his ponytail. He side-eyed Scott, expressionless. “I don't mean to interrupt,” Scott began. He paused when a crooked grin appeared on Shadow's face and he tipped his head in Scott's direction.

  “I'm assuming you're Scott since Devon's described you to a T. Have a seat.”

  Scott blushed. “Well I hope he made me sound more attractive than I really am.” The self-derogatory words left his mouth before they registered in his brain. He tried to backpedal his way out of it. “I'm sorry for your loss.”

  “No, man. He described you perfectly. I'm Shadow, by the way. Real name's Shaun ,but I prefer the mystery. And thank you. It's been a tough few months.”

  Scott let a respectful silence sit between them before he spoke again. “I'm happy to finally meet you. I saw you a couple times before Devon and I, you know, weren't together anymore.”

  Shadow nodded, gaze drifting to the other end of the table where Devon raised his eyebrows in confusion. “I wish we'd seen you standing there, man. I felt horrible as shit when I found out you broke up because you saw him hugging me.”

  It took a moment for Scott to gather his thoughts in some way that might make sense. “It wasn't only about that. Wasn't even mostly about that so no guilt necessary.” Scott leaned in a little closer, putting himself in a position he didn't normally assume except with Devon. For some reason Shadow felt safe enough for Scott to slip out of his comfort zone a little more. “I understand you had a lot to do with us getting back together though.”

  Shadow huffed out a laugh, his mouth turning up in a half-grin as he shook his head. “Naw. He just needed a kick in the ass. I had too much going on to listen to him moan non-stop about fucking up and losing you.” He fingered the gold band, gently turning it around his ring finger. “He's been my best friend for twenty years and I know he didn't mean to get on my nerves, but fuck, I'd lost the love of my life and he was too damn scared to go and get his.”

  Scott's breath hitched in his throat and he stumbled over his words. “The love of his…what?”

  “Damn straight. He was all dopey-eyed from the minute he met you.” Shadow flipped the hair off his face. Scott thought that was one of the reasons he'd never had long hair. He couldn't have handled having it in his face all the time. “He was a horrible mess when you dumped him or when he got himself dumped I guess you might say. He was strong as fuck for me when I needed him, took care of me like he has most of my life, but wouldn't do a damn thing to crawl his way out of his own goddamn hole, so I gave him a little push.”

  “By beating him up?”

  Shadow snorted softly. “Hell, no. Technically, I didn't beat him up. We've done that a few times over the years—knock down, drag out fights complete with black eyes and a few hospital visits, but this wasn't like that. I gave him a left to the jaw to knock some sense into his stubborn-ass brain. Seems like it worked, too.”

  The memory of Devon bruised and bloody was both good and bad. But one thing he hadn't done was make any excuses for his injuries. He hadn't been mad at Shadow in the least, and if Shadow was truthful in his description of a sulking Devon—well, Scott couldn't even pretend to understand the dynamic between them. And he didn't even have the urge to figure it out. In the long run, Devon and Shadow's friendship and disagreement had been what had pulled both Devon and Scott's heads out of their butts. Scott was immensely grateful to Shadow for that.

  “He's a good guy,” Shadow was saying. “Probably the coolest head and most logical mind out of the five of us. I've never seen him start a fight or even let the anger get the best of him, and if any of us ever needed him, he was there. He’s still there.”

  Scott brain did a little flip at the word logical. “I'm pretty fond of him myself.”

  Shadow beamed and the expression even made its way into his sad eyes. “That's cool. He deserves something for himself away from us losers.”

  “Speak for yourself,” Wolfie interrupted.

  “Fuck you, Wolf. You should be minding your own business, dumbass.” Wolfie flipped him off but went back to his conversation with Slide. Smokey Grey was an assertive bunch to say the least. “But Devon…if he gives you a hard time, you come to me and I'll straighten him out.”

  A hiccup of laughter made Scott cover his mouth with his hand. “Sorry.”

  “He always said you were polite, but dude, you will not last in this little group if you don't park that at home and tell it like it is. Now before we join these other meatheads who, I might add, are all chomping at the bit to get their time with you, including your curious as fuck boyfriend, can I ask you something serious?”

  “Of course,” Scott replied hesitantly. A thread of anxiety vibrated inside his belly. He dug deep to shove it back into its box.

  “Devon's important to me. I think you already guessed that, so I want you to be straight with me, Scott.” Scott nodded slowly. Shadow lowered his voice, shifting even closer, speaking more intimately. “He'll kick my ass if he knows I said this, but he cares about you more than I've seen him care about anybody, ever. But he's still my boy and I need to know I can trust you with him.”

  “You don't think he can take care of himself?” Scott asked. He didn't think that was exactly what Shadow was trying to say but clarification was needed in that overwhelmingly logical part of his brain.

  “No, that's not it at all or well, maybe it is. He can handle practically any situation you throw at him, but he does have one very fatal flaw.”

  “He does?”

  Shadow smiled so
ftly, nudging his shoulder against Scott. “His heart cracks open a little too wide sometimes, like when his mom died, or when I was going through my wife's cancer, or even when he does his volunteering with the kids. I don't want to see him hurt, you know? He loves you, so I'll say it straight out—and it's probably none of my fucking business—but do you love him too?”

  Having stopped his jaw from dropping onto the table, Scott dipped his head and swallowed anxiously. He'd barely admitted to Devon that he loved him, let alone saying it to someone who was a stranger only minutes before. There was something about Shadow though, something honest and kind and aching. Was it his grief talking or was he just a caring kind of guy like Devon?

  “Um, yes. I do and that's not something I've admitted to anyone but him, and now you.”

  Shadow looked at him with a quiet wonder. “Good. Then we're solid, Scott. But like I said, if he ever gives you a hard time, come to me and he'll be on his knees apologizing before the sun comes up on a new day.”

  “On his knees, huh?” Scott clapped a hand over his mouth. Shit, what are you thinking? “I mean—”

  But Shadow cackled and tugged Scott into a one-armed hug. “No offense but he and I don't share that particular information. He told Beth all that stuff though.” He sighed, tapping his empty cup on the table. “Now I suggest you get back over there and hold his hand or something cuz that hang-dog expression on his face will melt this whole goddamn band to the ground if he doesn't get what he wants. And you are all that he wants.”

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  Breakfast went over better than Devon could have ever imagined, and in the end their morning meal turned from breakfast and a shitload of coffee to an extended breakfast and even more coffee. By the time they left Devon could feel the caffeine buzzing through him.

  When Scott was talking to Shadow, Devon had to pull himself back into his own conversation several times, or more likely, his rude-assed bandmates did it for him when he stared at Scott a little too long. They were such a pain in his ass, but he supposed he loved them anyway.

  His heart swelled with pride at the way Scott carried himself when he was so obviously out of his comfort zone. Not that anyone else could identify the nervous ticks or feel the sweaty palm that gripped Devon's hand. Scott was the epitome of casual and relaxed in theory, but eventually it seemed genuine as Scott succumbed to easy and real laughter, while offering his own teasing banter to the group. It helped that Devon's boys were on their best behavior, mostly, and seeing them with Scott filled Devon's already-bursting-at-the-seams heart.

  Plus, Devon was positive that Scott himself couldn't have guessed he would have fit in so well.

  Of course, Devon hoped with everything he was that all the people in his life would get along. He wondered if Scott knew that the entire band, and Charlene, had taken Scott's side in their split without even knowing him. He couldn't count the times one of them had told him in no uncertain terms that he was being a moron and needed to get his act together, so he could get Scott back. They'd offered him advice up the yin-yang until the fateful night when Shadow had made his point and preference very clear, with not only his words but his fist.

  And Devon both loved and hated his best friend for that. Who was he kidding though? He could never hate Shadow, and he'd solidified his place in Devon's heart after he'd forced Devon to grow some balls. Of course, alcohol had partnered with Devon's cojones in getting him to Scott's house, but Shadow had given Devon a much-needed kick in the ass—and fist to the face.

  He couldn't get over how stoked he was at Scott's confidence as he talked to everyone, and especially when he approached Shadow on his own. It was like a cloud of gooey sappiness was floating over Devon's head, zapping him with way too many feelings. Pride and love oozed from every pore and it was both exciting and freaking weird. Because even though Devon considered himself to be a modern guy, the way Scott made him feel and act was a whole new ball of wax for him. If love could make you feel out-of-control and crazy with emotions, Devon was a definite member of that club.

  Scott's encounter with Shadow seemed to have gone well but Devon was worried about his oldest friend. At one point when Scott was heavy into a discussion of the pros and cons of being a musician's significant other with Charlene and Wolfie, Devon snuck to the end of the table and flopped into the chair across from Shadow.

  “Hey buddy, you okay?”

  Shadow didn't bother faking how he was feeling in front of Devon. There would be no point after so many years of friendship. “I'm hanging in.”

  “Beth's dad upset you?”

  With a shrug, Shadow picked at his plate of eggs and bacon. “The usual. I didn't do enough. I shouldn't have kept her here. I should've let her go home where she belonged.”

  Devon shook his head. “Home? Don't think she's belonged anywhere but here for over twenty years. How don't they get that you and the kids are the only home she wanted?”

  “Beats the fuck out of me,” Shadow sneered. He scowled into his coffee cup when he took a long sip. “It's been over two weeks and they're still riding my ass.”

  “I'm sorry, man. How're the kids doing anyway?”

  Shadow shrugged with a heavy sigh. “They're okay. I'm trying to keep them talking about her when they want to. Stella's only two so I don't think she understands what's going on. Beezee cries a lot, clings to me when I'm home.”

  “Poor darlings.” Devon squeezed Shadow's hand. “How's little Dev?”

  “Being my brave guy as usual. He's so much like Beth, you know?”

  “I do.”

  “I think he'd love a visit from his Uncle Devon if you have time.”

  Devon patted Shadow's wrist. “Consider it done. You think I could bring Scott along?”

  “The more the merrier,” Shadow drawled with a half-smile. “I like him, Dev. He suits you, and man, he's got you wrapped even tighter than I thought.”

  Sweeping a hand over his hair, Devon snickered. “You're not wrong.”

  Shadow peered at him in amusement. “Seems to me he's got it bad for you too.”

  A sneaky smugness curled Devon's mouth. “I hope so. He's like…I can't even describe it. I've never felt like this before. It's weird. But with Beth…you know she was like a sister to me and I feel bad for, I dunno, for feeling good maybe?”

  Shadow squeezed Devon's hand. “She loved you like a brother too, and she worried you were alone too much. We both always hoped you'd find someone. Go with it, Dev. Be happy. Let yourself enjoy him and treat him right.”

  “You know I will.”

  “Yeah brother. I do. Now get your ass back there. I swear Wolfie's putting the moves on him,” Shadow teased. “And Charlene might even go with the idea too.”

  Devon pretended to swat at him across the table. “Jerk. You gonna join the group or sit here by like a lone wolf?”

  “I think Wolfie would have something to say about me being the wolf in the group. But I'll keep letting y'all come to me, like I'm the goddamn king and you're my subjects.” Shadow flashed a killer grin.

  “King of pain in the asses maybe,” Devon jested. He gestured for Shadow to come closer then pulled him into an awkward hug. “We're all here for you. Tell little Dev I'll be over sometime this week with the biggest bucket of ice cream I can find.”

  With a groan, Shadow ducked his head. “Sure, sugar them up then leave them bouncing off the walls for me to deal with.”

  Devon eyed him with feigned innocence. “I thought that was in the official rules for godfathers and uncles.”

  “Get the fuck out of here.” Shadow waved him away with a grateful wink. “Let me finish my breakfast in relative peace.”

  Hours later they were all saying their goodbyes and Devon couldn't contain his happiness when Scott hugged every single member of Smokey Grey, plus Charlene. Scott's face was bright, the corners of his eyes creased with happiness and it took everything Devon had not to grab him right there on the street and kiss him stupid. Then he did it anyway, pull
ed him close and kissed him soft and slow. He let his lips linger for a moment on the sweetness of Scott's mouth, his heart thumping out that now-familiar and comforting bassline in his ears. Being in love sure did feel good.

  “What was that for?” Scott asked, breathless and flushed in Devon's arms as traffic and pedestrians passed them by. “Not that I'm complaining, not completely, but we're being stared at a little.”

  “Does it bother you?” Devon asked. “Kissing or hugging me in public, I mean?”

  Scott cocked his head, brushing their foreheads together in what was fast becoming their signature move, and tightening his fingers around Devon's waist. “Public displays of affection? Always hated them. Never in a million years did I ever think it would be me.”

  “Baby, it would have happened even if I wasn't the one doing it. You don't give yourself enough credit.”

  “Nevertheless,” Scott told him, clearing his throat. “I’ve changed my tune and I suppose it doesn't matter anyhow because I think I'd kiss and hug you anywhere you wanted, Devon DuCaine.”

  “Anywhere? Really?”

  Devon ground his hips to Scott's, chuckling when Scott gave a little whoop and jumped away. “Within reason,” he growled, pinching Devon's middle until he moved back. “Rockstars are so pushy.”

  “Already told you I'm not Devastation today, just plain old Devon. You're the rockstar today.”

  “Rockstar? Don't think that quite fits.” The words didn't match the extra blush on Scott's cheeks.

  “You rode on my bike, you made me have an embarrassing accident in my tighty-whities, and you charmed the damn pants off my friends all in the span of a few hours.” Devon raised one hand in a rock 'n' roll salute. “You, my sexy accountant, are the real-life rockstar.”