Page 58 of Street of Dreams
“Stop yer sulkin’ and get back to work.” Mac’s da threw the dish towel on the bar. “Ye were off yer noggin hangin’ around with Jake King from the start. Yer better off without ‘im.”
Mac frowned at the hurtful statements, because his da didn’t know Jake. Instead of arguing about it, he stared across the bar at Skylar, who looked back at him with sorrowful eyes.
Mac’s da balled his hand into a fist and held it up in front of him. “And if I find out he gave ye that black eye, I’ll pummel him meself.”
“He was my friend,” Mac said, dropping his chin into his chest. He had told his da that after the mugging, he and Jake had a falling out and they weren’t talking anymore. But his da probably knew exactly what was going on between them all along.
“Ye don’t need no friend like Jake King.” Mac’s da waved a long judgmental finger at him. “Ye should be attendin’ university, like Skylar, instead of buskin’ on the street.”
“I’m playing clubs now, Da. And people pay money to hear me play.”
His father scoffed and headed to the other end of the bar, dismissing him with a hefty wave of his hand.
“He doesn’t understand,” Mac told Skylar. “He thinks I’m wasting my time.” And it hurt that his da didn’t think he had a future in music.
“Don’t let it get you down,” Skylar said. “You got enough to deal with right now.” She leaned across the bar and rubbed the back of Mac’s hand. “Jake still doesn’t answer your text messages?”
Mac lowered his gaze to the bar and shook his head. “I just want to know that he’s OK. I worry about him, Sky. He was so upset, and his body was so bruised and broken.” Mac squeezed his eyes shut and tried to block out the horrific images of Bruce beating Jake, almost to death. And then the car accident. “You have no idea what it’s like for him. His life is so different than people think. He’s like a father to the twins. And you have to see him with Ben. You can’t imagine how he takes care of that little boy, who’s the sweetest thing.”
Skylar shook her head. “I honestly can’t.”
Mac leaned his elbows on the bar and cradled his head in his hands. He couldn’t stop worrying and wondering what was going on in the King household. Or how the hell he was supposed to go on with his life. “I’m just so worried about him.” He scrubbed his hands over his face and rubbed at his eyes, hoping to wash away the images, but it didn’t help. “He took such a beating. There was so much blood. I thought he was going to die.” A long exasperated sigh left Mac’s lungs. “And the car accident. He looked so broken in the hospital. I can’t help thinking it was all my fault.”
“It’s not. None of it’s your fault. Or Jake’s.”
“I know. I just want to be there for him. And I can’t.”
“Hey,” Skylar said, in a soothing voice. “Jake can take care of himself. I know it’s hard, but you have to give him time, if that’s what he needs.” She frowned, and her brows pinched together in a frown. “I hate that you’re hurting. I wish things turned out differently.”
That was the understatement of the fucking year. He always knew Bruce wouldn’t be OK with their relationship, but he never thought there would be real danger. He let out another long sigh as he braced his hands on the bar and stared down at it. He knew they needed a break right now. The situation was too volatile, and things needed to settle down before he and Jake could start seeing each other again. He accepted that, but he couldn’t accept zero contact. He neededsomething.An occasional text message or email is all he wanted, but Jake wouldn’t reply. Really, more than anything, he wanted to see Jake again, without the bruises. He couldn’t get the image of Jake’s broken body out of his head, and the only thing that would get rid of it would be seeing him whole again.
“I know this is probably a bad time to bring it up,” Skylar said, tentatively, breaking Mac’s concentration. “But I have good news. Maybe it will cheer you up.”
Mac slowly raised his eyes from the bar and met her gaze, not really caring. “What?”
The manager at The Structure said someone was asking about you. They wanted to know when your next show was.”
“Who?”
Skylar shrugged. “I don’t know. But you’ve obviously made an impression on somebody important.”
