Page 37 of Next Thing You Know
I smiled. “Thanks, man. I do, too.” I leaned forward. “And what about you? Anyone special in your life?”
“No.” Blake shook his head. “I don’t... No.” He chewed on his bottom lip. His green eyes grew sad as he got lost in his own thoughts. “I think I’m just destined to be alone. And I’m okay with that.”
I reached across the table to touch his hand. “Don’t say that, bro. You’ll meet her someday. Just give it time.”
But Blake was never the type for one-night stands or parties. He pretended to be. He nursed the same beer all night after a show, talked up the ladies, and even brought some back to his hotel room, but he never slept with them. We all knew it; we just never said anything. Blake was a good guy. He wasn’t the kind of guy who slept around or used women. And we all knew we could count on him when we needed him. He was our saint, whether he liked it or not.
“Maybe.” Blake sighed and dropped his chin. “What if it’s too late? What if I let them get away? Screwed it up, and I can’t get them back?” When he looked back at me, his eyes swam with tears. “I was in love once, Dean, and I screwed it up big fucking time. There isn’t a day that I don’t regret letting them get away. I wish I could go back in time to change things, but I can’t.”
I stared at my bass player, watched the way his cheeks burned crimson. “And are you going to tell me who it was? Andwhenthis was? Do I know them?”
“There you are!” Lou exclaimed as she hurried into the room, the sounds of her heels clacking against the tile. “I’ve been looking for the two of you everywhere.”
I groaned softly and rolled my eyes. “We’ve been waiting for you, Lou, right where you told us to be.”
“Don’t get snippy with me, mister. You’re on a tight schedule.” Lou snapped back at me. “Come on. The photographer is waiting.”
Blake pushed back his chair as I climbed to my feet and then we were rushed off for more photographs, but this time with the K-Pop band. And by the time I was done, it was too late to reach out to Beau. He was fast asleep. I couldn’t wait to get home and back to US time so I could finally speak with him again.
I WAS DREAMING AGAIN. Dreaming of Beau and the way it felt when he kissed me. How his big, strong body felt when it was pressed against mine. The way his tongue felt like it belonged inside my mouth, and how his hands tugged and pulled on my hair. I was so gone for this man. How had that happened? And so fast. How had I never realized that I was bisexual? Or was it just Beau I was into? I had never looked at another man the way I looked at him. He was all thick muscle, hot skin, and broad shoulders. He turned me on like no one ever had.
The sound of my phone ringing brought my dream to a crashing halt. I had gotten in late this morning. Combined with the jet lag, all I did was kick off my shoes before I face planted on my bed. But now the shrill sound of my cell had me reaching blindly for it to silence it. Whoever it was could wait. I needed sleep. To go back to that dream where Beau still wanted me. Yet when the phone began to ring again, I groaned, grabbed it, and brought it to my ear.
“Someone dead?” I growled.
“Dean?”
I sat up. “Cole? Are you okay?” I swallowed thickly. “Is it your father?”
Oh, fuck. What if he was hurt? Had something happened to him again? Another hockey incident?
“We’re both fine.” Cole sounded so much younger than his sixteen years. More like six. “I just... Are you sleeping? Maybe I shouldn’t have called.”
I dragged a hand through my hair, trying to wake myself up. God, what time was it? The sun was up, but I felt like I hadn’t slept at all. “You can always call me, dude. I’m here for you.” But now I was worried and scared that something was wrong.
“Dad’s been acting weird. Did you two have a fight or something?” Cole asked.
This was not a conversation I should be having with him. “What does that mean? Weird, how?”
“Grumpy. Snapping at everyone for no reason. He hasn’t said anything about you, and I just thought... Did you break up?” Cole gasped. “Did you? Why? I thought you two were good together, right? I mean, I know it’s probably hard to date a guy with a kid, but I’m not a bad kid. Is that the reason?”
Jesus, I needed coffee if I was going to have this conversation. I climbed from the bed and padded into the kitchen as the sun blinded my eyes.
“We didn’t break up, Cole. We’re not even officially a couple.” I turned on my espresso maker and leaned against the counter as it gargled to life. “I shouldn’t be talking to you about any of this.”
“Are you coming back to Boston? Maybe if you tried talking to him, things would be okay.”
“He’s the one who isn’t returning my calls.”
Cole gasped. “What?”
“Shit, I shouldn’t have said that. Look, I don’t know what’s going on right now. Beau, your dad, and I, we’re complicated. I like him, and I like you, too. I completely understand that if Idate your father that you’re part of that deal, and I’m cool with that. You’re a great kid. I like spending time with both of you.”
Cole sighed. “He’s an idiot.”
“He’s your father. You shouldn’t talk about him like that. He loves you.” Some of us weren’t lucky enough to have a parent who cared that much about us. Who looked out for us the way Beau did for Cole. “He’s only doing what he thinks is best for you.”
Cole huffed. “But what if you’re what’s best for him, Dean?”
