“Go back to bed, Tommy, and try to get some sleep.” Caroline stroked his hair. “Things always have a way of looking better in the light of day.” She rose to her feet and held her arms wide. Tommy didn’t hesitate. He stepped into them and was enveloped in a tight hug. “Lord, but you’re big,” she said with a chuckle. “I can barely get my arms around you.”
Tommy smiled in spite of his sore heart. “Thank you for listening.”
Caroline craned her neck to look him in the eye. “You’re welcome, sugar. Anytime.” She gently patted his cheek. “Now get.” She grinned. “And thank you for the hot chocolate.”
He nodded, and she released him. Tommy made his way through the quiet house to the staircase that led to the basement. Once he was on the couch, curled up under his blankets, the lamp extinguished and the apartment in darkness, he went over Caroline’s words in his head.
Tommy didn’t have a clue what he was going to say to Mike when they eventually got to talking. It would have been easier if his emotions weren’t so tangled up. Betrayal, hurt, anguish…. He’d spent a couple of days at the mercy of one strong emotion or another, until he was exhausted. But what hurt most was the knowledge that he’d lost the man he loved, his first lover—the man he hoped would be his firstandlast.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Mike parked the truck,switched off the engine, and took a long, deep breath as he stared at the Wellington family home. His stomach churned, and his hands were clammy.
Mike had never been this scared in his entire life.
He’d slept like the dead for about eight hours, which was probably the result of too much alcohol and not enough sleep for a few nights. After a hot shower, lots of coffee, and toast, he was feeling more human again. Nervous but human. And sick ’n’ tired of doing nothing but wait. So there was only one thing left to do.
He got out of the truck and approached the front door, wiping his palms on his jeans. He’d parked behind Tommy’s truck, so there was a good chance of finding him there. At least Mike hoped he was, now that he’d finally found the nerve to get up off his ass and do something. He took one last lung-filling breath and rang the doorbell.
A moment later the door opened and Caroline stood there, looking unsurprised to see him. “I thought you might be along at some point. Come on in.” She stepped to one side to allow him entrance. “Tommy’s in the kitchen. We’ve just finished lunch. Have you eaten?”
“I had some toast this morning. About all I could manage, but then I’ve not had much of an appetite lately.”
Caroline turned to lead the way into the kitchen, but Mike stopped her with a hand to her arm.
“I know you probably don’t want me to be here, but?—”
“Tommy needs to talk to you, so it doesn’t matter if I want you here or not,” she said quickly, pulling away. “But I will say this. That boy is hurting, so don’t you come here with any ideas about assuaging your own feelings of guilt. You have to do what you can to ease his pain. You got me?”
Fuck. “And what makes you think Tommy’s the only one in pain right now?” he blurted out.
Caroline gazed at him, and Mike could’ve sworn he saw a flash of sympathy in her eyes.
“Yeah, I thought as much. So why don’t you take Tommy downstairs where you can talk without being disturbed? Ben’s gone into Atlanta.”
Mike gave her a grateful nod. “Thank you.”
She dipped her chin once and then went along the hall into the kitchen. He could hear the soft murmuring of voices, and for a few seconds panic raced through him.Suppose Tommy doesn’t want to see me after all? Suppose?—
“Hey.”
Tommy was there, in the hallway, his face pale, eyes dull, hands shoved into his jeans pockets. The sight of him knifed into Mike, stealing his breath and making his heart quake.
“Hi.” Now that he was standing there with Tommy, his resolve decided to take a hike. “Thanks for seeing me.”
Tommy gestured with a flick of his head. “Let’s go where we can talk, okay?” He opened a door. “After you.”
Mike filed past him, conscious of the smell of freshly washed hair and Tommy’s familiar scent. At the foot of the stairs he pushed open a door and found himself in an apartment. Hecould see a living room area, a little kitchen on one side, and a couple of doors leading off from the main floor. He recognized the couch instantly, and the memory of that night hit him forcibly.Was that only just over a week ago?He walked over there and waited for Tommy to join him.
“Do you want somethin’ to drink?” Tommy inquired.
“Some water would be good.” Mike was suddenly aware of his dry mouth. He sat down while Tommy fetched two glasses of water. He handed one to Mike and then sat at the other end of the couch, his back rigid. Mike found himself mimicking Tommy’s posture. The silence that fell between them was almost tangible.
Well, one of us had better break the ice.
“Why didn’t you tell me, Mike?”
Tommy stared at him, and fuck, the pain in those green eyes cut Mike to the bone.
