“I will.” Mick tossed his trash into the basket, then hugged Farin. “Thanks.”
“Any time.” Farin started away, then stopped. “Next time, bring that man of yours and you’re buying.”
“Deal.” He waved and headed back to the office. For the first time since he’d hooked up with Evan, he felt lighter. When he crossed the street to the office parking lot, he spotted Linc. Shit. The last person he wanted to see was his ex-boyfriend.
Linc stood next to Mick’s car. He crossed his ankles and reclined against the fender. “Hey, sexy.”
“Linc.” He’d never expected to see Linc again. “What are you doing here?” He kept space between him and Linc. “I thought you never wanted to see me again.” Jesus. He’d just brought up Linc and there he was. Creepy.
“Minds can change.” Linc shrugged. “I missed you.”
“You do?” Impossible. He couldn’t give Linc the life he’d wanted and his ex had walked out. Linc cheated and expected free legal advice. Mick didn’t want him back.
“I want to come home. To you. To us.” Linc crossed the expanse to Mick. “I’m not me without you.”
Oh Jesus. He knew this line. Linc wanted something and Mick wasn’t it. “Do you?” But he’d play along for a moment to get his ex to fess up to the truth. Linc couldn’t keep secrets well and bragged too much. “Why’d you go?”
“You told me to.” Linc sucked on his bottom lip, then pursed his lips. “You’ve wounded me, but I still love you.”
Now he was using the word love. Nice. “You told me you loved shoes, clothes and things. People weren’t enough for you.”
Linc stood before him and fixed the wrinkles in Mick’s shirt. “I’ve matured.”
“I can’t let you waltz back into my life.” He wasn’t lying. He didn’t need Linc’s complications.
“Because of Evan James, the hack cowboy singer?” Linc snapped.
There was the kernel of truth. “Do you know Evan?”
“Sure. We had a thing a couple years ago before I met you,” Linc said. “We kept it very quiet.”
Ah, now Linc was lying, too. “He didn’t mention you when we had our big heart to heart.” How far would Linc take the lies?
“He wanted to keep it lowkey. We went to the clubs and had to play as friends.” Linc shrugged, then reached for Mick. “He’s not like you. He didn’t want to bring me out on stage or talk about me in public.”
“Why would he and I be alike? He’s in the music business and I’m a lawyer.” Mick backed up. “I doubt Evan’s ever been with you.”
“Mick.” Linc tried to reach for him again, but swiped air instead. “Come here.”
“No. I’m good. It’s kind of stuffy today.” He leveled his gaze at his ex. “I can’t live with your lies and cheating. I can’t give you the life you want. I’m not made of money and I won’t support you. I can’t afford it, so go.”
“But you’ll support him,” Linc growled. “He inherited what you thought should be yours, so you’re shacking up with him. He’ll get smart. He’ll see you’re using him.”
“Enough.” He wasn’t using Evan.
“You wanted to win me back. I’m here. Love me. Jesus. I’m here to be loved. We should be together,” Linc said. He grabbed the front of Mick’s shirt. “You need me.”
“No.” He swatted Linc away and sidestepped him. “You can’t show up here like this. We split. You moved on and so did I. Leave things at that.”
“What’s he got that I don’t?” Linc screamed.
“Integrity.” Mick kept his voice level. “He’s genuine and honest. He loves me without needing my status or little bit of money. He’s not trying to change me. That’s what.”
Linc recoiled. “You’d dump me, the best thing to happen to you, for a no-talent hack of a singer who only has fame because he came out. He’s hardly a cowboy and even if he has a great body, he’s ugly.” He kicked the side of Mick’s car, leaving a dent and footprint. “You never were good enough for me. Never.”
“You’re right.” He had to keep calm. He didn’t want Linc to hang around, but damn, why couldn’t his co-workers come out right now? Where were the witnesses? “I should go. Bye.”
“Never call me.” Linc climbed behind the wheel of a sports car. He sped out of the lot, kicking up dirt, dust and rocks in his wake. His tires squealed.
Mick coughed and waved off the dust. Instead of hanging out in the lot, he ducked into the office and exhaled. Shit. He hated drama. Time to get his stuff and head home. Evan wasn’t drama. He could be dramatic, but he was the soft place Mick needed to fall.
Mick gathered his papers and tablet, then stuffed everything into his shoulder bag. He’d been given the temptation of his former love and realized what he wanted. Plain talk with Farin had helped him see the truth. He knew what he wanted in his life and who he needed—Evan.
* * * *
Evan finished the chores and checked his phone. The damn thing was blowing up with notifications. What the hell? Who wanted him that much? He’d set his social media apps to quiet for the short-term. He swiped the screen and sat on the front tire of the tractor. After the incident with his manager, he didn’t want to have much to do with his music career.
The icon for his text messages had twelve notifications. What the hell? He tapped the icon and gritted his teeth. Photos? Mick and a dark-haired man Evan sort of recognized. Mick sitting with the guy. Mick hugging the man. Mick laughing. Smiling.
Why would someone send him this? For all he knew, Mick was with a friend in the park on a bench and having lunch. The guy could be a co-worker. Big deal.
He continued looking through the texts. The second set of images bothered him. Mick and a blond man. Mick hugging the blond. Mick with his arms folded. The positioning caught Evan’s
