As they finish the song together, I jump when someone applauds them from behind me. It’s Tyler with a wide grin on his handsome face. His hair is slightly longer on top from when I last saw him. He’s wearing a fitted white top that clings to his muscles and shows off the tattoo sleeves on his arms. His jeans cling to his thighs. He bites at the ring in his lip and smiles at me when our eyes meet.
“Well, well, Taylor’s gracing us with her company. Tired of playing with the rich boys, beautiful?”
“Don’t talk about the rich pricks,” Courtney huffs, “If I see that Grayson, I’ll cut off his wandering dick.”
I glare daggers at Courtney. Does she have to share my issues with everyone present?
“Trouble in paradise?” Tyler asks, watching me closely.
I shrug in answer. I so do not want to talk about this.
“You’ve been holding out on me, Court,” Jake tells her smiling and she flushes under his praise.
“I told you she was amazing,” I say. “You can’t just stop there. Come on, give us another duet.” I tap my chin trying to think of the perfect song for them and I smile. What better than Mendes and Cabello.
Courtney glares at me again when I suggest the song, but Jake grins and agrees that it’s perfect.
I jump slightly when Tyler drops himself down into the seat beside me on the old worn black leather couch. For a short while we sit in silence, listening and watching Jake and Courtney do their thing.
“So, how long are you home for?” He asks me, keeping his eyes on the two of them.
I sigh before replying. “I’m not sure, probably just the weekend. Dad won’t be happy if I miss any college.”
“But you’d stay longer if you could,” he states, rather than asks.
I nod in reply. “I need the comfort of home and the familiar right now.”
He nods. “We always want to come home when we’re hurting.”
I turn and look him in the eyes. “What makes you think I’m hurting?”
He gives me a sad smile. “Your eyes are sad. Those expressive big brown eyes hide nothing.”
We sit there for a beat and just look at each other. He sees too much of me and it disconcerts me. I thought I was hiding my real emotions quite well, but obviously not.
He nudges me with his arm. “Want me to beat him up for you?”
I chuckle and nudge him back. “Trust me, I can beat him up myself.”
“I don’t doubt that Taylor,” he replies, his blue eyes studying and holding mine captive.
There was something about him that has always drawn me in. I’m not sure if it is those soulful eyes or something else.
“I don’t really want to talk about it.”
He nods. “I hear you. You’re here to forget.”
And there he goes again, reading my mind and my emotions. “I want to drown in anything but what I’m feeling inside.”
Tyler doesn’t respond to my truth. He just places his hand palm up, open on the sofa between us on the couch and I for some reason place my hand in his and we sit there like that, holding hands and listening to our best friends sing together.
We sit and watch the band practice for another half an hour, and then Jake suggests we go get food. We head to my old hang out George’s coffee house and gather round a small table for four in the far corner. I’m not hungry at all, but knowing I can’t let my grief and hurt over what Grayson has done to get the better of me, I force myself to order a slice of cake.
When Tyler’s phone rings for the fourth time and he ignores it, I give him a quizzical look.
“Look like someone wants to get hold of you pretty badly.”
Tyler shrugs as he places his phone in his jacket pocket. “It’s no one important.”
“So,” says Courtney, placing both hands on the table firmly, “What are we doing tonight? Because E is nursing a broken heart, so I need to keep her occupied and do something fun.”
Tyler leans back in his seat. “I have an idea, but it’s not exactly legal.”
“Why doesn’t that surprise me with you,” I say with a roll of my eyes.
Tyler laughs in response and winks at me. “You know you love my dangerous side.”
“Amen to that,” Courtney replies with a sigh, her eyes fixed on Jake who is oblivious as he taps away on his phone.
I cup my warm drink with my hands. “This not exactly legal activity, will it be fun?”
He grins at me and nods. “Of course. It’s always fun and danger when I’m around Taylor.”
I shake my head at him, unable to stop the smile on my face. “Why do I feel like I’m going to regret agreeing to this?”
THREE HOURS LATER, I’ve showered and changed into a fresh pair of pale blue jeans and a cropped white jumper. I leave my hair down and lightly apply some make-up. Courtney is in the shower, so I decide to use this time to turn on my phone and ring my dad.
As soon as I turn it on, it pings constantly as message after message registers. I have six missed calls and three voicemails, alongside 8 messages. Ignoring them all, I call my dad’s mobile number.
“Hey Dad,” I greet when I hear him pick
