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Brady
Tug walks into the studio. I can tell by the look on his face that he knows I’m not happy about him sharing Davey’s drug problem with Tori.
“How’s the band doing?” he asks before turning to shut the door.
I spin on my stool to look at him. “It’s coming together.” Tori’s not with him. I plan to use the opportunity to remind Tug that I asked him not to say anything to her. Davey’s past is in the past. It’s his story to share, not ours. Tug takes a seat behind the drum kit. He strums the cymbals lightly. I know he expects it, so I just say it. “Lay off the Davey talk with Tori.”
His head snaps up from the cymbal to look at me. He thinks about his words before he shrugs it off. “She asked and I told her. That’s it, Brady.”
I shake my head, annoyed with my little brother. I’m positive that’s not it. He thinks Tori should know. I do, too, and I’ll tell her when Davey’s comfortable with it, not before. “He’s trying to keep his shit together,” I remind him. “We’ve all made mistakes, and he deserves a chance. It would help if you’d try.”
“You might be right, or you might not.” He cocks his head in a way that shows me he’s about to say something to piss me off. “You should tell her.”
“No!” My irritation comes out clearly. I hate it when Tug gets on these self-righteous rants. “Davey doesn’t want her to know,” I inform him pointedly. “It’s his story to share. He did his tim
e. I don’t see why we should punish him further by discussing it with other people when he obviously doesn’t want us to.”
Tug nods before turning to look at the door. Judging by his sigh, he’s about to give me his opinion, whether I want it or not. He can’t help himself. “I know it’s none of my business, but you don’t owe him anything.”
I rake my hands through my hair, trying to keep my cool. How can he say that when he knows what Davey and I went through? I scowl, looking directly at Tug. “I owe him this.”
“I disagree.”
His arguing makes me want to punch him. Why is he pushing this?
“You shouldn’t lie to Tori just to protect him.”
“I won’t lie to her.” My eyes narrow at my pestering little brother. “If she asks, I’ll tell her the truth.” It’s a warning. He’d better take it.
“Okay.” He shrugs. “But that’s a dangerous game to play.” His eyes flick up to meet mine. “You should know that.”
Fuck! Is he picking a fight, or is he just that dense? “Don’t lecture me about what I should know, Tug.”
He gets up and comes out from behind the drums. I think he’s going to leave. He doesn’t. He leans against the wall, biting his fingernails. When he looks up, he says, “I’m only trying to look out for the two of you.”
I guess he is looking for a fight. Good, I’m in the mood for one. “Look out for us, or come between us?”
His eyes widen in shock as he pushes off the wall. He glares at me. “Is that really what you think?”
“I don’t know, Tug.” I stand up and close some of the distance between us. “You always have your nose in our business.”
He steps closer. We’re nearly chest to chest. He holds his own.
“Tori’s with me,” I remind him, lifting my chin. “I can take care of her.”
Tug is the one person who can come between us. Tori adores him. I know if I’d never come back to her, she’d be with him. That isn’t Tug’s fault. It’s mine. Leaving her was a one-time mistake. It’s one I don’t plan on repeating, although sometime it feels like Tug is just waiting for his chance with her.
Tug’s shoulders sag slightly as he backs down. “Tori and I are friends.”
I push on. My chest swells. “But you still wish it was more than that?”
He takes a step backward with a disgusted look on his face. Or maybe he’s hurt. “You can be such a dick sometimes, bro.” He walks toward the door. His hand reaches for the knob. But then he stops and turns back to me. “Yes, I care about her. That’s it.” He’s firm in his words. “What’s really bothering you?”
Fuck! I am a dick. I can’t help it. Tug’s right. My insecurities have nothing to do with Tug. I know he and Tori are only friends. She loves me. I’m not being truthful with her about Davey. I should. Only now that I know he bothers her, I can’t. She’ll never give him a chance if I do. I’d be irate if she held something back from me. That’s what’s got me so annoyed. Admitting that to Tug now would make me look like a complete asshole, which I am.
“I’m sorry,” I tell him, looking down. “That wasn’t cool.”
“No, it wasn’t.” He smiles. I’m relieved to see it. “I would never try to come between you and Tori.”
