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“How come I never met him before?”
Her brow wrinkles, and she looks past me. “My parents didn’t allow him to come over.”
“Ah, because of the drug problem.”
She nods. “They suspected.”
“Brady says he’s clean.” I sound doubtful. I feel like Brady’s keeping something from me.
“He’s supposed to be.” She sounds just as doubtful.
I’m curious. “What do you think of him?”
“I’m not sure,” she admits, picking at some invisible lint on her sweater. It’s a nervous habit. “I don’t really know him, but he’s gotten Brady in plenty of trouble.”
That surprises me. Brady never needed any help finding “trouble”. I think about Davey’s sudden return to Brady’s life, concerned he’s intending to stir up “trouble” again. “Where’s he been, anyway?”
Liv shrugs. “Not sure about that, either.” Her frown grows bigger. “I know Brady wants to see the good in him.”
I know he does, too. He tries to see the good in everyone. It’s one of his qualities that I have a love/hate relationship with. It’s clear Liv is as worried about Davey’s presence as I am.
“Okay, enough about Davey.” I offer an escape for both of us. This conversation is getting depressing. “What are your plans tonight?”
She scrunches her nose. “It’s weekly dinner with Harrison’s folks.”
“Are they still pushing for him to move back to P.B.?” I remember how upset they were when he moved in with us. Their family didn’t approve of Harrison dating Liv at first. I can’t say I blame them, considering Liv’s mother was responsible for the death of their niece Vanessa and the shit storm that followed. It’s still hard to believe Sheila paid Harrison’s family five million dollars for their silence.
“I think they’ve accepted it.” Her tone alerts me that our thoughts are in the same place. I feel bad. Liv loved her mother. It’s hard for her to accept that she never truly knew her. “When he started back up with classes, they laid off.”
Before she learned the truth about her mother, Liv was one of the most confident people I knew. I hate seeing her so insecure. “Do you think you’ll go back to school?” I try to steer the conversation away from Harrison’s family or her nut-job mother.
“I’m thinking about it for next semester,” she tells me before a huge grin sweeps over her face. “Of course when Mona gets here, I may change my mind and be a full-time auntie.”
She’ll do it, too. She’ll smother the hell out of Mona. I have to admit how much I love her excitement.
“You will not spoil her, Liv,” I warn her, though I’m smiling too large to be taken seriously.
“You bet your ass I will.” She laughs a genuine laugh, her anxiety about Harrison’s folks forgotten.
Tug returns from dish detail and asks if I’m ready to go. I nod and get up from the table. Liv rises from the table and gives me a hug. “I’ll see you at home.”
Tug drapes an arm around Liv, kissing the side of her head. “See you later, sis.”
She elbows his side in a huff. I smile. They may fight, but deep down they love each other.
Chapter 4
Tori
When Tug drops me off, there are no cars in the driveway. I’m relieved to know that the guys have left, which means no awkward encounters with the creeper. As I enter the house, I call Brady’s name. He doesn’t respond. I assume he’s still in the studio, as the door is open slightly. I hear a guitar playing, along with a familiar voice. Brady’s voice. Brady sings? I’ve never heard him sing before. I peek through the crack in the door to find Brady sitting on a stool, strumming his guitar, shirtless and looking like a rock star. Just the sight of him has my body aching for him to touch me. His eyes follow his fingers as he strums each note.
I turn my head, placing my ear in front of the crack to listen. I’m amazed by what I hear. There’s a soulful tone to his voice, almost heartbreaking. He’s singing about losing someone. As I take in each word, I realize the song is about his mother. It’s sad and haunting, yet breathtaking and beautiful, too. I open the door, and he stops. His eyes sparkle as he spins on his stool and pins me with a sexy smile before setting the guitar against the stand on the floor. I close the door, stroll over to him, and straddle him, throwing my arms around his neck and resting my cheek on his hard, comforting chest. His arms reach around my waist, slipping up the back of my shirt, his hands heating my skin as they travel up my spine.
I lean back and hold his face in my hands. “That was beautiful.”
A long sigh escapes his lips, and his eyes dart away. He’s uncomfortable. “It was nothing.”
I pull his face to look him in the eyes. “She loved you.”
