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“Of course not, Chef.”
“You say it like you agree and yet, I can actually taste your sarcasm.”
“Is it savory?”
“No. Definitely tart.”
Kendra grinned. “I like tart.”
“You would.” He held out an arm. “Okay, let’s get this over with.”
Tristan pushed through the double doors to the mini-kitchen that showed out into the restaurant. Kate liked the appearance of the rustic kitchen that could be seen by anyone in The Hollow. Tristan would actually stab someone in the forehead with a chef’s knife if he had to perform every night.
So there was mostly just pizza and breads made in that kitchen. Occasionally, he would come out and make himself seen, but it was a damn rare night. He breezed through to the bar area and contemplated a shot of vodka to face the firing squad that would be waiting for him.
The house lights were dimmed save for the dais where the piano was. He turned around to ask Kendra where the customers were when the entire room went black. The familiar notes of a song that was probably—actually, no definitely—older than him filled the space.
Instead of Steve Perry, a husky female voice came out of the dark. His entire body tightened and his chest ached. She may not be the small town girl, but he was definitely a city boy who had allowed her into his world for a moment in time.
Her fingers danced up and down the keys as the song built and lights circled around her like a halo. Randy stood behind her, iPad in hand, fingers moving just as quickly. Ever the lighting guy, he maximized the setup The Hollow used for mood.
She didn’t look up, her dark curtain of hair fell forward as she played her heart out with Randy right there for moral support. Love shone in his best friend’s eyes. This woman had blown into their lives and disrupted everything.
So much of their relationship as a trio had been stopgaps between Juliet’s rising career, Tristan’s own insane life, and the ever steady Randy as their center axis. Was it any wonder that he’d been so lost without them both?
She finally looked up at Tristan as the song built to the end. Her hu
ge dark eyes pleading for him to never stop believing.
There was no way he was going to be able to withstand her in this space. He was already moving toward the piano as if she was his very own magnet. The problem was, there was another polarity right behind her.
One that he’d never truly be able to compete with.
He’d always been the odd man out.
One of these things is not like the other. The chef who would always be trapped on the sidelines while the two musical stars shot off to places beyond his reach. The song ended and she reached back for Randy’s hand to meet him on the edge of the stage.
“We don’t work without you, Tris. I swear we’ll figure out some way to make this work, to make us work. I don’t want to hide anymore. Sparks doesn’t want to either.” She glanced over her shoulder at Randy with a soft smile. Then she reached out for Tristan. “Please don’t push us away anymore. We can’t take it.”
How could he expect them to understand that this fairy tale was never going to work? As worldly as Juliet thought she was, there was no hope for them. Judgement would follow them for the rest of their lives. She didn’t deserve that, he didn’t either.
Tristan’s gaze locked with Rand’s. There was nothing there but clear eyes and strong shoulders. He didn’t stay behind her this time. Instead Rand came out beside her and linked his fingers with hers. “It might be easier to break us up, but in this instance easier isn’t better. I miss you, man. We miss you.”
Tristan jammed his hands into his pockets. Partly because he was afraid he’d come out swinging, and the other half of him was terrified he’d grab them both. He was getting tired of being the dirty little secret. “Oh, I bet you miss me. Now you have her all to yourself, just like you always wanted.”
Randy jumped off the miniature stage. “You’re the one who has that hang up, not us. I may have started out with some infatuation for a beautiful woman I worked with, but the moment we started this up at Owen and Callie’s wedding it became more.” He crowded into Tristan’s space. “You might want it to be just another hookup, but you can’t deny we’re more.” Randy sliced his hand through the air. “We’ve always been more since the three of us got into the same space.”
Tristan went toe-to-toe with Randy. “This kind of deal doesn’t last. It can’t.”
Juliet jumped down between them. “It can. I was afraid of it too. We’ve all been afraid of what people would say, or think. But in the end none of that matters. We’re just us. We’re just Tristan,” she placed her hand on his chest, “and Jules and Sparks.” She laid her other hand on Randy’s chest.
“Except when you’re on the road and you’re just Jules and Sparks. You’ll grow closer together while I twist in the wind here at home. No fucking way.”
“It won’t be easy, but we have technology on our side. We have time before the real tour starts. We have time to show you how much we want you in our lives forever.” Her lashes were starred, but the waterworks weren’t fully engaged.
Tristan hated fucking tears. He’d never been able to hold out against them. Not that Jules used them as a weapon like some women he’d known. In fact, he could count the number of times he’d even seen her mist up about anything other than an animal.
“Look, I don’t hate you. I just don’t see how it could work.”
