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“I should have come in sooner. Hudson’s dad downed a huge buck this weekend and gave Hudson some steaks. He wants to have us over for dinner tonight. Guys’ night.”
“Oh.”
Sorry, Kyle mouths to me.
He’s spent every night here since I arrived. I don’t begrudge him spending time with his friends. But tonight is now my last night here, and he has no idea.
I force a smile onto my face and say, “Have fun!”
Maybe this is better. A start to our separation. A preliminary crack before the clean break.
I’d like to at least tell him, but I don’t want to have the conversation in front of Danny. I have no idea what Kyle has told his friends about us—if he’s told them anything at all.
“I’ll see you tonight,” Kyle says, winking at me when Danny isn’t looking.
Despite the dread and uncertainty, the implication makes me blush. We spent last night together. And he was still there this morning.
“Okay.” My smile stays fixed in place.
And then they’re leaving.
As soon as they’re out the door, I let my happy expression collapse.
CHAPTERTWENTY-SEVEN
KYLE
Hudson sinks down into the chair beside me with a satisfied groan. “Hard to beat this, huh?”
I nod an agreement, picking at the damp label on the bottle of beer. It’s rare that I ever indulge. I don’t think I have an addiction, but I know it’s ingrained in my DNA, and so my tendency is to avoid alcohol.
Tonight, grilling venison steaks with my oldest friends and just shooting the shit on a summer night felt like a good occasion to crack one open. And as much as I’m enjoying tonight, neither the company nor the beer has gotten rid of the gnawing worry in my stomach.
“Any idea when you’ll head out yet?” Hudson asks me.
I pick at the label harder. The paper is almost gone, just the sticky residue beneath it remaining.
I’m sick of getting that question. So, I tell him the truth.
“I’m not.”
He glances over at me, startled. “What do you mean?”
“I’m not leaving. I’m done.”
“Done…with music?”
“Yeah. I had a good run. It had to end sometime.”
Hudson laughs once, incredulous. “Maybe when you hit fifty and no one cares what you have to say anymore. But, man, you’rehuge. No way your career is anywhere close to over. Why would you walk away now?” He pauses, as if considering his own question. “Because of your mom?”
“No. I just need a break from all of it. My contract is up, and the timing makes sense.” I blow out a breath. “That’s why Piper is really here. My label sent her to talk me into signing a new contract.”
“I’m surprised you haven’t already caved.”
I side-eye him. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
He huffs a laugh. “As long as I’ve known you, girls have gone crazy over you. Since you got famous. Back in high school. Hell, remember when our eighth-grade class drew straws to decide who got to ask you to semiformal? Every guy in town got your leftovers.”
