Apparently Jeremy had been keeping tabs better than I thought because he chimed in, waving his hands in Tommy’s face, “Earth to Tommy. Remember the girl? The one he met in Charlotte a while ago. The one he didn’t want go out with us that night for. The former counselor. Ring a bell?”
Tommy’s face lit up with understanding. “Oh shit. That girl?”
I nodded. “Yes. That girl.”
“Damn. I thought she was just a thing. I thought you moved here to be closer to your family, not because of some chick.”
I shook my head adamantly. “I told you a while ago, she’s different.”
A moment of clarity hit him like a ton of bricks. I knew what he was thinking. He was remembering all the hell I’d been through over Kaitlyn and how I never let another girl get to me like she did—until now. “Well, hell,” he said, throwing the half-eaten slice back into the box. “That changes things.”
Tommy didn’t have the emotional capacity to understand my feelings for Kaitlyn because the right woman just hadn’t come along for him yet. But he did see how shattered I was after she left the beach all those years ago. He watched me mope around the apartment, unable to eat or sleep. Those first few weeks after she was gone, he played the bass next to me on that stage, sensing the hollowness in my music. He bought me round after round of alcohol, trying to help me wash the pain of losing her away. He stood by me the day we signed with our first agent, and he watched me take that downward spiral into stardom. Yes, downward. There’s just something ironic about the phrase ‘rising to the top.’ That’s the thing about becoming a star. One day you’re this average, down-to-earth, good-hearted, talented artist and then suddenly you find yourself in a crazy whirlwind of money, parties, women, and alcohol. You become so wrapped up in it all that you don’t know which way is up or which way is down. You do things you never would have done in your average world because somehow becoming a star makes you feel larger than life. So, yeah, Tommy was with me every step of that downward spiral, helping me cope with the heartache of losing Kaitlyn in the only ways he knew how—women and alcohol.
“So, this girl’s the one, huh?” Tommy asked, tossing his pizza box in the garbage.
I nodded.
With a huge smile, and firm handshake that turned into our usual intricately choreographed display of hand movements that ended with a fist bump, he said, “I couldn’t be happier for you, man.”
“Thanks, man,” I said, giving him a one-armed side hug.
Just then, we heard a soft knock at the door.
I jogged to it, swinging it open. There stood Salem, beautiful as ever in a soft, black off-the-shoulder shirt, some skin-tight dark wash jeans, and some sexy as hell high heels.
My eyes raked over her exquisite body. “You look stunning,” I told her, wrapping my arms around her. “I’ve missed you this week.”
She buried her head in my chest, inhaling a deep, staggering breath. “I’ve missed you too.”
I ran my hands through her hair and across her back, feeling her warmth against me. Damn, I so wish we were alone right now.
Remembering that we weren’t the only two people in the room, I interrupted the moment by blurting, “Oh yeah, come on in. I want you to meet my boys.”
She stepped inside and it was as if all the oxygen were sucked out of the room. You could almost hear a pin drop. The guys stood there with their hands in their pockets, wide-eyed with that deer-in-headlights look. I knew they were just as blown away by her classic beauty as I was.
“Guys,” I said, snapping them to attention, “this is Salem. Salem, this is Jeremy and Tommy.”
Salem extended a hand to Jeremy first. “It’s so nice to finally meet you… uh…”
Taking her hand and giving it a shake, he responded, “Jeremy. It’s nice to meet you too, Salem. We’ve heard a lot about you.” Jeremy shot a sidelong glance in my direction.
Salem chuckled. “All good stuff, I hope.”
“Oh definitely.” Jeremy released her hand and immediately stuffed it back into his pocket. I never knew a woman to make him so nervous.
Tommy reached out, taking Salem’s hand. “And I’m Tommy. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Salem,” he said, branding the top of her hand with a kiss… something he did to all the ladies. He really knew how to turn on the charm around women.
“So nice to meet you too, Tommy.” She curtsied in response to his gentleman’s kiss.
Breaking up the awkward introductions, I said, “Sit down. Stay a while. Anybody want a beer or soda?”
Salem took a seat on the sofa. “Sure, I’ll have a soda if you’ve got one.”