Page 21 of Here's to Yesterday

Realistically, I should be pissed that Tucker talks to me the way he does, that he acts like he knows everything about me. I’ll admit that he does know me fairly well, and I’d go as far as to say we’re friends. But we’re notgoodfriends. We’re nowhere near the level of friendship that allows for how deeply he looks at me. Nowhere near the level for it to be okay for him to make the statements and assumptions he’s been making—no matter how right he is. Our lack of closeness is somewhat my fault since I’ve always tried avoiding him. Why would I want to actively avoid hanging out with a super-hot dude? Because heseesme like he shouldn’t, and I’m not ready for that withanyone.

But for now I’m ready to let it slide because it’s nice to be accepted for me, for the person I am without the mask. Tucker has always done it, but I’m only now learning to appreciateit.

“I don’t need it here,” I tell himsteadily.

He smirks atme.

We’ve almost reached the door when out of the corner of my eye I catch him glance down between us. My eyes followhis.

We’re still holdinghands.

A sense of shame washes over me, and I drop his hand instantly as my cheeks heat upagain.

Breaking up with his brother or not, that shouldn’t have happened for so many reasons. It shouldn’t have felt sonatural.

* * *

“I’m so fuckingglad you came tonight. I could kiss Tucker for forcing you here,” Rae says next tome.

“Hey! No you can’t,” Hudson, Rae’s incredible boyfriend, practicallygrowls.

The whole thing is hilarious because Hudson is the least jealous person I know. The way he loves Rae is beautiful, but the way he stepped up and became a dad in high school—only to become a single one later—is evenbetter.

Rae laughs at him and places a gentle kiss on hischeek.

See? Sickeninglysweet.

But if there’s one thing in life I’m sure of, it’s Rae and Hudson lasting a lifetime together. They’re the epitome of the ideal couple. I’ve only ever seen them fight one time, and that was something worth fighting over. Their courtship was nothing but hearts and freakin’rainbows.

But sometimes love is that easy, and I’m so happy Rae foundit.

“If it makes you feel any better, Hudson, I’d probably kiss him too. I’ve missed my girls,” Perry speaks up, the black eye he had yesterday already healing upnicely.

“I hate you all, so no kissing will come from me,” Gaige, best friend to Hudson and Tucker,grumbles.

I laugh because on the outside, Gaige—who is probably the most handsome man I have ever seen in real life—appears absolutely miserable, but I know there’s nowhere else he’d ratherbe.

Likeme.

“Ya know, I’ve been a total flake lately but I’m glad I came,too.”

Rae bumps her shoulder into mine and gives me a smallsmile.

“Oh, check it out. Fucker, I mean Tucker, is on,” Gaige says with obvious admiration in hisvoice.

I look up toward the stage in time to see Tucker walking up the stairs. He takes a seat on the single stool and adjusts the mic to his height. He sits, placing his guitar on his knee. It’s barely audible, but you can hear him clear his throat, making the performance that much moreraw.

I’m captivated by how at ease he is in front of a crowd. Tucker is normally a super laid-back guy. He’s always calm and collected, never getting riled up over things—not that I’ve everwitnessed.

But this Tucker, the one up on stage, he’s different. It’s like he was born to be on it. He demands the attention of the room by doing nothing but sitting there. That’s how comfortable he is up there. That’s how perfectly hefits.

He clears his throat again and leans into the mic. “Hey, I’m Tucker Bentley, and I’m gonna attempt to play a few songs for youguys.”

Attempt. Ha.Attempt is such a light word for what hedoes.

Magic or absolute real artistry are better-suited ways to describeit.

“Well, I’m gonna start it off with a little different, more broken-down version ofWonderwallby Oasis. That cool?” A few “whoops” erupt from the crowd because Tucker is well loved around here. “I was hoping for that. All right, heregoes.”

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