Page 71 of Fresh Tracks
Stan snorts a dismissive laugh. “Still our goody two-shoes I see.”
“Boys!” Miles chimes in with that always too cheery tone that is like nails on a chalkboard for me now. “Look at this. It’s so good to see the three of you back together.”
He grins at us and I can see that familiar look in his eyes. The one that could easily be mistaken for joy, but really screams dollar signs below the surface. I shift on my feet, taking another sip of my beer.
“Yeah, it really has been a while,” I say dryly, forcing a smile.
Stan grabs my shoulder and gives me a light shake. “So are you in for this reunion tour or not, TJ? Miles said he has some great venues lined up if we’re all in.”
“Wow.” I laugh through my nose. “Really going right into this without any foreplay, huh?”
Somehow, the thought of Grace’s little quip brings a smile to my face.
Stan rears back in surprise. “Wow, he’s got jokes now too.”
“Well, some of us do evolve, I guess.”
Miles clears his throat, bringing our attention back to him. “Stan’s right though. This would be an amazing chance. There’s huge interest right now in grunge again.”
Vince nods. “Yeah. What do you think, man? We’d really love you back.”
There it is. It doesn’t take a genius to read between the lines. All three of them need me to come back because there is no reunion without me. And if there’s no reunion, there’s no payday for them. Unlike them though, I didn’t piss away every penny because I knew what it was like to have nothing growing up.
I shrug, hearing Grace’s words in the back of my mind again.Say yes, or say fuck ‘em.Right now, I’m definitely leaning toward fuck ‘em even though part of me really wants to give them a chance.
I start to talk until I see Stan’s eyes drift to something behind me. He lets out a low whistle and I peek over my shoulder reflexively. Out of the corner of my eye, I see that familiar blur of color streaked hair heading toward me and my blood boils.
Fucking Stan definitely hasn’t changed.
I turn to face Grace right as she reaches me.
“Hey, Boss,” she says, her voice instantly brightening my mood. I start to reach toward her, desperate for any contact, but bury my hand in the pocket of my jeans instead. I turn back to the guys, noting the curious looks on all of their faces.
"Can you guys give us a minute?”
Thankfully, they all head over to the makeshift bar set up along the exposed brick wall in the back, leaving me with Grace.
“Are you OK? Is everything alright?” I ask, nervous about why she came to find me.
She laughs through her nose. “Me? Totally fine. This kind of stuff is easy. I can do Socialite Graceall day.”
I tilt my head and pause. “Easy? I hate this shit.”
She gives me a proud grin and takes a drink from her champagne flute, bringing my eyes to her lips. “I think you forget I have been to quite a few fancy fundraisers in my time. There are plenty of rich and famous people back in Park City. It’s worth it though if it means helping people.”
That reminder of how much she cares about others warms my heart and eases the tension in my shoulders.
She lowers her glass and her eyes find mine and her brows pull together. “How about you though? You look miserable over here. That’s why I snuck away.”
I shrug half-heartedly. “I don’t know. It’s going about as I expected. Vince seems like he’s doing better though.”
She smiles and rests a hand on my shoulder. “Then don’t worry about it. You’re here for the restaurant. Giving them a chance was just an added bonus. It’s their fault if they blew it.”
I shake my head and snort a laugh.
She quirks her lips into a smile and pulls back. “What?”
“Sometimes I forget how old you are.” Her hand still rests on my shoulder and all I can think about is how much I’d like for her to rub my cheek. Instead, I take advantage of the noise of the crowded room and drop my voice. “You look great tonight by the way.”
