Love and Music (Small Town Secrets Book 3), page 13
The place was packed, not just with former classmates but their spouses as well, so finding him might be harder than usual. But he was tall—taller than most of the folks here, so I’d thought he’d stand out in the crowd.
Maybe he wasn’t here.
And why the hell did I feel disappointment blossoming in my chest? A few hours ago, I hadn’t even planned on being here, so why did I feel sad now? Besides, Madversary couldn’t really perform without Tyler, so I’d see him later during the show if nothing else.
“All that black really makes your eyes pop, Meg.”
“Thanks, Lisa. And you, of course, always look amazing in royal blue.”
“Thank you, dahling.” Lisa gave me a silly, half-hearted curtsy before taking another full step into the space. We both took in the space first, looking at the round tables placed throughout the room, all decked out in crisp burgundy linen tablecloths adorned with white candles. As we started walking through the room, I tried to find empty seats. Each place setting was decked with black linen napkins folded to look like fans, and every table held goblets and carafes of water along with the beautiful polished silverware. The reunion committee had done a great job—and, I supposed, they were able to because we’d all dropped a small fortune on this event.
Following Lisa’s finger, I saw that it pointed to a table halfway through the room. One couple sat at it, and I couldn’t tell if they were comfortable by themselves or wishing someone would join them. My friend said, “Let’s sit there.”
The introvert in me liked that the table wasn’t crowded. “Okay.” When we sat down, I glanced at the couple seated on the other side of the table and smiled. The man looked somewhat familiar, but I didn’t know the woman at all. Trying not to stare, I realized that if the man had more hair on his head, I might recognize him. Well, have an easier time, anyway. Poor guy—not even thirty and already losing his hair. But his wife—if that was who the woman was—seemed to adore him, no matter what. Lucky me—Tyler’s head was full of soft, touchable hair.
Ugh. I was hopeless.
Lisa and I made a point of smiling and making a little small talk with the couple so we wouldn’t seem rude, but soon enough she and I were chatting amongst ourselves. I asked, “So when is Randy supposed to show up?”
“I’m pretty sure he’s going to miss all of dinner. He said he’ll try to meet us at the high school later.”
“That’s weird—missing the dinner. What the hell’s he got going on?”
“I didn’t ask. None of my business.”
Pouring myself some water, I held the goblet in front of my lips to disguise my words while lowering my voice. “He had his dick in you last night, Lisa. I don’t think it would be rude to just ask.”
My friend raised her eyebrows. “Yeah, sure, but I don’t know him or his dick enough yet to feel comfortable asking where he is every little second. Besides, I’ve never been that kind of girl.”
“I get that.” I took a sip from the glass and then set it down. “But he’s here for his high school reunion, for God’s sake. After giving and an arm and a leg, wouldn’t he want to be part of it all?”
“You didn’t.”
The smirk on Lisa’s face made mine disappear—but I wasn’t angry. “I didn’t want to do any of this if you’ll recall. You’re lucky I showed up for any of it, no matter what I spent.”
Lisa stuck out her tongue and grabbed the carafe, filling her glass. I prepared for her to zing me with another remark, but the man across the table addressed us. “Megan Walker and Lisa French, right?”
We both nodded as if attached at the neck. I said, “You look super familiar but I can’t remember your name.”
“Ben Regan. Benny. We were in—”
“Biology and physics together. Yeah, I remember. Two classes I’d just as soon forget, though. Good to see you again, Benny. Uh, Ben, I mean. How’ve you been?”
We chatted for a bit with both him and his wife and found out they were expecting their first child. They lived in Phoenix nowadays but combined the reunion with a visit to his parents. I hardly remembered Benny, barely recalling that he was one of the smartest in our class.
It was inevitable, though. The question. “Are you two still single?”
“Afraid so,” Lisa said. “It’s not so bad, though.”
I wasn’t unhappy and neither was Lisa, but I was starting to think this reunion was beginning to make my friend regret her lifestyle choices. Since high school, she’d been proposed to no fewer than five times by four different men. None of them was Mr. Right, and Lisa had told me more than once that she’d rather be single than strapped with a man she wouldn’t want to spend her whole life with. I could tell from her eyes, though, that she was starting to question that philosophy.
This goddamned reunion had made us both insecure. I couldn’t wait till Monday.
And here I was getting ready to justify my choices to someone I hadn’t seen or thought about in a decade.
Fortunately, Penny Austin, our gracious hostess, saved us from more awkward, apologetic conversation. Her voice echoed throughout the room, complete with squeaky feedback. “Hello, WHS classmates! I hope you’re all having a great time this weekend. I know I’ve had a blast reuniting with all of you. Anyway, we’re getting ready to start dinner. Your servers will be coming around to your tables shortly to fill up your drinks and bring you food. You’ll have a choice of beef or chicken or, if you don’t eat meat, we do have a few vegetarian entrees. Just let your server know what you need. Anyway, when we’re done here, we’ll head over to the high school and…”
I found myself tuning Penny out. I was glad that, for most people here, this shindig had been fun. Me, though? All it was doing was making me feel depressed. As for the interesting part—seeing how people had changed—the novelty had worn off last night.
The foul mood sunk in, because I couldn’t even do the one thing I’d planned for tonight—to be honest with Tyler and maybe even apologize. And now I was stuck having to listen to Benny talk about his job as a science professor at a college in Arizona.
I should have listened to my instincts and stayed the hell home.
Chapter Sixteen
It didn’t take much longer before our table filled up with people and, before I knew it, salad and rolls were being served. Three of the people who’d joined us were women who’d belonged to the clique of the second-most popular girls in the school.
And they hadn’t changed much since.
Not only was I bored but uncomfortable as hell and, if it wasn’t for me loving Lisa like a sister, I would have blazed long ago. The conversation at our table might have been dull before, but now it was insipid beyond belief.
At least the rolls were amazing.
Another guy sat next to Lisa and started talking to her. I couldn’t think of his name, but apparently Lisa could. “Remember Tim?” I smiled and nodded but, no, I didn’t recognize him.
He was definitely into Lisa—and she was as oblivious to it as he was to me.
So I focused on my food, willing the time to fly like an eagle.
Lisa touched my arm, forcing me to look at her. “I know what you’re thinking, Meg.” I gave her a confused look. “And it’s not an option.”
Now I put the most innocent expression I could muster on my face. “What?”
“I know you’re considering ditching the dance afterward, and it’s not going to happen.”
Skewering a cucumber in my salad with the fork, I knew it was no use trying to pretend with my friend. Lashing out was my next best option. “First of all, how the hell can you have a dance if they’re playing metal music?”
“Madversary isn’t going to be playing the whole time. Didn’t you read the schedule that came with your packet?”
“No.” I would have rather had a pelvic exam. “Besides, you wouldn’t even care if I left if Randy was there.”
“That’s not true, Meg. He is going to be there, but I know…” She tore off a piece of her roll.
“Know what?”
“Something special happened between you and Tyler, and you need to finish what you started.”
Why the hell was she so damn worried about my life? “It was a one-night thing. That’s it.”
“Yeah, well, tell that to him.”
“I’m going to.” I’d practically yelled it and it wasn’t after the words were out of my mouth that I realized Lisa’s eyes were focused behind me.
It had to be either Randy or Tyler approaching, and I didn’t know which man I’d prefer, even though I had a good idea which one it was. Suddenly, adrenaline started coursing through my veins and my heart started beating rapidly. I took a deep breath, hoping to calm myself, because I was going to have to come clean—even though part of me still didn’t want to.
I wanted to read my damn books and get on with my life.
When I felt a hand on my shoulder, I turned my head to find Tyler standing over me. But he was looking across the table, other hand extended. “Tyler Green. I’d heard a rumor that you were here—but I have to admit I didn’t believe it.”
“It’s true. How’ve you been, Benny?”
“Good. I go by Ben now.”
“Understandable. Great to see you. What have you been up to?”
The two men engaged in conversation and, by that point, I was so keyed up, I couldn’t finish my salad.
When the servers came by to pick up the plates, they asked Tyler what entrée he wanted. “Thanks, but I’m not staying.”
So what the hell was he doing here, aside from ruining my fucking appetite?
“Tyler,” sang one of the cliquey girls from across the table. “Just one question: how much money have you spent on your tattoos?”
He flashed an irresistible grin, one that would have made my knees buckle had I not been ready to vomit. “I don’t keep track, but I’d guess I’m well into the thousands.”
One of her friends jumped in. “So the music business is lucrative.”
“It can be—but a lot of it’s luck, being in the right place at the right time. It’s not all just talent.”
“Then I guess you got lucky.”
“That’s part of it.” The servers began depositing plates of entrées in front of us, effectively giving Tyler the break he needed. Squatting next to the table, he touched my arm to get my attention.
Before he could speak, I did. “We can go in the hall to talk. I think it would be quieter there.” I didn’t want to be a heartless bitch in front of everyone else. Fortunately, he agreed to it. I didn’t care if my food got cold because I probably wasn’t going to eat it now.
The noise from the room where everyone was dining carried into the hallway, but it was muted. Tyler’s voice was low, nonetheless. “I missed you today. Have you been avoiding me?”
Jesus. How could he know me so well after so much time had passed? Maybe I could get away with a half-truth. “I needed some time alone.”
“You never were comfortable at group things.”
“Well, I’m here now.”
“I’m glad…because we need to talk.”
A knot formed in my gut, and it felt like a fist twisting and digging into my intestines. Why was this bothering me so much? Taking a deep breath, I hoped the adrenaline overdose wouldn’t be apparent in my voice. “Yeah.”
“This afternoon, I realized you were right.”
“I was? About what?”
“You and me. Like you said back in high school, we’d never work miles apart, so why even bother? What’s the point?” My mouth opened to respond, but I probably looked like a fish out of water—lips moving yet making no sound. Tyler kept talking. “It doesn’t matter how right this feels. There’s no point to any of it.”
Something inside me wanted to argue with him—tell him I’d been full of it, that it was a load of bullshit—but the words coming out of his mouth were what I’d been saying all along. Seventeen-year-old Megan Walker was as intelligent and insightful as the twenty-eight-year old version.
Perhaps more so.
“Yeah. You’re right.”
He flashed a grin full of white teeth at me that would have made half a concert audience swoon. “But we can still have fun tonight, right?” I nodded, just like all his starstruck groupies. “See you at the high school later?”
Weakly, I bobbed my head up and down again. “I wouldn’t miss it.”
“That’s my girl. I’ll be singing a song just for you.”
Tyler kissed me but I felt numb, and I didn’t come to my senses until I noticed his fine ass in those sung jeans almost all the way down the hall.
I’d just been dumped—yet here I was still going along for the ride. What the fuck was wrong with me?
* * *
I managed to hide all that bullshit from Lisa. Normally, I wouldn’t have had a chance. But she received an award during the entertainment portion of dinner, distracting her from my emotional state. The awards had been a mirroring of yearbook entries. Ten years ago, for example, the Most Athletic person had been Billy Prescott. Today, it was Lisa French—and she was reveling in the recognition.
That and she was going on and on about the text message Randy had just sent her. What would they be doing tonight?
Had Lisa not been on cloud nine, experiencing the rush that comes with sudden popularity, mixed with the heady emotions of new lust, she probably would have noticed that I was quiet and contemplative.
I was really glad she hadn’t.
Unfortunately, her prattling couldn’t distract me from my internal turmoil. Tyler had turned the tables on me—only he’d taken it a step further. Let’s not just break up. Let’s be FWBs while I’m here.
While he hadn’t quite said that, it was what I’d inferred.
Trusting my instincts, I now believed that perhaps fame had changed Tyler Green. A quiet, unassuming assistant librarian was no match for a cadre of hot, slutty girls ready to do a rock star’s bidding.
Twilight had descended when Lisa pulled into the old high school parking lot, and my brain was inundated with a flood of memories. Oh, so many memories I had of this entire place.
I needed to talk so I wouldn’t be swallowed by the voice inside my head. “I’ve driven past here lots of times since graduation, but I don’t think I’ve ever stepped foot on the grounds since then.”
“Weird, huh?”
I nodded as we began walking that familiar path toward the gymnasium where we’d watched countless basketball and volleyball games. Lisa’s squeal nearly made me jump out of my skin, but I knew why as soon as I saw Randy. I still marveled internally that Lisa couldn’t see the beginnings of the man’s beer belly—or that it didn’t bother her toned, trimmed self.
Love really was blind.
And that was nothing against Randy Butler. He still had the cutest dimply smile and full head of hair. But my friend had been fitness-focused for most of our adult lives—and she’d turned down better men with fewer flaws.
“Hey, beautiful. How was dinner?”
Lisa hugged him hard, giving him a peck on the cheek. “It was okay—but I missed you.”
“I’m here now. That’s all that matters, right?”
Well, I was bound to be alone again—so maybe I could sneak out like I had last night before Tyler coaxed me back in.
Just one problem: I’d left all my shit, save my phone, in Lisa’s car. What the hell had I been thinking? If I wanted to leave early, I’d have to ask my friend to let me in her car.
I knew why I’d left my stuff. I’d been considering one more night with Tyler Green, rock star. And I was trying like hell to leave my emotions out of it. Just fill the spank bank, I told myself. Build another beautiful memory to look back on someday.
And then invest in some fucking therapy. There had to be a way past all this.
As we made our way into the gym, I was surprised at how well lit it was—but the concert and the dance hadn’t yet started, so we could find our way around. One platform created a stage against the bleachers on the north wall, but the rest of the gym was wide open. There were a few decorations but considering the meager amount, they might be construed as pathetic. But I supposed that meant less cleanup later, so how could I blame anyone for that?
The gym was already packed with people, but a woman with long brown hair stopped us from immersing ourselves within the crowd. “Hey, guys. How are you enjoying your reunion so far?”
Lisa grinned. “It’s great!”
“My name’s Nicki Sosebee, and I’m with the Winchester Tribune. We’re doing a small piece on your reunion. Tomorrow morning, we’ll be taking a picture of all of you on the front steps of the school for the paper.” Yeah, like they did for every fucking class reunion. Colorado Springs didn’t do that shit for their paper.
Gotta love a small town.
“Can I count on you being there for the group photo?”
Lisa nodded her head enthusiastically for the three of us.
“I’m also covering the concert tonight. Can you guys tell me what it’s like to have someone from your class become famous?”
I didn’t want to say a word, but Lisa had other ideas. “Megan here and Tyler used to date back in the day.”
“Really?”
I nodded but didn’t confirm verbally. At this point, I just wanted to blend into the background. Fortunately, the reporter seemed to sense my unease.
“My reunion was two years ago. Nobody famous from my class—and definitely no one I’d dated that I’d want to talk about.” She laughed. “Can I just ask you what’s been the most surprising thing about your reunion?”
Fortunately, my loquacious friend took the reins, allowing me to keep my trap shut. “I’m shocked at how we all look so much the same—and yet we’ve changed so much. Who knew ten years would make such a difference?”
“Yeah, but everyone’s still the same personality-wise, too.” While Randy stood close to my friend, his Randy arm wasn’t around her back like it had been earlier. I shouldn’t have cared what that meant, but I knew it meant something.
“Guys, can I get your names—and maybe quote you in my article?”
