No, he didn’t. He didn’t want to have a tantrum like a toddler but that’s exactly how he felt.
Fuck.
He took a deep breath. “Shit. I’m gonna get a drink. Anyone want anything?”
Pushing away from the table, he walked to the bar and spent a few seconds deciding against anything too hard. It was too easy to get smashed fast and that would just prove him to be unstable. He must have stood there for at least a minute before he felt Greg come up next to him.
“You want to tell me to mind my own business, do it now. Otherwise, we’re gonna have this talk. We can do it here or we can go in another room. Your choice.”
Baz turned to Greg. “You think I’m gonna go over the edge, don’t you? That I can’t handle this shit?”
“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t worried about you. But it’s not because I think you’re gonna wig out. I don’t wanna see you get hurt. I don’t want Tru hurt, either. Honestly, if you two decide to date, my life will be just as screwed as yours if it doesn’t work out between you. But I can’t think of anyone I’d rather see you with.”
Greg’s quiet words eased a little of the tension in Baz’s body but . . . “The only problem is I don’t think she sees herself with me. I think she thinks Cory is the kind of guy she should be with. A businessman who’s got his shit together. Stable and dependable and, hell, even I’d take a guy like that.”
Shit, he hadn’t wanted to spill that out there, and he glanced over at the table but the other guys were playing cards again and purposely ignoring Greg and him.
Christ, now he was the special case they had to make sure they didn’t upset.
“And why don’t you think you’re any of those things?”
“Because I’m not. I’m not stable. I’m constantly going off on things that piss me off. And when I get an idea, I can be out of commission for hours. Even if—” Shit, he didn’t want to talk about last night in the music room. It was still too fresh in his head. “I go out on tour months at a time and when we record, we hole up in a studio somewhere for weeks.”
“Maybe that’s what happened before, but that doesn’t mean that’s always going to be your life.” Greg sighed. “Look, I’m not trying to get you to drop your band and be a composer for me for the rest of your life, although the thought has crossed my mind. I think you’re fucking brilliant and I think you should do whatever the fuck makes you happy. And if Tru makes you happy, then I think you need to fucking tell her that, and then make damn sure you make her happy, too.”
“And what if I don’t think I’m the right guy for her?”
Greg’s mouth twisted. “Then I think you’re pretty fucking stupid because I think you’re an amazing person. That doesn’t mean I want to fuck you”—This made Baz laugh—“but you and Tru are two of my favorite people in the world and I think you need each other.”
Need. Funny word for Greg to use. Because that’s exactly how he felt about Tru. Like he needed her.
And it wasn’t like it’d happened overnight. It’d been coming on for months now. Every time they fought, it was like she slipped under his guard a little farther. Until he wanted to pull her all the way under and against him.
But he had a feeling she didn’t feel the same. That, to her, he was just someone to pass the time with until a guy like Cory came along and they moved to the Main Line, bought a mansion, and had a few perfect kids.
“Jesus, Baz.” Greg grabbed his shoulder and shook him. What the fuck do you want?”
“I want my fucking band to be whole again. I don’t want to feel like I’m damaged. And I want Tru.”
Greg smiled and the cocky sonovabitch who made million-dollar deals in a cutthroat business showed itself. “Then don’t be a fucking pussy. Make her believe you’re the only guy she should ever want. Just . . . don’t tell me how because, Christ, I love the girl like a sister and I don’t want to know that she has actual sex.”
After he stopped laughing, Baz shook his head. “And how the fuck am I supposed to make her believe that?”
“You gotta believe it first.”
Baz rolled his eyes. “Great, now you’re spouting new-age bullshit.”
“It’s not bullshit if it works.”
“Yeah, yeah. I am worthy. I get it. Next?”
“Next, you gotta show her she’s not just another piece of ass. And then you gotta make sure you don’t fuck it all up by acting like a dick.”
“You’re just full of wisdom tonight.”
“That’s because he nearly fucked up his own relationship by doing exactly what he just told you not to do.”
Baz turned to see Ty leaning back in his chair, watching them. Actually, they were all watching him now. Baz had never had stage fright. He could play in front of thousands and have a great time. This felt like torture.
Greg shrugged. “Not quite, but close enough.”
“Okay, now that we’ve told Baz how to handle his love life, can we please play some damn poker?” Jared flashed him a smile and held up the deck.
“Yeah, yeah. We’re coming.” Greg turned back to Baz. “Sometimes you just gotta take that leap and trust someone will be there to catch you. If I know Tru at all, and I do, she won’t let you fall.”
* * *
“Thank you for dinner. I had a really nice time.”
“I should be thanking you. I haven’t had this much fun on a date in a very long time.”
Tru smiled up into Cory’s handsome face, noting how his smile was so open, so relaxed.
He’d been the perfect gentleman all night, with enough of an edge that the conversation had never turned dull or rote.
But all night she couldn’t help thinking about another man.
Which was totally unfair to Cory.
“So I want to do it again. Does Monday work for you?”
She actually liked the fact that he hadn’t just asked her if she wanted to go out. He’d asked about a specific date. It was a good tactic. If she said no to Monday, he’d probably continue down the week until she said yes.
And now all she could think about was what night Sebastian might want to see her. Yes, they had a date set for tomorrow but what if he asked her out again for later in the week and what if she’d already set a date with Cory?
And that’s when she realized there would be no more dates with Cory.
“I’m not—” She smiled, shaking her head. “Thank you for asking, but I don’t think that would be a good idea. For either of us.”
Cory’s gaze narrowed, and then he nodded, as if he’d expected this. “Let me guess. There’s someone else.”
“There is but it’s . . . complicated.”
Cory’s lips curved in a truly breathtaking smile. “Relationships usually are. He’s a fool if he doesn’t realize what a wonderful person you are, Tru.”
Well, damn. Why the hell couldn’t she melt for this man the way she did for Sebastian? It just wasn’t fair.
“Then let me just say thank you again for accompanying me to dinner and I hope to see you soon. And if that guy doesn’t work out, you know where to find me.”
Leaning down, he pressed a kiss to her cheek. She waited to feel tingles, a jolt. Anything at all.
Nothing. Because all she could think about was how she went wet when Baz put his mouth over hers and kissed her like he wanted to inhale her.
She nodded as he drew back, then turned to open her door and slipped through. She sighed as she leaned against the door and closed her eyes.
Damn. Damn, damn, damn.
She wanted to throw her purse across her living room but couldn’t afford to damage her phone. Not when she knew she wanted to use it to text Sebastian. To find out what he was up to tonight.
“Ooh. This sucks.”
Since it was only eleven at night—and really, who else but losers were home by eleven on a Friday night—she pulled out her phone and texted Sabrina.
As she waited for her friend to get back to her, she went upstairs to change. Yoga pants, an old, ratty t-shirt. Her hair in a ponytail, thick socks on her feet, and makeup washed off her face.