Double Time (Sinners on Tour 5)

They lay in the aftermath for a long time, none of them willing to let go of the other. Reagan had never felt like such an important part of anything before. But she was a part of these two men she loved, just as they were a part of her. And a part of each other. None of them whole without the other two.

Chapter 37

A couple of days later, Trey stood in the hallway of the tour bus and watched Brian apply his guyliner in the bathroom mirror. They hadn’t spoken since Brian had broken his heart in San Francisco. Trey felt he needed to say something to him. He wasn’t sure what. Things just felt unfinished between them. Uncomfortable. He’d never felt that way around Brian before and he needed it to go away. It was f**king with his perfect happiness. And he knew without a doubt that it would affect their music on stage that night. Their show in San Francisco had been terse. The flow of music between them had been off all night. He needed to fix that. Somehow.

“Take a picture; it will last longer,” Brian said, catching Trey’s gaze in the mirror and grinning at him.

Trey laughed. That had been Trey’s favorite saying in the fifth grade, when he’d first met Brian. Back before things had gotten complicated. Could they ever get that simple friendship back? Trey wasn’t sure, but he had to try.

“How’s Malcolm?” Trey asked. Small talk was a start. It would help him find the courage to press forward with more difficult words.

“I guess he’s good. I haven’t heard from Myrna all day.”

Trey scowled. That didn’t sound like Myrna. He hoped everything was okay. She wouldn’t hide a problem from Brian to keep him from worrying, would she? Of course she would. “Did you call her?”

“Yeah, she texted me and told me her day was entirely full and that she wouldn’t have time to talk until tonight.”

“So she’s okay?”

Brian smiled. “She’s fine. Jessica told me to give the woman a moment’s peace and sent me a picture of Malcolm in his car seat to assure me he was okay. I guess they’re running errands today.”

Trey laughed. “Oh. For a minute I thought you’d learned to relax.”

Brian met his eyes in the mirror again. “How long have you known me, Trey?”

“Eighteen years.” Trey closed his eyes, hoping it would help him find the courage to say what needed to be said. “I forgive you.”

“For knowing me?”

“No, for breaking my heart. I kind of needed it actually.”

Brian touched Trey’s shoulder and he opened his eyes. He stared into Brian’s deep, brown eyes and was surprised that the connection between them was still there. It felt different. The horrible aching longing he used to feel when he looked at Brian was gone, but the closeness that can only forge between two people who’d been through everything together was still there. Trey was so relieved his eyes prickled with tears. Brian’s fingers clinched in Trey’s shirt and he gave him a little shake.

“If you start crying, I’m going to f**king pound you,” Brian said. “I just put on my eyeliner and I don’t want to have to redo it.”

Trey laughed. “I’m not going to cry. I’m just glad we can move forward. I thought maybe I’d ruined our friendship.”

Brian’s hand relaxed and he smoothed Trey’s sleeve. “Does she make you happy?”

“Reagan?” Trey smiled. “Yeah, I love her. And Ethan too.”

Brian nodded. “Then we’re good.” He shoved Trey in the shoulder and brushed past him. “I’m going for a walk.” His phone beeped and he paused to check his text message.

“Myrna?” Trey asked.

“Yeah. It says, Honey, we’re home. I guess that means they’re done with errands and I can call her now.”

Outside a loud horn sounded. Brian dialed his wife, while Trey looked outside through the large tinted window over the sofa to see what was going on in the parking lot. There was a large RV he’d never seen before parked next to the bus. When Trey recognized its driver, he grabbed Brian by the shirt and pulled him to the window.

“Hey, sweetheart,” Trey could hear Myrna’s voice coming through Brian’s phone. “I’ve got a surprise for you.”

“What are you doing in that RV?” Brian asked her.

“Well, I figured since you can’t come home, I’d bring home to you.”

“What?”

“Come over and see.”

Trey pulled Brian to the front of the bus just as Reagan and Ethan stumbled out of the bedroom at the end of the narrow hall. “What’s going on?” Reagan asked.

“Myrna’s here,” Trey said and hauled Brian down the steps.

Brian finally found the sense to move on his own. He met Myrna at the bottom of the RV’s steps and pulled her into his arms. She cupped face in both hands. “Are you surprised?”

“I don’t really understand what’s going on.”

“Come inside and I’ll show you.”

Myrna took Brian’s hand and directed him into the RV. Trey followed them, his curiosity getting the best of him. In one of the captain’s chairs sat an unoccupied car seat. In another sat Aggie with a loudly purring black tuxedo cat on her lap. She smiled and waved.

“Aggie is starting up a travelling merchandise shop for her corsets,” Myrna said. “Selling them in a merch stand outside of concerts.”

“Embedding myself into Jace’s life yet again,” Aggie said. “I can’t seem to stop doing that.”

“He’ll be ecstatic to have you on tour with us again,” Trey said. “Well as ecstatic as Jace can be.”

“Where’s Malcolm?” Brian asked.

“Jessica is changing his diaper in the nursery,” Myrna said.

“Jessica is here too?” Brian asked.

“She’s decided she wants to be Malcolm’s nanny until she has a baby of her own.” Myrna smiled. “In around eight and a half months.”

Brian’s eyes widened. “Does Sed know?”

“She just found out yesterday. She wants to tell him in person. So keep that to yourself.”

“He’s going to flip. So all three of you are going to follow us around on tour?” Brian asked, waving a hand in Aggie’s direction.

“Four of us. Don’t forget your son.”

“Myrna, I’m not sure if this is a good idea,” Brian said. “Malcolm needs stability in his life. There is no stability in a life on the road. I don’t want that for him.”