The Summer He Came Home (Bad Boys of Crystal Lake 1)

Her eyes never left Mac. “No problem.” She turned then, her eyes questioning. “So, Sal was saying you’re doing the big benefit concert over the long weekend?”

Cain stopped dead in his tracks. “What?”

She laughed, her glee echoing into the silent house. “The football field is in dire need of a redo complete with a new stadium, so they’ve organized a big event on the Fourth of July. Salvatore said you agreed to headline.”

Christ, he must have really tied one on the night before.

“I can’t…” he began, and then stopped. Why couldn’t he? He was in no rush to get back to LA.

“I’m thinking about hanging around for a few weeks.”

Cain turned to Mac in surprise. “How’s that gonna work with your job?”

“That’s the beauty of computers, my friend. I can work from remote locations and get my stuff done.” He shrugged. “Truth is, my load is light this summer, and I haven’t had a proper vacation in years. I’ve got weeks coming to me. I might take them now.” His eyes narrowed. “See if I can’t convince Mom to leave, maybe come back to New York with me.”

“The Booker’s cottage is for rent,” Raine offered. “You know, if you were serious.”

Mac looked at Cain, and a grin split wide across his sorry-ass face. “You in?”

Maggie crossed his mind just then, and that familiar tightening in his chest followed suit. He was in no hurry to leave, but renting a cottage? Hell, he hadn’t thought that far ahead, but if he stayed…the possibilities were endless.

Maggie O’Rourke just might be the distraction he needed.

A smile split his face, though it was followed by a wince as pain radiated along his skull. He didn’t hesitate.

“Hell, yeah.”

Chapter 11

Maggie entered Lauren’s home with some trepidation. She assumed Cain was gone—his truck wasn’t in the driveway—but still she was wary. The thought of running into him wasn’t one that pleased her.

It was early Friday, just before noon, and God help her, but she’d thought of nothing but him since Wednesday evening. It wasn’t all good either. She didn’t know what stung more, the fact he’d ditched her so easily or that she’d been obsessing about it like a fifteen-year-old. She’d been riled up ever since and filled with a truckload of emotion.

She’d cut off those kinds of feelings so long ago that at first she didn’t know what the heck they were until it hit her. She’d wanted to spend the evening with him. Not because he’d taken her son out and treated him to a day on the lake. Not because he was easy on the eyes and had a killer smile. She wouldn’t even go near the six-pack of abs he sported. It was more than that.

Maggie liked the way he made her feel. She liked how his eyes darkened to a deeper shade of chocolate when he looked at her. It made her belly curl with heat, and that was something she hadn’t felt in a very long time.

Of course she realized nothing would come of it. Musicians, especially rock musicians, didn’t mix with women and children. Everyone knew that, right? But still, for those few moments when her body reacted in that way—hot, filled with awakening need—she knew that she was still alive. She knew that somewhere, buried beneath the layers of pain, hurt, and betrayal, there was a part of her that thrived, a little bit of the old Maggie.

And it felt wonderful. It gave her hope.

Maggie issued a soft hello, but there was no answer. The house was silent, empty. On Fridays, Lauren volunteered at Shady Oaks, the retirement home near the lake, so depending on what time Maggie arrived, there was a pretty good chance she wouldn’t see her.

If you see Cain, tell him I said hey, and can you please remind him he promised to show me how to clean those fishes?

Michael’s excited chatter rolled around her head as she busied herself putting away the fresh linens Lauren had left for her. Her son had slept the entire night after Cain brought him back and hadn’t stirred from his bed until nearly eight the next morning. Since he was a boy who was up with the birds most days, she knew he’d been exhausted.

She smiled. Exhausted, yes, but in a good way, and as soon as he’d woken, it was nonstop chatter.

She’d heard every minute detail of his day with Cain. About how he’d taken Michael out on the lake to a “secret” fishing

hole he used to go to as a little boy.

It was a secluded stream where the fishing was particularly good.

It was the most awesome place he’d ever been.

Cain was one of the coolest dudes he’d ever met in his whole entire life.