know what’s going on between the two of you—if you’re just friends or more than that—and it’s none of my business,” he said, holding up his hands in surrender. “I’m just saying that I couldn’t stand to see her hurt again, and I hope that you’ll keep her best interests at heart.”
Hurt again? Dylan thought. He felt bad knowing she’d been hurt, and the way Sean said it, it sounded like it was a guy who’d hurt her. But since he didn’t know anything about her personal life, he couldn’t really ask for more details. “You got no worries there,” he answered honestly. They didn’t know each other well enough to cause the other pain.
“Glad to hear it,” he answered sincerely, patting Dylan on the back. “But if you don’t mind my asking—and you can tell me shut the hell up if you want to—how do you feel about Tia?”
Dylan looked across the room and saw her sitting with a group of girls at a round table. As if she knew he was looking at her, she turned and met his eyes and sent him a smile that set his heart to beating a strange rhythm. Returning the smile and without taking his eyes off her he said the first thing that came to his mind and no one was more surprised than he when the words rolled out. “I think I could get lost in her, man.”
Sean slapped him on the back. “She has that effect on people, doesn’t she?”
“She certainly does on me.” The simple truth of the statement was like a smack on the head.
Dylan closed out the game with a trip 20 and an 11, much to Sean’s delight. In that short time, it was like Dylan had made three new friends. They laughed and joked around, and the talk didn’t come back around to him and why he was here or what he did for a living. He didn’t get any information about Tia, though, either, so when they asked him for another game; he politely bowed out, saying that he wanted to spend some time with her. They let him off the hook easily, but not before they extended him an invitation to their weekly Tuesday night poker game. “We play every Tuesday, and switch off houses. The host buys the beers and everyone brings junk food. You’re welcome anytime—even this Tuesday, if you want,” Sean added.
“I’d love to, absolutely, but I’ll have to take a rain check,” he said. “I’m going to be out of town on Tuesday.” Playing a concert in Cleveland . “I’ll definitely keep it in mind, though. I’d love to get in on that.”
“Rain check, absolutely. Tia can always find out who’s hosting.” He jumped up from the table. “Well, ladies, I’d love to stay and shoot the shit, but I think it’s almost time for me to take the stage. Gotta set up some of the equipment.”
“Are you playing tonight?”
“Yeah. Some of Nick’s favorites and some of the stuff we used to play together.”
“Tia was telling me she sang with you sometimes.” Finally he could make a comment that eluded to him knowing her more than a few hours.
“Yeah. She’s got some pretty tight vocals. I would have asked her sing with me tonight, but I really didn’t think she was coming. I got Danny on backup.” He nodded over his shoulder to a dark-haired guy messing with some wires on the stage; hooking up amps. “Anyway, the offer for the poker game stands. Hope to see you there sometime.”
They shook hands again. “Thanks for making me feel so welcome.”
Sean shrugged it off. “If Tia likes you, you must be a good guy.” He headed for the stage, and Dylan set off to collect Tia, and to hear her story.
Chapter 7
They finally made their way to a corner table, and everyone seemed to respect
Hurt again? Dylan thought. He felt bad knowing she’d been hurt, and the way Sean said it, it sounded like it was a guy who’d hurt her. But since he didn’t know anything about her personal life, he couldn’t really ask for more details. “You got no worries there,” he answered honestly. They didn’t know each other well enough to cause the other pain.
“Glad to hear it,” he answered sincerely, patting Dylan on the back. “But if you don’t mind my asking—and you can tell me shut the hell up if you want to—how do you feel about Tia?”
Dylan looked across the room and saw her sitting with a group of girls at a round table. As if she knew he was looking at her, she turned and met his eyes and sent him a smile that set his heart to beating a strange rhythm. Returning the smile and without taking his eyes off her he said the first thing that came to his mind and no one was more surprised than he when the words rolled out. “I think I could get lost in her, man.”
Sean slapped him on the back. “She has that effect on people, doesn’t she?”
“She certainly does on me.” The simple truth of the statement was like a smack on the head.
Dylan closed out the game with a trip 20 and an 11, much to Sean’s delight. In that short time, it was like Dylan had made three new friends. They laughed and joked around, and the talk didn’t come back around to him and why he was here or what he did for a living. He didn’t get any information about Tia, though, either, so when they asked him for another game; he politely bowed out, saying that he wanted to spend some time with her. They let him off the hook easily, but not before they extended him an invitation to their weekly Tuesday night poker game. “We play every Tuesday, and switch off houses. The host buys the beers and everyone brings junk food. You’re welcome anytime—even this Tuesday, if you want,” Sean added.
“I’d love to, absolutely, but I’ll have to take a rain check,” he said. “I’m going to be out of town on Tuesday.” Playing a concert in Cleveland . “I’ll definitely keep it in mind, though. I’d love to get in on that.”
“Rain check, absolutely. Tia can always find out who’s hosting.” He jumped up from the table. “Well, ladies, I’d love to stay and shoot the shit, but I think it’s almost time for me to take the stage. Gotta set up some of the equipment.”
“Are you playing tonight?”
“Yeah. Some of Nick’s favorites and some of the stuff we used to play together.”
“Tia was telling me she sang with you sometimes.” Finally he could make a comment that eluded to him knowing her more than a few hours.
“Yeah. She’s got some pretty tight vocals. I would have asked her sing with me tonight, but I really didn’t think she was coming. I got Danny on backup.” He nodded over his shoulder to a dark-haired guy messing with some wires on the stage; hooking up amps. “Anyway, the offer for the poker game stands. Hope to see you there sometime.”
They shook hands again. “Thanks for making me feel so welcome.”
Sean shrugged it off. “If Tia likes you, you must be a good guy.” He headed for the stage, and Dylan set off to collect Tia, and to hear her story.
Chapter 7
They finally made their way to a corner table, and everyone seemed to respect
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