Page 59 of Hittin' the Right Note
Luke is crying now, the tears streaming down his face, and he’s trying to hold back the gut-wrenching sobs trying to tear out of him. Something tells him this might be the last time the two of them speak, and he doesn’t want it to end like this. He wants something else from her, but he still can’t quite figure out what it is. Whatever it is, though, he knows in his heart she’s not going to be able or willing to give it to him.
The question is: can he be okay with that?
“Please,” he says.
“Goodbye, Luke,” she says, and the phone beeps as the call ends.
Things happen very quicklyafter that. Luke knows he should probably stay and try to fix things, or at the very least talk to his team, to see what they think he should do. However, he doesn’t. Instead, he drops everything and, throwing a few clothes in a duffel bag, he gets in his truck, drives away from Nashville, and never looks back.
Luke knows exactly where he’s going. He’s going to head back to West Virginia. He knows there’s a whole bunch of shit he’s going to have to deal with there–including grappling with what the rest of his family are going to think about what’s justhappened–but for the moment it’ll be enough to just be back in his home state rather than in Tennessee. It’s probably just as well, since he really hasn’t managed to make many friends in the capital of country music.
He’s lucky he had a good accountant, though, someone who was able to make sure his money was wisely invested. This money has allowed him to buy a nice little cabin up on Fish Creek. It’s far enough from town it shouldn’t be too hard to get out of the public eye, but close enough he can get his supplies without too much trouble.
It’s been a while since he’s been there but, as soon as he pulls up the driveway he heaves a sigh of relief.
He’s home.
CHAPTER 22
MIKEY—2015
Mikey tried to keep himself from crying as Luke talked about how much his experience being outed had broken something inside him. It was very hard, though, particularly when he got to the part where his aunt basically disowned him. Since Mikey wasn’t particularly close to his family he couldn’t imagine what it would be like to have to face such a response, particularly from someone who was supposed to have your back no matter what.
Words were inadequate at this moment, but he knew he had to say something.
“I’m really sorry all of that happened to you,” he said.
Luke didn’t say anything. Instead, he just sat there, a distant look on his face. He’d scooted to the other side of the couch while he told his story, and now an unbridgeable gap seemed to separate them.
The silence stretched on, and Mikey thought he was going to go crazy. The only thing he could hear was Duke’s faint snoring and the beat of his own heartbeat in his ears. He was half afraid he was going to have a full-blown panic attack but, finally, Luke came back to wherever he’d gone and looked him right in the eye.
And he smiled. It was a bit sad, and a bit wistful, but it was a smile. Mikey almost cried with relief.
“But you know what? It’s all in the past. You’re here. I’m here. Let’s think about the present…and maybe even the future, yeah?”
Maybe everything will turn out okay.
A charge suffused the air, but neither of them seemed ready to take the next step. Mikey wasn’t sure whether he wanted to be the first to suggest they do something else or whether he wanted Luke to do it.
Mikey still couldn’t believe he’d initiated the kiss out in the horse barn. He hadn’t been sure he was going to do it at all, but something had told him it was now or never, if he didn’t strike while the iron was hot he might not get another chance. And he’d done it, and he had no regrets. Now, though, he wanted to see whether Luke was willing to do the same and take a leap into the unknown.
Finally, Luke spoke up.
“You know, Mikey, I have to admit you’re not at all the person I thought you were before tonight. You’ve grown. You’re more mature. You’re not just a playboy. You’re…well, you’re just different than I thought, and I like it.”
Mikey might’ve been mistaken, but he could swear he actually heard some fondness in Luke’s voice.
“Yeah, well, I’ve had a long time to think about a lot of things,” Mikey responded. “And, truth be told, I’ve been wanting to say these things for a really long time. I’m just glad we’re up here, where we can have some privacy, and where I can say the things I really want to say without my mouth getting ahead of my brain.” He paused. “Too much, anyway.”
“I’m glad you’re here, too,” Luke said. “Really.” Mikey couldn’t miss the raw vulnerability in his eyes, couldn’t miss theway it throbbed in his voice. It made him want to take Luke in his arms and never let him go.
“Um…,” he said, finally deciding he was going to have to be the one to initiate another kiss. “Would you mind if we kissed again?”
It sounded a little silly, but Luke didn’t seem to think so. In fact, he looked thrilled, his eyes lighting up with a joy as wrenching as his vulnerability had been. Mikey wondered how long it’d been since anyone had really shown Luke the love he deserved.
I guess that’s what I’m here for,he thought.
Rather than answering Luke’s question, he got up and walked over to him and, tilting his head up, planted a kiss right on his lips. It was even deeper and more passionate than it had been before, and they both lost themselves in the intensity of it all. Luke reached his arms around Mikey and pulled him back onto the couch, and then he straddled his hips.
