One
TATUM HOLLOWS
FIVE YEARS LATER
“Thanks, Larry.” I slam the door a little too loudly as I leave his office.
I hate this assignment. I sit down at my desk and start reading over the file.
I see pictures of Baldwin with other women, the band drinking and having a good time with women draped all over them.
I leave for the day so I can stop at my lawyer’s office to let them know Baldwin will be in town and where to send the divorce papers.
I don’t care if I’m on tour with them for two weeks, I need to be rid of Baldwin Hollows once and for all. I need to get on with my life.
As I leave the lawyer’s office, I decide to do a little bit of retail therapy. I call my best friend to join me.
“Hot date?” Ivy asks me.
“No. My new work assignment. I need to get some updated clothes since I can’t be my bookworm self,” I tell Ivy.
“Tate, where are you going?” I sigh as I pull out my itinerary and show her. “Fuck! You and Win together for two weeks? Why would your boss do this to you?”
“I don’t know. I tried to get out of it saying I don’t like rock music. I even snapped at him.” Ivy laughs. “What am I going to do? I went to my lawyer earlier and showed them the details of where he’ll be. They’re going to send the papers to him.” I smile.
“Are you sure you still want a divorce?” I give Ivy a dirty look.
“I’m sorry, but his mom always tells you when he’ll be in town, but you never serve him.
” I exhale loudly, hoping she gets the idea that I don’t want to talk about it.
“Alright, let’s get you some sexy clothes and make Win jealous.
” Ivy and I start trying on clothes. She likes to dress me because she loves to highlight my curves.
Ivy is jealous that she’s a stick and I’m a pear.
I’m always telling her that I’d give her my hips for her stick any day.
Once I do significant damage on my credit card, we head to our favorite dive bar so we can eat and do shots.
I took tomorrow off since I’m leaving on Wednesday for the tour.
I don’t even know how I got home. The last thing I can remember is doing shots with Ivy and a couple of guys from the bar.
I sit up from the floor of my living room and everything starts to spin.
“I slept on the floor?” I race to the bathroom as my stomach starts to flip flop.
After hugging the porcelain throne, I walk out to the kitchen.
I need water, and I smell coffee. “Who made coffee?” I groan as the sound of my voice hurts.
I take a whiff of the coffee and try to calm my stomach.
“Good morning, sleepyhead.” I cringe at the familiar chipper voice. “Your bed is pretty comfortable. I need to know where you got that mattress.” The deep baritone voice is behind me.
“Baldwin.” I grit my teeth. “What the fuck are you doing here?”
“Ivy called. I was in town and came to your rescue like a knight in shining armor.” I’m trying with all my strength not to slap that smug smile off his face.
“You are not a knight in shining armor. More like a bad rash that you need an antibiotic to get rid of.” He snorts.
“There’s the Tatum I know and love. Oh, thanks for the divorce papers yesterday too.” I smirk and dance in my head knowing that he was served.
“I’m alive, so you can leave now.” I point to the door.
“Oh, don’t be like that. I’m here until the band leaves tomorrow. I brought a bag.” My jaw dropped to the floor. What the fuck is he talking about? “I haven’t seen you in a year and a half, so it will be nice to spend time with you.”
“Win, get the fuck out. I don’t want you here.
If I made that impression last night, it was the alcohol.
We’re over and done.” I walk out of my kitchen and into the living room.
I flop on my couch, grimacing because my head is pounding.
It doesn’t help that the first person I see is the man who can bring me to my knees every time he smiles.
I’ve loved Baldwin since middle school, and for ten years, it’s been an up and down, sideways, and more backward than forward kind of relationship.
“Tate, you don’t mean that.” He comes to stand in front of me. I take a good look at him, and damn, he’s built. He’s wearing a black tank top and his signature gray sweatpants that don’t leave anything to the imagination. I’d blush, but I’ve already seen him naked and felt him inside me.
“I do mean it. Go fuck one of your groupies.” I stand up too quickly and the room flips sideways. I feel Win’s arm around my waist. I can smell his cologne as it tickles my nose.
“I’ve never fucked anyone other than you,” he whispers in my ear. I scoff. “Why don’t you believe me?” Baldwin sits me down on the couch and then he walks into the kitchen.
“The pictures and videos lie then,” I mutter to myself.
I hear Win banging around in the kitchen.
It gets louder and louder. I stand up slowly so I don’t end up on the floor again, then walk to my bedroom and close the door.
I slide down the door and cry. “What did I do last night?” I put my forehead on my knees and let the tears fall.
I don’t remember a time in my life when Baldwin wasn’t a part of it.
I thought he was out of my heart for good, but seeing him now brings back so many memories.
The truth of it all, I still love Baldwin with all my heart.
I can’t do this tour.