CHAPTER 30
CARY
“You should’ve seen this guy,” Cary grumbled to Vegas the next day, leaning against the tour bus. Just thinking about Tyler’s ex made his blood simmer. “What an idiot.”
“Yeah, I met him when they were dating. Total tool. I used to call him Stanley, but he never got it.” Vegas laughed as they climbed aboard the bus.
“His band sucks,” Cary muttered, dropping onto the sofa bench. “Don’t you think?”
“Can’t say.” Vegas sat beside him and pulled a deck of cards from the inside pocket of his leather jacket. “Never saw them play.”
“Trust me. Worst band I’ve seen in a decade—” Cary crossed his arms. “And I don’t exactly haunt dive bars.”
Vegas glanced sideways. “You okay?”
“He called me old. In front of Tyler.” Cary huffed. “Screw that indie rocker.”
“You sound jealous,” Vegas said with a smirk, shuffling the cards like a professional.
Cary rolled his eyes but didn’t answer. “And the doorman at the bar called her Mrs. Kingston.”
“He doesn’t know you,” Vegas said, dealing a hand.
Cary stiffened. Muscles coiled beneath his shirt. That creeping, familiar prickle crawled up his neck—the one that told him he wouldn’t like what came next.
Vegas frowned. “Come on, man. You? Married?”
“Why not?” Cary shot back. “Tyler and I both want a family—no matter what that asshole thinks.” He glanced out the window. The bus still hadn’t moved. “We’re waiting until my tour’s over, but I hate waiting.”
“I’m aware.” Vegas scratched his jaw. “Don’t take this the wrong way. You know I don’t get involved in your shit.”
Cary narrowed his eyes. “What do you mean?”
“Think about it. Tyler—alone in Vancouver with a baby—while you’re out here doing . . .” He flipped the ace of spades onto the table. “This.”
“They can come on the road.” Cary shrugged. “We’ve got our own bus.”
“Yeah, sounds like a blast. Screaming kid, no sleep, diaper blowouts in the green room. Real rock and roll.”
Cary sighed. Vegas was right. The road wasn’t meant for raising a family. And he couldn’t ask Tyler to quit her job or play stay-at-home mom unless she wanted to.
“On second thought,” he said, “maybe I will take some time off.”
“I’ve been telling you that for years.”
“Yeah, well, I didn’t have a reason before.” He looked down at his cards, a slow grin spreading. “Now I do.”