Stunned by his statement, she stared after him as he disappeared into the hallway. What the hell did he mean by that? He didn’t treat her like everyone else. She was different. Always had been. Just as he’d always been different for her. Their relationship was special. And it really irked her that he’d just lumped her in with every other person in his life.
Ten minutes later, he stalked back into the room, dressed in jeans and a long-sleeved T-shirt, a duffel bag slung over his shoulder.
“Where are you going?”
“I’ve got stuff to do,” he said, without even glancing at her. As the front door closed behind him, he said, “Don’t worry. I called Brody. He’ll help you today. He’s better for you, anyway.”
Then the door closed.
Shocked, her mouth dropped open. He’d called Brody? The same man Tommy had told her in no uncertain terms he wanted her to stay away from? The same one he’d said he didn’t trust with her?
Tommy was now giving her to Brody because he was better for her?
For a man she thought she knew inside and out, she was learning she didn’t know her best friend at all.
…
Tommy had spent the day looking at different rental houses and apartments, finding nothing he wanted to put down a deposit on. Finding a place shouldn’t be this hard. For the most part, all he really did was sleep and eat there, spending most of his time out.
Hell, he’d found his other place within a couple of hours. It had met his needs, and he had put down the deposit and started moving in that same day. The search today had been the complete opposite. Each of the places he looked at had been missing something. What that was, he had no fucking clue. But as he’d looked around at each new rental, he just wasn’t feeling the walls around him. So he’d gone on to the next. And then felt the same.
Twelve places, and not a damn one of them suited him.
As he walked down the sidewalk to Mike’s gym, he shook his head in disgust. Maybe he’d been too distracted because he’d known Julie was with Brody all day. He’d called the man in the heat of anger—at himself. Having Julie say she wasn’t like everyone else and she deserved better had just reminded him that he had once again failed her. And he would continue to do so if he didn’t find some way to get their relationship back to where it used to be. So he’d pushed Brody back at her.
At least he would know how to treat her right. If Tommy really cared for Julie, he’d want that for her.
So he was being the bigger man. He sure as fuck didn’t feel like it, though. Jealousy had churned in his gut all day as he thought about what they could be doing. And it had taken a massive amount of willpower to not go back to her place and kick the ass out. Somehow, he’d managed not to make a total fool of himself and actually do it.
Now, for the next three hours, Mike would kick his ass, and then hopefully he’d be too exhausted to give a shit.
He yanked open the door, immensely thankful that the first face he saw was Mac’s. As he stepped inside, the rest of the place seemed to slow, then stilled altogether. God, where were his spurs when he needed them? It was just like a showdown in some old Western movie. His peers stared at him. Some openly scowled. Others watched curiously. Tommy had known his first day back wasn’t going to be a piece of cake, but this was bordering on worse than he’d thought.
Inhaling, he forced a collective smile. “Don’t let me stop you.”
Everyone continued to stare. A muttered, “This is bullshit,” rang loud inside the quieted room.
All righty, then. Here goes nothing. Dropping his bag to the floor, he stepped farther inside. “You’re right. It is bullshit. If I were one of you guys, I’d think the exact same thing. I fucked up. I let everyone in this building down, including myself. I don’t expect anyone to accept me back with pats on the back and hearty welcomes. I don’t deserve it. Not after the way I acted, not after many of the choices I made. But I have changed. I’m going to prove that to each one of you. I’m going to earn your respect back. Are we clear?”
A few mumbles echoed around as the men nodded, and everyone went back to what they’d been doing.
That was as good an agreement as he was going to get, and he’d take it.
As Mac passed behind him, he squeezed his shoulder. Mike strode up to him. “I hope you mean everything you just said.”
“I do.”
“Then get your butt into that locker room and change. We’ve got a lot of work to do.”
…
On edge, Julie stalked around the living room, then climbed up on the end of the couch, bringing her knees to her chest, and gnawed her thumbnail.
Brody gave an exasperated curse. “Are you going to at least tell me why I’m here, since it looks like you’re moving around just fine on your own?”
She stopped chewing on her nail and shot a glance at him. He sat on the edge of the cushion with his elbows braced on his jean-clad knees, studying her. God, she kept forgetting he was here.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I’m not being much company, am I?”
“Yeah. Try no company.”