They said their byes and hung up.
While Dante might be happy, Tommy knew his buddy’s wedding was going to be a bitch to face. He’d see people he hadn’t seen in months, which was why he hadn’t answered the invitation yet. He actually kept going back and forth about it. He’d been planning on bringing it up to Julie this week, but apparently she was already going, and with a date.
Good for her. The woman worked too damn hard and didn’t play enough.
It’d do her good to let loose a little.
After he returned to the car, he climbed in, tossed the envelope on the dashboard, and said, “Well, you’re stuck with me.”
She narrowed her eyes. “What are you talking about?”
“I gave Dante a call to see if I could stay with him and Cait for a while. He said yes, but things seemed pretty chaotic with the wedding and all, so I figured I’d better not add to it.” He sighed.
“I’d do a hotel, but—”
“Shut up.” She groaned as she shoved her fingers into her thick brunette hair. “I already said you could stay with me. As long as you want. So just. Shut. Up.”
“It could be a few days. Weeks, even.”
“What part of ‘as long as you want’ don’t you get?”
He smiled. Okay. He’d just try not to be in the way. “Dante told me you had a date.”
She sort of jerked back and peered at him. “A date?”
“For the wedding. I was going to ask you to go with me, but, you know, if you can get a little —” He waggled his eyebrows.
She shoved him, laughing. “Jesus, Tommy.”
“What? I can’t be excited about my best friend getting some action?”
As far as he was concerned, she needed to get more of it. With her long, dark hair, expressive, hazel eyes and easy smile, Julie was a beautiful woman. He had little doubt men lined up to take her out. Her problem was her inability to freaking relax.
“Unfortunately, I’m not getting any action. My date fell through.”
“Well, that’s a bummer.” He winked. “I won’t be as exciting a date, but you can go with me.”
She studied him for a minute, then shrugged. “You’ll do, I guess.”
He feigned hurt. “That was bitchy.”
“You said you wouldn’t be exciting, so what did you expect?”
Laughing, he leaned over and kissed her cheek. “I’ll still make sure you have a great time.
Promise.” He sat back and put on his seat belt. “You know, this does beg the question of dating.”
She shot him an uncertain look. “Dating?”
“With the fire and all, I’ll probably be too preoccupied to fool around with anyone, but you…
Well, just because I’ll be staying with you, don’t think you have to be home every night with me. I want you to continue on like I’m not there, okay?”
Something flashed across her eyes that he couldn’t decipher. “Yeah. Sure.” She glanced out the windshield, and when she glanced back, the look was gone and mischief sparkled in her eyes.
“But when I am home and I cook, you eat.”
“Woman, I just lost everything I own. Are you trying to take my life, too?” She just stared at him in that impish way he loved, and he started to laugh. “Fine. I’ll scarf down that god-awful crap you like to call food.”
“As long as we’re clear.” She cranked the car.
“Yep.” It wasn’t the perfect solution, but at least the only thing he’d have to worry about while he got himself resettled was a possible case of food poisoning. The less drama he had right now the better.
And Julie never came with drama.
Chapter 2
Tommy scowled at the one-story light blue vinyl-siding house as Julie parked her car in the driveway. Man, he was in a dick mood. None of it was Julie’s fault. She was just trying to help out a friend, but four hours ago he’d had his own place. His own possessions. His own life, dependent on no one. It’d been nice. His. And now it was all nothing but ash.
Hell, he’d even lost the hat— “Fuck,” he muttered.
“Tommy?”
“Hmm?” he murmured.
“Will you please tell me what you went back into the house for?”
Damn it. Leave it to her to pick up on the only thing that came close to making him want to break down. He refused to cry like a fucking girl in front of Julie.
“It’s gone now, Julie, so it doesn’t matter.” He cursed the hoarseness in his voice and fumbled with the handle.
Her hand clamped down on his arm. “It matters to me. Warrior was safe. I can’t imagine what else would’ve pushed you back into the house.”
Groaning, he closed his eyes and leaned back against the seat. The joys of having an almost quarter-century friendship with someone? She was way too comfortable pushing shit because she knew he’d fucking tell her. “It was my box.”
“You can replace that. I can’t replace you.”
“Yeah. The box. Not what was inside it.” Opening his eyes, he turned his head. “The Atlanta Braves cap you gave me for my sixteenth birthday was in it.”