The next evening Kellen sat in his Firebird in front of Owen’s house, staring at the familiar and welcoming blue cottage. He hesitated to go inside, even though he felt drawn to Owen in this time of uncertainty and Owen was expecting his visit. Sally had let Kellen know that Jacob would be on the local evening news—hopefully to explain why he’d said the band was over, why he’d taken off in the middle of the tour, and generally why he wasn’t making a lick of sense.

Jacob had to know that he wasn’t the only one affected by his rash decision. If the band didn’t get back together, there was no reserve plan ready to sweep in and rescue them all. Kellen had focused his life on perfecting the guitar—it was all he had going for him—and yet by remaining a rhythm guitarist instead of ever taking lead, he was essentially unknown. Adam was Sole Regret’s guitarist. Adam was the one the fans cheered for. Adam was the one they knew by name. Adam was the one who could leave right before a New Orleans concert to check on his injured girlfriend in Dallas-fucking-Texas and still have everyone scrambling to kiss his ass. Kellen wasn’t sure if the guy was an asshole or a hero.

Kellen climbed the front step and stood in the cool shade of the porch.

He might get a gig with another band—most likely an obscure band—but would Owen be a part of that? He wasn’t sure if he could play with another bassist. And the thought of not being able to play with Owen was far more frightening to him than splitting off from the rest of the band. He considered all the guys close friends, but Owen was an integral part of his life. He wouldn’t know how to get by without him.

Maybe the two of them could form their own band. But neither of them had Jacob’s drive , Gabe’s energy, or the dark, demonic muse that possessed Adam, so the two of them would never replicate the magic of Sole Regret, and Kellen wasn’t ready to give up on that magic yet. So it was best that he and Owen help Jacob remove his head from his ass, calm Gabe enough for him to think rationally, and get Adam to talk to them about what was going on in his twisted mind, because they obviously weren’t relating to each other the way they should.

And though all of these worries were weighing heavily on Kellen’s heart, he wasn’t still sitting in his car staring at Owen’s house for that reason. No, he was roasting alive in his Firebird’s stifling interior solely because he wasn’t sure how he would react to seeing Lindsey again. Since she was staying with Owen temporarily, he was bound to run into her. What if the mere sight of her reversed all the soul-healing progress he’d made with Dawn’s help last weekend? He guessed he’d just have to hole up somewhere with Dawn for another private weekend and set himself straight again. Not exactly a burden.

He stared at the house. He could do it. He could handle seeing the pretty pregnant ghost again. Besides, Sara—damn—Lindsey was a minor concern compared to getting the band together. He climbed out of his car and hurried up the front walk, playing different conversations through his head. He needed a different approach for each guy. Gabe was driven by his head, Adam by his gut, Jacob by his heart, and Owen . . . Kellen didn’t actually need an approach for Owen. They were always on the same wavelength.

When Kellen reached the front door, he hesitated for just a second before he tried the knob and found it unlocked. Owen’s home had always been like his own, just as Kellen’s door was always open for Owen. Even though he had guests, Owen would expect him to come inside. And based on the enormous black pickup parked out front, not every guest was a woman.

“Is Gabe here too?” Kellen called to announce his arrival. “Isn’t that his truck taking up half the street?”

“Hey.” Gabe nodded at Kellen when he entered the living room. His green eyes were troubled, and he looked about as well-rested as Kellen felt, which wasn’t well at all considering he hadn’t slept in over twenty-four hours.

Caitlyn was sitting beside Owen, holding his hand, offering the support that Kellen usually gave him. Kellen didn’t feel jealous, not exactly. He felt lost. Where was his place if it wasn’t beside Owen? Maybe if Dawn was there to hold his hand, he’d feel a bit more grounded, but she was en route to Prague. As much as he missed her, he was proud that she was so worldly. He’d sort all the crap out somehow, but doing so would have to wait until he was alone and he could reflect. At the moment, there was too much turmoil in the band for him to reflect on anything but their pile of rubble.

He doubted any of them would be able to sort themselves out if the band didn’t get back together. Jacob was obviously even more lost than Kellen—his actions were a cry for help. And as Jacob was the one who understood Adam best, without Jacob, Adam would be lost as well. The two needed each other, just as he and Owen needed one another. He wondered what it felt like to be Gabe, who didn’t need any of them to feel grounded and who never felt lost. Or did he? Based on his expression, perhaps Gabe was feeling lost as well.

Kellen played it cool as he flopped down on the sofa next to Owen. He knew they expected him to be the even-tempered one and was committed to doing his best to be the guy they needed. Kellen glanced at the television, surprised they were watching a baseball game instead of Jacob’s news segment. He’d called Owen ahead of time with a heads-up.

“Turn the channel,” Kellen said, extending a hand toward the television. “It should be starting.”

“Already?” Owen scrambled for the remote. “I thought you said tonight.”

“At five.”

Owen cringed and flipped through the channels until Jacob’s face filled the screen. And then the camera panned out to show a woman sitting beside him.

Tina? Kellen exchanged a flabbergasted look with Owen before searching the television screen for clues to the reason their obviously insane lead singer was holding hands with his ex-wife on live television. Last Kellen had heard, Jacob despised Tina and was getting pretty serious about her sister, Amanda.

Owen couldn’t even get a full sentence out of his gaping mouth. “What the . . . ?”

“That settles it,” Gabe said. “He’s completely lost his shit. We’re having him committed.”

Owen cranked up the volume so they could hear better. Jacob’s words scarcely registered with Kellen—something about family being more important than success. Kellen was more interested in body language. Jacob sat as rigid as the oak tree Kellen often likened him to, while Tina leaned into him with a satisfied smile on her pretty face. She was holding Jacob’s hand, not the other way around, and there was something in her eyes. Something triumphant. There was something in Jacob’s too. His expression was closer to defeat. Despair? It was hard to read him clearly on television.

“So the rest of Sole Regret’s summer tour is canceled,” Jacob announced in a flat tone. “I’ll personally repay the fans for any nonrefundable tickets.”

“What?” Tina’s triumph faltered just a bit as she turned her astonished gaze on Jacob before fixing her stare back on the camera.

“What?” Gabe shouted at the television.

“Are you back together with your ex-wife?” a reporter asked. “If I recall correctly, your divorce was rather messy.”

“And final!” Gabe leaned closer to the TV as if he wanted to climb inside and strangle Jacob.

“We’re going to live together as a family,” Jacob said. For a second, a small smile turned up the corner of his mouth.

Kellen recognized the smile Jacob reserved for his little girl. He could very easily see Jacob giving up everything for Julie. But not for Tina. Never for Tina. Kellen searched his memory for some clue as to why Jacob’s world had apparently tilted on its side, but came up lacking. He’d been so concerned with his own drama that he hadn’t been paying attention to anyone else’s.

“I won’t be able to afford two homes once all the lawsuits start being filed,” Jacob continued, “so I’ve moved back in with my w-wife and daughter.”

And there would be lawsuits. Lots and lots of lawsuits. Kellen wasn’t even sure how many contracts they were breaking here.

“Lawsuits?” Tina asked. Her confident smile was gone now. She gawked at Jacob, but it was the way she suddenly released his hand that made Kellen wonder if the band breakup was a front for something that had nothing to do with Sole Regret. But Jacob wouldn’t use them for selfish gain, would he?

“I’m breaking all sorts of contracts to be with you,” Jacob said, his gaze turning soft, almost loving, as he looked at her. Kellen shook his head at the TV. Jacob’s mixed signals were impossible to read, but Tina seemed to be as stunned by his claims as the rest of them. “But none of that’s important. My career is over. I’ll be utterly broke, but none of that matters. All that matters is that you get what you want, Tina. You want me, right?”

Tina blinked at him. Her gaze shifted to her lap where her hands were now folded. “Of course I do.”

But there was an unspoken stipulation there, Kellen mused. He could practically see it on her forehead. She wanted Shade Silverton, the rock star, not Jacob Silverton, the regular guy, and Jacob seemed to realize that that was the only card he had left to play in their troubling game.

“Does he really not care that he’s going to lose everything?” Gabe fumed, barely staying in his chair. “He doesn’t even like her!”

“All we need is love,” Jacob said, his gaze solidly locked with Tina’s.

Maybe she would settle for Jacob the gifted actor, because wow, Kellen could almost buy his sincerity. If he hadn’t known Jacob better, hadn’t lived with him through the hell of his divorce, hadn’t witnessed how hard it had been for Jacob to straighten out his life after Tina had insisted they split, Kellen would have though Jacob was in love with the gold-digger.

“Isn’t that right, sweetheart?” Jacob kissed Tina’s hand. Her lips were pursed too rigidly to actually smile.

“That’s right,” she managed to say.

A vicious game was being played out right before them. Tina held all the aces, or made Jacob think she did, but Jacob wasn’t as stupid as she thought he was. He knew what she was really after and knew how to take it away. Kellen didn’t like that he’d tangled Sole Regret up in his scheme, but they couldn’t accept the situation at face value. Deeper issues were churning beneath the surface.

“We’re missing something,” Owen said. “Something monumental.”

Exactly. Kellen snorted because Owen’s thoughts mirrored his. “Don’t you see what he’s doing?” Kellen asked.

“Being the biggest fucking idiot who ever lived?” Gabe yelled.

“He’s calling her bluff.”

Tina didn’t have as many aces as she thought she did.

“What bluff?” Owen asked.

“I don’t know,” Kellen said, “but look at her face. She started off smug—like she had him by the balls, like she was in charge and held all the aces. And now she looks like she’s ready to fold.” Or puke.

“You don’t honestly think he’s willing to give up everything just to get back at her?” Gabe said. “And he’s not the only one he’s screwing here. What about us? We have a stake in this too. Did he ever consider how this would affect anyone but himself?”

“It has to have something to do with Julie,” Owen said.

Kellen’s heart skipped a beat. Owen was probably right. Jacob’s seemingly irrational behavior likely involved Julie. She was the only person on the planet that Jacob would sacrifice everything to protect.

“I’m going to kill him,” Gabe said. “If Adam doesn’t get to him before I do, I’m going to reach into his gut and yank out his balls from the inside.”

“Give him a little time to sort himself out,” Kellen said. Jacob wouldn’t betray them for the hell of it. Kellen hadn’t been sure of that before, but now, seeing him with Tina, he had no doubt that she’d somehow forced his hand, and he’d called her on it.

“He’s getting back together with Tina.” Owen pointed at the television where Jacob was discussing plans for his less than spectacular future.

“I might paint houses,” Jacob said. “Or sell tires. I do want to finish my education—get my GED and set the right example for my daughter.”

“I don’t think he is.” Kellen tilted his head slightly, looking for more clues in the couple’s body language. All was not easy and happy in the Silverton household, that much was clear.

“You’re going to let him get away with this bullshit?” Gabe said. “He walked out on us, Kellen. And without him fronting the band, Sole Regret will never be the same.”

Lead singers almost always made the band. Kellen couldn’t deny how much easier it was to find a replacement for a rhythm guitarist, a bassist, even a drummer. But a singer? Or their lead guitarist and songwriter? The two of them really made the band. None of them could deny that reality.

“Maybe he’ll change his mind,” Owen said.

“And maybe we’ll tell him to fuck off,” Gabe said.

“He’s obviously struggling. Look at him.” Kellen rose to his feet and pointed at the screen. Couldn’t they see the tension right before them? Or maybe he was the odd one for recognizing it so easily. “Look at his posture.”

When Owen and Gabe looked at him as if he were discussing an imaginary friend, Kellen sighed. They really didn’t see it. Did either of them ever pay attention to how Jacob normally behaved?

“He was acting off before Adam left, you morons. I’m telling you, something is going on with him that he didn’t share with us.”

“Obviously,” Gabe said. “But that’s no excuse to stab your friends in the back. He just up and left.”

“Adam also fucking left,” Kellen shouted, since calm discussions didn’t get through to Gabe.

Gabe punched the sofa’s arm and growled, “And the three of us are left here holding our dicks.”

Kellen couldn’t argue that fact. The three of them were totally screwed if Jacob and Adam never reconciled. And Jacob was the key to settling their differences. Adam was too self-centered to put anyone before his own agenda.

“Jacob has only fucked us over this once; Adam has left us high and dry dozens of times,” Owen said.

Kellen smiled at his friend—who always sided with him, always had his back—but Owen’s attention was fixed on Gabe, so he offered no return smile. Jacob had left, but only because Adam had added the final straw. Jacob needed their backing right now, not their animosity. Adam needed support as well. Hell, Kellen could use a little reassurance himself, and he was sure he wasn’t the only man in the room feeling that need. They had to come up with a way to get everyone back together and on speaking terms, or this band really would be over.

“I think we have to support him until he figures out what he wants,” Kellen said, figuring Gabe wasn’t ready to hear that. He’d never seen the guy so angry before.

“I’m not supporting his insanity.” Gabe jerked to his feet and covered his head with his ball cap. “We put all our faith in him, and he left us. Without a word, he left.”

Gabe’s anger was a front for his hurt, Kellen realized. Jacob had hurt Gabe by leaving, by potentially breaking up the band, and Gabe didn’t know how else to react.

“You need to think this through before you go off, Gabe,” Kellen said. “You could make things worse.”

“Stop being so goddamned even-tempered, Cuff! This doesn’t piss you off? Not even a little?”

Kelly shook his head. “It makes me sad.” Which hadn’t been his first reaction. Like Gabe, he’d been pissed, but Kellen was past anger now and falling into despair.

Gabe glared at Owen, who grimaced. “And I suppose you’re in agreement with your friend here. You two practically share a brain.”

“Maybe Julie is sick,” Owen said, and immediately Kellen’s heart sank. Julie being sick would be terrible, but it would explain Jacob’s rash behavior.

Gabe’s rage finally ratcheted down a notch. “Why would you think that?”

“He’s been adamant about spending time with Julie lately. Scheduled the entire tour around his visitation days. So maybe something is terribly wrong with her.”

“It could be that,” Kellen said. He hoped not from the depths of his soul and searched for any reason to discredit the idea, because thinking Julie was sick was too agonizing to face. “But I don’t think he’d hide that from us.”

Gabe was standing over them with his fists on his thighs—a divisive force in the room. Except nothing would ever divide Kellen and Owen. Not even Gabe’s temper.

“Will you sit down?” Kellen said to him. “We need to figure this mess out.”

“We need to get Shade back,” Owen said.

Kellen loved that they were thinking the same way—not that it surprised him. He smiled and nodded at Owen, but noticed that Caitlyn was doing a good job of offering her silent support to Owen, so turned back to Gabe.

“Maybe I don’t want him back,” Gabe said, but he sat.

“Which of us do you think he’d be most likely to listen to?” Kellen asked.

“Gabe,” Owen said. “But not if he goes there all pissed off like he is now.”

“I’m not pissed off,” Gabe said.

“Riiiight,” Owen said, rolling his eyes, and Caitlyn giggled.

“Why shouldn’t I be pissed off? The fucking dolt has destroyed my career just like that.” Gabe snapped his fingers. “If Sole Regret is really over, what am I supposed to do with the rest of my life? I don’t have a fucking plan B, okay? I don’t know how to proceed.”

Kellen caught movement out of the corner of his eye and for an instant, he thought Sara had risen from the grave to stand crying in the doorway, but it was Lindsey. He would likely never get used to how much she resembled Sara, but now when he looked at her, he didn’t see Sara. He saw a pretty young blonde trying to sort out her life. To that he could relate.

“Are you okay?” Owen was instantly on his feet, squeezing Lindsey’s slight shoulder and looking her over with concern. “Are you in pain? Is it the baby?”

Kellen didn’t miss the way Caitlyn stiffened when Owen touched Lindsey, but Owen didn’t see her reaction.

“Is Sole Regret really breaking up?” Lindsey asked.

She was crying over that? Now that Kellen thought about it, there would be a lot of upset fans when news of the band’s demise spread.

“We hope not.”

Lindsey hugged Owen, who cringed and tried patting her without actually touching her. He glanced at Caitlyn, but she just shrugged. She probably recognized that Lindsey wasn’t a threat for Owen’s affection. If that was his baby, though, Kellen hoped Caitlyn realized there would be no way that Owen could give up his child.

“It’s all my fault.” Lindsey sniffled. “I show up pregnant, and you all start arguing and then Adam leaves and now Shade is gone and . . . and . . .”

“This has nothing to do with you,” Gabe said. “Adam has been unreliable and self-absorbed since the day I met him.”

“But he left to be reliable for Madison,” Kellen reminded him. “Selfless for Madison.” Stepping up to help another person was a big step in Adam’s personal growth, even if his action negatively impacted the band.

“How very nice for Madison,” Gabe grumbled. “How utterly devastating for the rest of us. Did Adam even admit he was in the wrong when you talked to him?” he asked Owen. “Because when I talked to him, all he wanted to know was what Jacob had done.”

Owen shrugged. “He admitted he should have told us where he was going. He seemed sorry.”

“But he didn’t say it.”

Owen shook his head. No surprise there, but Kellen knew Adam felt deeply, no matter how much he tried to hide his emotions.

“Adam’s always been unapologetic,” Kellen said. “It doesn’t mean he doesn’t feel remorse. He just doesn’t express it.”

Owen looked down at Lindsey. “We’re going to do whatever we can to keep Sole Regret together. No more crying over this.”

Well, at least three of the band members wanted to fix this shitstorm. If it came to a majority vote, they’d win, but they couldn’t force Shade to sing. Couldn’t force Adam to play.

Lindsey wiped at her face with the back of her hand and nodded. “I came to tell you dinner is ready and overheard you talking about the band.”

“I can’t stay.” Gabe stood and inched toward the door. “I’m going to see if I can find out some real information. Maybe I can corner Jacob outside the news studio if I hurry.”

Owen bumped fists with Gabe. “Keep us posted.”

“Once things settle down, I want a backgammon rematch,” Caitlyn said.

Gabe stopped retreating and grinned over his shoulder. “Eager to lose again?”

“Oh, I’ll be winning this time,” she promised.

Kellen smiled to himself. He really did like Caitlyn. She was a good match for Owen. Kellen wondered if his own good match was having a nice time in Prague.

“We’ll see about that.”

After a quick wave, Gabe left. Should Kellen have tried to stop him? If Gabe confronted Jacob while he was angry, he would probably make Jacob defensive, and he’d be acting like that unbendable oak again. But at least Jacob would know that his bandmates weren’t going to accept his decision without a fight. Kellen preferred to have a plan and a united front before confronting Jacob. He wanted to put more thought into what he’d do before he acted. He was sure he and Owen could come up with a strategy if left to their own devices.

“Are you staying?” Owen’s question drew Kellen from his thoughts.

“Free home-cooked meal?” Kellen sniffed at the delicious aromas wafting through the house. “Fried chicken, if I’m not mistaken. Do you need to ask?”

Owen chuckled, and Kellen followed Lindsey back to the kitchen.

At the table, Kellen sat across from Owen. He was surprised that Caitlyn was capable of releasing Owen’s hand long enough to pick up her fork. He had a hard time watching their tender affection. Kellen supposed it was because seeing the couple together made him miss Dawn. She should be landing across the globe within a few hours and could take her phone off airplane mode. Those long trans-Atlantic flights were going to put a damper on his communication with her. He knew she wanted to be with him—supporting him through this crisis—and he could feel her in spirit, but she still wasn’t there in person the way Caitlyn was.

Kellen waited for Owen and Lindsey to say grace. He wasn’t Christian and apparently neither was Caitlyn. Her eyes met his and then darted downward in respect as Owen thanked God for their meal and Lindsey gave off an aura of reverence. The rest of the meal was far less uncomfortable.

“I don’t think I’ll be able to touch raw chicken ever again,” Lindsey said. “I never used to have a weak stomach. Or mood swings. Or stretch marks.”

“Or such a swollen face, I’m sure,” Caitlyn said, with a sweet-as-honey smile.

Kellen struggled not to laugh as Owen loaded up his plate with mashed potatoes. Did he really not see that Caitlyn was beside herself with jealousy?

Lindsey’s eyes widened. “You can tell?”

“Of course not,” Caitlyn said. “Well, maybe a little, but I’m sure you’ll lose all that extra weight when the baby is born.”

“I like curvy women,” Owen said, offering Caitlyn an approving wink.

Based on her scowl, Caitlyn didn’t seem to appreciate his compliment, but the woman did have amazing curves in all the right places. Personally, he preferred Dawn’s tall, lean form, but he could clearly see why Owen was so turned on by his dark and sexy engineer.

“This is the best fried chicken I’ve ever had,” Owen said, digging into his second piece. “Don’t tell my mom I said that.”

“That’s quite a compliment,” Kellen said to Lindsey. “As far as Owen is concerned, his mom is the only woman who knows how to cook properly.”

Lindsey beamed, and Kellen was surprised her wide smile didn’t make him long for Sara. In fact, he noticed he wasn’t thinking about Sara much at all. Not the way he had been fixating on her every time Lindsey caught his eye in New Orleans. But that was before his wonderful weekend with Dawn. Before she’d helped him begin to move forward.

By the time everyone had finished, Kellen’s sleepless night was catching up with him. He couldn’t have stifled his yawn if he’d tried. “Good food leads to really good naps.”

“You’ll have to take the couch,” Owen said. “Lindsey’s got the guest room, and Caitlyn and I will be napping or not-so-napping in my bed.”

“We can finish what we started before your mom showed up,” Caitlyn said, her tanned face flushed.

Lindsey cringed. “I won’t be able to hear you two going at it, will I?”

“That’s a definite yes,” Caitlyn said, and Kellen bit his lip to hold in a chuckle. He wasn’t sure how vocal Caitlyn usually was, but with Lindsey within earshot, she’d likely scream Owen’s name at top volume.

“Well, that’s my cue to start the dishes,” Owen said, rising from his chair.

He leaned over Lindsey as he reached for her plate. “Have you gotten any job interviews yet?” he asked her.

She released a morose sigh. “Not yet, but I’ve had a few good leads—most telling me to come back in six months. The problem is that no one is going to offer me a job when I’m going to need to be on maternity leave very soon.”

Kellen knew it bothered her to be out of work. Or at least it seemed that way. The longer he was around her, the more he started to believe she hadn’t shown up late in her pregnancy because she wanted a handout. She wanted a father for her baby. Emotional support. And he knew from experience that when you were broke as fuck, it was hard to feel stable in any capacity. Not being able to offer your newborn baby stability had to be a frightening proposition.

“I don’t have a problem with you waiting to find work until after the baby is born,” Owen said.

Kellen grimaced and shook his head. That wasn’t what she wanted. She wanted to be useful. Wasn’t that obvious? Was he the only guy paying attention here?

“I have a problem with it,” Lindsey said. “I’m not a mooch.”

Caitlyn collected their drinking glasses and headed for the kitchen. “I might have some contacts in Austin that could help you out,” she said over her shoulder. “I’ll look into it when I return to the office.”

“That’s nice of you,” Lindsey said with a smile.

“Have you thought about temp work for now?” Kellen suggested with an encouraging smile. “Maybe an agency has an assignment that will last a couple of months. And then you can find something permanent later.”

“That’s a great idea, Cuff!” Lindsey placed the dishes she carried into the sink and offered him a nice hug.

Something inside his brain clicked. He could take a bit of the burden off Owen and help him take care of Lindsey. Why not?

“Have you been to the doctor?” he asked, suddenly worried about her well-being. Before, all he could see was how much she looked like Sara. All he could dwell on was how guilty she made him feel. But he didn’t feel that way at all now. And he was starting to see why Owen put up with her. She needed their help. And the Mitchells had instilled in him a response to her need as much as they had their biological sons.

“Joan took me to meet her ob/gyn yesterday. We scheduled a thorough appointment for Friday. I’m going to have an ultrasound and everything.”

“And a paternity test?” Kellen asked. He figured Owen wouldn’t pressure her about it, so it was his responsibility to remind her as often as necessary.

Lindsey glanced at Owen, and then Caitlyn. Her face turned red. “If I have to.”

“If it’s not Owen’s baby, do you still plan on staying here?” Caitlyn asked.

“I suppose I’ll have to leave.”

Lindsey looked at Owen, her desperation tangible, and even before he spoke, Kellen knew what the big softy was going to say.

“She can stay here.” Owen shrugged. “Even if it’s not my kid.”

A loud clang from the direction of the sink gave Kellen a start. Apparently Caitlyn didn’t know Owen quite as well as he did. Or maybe she hoped Owen would abandon the young woman if Caitlyn was passive-aggressive enough.

“I’d accuse you of being an idiot,” Kellen said, “but your family took me in and made me feel welcome, so I can’t insist you offer Lindsey any less.” He smiled at Lindsey, and said, “I can help you out too.”

“But it’s definitely not yours, Cuff.” Lindsey rubbed her belly protectively.

“I don’t have to be responsible to want to help you, do I?” Kellen asked, because in reality he wanted to help Owen—to relieve some of the burden troubling his friend. And if the baby was Owen’s, Kellen hoped the child would be part of his life too. He always thought he’d make a good uncle.

Caitlyn’s passive-aggressive loading of the dishwasher intensified as she jammed silverware into various slots with as much noise as possible.

Lindsey hugged Kellen again, this time nuzzling into his bare chest. “Thank you so much, Cuff. You’re almost as nice as Owen is.”

“Almost.” Kellen winked at Owen, who seemed confused about Kellen’s sudden change of heart. Kellen hadn’t yet had time to talk to him about his weekend or how he was finally moving on after losing Sara. The part about Kellen being sexually attracted to his best friend? Well, he’d be keeping that little secret all to himself, even though he did finally recognize it for what it was.

The baby was something he could share with Owen beyond their music. He could be the child’s godfather, if they’d allow it. And maybe Dawn would like to have a baby of her own. Their sons or daughters could grow up together. Kellen cringed inwardly. What was he thinking? The woman didn’t have time to be a mother at this juncture in her career. Hell, she barely had time to be a girlfriend. And if she signed that contract with Everlong—he was pretty sure she wouldn’t be able to refuse it once she had time to consider the opportunity—she would be traveling the world for her inspiration to write more songs. He doubted she’d need him at all. Pushing thoughts of future babies aside—he had no business considering children when his own career was so rocky at the moment—he couldn’t help but grin as Owen completely missed Caitlyn’s pissed-as-hell and jealous cues. Kellen might have come to terms with Owen becoming a father, but his new girlfriend was obviously still struggling with the idea.

“Excuse me,” Caitlyn said, giving Owen a pointed look he didn’t understand. “I need to use the bathroom.” When he didn’t respond, she added, “Upstairs.”

Kellen feared his friend was in big trouble.

Owen blinked at Caitlyn like a clueless idiot. Kellen stifled a laugh as Caitlyn glared at Owen so hard, he was surprised the poor guy could remain standing. Apparently giving up on Owen reading her mind—or her very clear body language—Caitlyn dried her hands and stormed out of the room with a frustrated snarl.

“You’re supposed to go after her,” Kellen advised as she tromped up the stairs like she was performing the stomp dance his grandfather had taught him.

Owen crinkled his nose. “No thanks. What she does in that bathroom is her business.”

Lord, was he clueless. “Trust me,” Kellen said. “You need to go after her.”

Owen didn’t seem too keen on following her upstairs. Every interaction Kellen had had with Caitlyn, she’d come across as even-tempered and easy-going. He doubted she was planning to take off Owen’s head at the neck, but she was pissed. She probably just wanted him to put up a few barriers around himself when it came to Lindsey. Lindsey was obviously trying to court his favor, and she did have the added pull of a baby on the way. And now that Kellen was onboard with helping, Owen would likely get behind the idea of becoming a father even more.

Owen shrugged, but before he could go upstairs to get his deserved tongue lashing from Caitlyn, his phone rang. He looked visibly relieved when he answered it.

“Hey, Mom, we just fin—” His body stilled as he listened to whatever his mother was saying on the other end of the line.

His lips trembled when he asked, “What’s wrong?” Owen visibly paled. “I’ll be right there.”

Before Kellen could ask what had happened, Owen dashed out of the house at a full run, not even bothering to shut the front door.

Kellen took off after him, watching him race down the sidewalk toward his parents’ house. “Owen, what is it?” he called, but Owen didn’t miss a step.

A hand grabbed Kellen’s arm. “Where’s he going so fast?”

Kellen didn’t even bother to look at Lindsey when he said, “Something’s wrong.”

“Do you think it’s Joan?”

He didn’t even want to consider the possibility. The woman was a mother to him. Owen’s parents meant far more to Kellen than his own parents ever had. They’d given him the family he’d craved when his own had been worthless. As Kellen started up the sidewalk, his hurried steps hastened until he too was running. “Wait,” Lindsey hollered. “I can’t keep up with you.”

He wanted to race after Owen, but slowed to give Lindsey time to catch up and then took her hand, urging her to waddle as fast as she could.

When Owen yanked open the gate of his parents’ front yard, Kellen tried to get Lindsey to move faster. Owen didn’t slow down as he bounded up the porch steps and tore into the house. Kellen left Lindsey at the gate and raced after him. He stopped short in the foyer. Joan’s broken voice came from the living room, but he couldn’t understand her words. Kellen hurried in that direction and paused in the doorway. The sight of Joan crumpled on the floor, tears streaming down her face as she told Owen things that Kellen couldn’t comprehend, tore him to shreds. He didn’t go to her to offer comfort, knowing she’d rather lean on her real son, not the wannabe watching her fall apart from the doorway. The numbness in Kellen’s throat spread through his chest, down his arms, and all the way to his fingertips as what she was saying began to sink in.

Chad—Owen’s older brother, the older brother of Kellen’s heart—was finally coming back from war. He wasn’t returning in a coffin—by some miracle—but he’d been injured. Grievously injured. A loud buzz filled Kellen’s head. There was no air in the room. He couldn’t breathe. Choking on emotion, he turned from the sight of Owen trying to comfort his distraught mother and stumbled to the front porch. He gasped for breath, surprised there was no air outside either. James’s familiar car roared up the driveway and into the garage off the side of the house. Kellen closed his eyes, glad he wouldn’t have to see James’s face when he heard the news about his eldest son. Kellen bit his lip, fighting the pain that threatened to suffocate him.

He wasn’t sure how long he’d been standing there when he heard footsteps stop behind him.

He turned to find Owen, face white with shock, standing on the porch. His stunned expression blurred as the tears Kellen had been fighting flooded his eyes. He grabbed onto Owen, not sure if he was trying to comfort or be comforted, but he needed something to keep him standing. Emotions warred within him as he pulled Owen closer. And Kellen had no idea what possessed him when Owen tilted his head back to look up at him. Kellen leaned closer—wanting Owen to stop looking so sad, wanting him to smile again, wanting something . . . something more.

Kellen kissed him, wishing Owen resisted, wishing Owen didn’t feel so right against him, wishing—some part of him wishing—that Owen was his. The feelings Kellen felt as he deepened the kiss were even more confusing than the all-encompassing lust that slammed into his lower gut. Desire heated his blood, and the kiss, which had started as a way to comfort, burned through him so hot, he was completely out of his mind.

When he tugged away gently, the need to tell Owen what had been building inside him for years outweighed his need to continue kissing him. “I want you,” Kellen said. He wanted him in every capacity of that word. Not just physically, but on every level.

Owen blinked—awakening from his stupor. “You want me?”

God, yes, why had he been denying it so long? “I want you.”

Owen’s face crumpled with anguish, and Kellen was so shocked by his reaction that Owen slipped from his grasp. And then Owen was running. Running away. Not returning Kellen’s newly realized feelings. Running. Running so hard he crashed into the front gate and struggled to get it open before he stumbled onto the sidewalk and then jetted toward home.

“Owen,” Kellen called after him, tripping down the porch steps. He covered his mouth with one hand, the feel of Owen’s lips still on his own.

“What have I done?” he said into his hand.

That had actually happened. He hadn’t imagined it while tied up and on the verge of orgasm. Kellen had kissed Owen, and while their mouths had been pressed together and Owen had gone submissive in his arms, Kellen had convinced himself that what he’d done had been natural. That it had been right.

But there was nothing right about that kiss except the way it had made him feel at the time. But not the way he felt now. He’d taken advantage of Owen’s grief to take something from him.

“Owen,” he called again, though Owen was much too far away to hear him now.

“He wants you too,” Lindsey said from behind him. “I saw it in you both that night on the bus.”

Lindsey was the absolute last person Kellen wanted validation from. He didn’t say a word to her as he walked toward the gate. And then he was trotting, then jogging, then running as fast as his legs would carry him.

When he reached Owen’s front door, he tried to open it, but found it locked. He rang the doorbell, knocked, banged on the polished mahogany surface until his entire arm ached, but no one answered his summons.

“Owen, please, we need to talk. I didn’t mean—” He cut off his own lie. He had meant it. Maybe not at first, but once their lips had met, he’d meant every caress, every shred of lust swirling through his body. What he hadn’t meant to do was hurt Owen, not in any way. “I’m sorry. Please, just . . . We need to talk.”

The door opened, but it wasn’t Owen who faced him. It was Caitlyn. He wasn’t sure what to expect from Owen’s new girlfriend. Would she be furious? Upset? Hurt? Strangely, she seemed sad. Was his ability to read people slipping?

“Bad timing, Kellen,” she said. “He’s devastated over his brother, and you pick that moment to finally be honest with him?” She shook her head. “I think you should leave. He might forgive you later, but right now? He feels betrayed.”

“He told you?” And why wouldn’t he? Owen hadn’t done anything but accept Kellen’s advance until he’d come to his senses enough to push him away. “I want to talk to him. Apologize. I didn’t mean for that to happen.”

“I don’t think he’ll talk to you right now. He’s got a whole lot of anger brewing inside him over Chad, and you gave him something to direct that anger at.”

“That’s fine. He can kick my ass if that’s what he needs to do, but I couldn’t stand it if we leave this as it is. If he shuts me out.”

“I’ll talk to him on your behalf,” she said, but Kellen wasn’t sure if she’d say the things that needed to be said. What if she made the situation worse? Right. How could anything she said be worse than what he’d done?

“I—” Kellen licked his lips, searching for words. He should apologize. Not just to Owen, but to Caitlyn. And to Dawn. Oh God . . . Dawn. What was he going to tell Dawn?

“Just so you know, I’m not letting you have him,” Caitlyn said, and before her words had sunk in, she shut the door in his face.