by Sarina Bowen
“Hi, Graham.”
He wore a Hayes-Montgomery Construction T-shirt. My mother had sent me one of the same for Christmas two years ago.
He was the Hayes.
My brother, Walker, was the Montgomery.
The black cotton stretched across his broad chest. I’d spent many nights with my ear against that chest, but it hadn’t been as muscled back then. It had held promise, though, of the man he’d become.
The man he had become.
Everything about Graham seemed to have changed, even those golden-brown eyes. The vibrant color was the same as I saw in my dreams, but they were colder now. Distant. A change I couldn’t blame on time.
No, that one was on me.
“Let’s go.” He ripped the handle of my suitcase from my grip.
“I have a car reserved.” I pointed to the rental kiosk, but Graham turned and walked toward the doors. “Graham, I have a car.”
“Cancel it,” he clipped over a shoulder. “Your mom asked me to pick you up.”
“Fine,” I grumbled, yanking my phone from my pocket. Texting Ethan while keeping up with Graham’s punishing pace was difficult, and I looked up just in time to stop myself from crashing into a wall.
Oh, hell. It wasn’t just a wall. It was a wall holding a framed Hush Note poster, and there I was, in the center. My hair was thrown back as I pounded on the drums. Jonas was singing into a microphone while Nixon riffed on his guitar.
It was the poster our label had made for tour promo last year, and the airport had embellished it with a banner strung over the top.
Welcome to Bozeman.
Home of Quinn Montgomery, Hush Note’s Grammy Award-Winning Drummer.
Graham paused and looked back, likely wondering what was taking me so long. When he spotted the poster, he shot it a glare that might have incinerated the paper had it not been protected behind glass. Then he marched through the door, his strides even faster.
I jogged to keep up but was too far away to stop him from throwing my suitcase into the bed of a truck—an actual throw far more damaging than I’d ever seen from airline personnel.
“Get in.” He jerked his chin to the passenger door.
“Okay.” I bit my tongue.
Since my rental car was out, my new plan was to survive this ride to the hotel. Graham was upset, and I’d let it blow over. Ten minutes, fifteen tops, and we’d go our separate ways. I was here this week for Nan and causing drama with Graham would have upset her.
So I climbed in his truck and took a deep breath.
Graham’s scent surrounded me. As a boy, he’d smelled fresh and clean. It was still there, familiar and heartbreaking, but with a spicy undercurrent of musk and cologne and man. The heady, intoxicating smell wasn’t going to make this trip to the hotel any easier.
Before I had my seat belt buckled, Graham was behind the wheel and racing away from the curb.
I swallowed and braved conversation. “So, um . . . how have you been?”
His jaw ticked in response, but thankfully the radio filled the silence.
The Sirius XM Countdown continues with “Sweetness” by Hush Note. A song that’s been number one on our countdown for—
Graham stabbed the off button with his finger.
I faced the window.
So Graham wasn’t just upset. He was furious. Clearly nine years apart hadn’t turned me into a fond memory.
“I have a reservation at the Hilton Garden Inn. If you wouldn’t mind dropping me—”
“You’re going home.”
Right. End of discussion. Graham was doing a favor for my mother since my family would be busy on a Sunday morning. He’d been sent to retrieve me before I could disappear to my hotel.
Maybe I shouldn’t have been in such a hurry to leave the East Coast.
The drive through Bozeman was tense. I kept my gaze fixed outside, taking in the new buildings. The town had boomed over the years. Where there had once been open fields, there were now office complexes, shopping centers and restaurants.
It wasn’t until we approached downtown that the streets became more familiar and I was able to anticipate Graham’s turns. When we reached my childhood neighborhood, I marveled at the homes. Had they always been this small?
Then we were parked in front of my parents’ home. My home.
Finally, something that hadn’t changed. Slate-blue siding, white trim, black shutters and Mom’s red geraniums planted in a whiskey barrel by the front door.
“Thanks for dropping me off,” I told Graham, risking a glance his way. “Just like old times.”
He’d always insisted on dropping me off at my house even though he lived next door.
Except back then, he would have smiled and kissed me goodbye.
But that was before.
Before I’d broken his heart.
Before he’d shattered mine.
Read more in Rifts and Refrains by Devney Perry.
And don’t miss Muses and Melodies by Rebecca Yarros!
Need more?
MORE IN THE HUSH NOTE SERIES
Rifts and Refrains by Devney Perry
Muses and Melodies by Rebecca Yarros
* * *
ALSO BY SARINA BOWEN:
* * *
THE BROOKLYN BRUISERS
Rookie Move
Hard Hitter
Pipe Dreams
Brooklynaire
Overnight Sensation
Superfan
Moonlighter
* * *
TRUE NORTH
Bittersweet
Steadfast
Keepsake
Bountiful
Speakeasy
Fireworks
Heartland
* * *
THE IVY YEARS
The Year We Fell Down #1
The Year We Hid Away #2
The Understatement of the Year #3
The Shameless Hour #4
The Fifteenth Minute #5
Extra Credit #6
* * *
GRAVITY
Coming In From the Cold #1
Falling From the Sky #2
Shooting for the Stars #3
* * *
HELLO GOODBYE
Goodbye Paradise
Hello Forever
* * *
With Tanya Eby
Man Hands
Man Card
Boy Toy
Man Cuffed
* * *
With Elle Kennedy
GOOD BOY by Sarina Bowen & Elle Kennedy
STAY by Sarina Bowen & Elle Kennedy
HIM by Sarina Bowen & Elle Kennedy
US by Sarina Bowen & Elle Kennedy
Top Secret by Sarina Bowen & Elle Kennedy
Acknowledgments
A special thank you to Claudia, Jenn and Michelle for reading early and catching the last few errors. Thank you to Edie for your tireless editing.
Thank you to Sarah Hansen for your beautiful work.
Thank you to Tim Paige and Erin Mallon for your stellar performances on the audio book!
