Do You Still Love Me Like You Used To?

Part 3

Tommy stared out the window and tried to drown out the sound of Paul jabbering on about his kids and cooking. The guitarist wanted to get away from the singer long enough to try a call or send you a text. He needed to know you were safe, even if you decided it was over between the two of you. Tommy felt a sudden pain in his arm, turning to find Paul grinning at him and holding his fist up.

"What is it with you always resorting to violence?" Tommy said, rubbing his arm.

"I don't pick on you all the time. Hell, Gene terrorizes you more on stage with trying to lick your face, and then there's Eric." Paul replied.

"Yeah, our drummer is definitely a shit-stirrer. You should have seen him the night I took them all out to a beer tasting. The idiot thought elves were after him. It took Tara and me twenty minutes to get him inside and calmed down." The guitarist chuckled.

"Please tell me that's on video!!! I need more to hold over his head," The singer replied.

"Of course, I wouldn't miss that opportunity, Y/N was trying hard not to laugh the whole time, and I told her when she comes on tour with me, she would see a hell of a lot more of the band antics." Tommy sighed.

"Are you hungry? I gotta get gas so we can get junk food unless you're still doing that heart-healthy stuff." Paul asked.

"With how bad the last day has been, let's go for the junk food," Tommy replied.

Paul nodded and sped down the highway, causing the guitarist to grab the 'oh shit handle.' Tommy glared over at the singer, seeing him grinning like the Cheshire Cat. The guitarist reached into his pocket and pulled his phone out, looking for a distraction for the time being. Tommy scrolled through the pictures you had taken from the beach the two of you had gone to on your second day in Oregon. He grinned softly to himself as the memories came sweeping in from the water fight in the ocean to the make-out session that could have caused a wildfire. The guitarist glanced over to see if Pau was paying attention to what the guitarist was doing, only to find the older man distracted by the song on the radio and the finding a gas station. Tommy turned back toward his phone and scrolled until he got to your number.

"Finally! A gas station after twenty minutes! Let's go, Thayer," Paul yelled excitedly.

"Go ahead Stanley, my brother just texted me about something in the house. I'll be right behind you in just a couple of minutes." Tommy said, turning back to his phone.

"Are you lying to me? Let me see your phone, Tommy," the singer replied.

"Paul! I'm not one of your kids, okay? I'm not handing my fucking phone to you. Now either go inside the store and get what you need or drive on. I just want to get as far away from you as possible." The guitarist replied.

Tommy attempted to turn back to his phone and start the message when he jerked out of his hands. He looked up to see his best friend sticking the phone into the front of his pant and running into the store. The guitarist groaned under his breath and jumped out of the car, chasing the older man into the store. Tommy nodded at the store clerk and headed straight to the candy aisle, knowing it was the singer's weakness. He found Paul reaching for a bag on the top shelf, reviling the guitarist cell phone stuffed in the front of his skinny black jeans.

"Get it out of your pants now!" Tommy snapped

"Sir, we are in the middle of a gas station. I don't just whip it out for just anyone. You gotta at least buy me dinner," Paul replied, grabbing two bags of candy off the shelf.

"Paul Stanley, give me my goddamn phone. I just want to say goodbye." The guitarist pleaded.

"Nope, not today. Now grab some food and drinks for yourself." The singer nodded.