Missing You Again

Come Back to Me

"This is nice" I found myself thinking before I could stop myself. Zacky and I were curled up companionably together on one sofa as Sean and Wes sat opposite us, the occasional hand on a knee or the brush of fingertip reinforcing their closeness as a long term couple. I'd never spent time with them like I had over the last forty-eight hours with a guy that I liked. Really liked. As quickly as that thought occurred to me I shut it down. Zacky wasn't mine. The ring on his finger broadcast that to the world. Sure the woman that had given him that ring had left him and run off to another man but that didn't mean that Zacky could be mine. He'd made it clear that his life was in a mess and he was just beginning the process of what would be a very painful divorce. Aside from that how could I claim a guy as mine who I barely even acknowledged to my family and friends as someone who was in my life at all, even as a friend. Of all my secrets Zacky was the one I'd kept best hidden from everyone and now that I'd cracked the door just a little and let Sean and Wes share our friendship it made me yearn for more.

Tomorrow. Tomorrow, I told myself, I'll stop working from the hotel suite. Tomorrow I'll reinstate the distance between us. I wasn't so self-deluded as to not realise that it was going to hurt when we parted. Zacky and I were on the same page when it came to the end of our short lived liaison, we were going to pretend that nothing had ever happened, but Sean and Wes hadn't been part of that conversation. They didn't know the details of what had happened between us or all the details of our friendship or even the way Zacky and I had kept ourselves apart from all but a couple of our other friends.

Zacky was laughing at something that Wes had said when his phone rang. He pulled it from his pocket and glanced at it as if he were preparing to ignore it. I could feel him grow tense beside me and I caught a glimpse of my sister's name on the screen. I felt a rush of pure fear. Did Caitlin know that Zacky and I were together? Was that why she was calling?

Fuck. Fuck! FUCK!

I was normally pretty calm but could feel the urge to panic. The majority of the calls that Zacky had received whilst he'd been staying with me had been from Brooks other than the brief phone call from Brian when we were in the bar the night before.

"It's your sister," Zacky turned to me wide eyed. I swallowed hard and nodded. "I have to take this," he said more to himself than to Sean, Wes or me.

"Hey Caitie," he said as he stood up and headed toward the bedroom we'd been sharing. "We're cancelling? He's no better?" I heard him say as he slid the double doors closed.

I dropped my face into my hands, "Shit," I breathed out in relief. The call had nothing to do with me. Then as my panic subsided it was replaced by concern. From what I'd heard it didn't sound good. Clearly Matt's voice was still out of action and the time for them to make a decision regarding their tour was perilously close.

"Your sister?" Sean asked with a look of blatant curiosity. I stood up and held up a hand. "Don't." Even though my lips formed the word no sound came out. Sean looked as though he wanted to say something but as it often did when it came to Sean more sensible minds prevailed and Wes nudged him hard with his elbow. I threw Wes a look of gratitude and followed Zacky into the bedroom.

Zacky sat slouched over on the edge of the bed his elbows resting on his knees. The phone sat on the bed beside him and he threw me a warning look.

"So that's it then?" he sounded so defeated. I hurried to his side and sat down beside him. To my astonishment he slapped a hand over my mouth. My eyes opened wide but I resisted the urge to bite down on his palm.

"Listen Vengeance, none of us fucking want this alright?" Brian's voice echoed out of the phone. I tugged Zacky's hand from my mouth to show I understood his warning; he had the phone on speaker.