Seth snags her arm. The contact like a spark. “Forget the phone,” he says to her wide-eyed gaze. “Leave it and eat. It’s been a goddamn day and you ain’t workin’.” He gives her a look. “Not anymore at least.”
Lacey blushes at being caught. She takes a sandwich, tearing it in half, and pops a bit of crust and gooey cheese in her mouth. As she chews, she lets out a groan of satisfaction. “Oh my God, Seth, this is so good.”
Seth can’t keep from smiling, because he can see her trying to act all prim and proper but then giving in and devouring the sandwich like she damn well should.
“Luke and I used to make these all the time back when we were on the road,” he volunteers after a bite of sandwich. “Prime bachelor food. Drunk-as-hell-after-the-bar food.”
Lacey laughs. She pops another piece of sandwich in her mouth and sits back in her chair. Her eyes on Seth. “Are you okay to be away?” She arches a brow. “You’re not missing a show or anything?”
“Nah,” he says with an amiable smile. “Thinkin’ of takin’ a break, anyway.”
She frowns. “From the Brothers Kincaid?” She lowers her voice dramatically. “Like quitting?”
Seth shifts uncomfortably, a lump in his throat. He searches for the words. An explanation he can’t seem to figure out himself. “I wanted to, but I ain’t so sure Luke will let me.”
“But why would you leave?” Her frown, her question, is genuine. Her green eyes wide and shocked.
“You saw the article?”
“I saw it,” she says slowly. “But it wasn’t true, Seth.” She leans in and clutches his hand with surprising ferocity. Her contact like an anchor. “I was there.”
Seth stares. Something electric passing between them. A familiarity, a friendship. But it’s more than that. It’s the notion she cares, she’s listening, she’s not shying away from what happened that night. She’s not shying away from him.
“Yeah, well, I didn’t tell Luke,” he admits.
Her lips thin out, but not from judgment. From sympathy. Understanding. “Why?”
“I ain’t so sure he’ll forgive me.”
She frowns, hesitates, then says, “You’re his brother, Seth. He might be mad, but he’ll forgive you.”
Seth shakes his head, trying not to look at her hand wrapped up in his. “I don’t want Luke or Sal anywhere near it. Luke’s tryin’ to help, but I don’t deserve that. He’s got enough on his plate with the baby and Sal.” Lacey sits, waiting for him to say more, so he does. “I made a mess of everything. And steppin’ away from the band is the only way I can think to fix it.”
Fire leaps into Lacey’s eyes. “You didn’t make a mess. You made a mistake, Seth, and you still didn’t do what that stupid newspaper is saying.”
His face feels hot, guilt and memories wreaking havoc. Hell, if Lacey knew about his past, would she be saying the same thing? What would she think if she learned he fucked up back then?
Lacey lets out a growl. “It makes me so mad.” Seth watches in amusement as frustration creases her pretty features. “I should call the Star and give them a piece of my mind.”
Seth laughs. “Easy, princess. I appreciate it, I do, but that ain’t how it works. It’s what the Star does. The story’ll be in the dust once somethin’ else comes along.”
Lacey leans back in her chair, her hand pulling away from his. The loss of her contact like a kick to the stomach. She props her chin in her palm, looks at him with a sad gaze that seems to see right through him. “Are you okay, Seth? Are you really, really, really okay?”
He doesn’t get the question, but he does. He understands what she’s asking.
Slowly, Seth shakes his head. “Hell if I know.” He sighs. “I get back to Nashville tomorrow, I got some shit to figure out.”
She drops her eyes to her empty plate. “Right. Tomorrow.”
His heart gives a jerk and Seth finds himself wishing he could stay longer. It doesn’t feel right leaving her.
As Seth surveys Lacey, the lump in his throat grows. She looks tired and delicate, like she could fall asleep where she sits.
“How you feelin’?” He peers at her. “You look ready for bed.”
“I feel ready for bed,” she admits.
And then as if it’s suddenly dawned on her that she’s been opening up, being nicer than normal, Lacey goes rigid in her chair and wraps her thin arms around herself.