I squeezed her waist. “Vick, it can’t possibly just be about their differences over what you should do with your life. There has to be more to it than that. I’m positive.”

“You think?”

“Of course. Don’t blame yourself. Maybe they really do just need a break. They’ve been together a long time—they’re bound to need some space from each other.”

She sat up. “Your parents don’t.”

I snorted at the comparison. “My parents are the most dysfunctional codependent couple on the planet. Please do not use them as an example of a good relationship.”

“You don’t think they have a good relationship? They’re so in love.”

Bitterness and resentment, feelings I kept buried deep down most of the time in order to function, rose up inside of me. “To the detriment of all others. You can be in love and not be selfish dipshits, Vicki. If your parents need a break to be better people for you and your brother, then that’s a hell of a lot more love and consideration than my parents ever gave me.”

Something shifted in Vicki’s expression, lightened maybe. “I guess. I never thought about it that way.”

“Just give them time.”

Vick nodded and then she smirked at me. “Do your parents know Tobias stayed the night?”

I grinned and recounted the conversation between me and my dad.

Her mouth fell open in half shock, half laughter. She studied me, almost as if she’d never seen me before. And then she just flat-out grinned. “I think I like Tobias’s influence on you.”

* * *

As much as I was desperate to see Tobias and afraid to at the same time, I’d like to think I’m not that self-absorbed. I did offer to spend the rest of the day with Vicki, not wanting to leave her alone when she was feeling so down about her parents’ separation, but she insisted she had a ton of work to do for the show.

I knew the show meant a lot to her and Steph but I was kind of glad it would be over soon. It had stolen all their time, and yes, as petty as it may seem, I was jealous it had brought the two of them closer together.

Nerves returned with a vengeance as I made my way to the esplanade. Not only was I jittery over my confusing conversation with Vicki about what it was Tobias wanted from me, but I was tense over meeting up with Stevie. We were basically about to hand him an ultimatum, and ultimatums usually didn’t turn out well.

As soon as I saw Tobias standing outside the Espy my heart started to pound, my pulse thrumming hard in my neck. He turned and caught sight of me and began to stride up the street toward me. His pace quickened and he seemed so determined my knees quavered a little.

When he reached me I opened my mouth to say hello, but the greeting died on my lips as he cupped my face in his warm hands and bowed his head to kiss me.

Shock, thrill, fear, want, all mixed inside of me as I closed my eyes and clung to his arms. His lips were soft, coaxing, brushing against mine, teasing me. Heat flashed through my body from the tips of my toes to my cheeks, and I leaned in, looking for something beyond even this. This felt nothing like Ethan’s kiss.

It was lovely...and yet... I wanted more.

Tobias drew his lips from mine ever so slightly and murmured against them, “Open your mouth.”

I flushed even hotter at the command but did so without hesitation. When his mouth returned to my mouth he touched his tongue to mine, just a flick, a torment that made me whimper in confusion. Everything within me seemed to tighten, coiling into an increasing tension as his tongue danced more forcefully with mine. It was a dance I easily followed, kissing him back with more fervor, my fingers digging into his arms.

This was the more I’d been waiting for.

This was everything.

He broke the kiss, gasping my name against my lips.

I blinked, discombobulated. My whole body hummed with an urgency I’d never felt before.

Tobias leaned his forehead against mine as we sought to catch our breaths and equilibrium. “I should have done that last night,” he finally whispered.

Relieved laughter bubbled out of me in giggles that made him smile with such affection that I wondered how I could have possibly doubted his feelings for me. Tobias King liked me. Me. Comet Caldwell. If someone as special as Tobias could like me so well, maybe I was a little bit special, too? At least...that’s how he made me feel.

“Finally got together then, have ye?” Stevie’s voice interrupted our moment.

Tobias stepped away from me but slid his arm along my shoulder, drawing me into his side as we turned to face Stevie. I felt Tobias tense against me as I let out an involuntary gasp. It wasn’t because of how skinny and underfed Stevie looked, or because of the black circles under his eyes, stark against the paleness of his skin, all of which made sense now that I knew about the drugs. What made me gasp, and what likely made Tobias bite out a curse, was the fact that Stevie’s left eye was almost swollen completely shut, and there was a nasty cut on his upper lip.

“What the hell happened?” Tobias snapped.

“You and Comet together?” Stevie sneered.

“Yeah, Comet and I are together,” Tobias said, and I would have squirmed in delight to hear the words out loud if I wasn’t so worried about Stevie. “Now what happened to you?”

“I didnae have ma backup with me that’s what happened.” Anger flashed at us from his good eye.

I looked up at Tobias and saw him grow pale. “What did they do?”

“They didnae want tae pay what they’d arranged tae pay Dean. Took the drugs and gave me a beating. Jimmy tried tae help keep them off, but one of them was a big guy. As big as you.”

I flinched at the accusation in his voice and burrowed into Tobias’s side. This wasn’t his fault!

“Dinnae worry, though. Dean’s taking care of the arseholes. But he doesnae trust me anymare. He’s no’ payin’ me whit he was supposed tae, and willnae be until I’ve proved maself. I needed that fuckin’ money, King. Now I’m up shit creek. Aw because my fud o’ a best pal didnae have ma back.”

Tobias appeared stricken. “I’m sorry. Did you have someone look at it?”

“Aye, Mum put some salve and shit on ma lip and I iced ma eye.”

“Let me explain what happened.”

“I’ve no’ got a lot o’ time. Mum’s no’ doin’ so gid the day, and I need tae watch Kieran for her.”

“We’ll be quick. Let’s walk,” Tobias said, keeping his arm around me as he turned about and started walking toward the esplanade. I glanced over my shoulder to see Stevie’s face cloud over in a way that made my stomach churn. It almost looked like he hated us. When he caught me watching, his expression cleared and he hurried to catch up with us.

“So whit is this all aboot?” He kicked sand ahead of us as he fell into step beside us.

“This way,” Tobias said instead.

We followed where he led, no one saying a word until he stopped us down by the shore away from prying ears. He faced Stevie, expression grim, and I tightened my arm around his waist to remind him he had my support. The winter wind pushed at us but we stood strong against the way it pinched our cheeks and rocked our feet.

“Last night was it, man,” Tobias said. “Do you even know that Comet came looking for us and got cornered by Dean?”

Stevie shrugged, looking anywhere but at us. “Something was mentioned.”

“So you know I can’t show my face around Dean or those guys anymore? It was either let him do what he wanted to Com or get out of there and stay gone. That’s why I couldn’t come with you.”

Stevie cut me a look of irritation. “Whit were ye thinkin’ turnin’ up there?”

Concern and anger flared out at once from me. “What are you thinking, snorting cocaine? I can’t believe I even asked that question out loud. I feel like I’m in a bloody Irvine Welsh novel.”

Shame darkened his face but only for seconds before his expression turned defiant and mulish. “It’s nothin’. Just a bit o’ a laugh.”

“A laugh? A joke? Dean isn’t giving you that shit for free, Stevie,” Tobias snapped. “You got the crap kicked out of you dealing for him. You’re seriously going to keep going with this?”