Cross My Heart (A Contemporary Romance Novel)

with my best friend?”
    He nodded, his expression neutral.
    “Well, you’ll never guess who’s going to be playing bass for the Mollies for the next month or so—starting with Tuesday’s rehearsal.”
    He stared at her. “You’re kidding.”
    “Those were my exact words when Molly told me. And no, she wasn’t kidding.”
    “But you shouldn’t have to see that jerk ever again.”
    She sighed. “I’m right there with you. Except...well, it all happened so long ago. Shouldn’t I be able to see him now without freaking out? And if I can’t, then doesn’t that mean I’m not really over it?”
    “No. It just means you don’t want to see him again.”
    She smiled a little. “Molly says he’s changed.”
    “Men like him don’t change.”
    She looked down at her hands, plaiting her fingers together. “I don’t want to believe that. And, anyway, seeing him would be more for my sake than his. I don’t want to be carrying around any baggage. Not letting go of the past keeps a person from being completely free.”
    “And that really is the most important thing to you, isn’t it? Being completely free.”
    She looked up quickly, but there wasn’t any judgment in his voice or on his face. It seemed like he was genuinely curious, genuinely trying to understand her.
    “I don’t know if it’s the most important thing. But, yes, I do treasure my freedom.”
    “And seeing this asshole—”
    “Derek,” she said, smiling in spite of herself. She’d just told him how important freedom was to her, and yet the protective tone of his voice sent a warm feeling coursing through her.
    “Derek. Seeing him will help you feel more free?”
    She shrugged. “It might. And, from a more practical standpoint, we really do need a bass player. And Derek is one of the best.”
    “It sounds like you’ve made up your mind,” Michael said after a moment.
    “I guess so,” she said with a sigh, pulling out her cell phone. “I may as well tell Molly the good news.”
    Michael rose to his feet. “I’ll give you some privacy to make your call.”
    “Michael.”
    He paused. “Yeah?”
    “I just wanted to thank you. For breakfast.”
    She hoped he understood what she was really thanking him for. For making things okay between them again. For accepting that last night was just a one-time thing.
    For being her friend.
    “You’re welcome,” was all he said. But he smiled at her, and she could tell from his expression that he did understand.
    Which was just one more thing to love about this man.
    Like. One more thing to like about this man.
    Michael walked back into the kitchen, and she caught herself staring at him before she forced herself back to reality. Which, in this instance, meant calling Molly and giving her the go ahead on letting Derek back into her life.
     

 
    Chapter Nine
    “So...this rehearsal you’re going to.”
    It was Tuesday, and Claire had five different outfits arranged on her bed. “Yeah?”
    “I was thinking...if you don’t mind, I’d like to come, too.”
    Claire stared at him. “You can’t be serious.”
    He frowned. “Why not?”
    “Dad. You know I’m a total proponent of you and Jenna spending time together. It was my idea to help her fix up the house, remember? Thanks to me, we were over there yesterday stripping wallpaper. You totally failed to take advantage of the situation, but you can’t say I’m not doing my best to jump start your pathetic love life.”
    She took a quick breath. “But not today. Today is about me achieving a coolness factor I’ve previously only dreamed of. Because of me, Ellie and her friends are getting to see the Red Mollies rehearse together for the first time in five years. If you’re there, it will completely mitigate the coolness of that. Do you understand what I’m talking about?”
    He didn’t, but he understood this was important to Claire. “Yeah, okay. So I guess I’ll just drop you off and leave?”
    “No, you don’t have to take us. Jenna said we could go with her in Molly’s van. Ellie and the other kids are going to be here any minute, so if you don’t mind, I need to figure out what to wear and get changed. Okay?”
    He sighed. “Sure.”
    He knew it was stupid, this urge to make sure Jenna was all right when she saw Derek again. The asshole who’d actually had Jenna in his life, willing to marry him—and had screwed it up so badly he’d lost her.
    It was a particularly stupid urge given the fact that he and Jenna were