Love is Always Write Anthology Volume 3

visual there." Keene grimaced as he too stole a piece of Ron's muffin. "TMI, Ron."
    "Well, if you'd all stop stealing my breakfast and get on with the explanations, we could all go home to our beds and let our private lives be just that…private." The bassist opened his eyes and glared at the decimated muffin. Sitting up, he shoved the plate toward Stone and Keene before resuming his reclining pose, eyes closed once more.
    "You knew," Daren said to Stone, his tone almost accusatory.
    Stone laughed. "Dare, everyone knew. At least, I think everyone knew you were in love with Taylor." He paused and looked at the other guys who nodded. "But they all thought Taylor would never get his shit together and come out. Me, I always had faith that the two of you would one day end up like this. But then, I believe in happy endings."
    The fact that the entire band had known how he felt about Taylor shocked Daren. But it was Stone who surprised him the most. He stared at his ex-boyfriend, the man he'd slept with and crushed on for a full six months when they'd first met. How much did Stone really know? he wondered.
    "I can see you thinking, Dare so I'll lay it all out for you." Stone's smiled widened and he leaned forward, elbows on knees, his gaze holding Daren's. "The first time you brought me here and introduced me to Taylor, I knew you had a thing for him. And I could see that you believed it was one sided and totally inappropriate. Since I kinda had a thing for you at the time, I wasn't about to do or say anything that would mess up my chances with you. I was glad you thought you had no chance with Taylor."
    Stone's smile turned soft and reminiscent. "But the fact is, when you introduced me to Taylor, I saw him look at my hand in your back pocket, on your ass, and the big green monster came to life in his eyes. When he first invited me to sing with him, I knew he was looking for a way to drive a wedge between us. He hated every moment you and I were together."
    With a shrug, Stone sat back. He glanced from Daren to Taylor. "I've waited a long time for you to step up to the plate and claim Daren," he told his bandmate. "I knew what you were up to when you kept springing rehearsals on me that took me away from him. And honestly, I wanted the band to succeed, Daren or no Daren, but I knew some of that shit was just you being a jealous motherfucker."
    Daren listened to Stone's words and knew them to be the truth. He thought back over his relationship with Stone and so many things he never understood at the time became crystal clear. Stone would always cradle him in his arms after sex and whisper to him that one day their lives would be different and that things happened for a reason. Daren had just thought it was Stone being Zen. Now, Daren realized it was because Stone knew he and Taylor loved each other. A tremor went through him then as yet another, more sober realization struck him.
    "Why did you break up with me? It wasn't because of Stone Sutton, was it?" he asked quietly.
    A faint expression of sorrow lit Stone's eyes. "No." He shook his head, his silky hair catching the sunlight and glinting like gold. "I couldn't be with you any longer. I was in danger of falling in love with you and that would have been a bad thing because one day the two of you would have shown up like you did today and it would have broken my heart. It was better that I left when I did so I could concentrate on Stone Sutton. Now, we're all friends and no one's busted up over the two of you getting together. I'm honestly happy for you and I'm glad everything worked out this way."
    For a moment, Daren felt a twinge of regret for what Stone had forced himself to do, even though it had been the best thing for all of them. He admired the hell out of his ex for having the foresight and courage to walk away from Daren when he knew Daren would never be able to love him. Stone's strength of character had made it possible for them all to be happy.
    "If I said I was sorry, it wouldn't exactly be the truth," Daren admitted to his former lover. "I'm sorry I hurt you though."
    Stone heaved a deep sigh. "Being able to get this all off my chest now means a lot. I won't lie. Walking away from you hurt for a long time. But I got over it and seeing both you and Taylor happy now means I did the right thing back then." He shrugged again. "Maybe someday, I'll have what the two of you have. After all, everyone deserves to have the love of their life."
    ****
    That night,