Long Way Home by Carolyn Gray Read Online Free Page A

I hired you. Wise beyond your ken.”
    Siobhan caught Lee’s eye; he was grateful for her easy relationship with Nick. He settled
    back in his chair, closing his eyes for a moment, imagining his own reaction to the dancers. He’d
    always liked the type—the lithe bodies, the strength, the way they moved.
    Tommy plopped next to Nick and strapped in. “Sam’s already asleep, and we haven’t even
    left yet. What are you looking at?” He peered at Nick’s iPhone. “Oh. Ballet.” He tapped the
    iPhone. “Hey now, that boy’s kinda cute. Does Brandon know you’re drooling over ballet
    dancers?”
    Nick eyed him. “I’m only looking, you know.”
    “He does realize you’re going, right?”
    “Of course he does. He told me I had to.”
    Greg looked up from his magazine. “Those weren’t for you. They were for Lee.”
    Lee startled, but Nick’s exclamation covered his reaction. “For Lee? You gave them to
    me.”
    Greg laughed. “And you were going into his dressing room, remember? I asked you to give
    them to him.”
    “Oh.”
    “Obviously you were distracted.”
    “Brandon called, so I forgot.” Nick looked sheepish. “Sorry, Lee. I guess I hijacked your
    tickets.”

    12

    Carolyn Gray

    Lee pulled the envelope out of his pocket and looked at the tickets again, turning them over
    in his hand. Still no clues, but now that he knew they’d been sent to him, that vaguely disturbed
    feeling was back. Which, of course, was ridiculous. It wasn’t completely unheard of for him to
    get gifts from fans too, even if he wasn’t the heartthrob of the group, not by a long shot. And this
    was Dallas, so anything having to do with the city put him on edge.
    “Know anyone that would send them to you?” Siobhan asked.
    “No,” Lee said. The only people he knew anymore in Dallas were his friend Ruby and
    Stefan’s family. And they sure as hell wouldn’t send tickets to him.
    It had to be random.
    “I would’ve made you go with me anyway,” he said to Nick. Then, hoping he’d have an
    answer but figuring not, “Greg, who gave them to you?”
    “Some delivery guy said to give them to you.” Mutt cleared his throat. Greg rolled his eyes
    at him. “And don’t look at me like that. The guy had on a courier outfit, and it was just an
    envelope.”
    “What company name was it?” Mutt said.
    Greg hesitated. “I don’t know. I’m a chef, not a cop. Is it that big of a deal?”
    “Probably not,” Mutt said. “But I’ll be going with you two,” he added to Nick and Lee.
    “I thought you guys were headed to New York after Dallas,” Nick said.
    “Not until Tuesday morning,” Greg said. “You’d be back Monday, right?”
    “Yeah,” Mutt said. “Besides, it’ll take more than Lee to handle Nick a couple of extra
    days.”
    Nick made a face, and Lee chuckled as he was expected to, but he was relieved. Mutt being
    there was a good thing for many reasons. Not just for Nick, either.
    “I’m sure we can get another ticket. Where are the seats, Lee?”
    The plane began to move then, and they didn’t say anything else until it’d taken off and
    leveled out. Lee looked at the tickets while their flight attendant asked them what they would
    like to drink. “They’re in a box,” he said.
    Nick patted Tommy’s arm. “Hey, we can fit a lot of people in a box. You can go with us
    too.”
    Tommy pulled back. “Oh no. No, thanks! I, uh, when is it?”
    “Sunday.”
    “Oh, dear, have plans already.” He swiped the air with his hand. “I’ll be flying home to my
    lovely lady’s waiting arms—and bed—Sunday morning.” He grinned, his face turning a vivid
    shade of pink. “Uh, I have something to tell you guys, by the way.”
    Siobhan said, “You’re pregnant?”
    Tommy’s face fell. “How did you know?”
    She settled back, smug. “Women know things.”
    “Your grin’s goofier than usual,” Lee said.
    Nick wrapped his arm around Tommy and pulled him down. He rubbed the guitarist’s