When the Night Comes Read online

  When the Night Comes

  Teegan Loy

  Cottonwood Hills Publishing

  When the Night comes

  Five years ago on the day of his high school graduation, Tyler Rask walked away from his home, dragging with him a shattered heart. Lack of communication destroyed his first relationship, and he’s held onto the pain, believing his ex-boyfriend, Skye Olsen, chose life with a woman over him.

  His mother’s failing health forces him to revisit his past, and Tyler heads home to say goodbye and maybe find a way to make peace with his choices.

  The advice Tyler’s mom offers is simple; live the life you want. Settling for something else isn’t really living. When he’s presented with a chance to reconcile his past, Tyler needs to decide if he’s ready to forgive and move forward to a better life.

  Published by Cottonwood Hills Publishing

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are product of the author imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is coincidental.

  When the Night Comes

  Copyright © 2018 Teegan Loy

  Cover Design by James, GoOnWrite.com

  Editor: Labyrinth Bound Edits

  The Licensed Art Material is being used for illustrative purposes only.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without the written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  Warning: This book contains material that is intended for a mature, adult audience. It contains graphic language, explicit sexual content, and adult situations.

  First Edition

  May 2018

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Epilogue

  About Teegan Loy

  Chapter One

  Something was buzzing in my ear.

  “Shut the fuck up,” I mumbled, but the sound persisted.

  “Answer your goddamn phone,” someone said and elbowed me in the side.

  I tried to sit up, but the room tilted and spun, making my stomach roll and the taste of last night’s booze rear up into my mouth.

  My phone rang again, and I finally realized it was somewhere in the pile of clothing at the foot of the bed. I dug around and squinted at the screen, trying to make out the number, but they kept jumping and jumbling together, making me more nauseous.

  It was an ungodly hour for a phone call, but for an unknown reason, I decided to answer.

  “Talk to me.” My voice was raspy and thick with sleep. Maybe the person on the other end would realize it was stupidly early and hang up.

  “Tyler Rask?”

  Fuck, I didn’t recognize the voice. I immediately wondered if I’d done anything last night to warrant a phone call.

  “Yeah. Who’s asking?” I barked.

  “It’s Lindy. Lindy Scott.”

  My eyes shot open, and I sat straight up. The pounding in my head was insane, but I was definitely awake now. I should’ve never answered the phone.

  “Hey, what’s up?” I tried to sound like it was no big deal to have an ex-girlfriend from five years ago calling me out of the blue. To say I was a little confused was a gross understatement. Lindy had been a part of a past I preferred to keep safely tucked away under several pounds of chains and locks. I hadn’t spoken to the woman since I’d left Middleton Lake the day before our high school graduation.

  “Tyler, you need to come home,” Lindy said. “Your mother is sick.”

  “If this is a fucking joke, I’m not laughing.”

  “I would never. Your sister asked me to track you down.” Her voice cracked and she sniffled. I could almost feel her pain through the phone. “You need to come home.”

  “What’s going on with Mama?”

  “She’s not expected to make it through the week, and she’s been asking for her golden boy.”

  “I’m not her golden boy,” I growled.

  How could my mother still believe that shit? I’d given up that title long ago when my world collapsed on me.

  “Oh my god, Tyler. I’m not going to argue with you. I need to know where you are so I can make a plane reservation. Your mom wants to see you, and if I have to come and physically haul your sorry ass back here, I will. Don’t fucking push me. You’re probably the last person on this whole godforsaken planet that I want to talk to right now,” Lindy shouted.

  She’d been a force when she was angry, and I knew not to mess with her. “Yes, ma’am.”

  She took a deep breath, and I was pretty sure she was clenching her jaw and counting to ten. She mumbled something about forgiveness and promising my sister she wouldn’t yell at me. “Okay. Can you please tell me where you are?”

  “I’m in Chicago. I could drive there.”

  “No. I’ll make arrangements for a flight and call you with the time. Don’t fuck this up, Tyler. This isn’t something you can take back.”

  “Is Ashley okay?”

  “You should call her. She’s doing the best she can under the circumstances.” She paused. “I have to get your reservations set up, so I’ll call you back in a few minutes.”

  I sighed and shoved my phone into my pocket. “Christ.”

  I knew Mama had been sick; I just didn’t know how bad she was. Lately I’d subscribed to the theory that if I didn’t think about things or ask too many questions, they didn’t exist. It wasn’t a great way to live, but it was how I survived. Communication had been my downfall.

  My body protested as I climbed out of bed. The room was unfamiliar, and I had no idea where I was or who I was with. A small slice of sunlight lit wavy brown hair and soft curves.

  It’d been another long evening of partying, ending with me in some stranger’s bed. My life was so screwed up, and now things were about to get a lot worse. I had to return to a shitty town in Minnesota where my mom was dying, and my sister and her husband were going to kill me the moment I stepped off the plane, unless my ex-girlfriend found me first. I didn’t even want to think what she was going to do to me. Given the chance, Lindy would probably rip my balls off for being a selfish son of a bitch.

  “Goddamn,” I mumbled.

  This shit was supposed to stay in the past. I didn’t want to face my demons. They were better off buried deep in my closet.

  “Where the fuck is my shirt?”

  I groped around the dimly lit room, banging into furniture and tripping over a high heel shoe. The woman rolled over and moaned.

  “Thanks for all your help,” I said.

  “Get the fuck out,” the woman mumbled.

  I finally collected my clothing and let myself out of her apartment. I may have slammed the door extra hard just to be a dick.

  When I stepped outside, the chilly spring air almost knocked me on my ass. I yanked the collar of my jacket up around my neck, shoved my hands into my pockets, and tried to preserve what little body warmth I had left. The wind coming off the lake bit into my exposed skin and swept right through my thin clothes. I surveyed the landscape and breath
ed a sigh of relief when I realized I was only a few blocks from my apartment.

  A woman wrinkled her nose when I stumbled through the door. I managed to find my keys and get inside without falling over or puking.

  My best friend was sprawled on the couch. The tips of his brown hair were visible from under the hood of his jacket that he apparently had thought was a blanket. Vague memories of last night came to the surface. I reached into my pocket and pulled out a business card from a bar manager. Someone had managed to coax me up on stage to play guitar and sing. Obviously, I’d impressed this guy enough to have his business card.

  I still had no recollection of how I ended up in bed with that woman.

  My phone beeped and I fumbled it. Joey groaned and almost fell off the couch.

  “Yep,” I answered.

  “Do you have a pen and paper?” Lindy asked.

  I stumbled into the kitchen and grabbed a crumpled receipt and a pen before sitting down.

  “I do now.”

  Lindy rattled off the flight information, demanding I read it back to her twice before she was satisfied I’d actually written it down. My flight was leaving tomorrow at five thirty in the fucking morning. That was not a time I was familiar with unless I was stumbling home from a kick-ass party.

  “I’m not going to lecture you, Tyler, but I think it would be nice if you didn’t show up drunk, fucked-up, or hungover.”

  “How do you know I’m not on the straight and narrow path of life now?”

  She cleared her throat, and I knew she didn’t believe a word I’d said.

  “Fine. Thanks for the fucking advice. I’ll take it under advisement. Do I need to rent a car or will someone be there to pick me up?”

  “Gavin will be there,” she said.

  An awkward silence filled the air. I wanted to ask for more details about Mama, but I didn’t want to keep Lindy on the phone any longer than I had to. She sounded like she was holding everything in and eventually her anger would come spilling out. My hangover was getting worse and listening to her shriek at me might make my head crack open. If Ashley and her had been discussing my current station in life, the face-to-face confrontation would be terrible enough. I didn’t need the preamble to begin now.

  “For what it’s worth, I’m really sorry about your mom,” she said.

  I swallowed, hoping to get rid of the large lump forming in my throat. A few tears slid down my cheeks, but I quickly wiped them away.

  “Uh, yeah, and Lindy, thanks for being there. I’m sure Ashley is glad she isn’t alone. I haven’t exactly been a dependable brother.”

  “Well, that’s the understatement of the century. I never would’ve thought you’d still be acting like a jackass. You can’t still be hung up on —⁠”

  I cut her off with a loud growl.

  “I don’t need a fucking shrink, darling. I do appreciate everything you’ve done. I’ll be on the plane, even though I don’t have a goddamn clue why Mama wants to see me.” I choked back a rush of emotion.

  “She’s your mother, Ty. She loves you no matter what.”

  “Mama loved who I once was,” I murmured. “She doesn’t even know me now. She’s not going to be thrilled with what I’ve become.”

  “Just get here. Maybe we can find some time to talk,” she said. “I have to go. It’s time for her pain meds.”

  She cut off communication, and I laid my head on the table. “Fuck.”

  A grunt, a loud bang, and a long line of curse words came from the living room. “Ty, is that you?”

  “Is that you Mr. Aberley? Joey Aberley of Chicago, Illinois, formerly of New Orleans, Phoenix, Los Angeles, and everywhere in between? I’m a representative from Dickhead Sweepstakes, come to tell you that you’ve won the jackpot. All you have to do is answer a few questions and the money will be yours.”

  Joey walked into the kitchen. “You’re a noisy asshole. I thought you’d brought the party home, but I guess you’re just talking to yourself.”

  He groaned and lit a joint, took a giant hit, then handed it to me. I fondled it for a few seconds as Lindy’s plea for my sobriety echoed in my head, but why the hell turn over a new leaf. Maybe getting stoned out of my mind would put me to sleep.

  “Ya know, Ty, I don’t really believe you were talking to yourself. Are you gonna tell me who the hell was on the phone?”

  “A ghost from my past,” I grumbled and passed him the joint. “I have to go home tomorrow.”

  “Back to Texas?”

  “I wish. No, back to Middleton Lake, Minnesota.” I sighed. “My mama’s sick, and they don’t think she’s going to get better. She wants to see me, and for the life of me, I can’t figure out why.”

  “Obviously she doesn’t know all of the stellar life choices you’ve been making.”

  He intended no malice; it was simply the truth. He handed the joint back and I sucked hard on it, filling my lungs with smoke and holding it in as long as possible.

  “She believes I’m her golden boy. She still holds onto a thread of hope that I’m happy with my life.”

  “You can be pretty 24-karat gold if you want,” Joey said. “You were fucking golden last night when you were cranking out those tunes on the guitar.”

  “What the hell happened last night? I barely remember singing.”

  “Fuck if I know? We did a lot of shots of tequila. You decided to join the guy on stage. He let you use his guitar, and then you sang some heart wrenching song that made all the chicks throw their panties on stage. I lost track of you for a while but spotted you leaving with some woman.”

  “Heart-wrenching song?”

  “That’s about the only thing I remember. After you had a few shots rolling through your blood, you started going all melancholy on everyone, whining about someone who broke your poor heart. It was tragic. Before I knew it, you’d jumped on the stage. You harmonized with the dude for a little while, but then took over. It was a beautiful song. The chicks all wanted to suck your dick. Seriously, you should consider adding it to your regular playlist.” He waggled his eyebrows. “I bet the pretty boys would love it too. Even made me swoon a little.”

  I shook my head and rolled my eyes. Joey didn’t swoon, and he wasn’t interested in me. He was a rugged, good-looking guy with short brown hair and piercing gray eyes, who only loved the ladies and they loved him right back. Joey could’ve gone home with anyone last night, but lately, he seemed to be looking for something more than just a quick tumble.

  He took another drag off the joint and started humming, eventually launching into the chorus. I gripped the edge of the table so hard my knuckles turned white. I finally held up my hands in mock surrender. “Enough, Joey, please.”

  “I’ve never heard that song before,” he said.

  “It’s mine,” I said.

  “Your what?”

  “I wrote it a long time ago.”

  “Didn’t know you were a songwriter. You always sing covers.”

  “I’m not anything.”

  He paused. “You sang a few other tear jerkers.”

  “What the fuck? I must’ve been way past drunk to be playing all that shit.”

  “You sounded great though.”

  The pot was hitting me hard. “I need to pass out.”

  I stood and almost knocked the chair over. Mama was sick, Lindy had called me, and I was singing weird music. My past was waking up and slapping me in the face.

  “Fucking bastard,” I growled under my breath.

  “What’re you mumbling about, Ty?”

  “Nothing.”

  He hummed another bar of the song.

  “Joey.” I put my hands over my ears.

  “Sorry, Mr. Music Man. I’m not gonna bring up the shit. You’re the one who asked what happened last night. I’m relaying what I remember, and you singing is embedded in my membrane.” He laughed. “I should be a fucking rapper.”

  “That doesn’t even make sense.”

  He tried to do a dance move but cra
shed into the fridge.

  “Always an asshole.” I patted his shoulder.

  He closed his eyes and dropped his head so it rested against my shoulder. We staggered out of the kitchen and down the hall to our bedrooms. I made sure he made it to his bed before I dragged my sorry ass to my room where I quickly stripped out of my clothes and burrowed under the blankets.

  The minute I closed my eyes, the song ran through my head, bringing up memories that threatened to dampen my high. I rolled over and forced the memories away. They weren’t welcome.

  Thankfully, I passed out and sank into a weird dream of sun-kissed hair and warm hazel eyes.

  The next time I woke, it was around dinnertime. I rolled out of bed and pulled on a pair of sweats. The apartment was quiet, but I found a note on the kitchen table, telling me Joey was headed to the bar. He also mentioned Chinese food in the fridge. The guy was my hero.

  I’d met him four years ago after one drunken night that ended with us falling into bed with two women. It had been an interesting evening. When we’d stumbled back to my shitty apartment, my roommate had packed my bags and left a note, telling me to get the fuck out. His boyfriend was moving in tomorrow.

  Joey felt sorry for me and offered me his couch. I followed him home and hinted at my horrible life choices. I thought listening to me whine would scare him away, but we ended up as roommates. He was almost as screwed up as me when it came to relationships and family shit.

  “Jesus,” I grumbled and grabbed the containers of food.

  Eating made me feel more human. I even considered going to the bar, but Lindy’s warning shot into my head. Tomorrow was going to be shitty enough, so I decided to stay home and watch some TV.