Back in college, Larry Carson played drums in a friend’s band and fell in love with the lead singer, Geoffrey Mason. But all that’s in the past. Larry’s now thirty-five, divorced, and father to a precocious thirteen-year-old daughter. One day, when Larry picks Crystal up from school, a song comes on the radio by a new rockstar climbing the charts. Larry recognizes Geoff’s voice immediately, though Crystal calls him Geo and claims he’s the hottest new singer on the scene. Just hearing him brings back a flood of memories, reopening wounds Larry thought long healed. The more he listens to Geo’s music, the more Larry falls in love with his former boyfriend all over again. Partly to prove to his daughter that he used to know Geo back in the day, and partly to reconnect with his old friend, Larry buys tickets to an upcoming concert and manages to score backstage passes. But there was a reason Larry and Geoff lost touch -- and stayed out of touch for so long. Will Geo even want to see Larry again after all this time? Or will the magic of their old familiar song bring about a harmonious duet?

Old Familiar Song

Another rap came, this one followed by the doorknob rattling, then Marnie called through the door. “Sir? The cleaning crew is here so we have to vacate the premises. We need to think about heading back to the hotel now.”


Geo lay back against the arm of the sofa and sighed. “Go on, ask me again how bad she is.”


As much as he hated the evening to end, Larry understood where Marnie was coming from. They all had responsibilities now; they couldn’t stay up until the wee hours of the morning like they used to, talking the night away or God, making love, no matter how much he would’ve liked nothing more. He had a daughter who needed to get home and get to bed, and Geo had a tour to get back to. A life to return to. They both did.


Patting Geo’s knee, Larry used it for leverage to help him stand. “It’s okay. We should get going—”


Chapter 57