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

Larry took a couple shots in case the first one didn’t come out—he wasn’t exactly sure how to check them and see. Then Crystal reached for the phone. “Now let me take one of you guys,” she said, stepping away from Geo to trade places with her father. “Come on, Dad. You and your old BFF, how’s that sound?”


Before Larry could answer, Geo grabbed his elbow and pulled him close. “Sounds great to me,” he purred in Larry’s ear.


Wrapping both arms around Larry’s shoulders, Geo hugged him tight. He rested his chin on Larry’s shoulder like he used to back in the day, and for a moment the feeling was so familiar, Larry choked up on the memory of the two of them in Geo’s dorm room, alone together, that first time.


Larry raised his hands to hold onto Geo’s arm across his chest and forced a grin. This was all I ever wanted,he thought as Crystal took the picture. Why did I ever let it go?


Chapter 59