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Chapter 11

Jude woke up the next morning and smelt food. Her stomach immediately growled. Looking down, she was still in the clothes she wore to the club. She was confused because she remembered Tommy taking Sadie home first. Why was she here cooking her breakfast? But it wasn't Sadie she found in the kitchen.

"Morning, sunshine." Tommy said handing her a cup of coffee.

"What are you doing here?"

"I thought you might wake up hungry." Tommy said turning back to the stove. After he'd woken up he still couldn't bring himself to go home.

Jude took in the way he was dressed. He was bare footed, his jeans were loose on his hips, and he only had on his under shirt. "Did you go home last night?" She asked sitting down at the table.

Tommy froze. He hadn't thought this far a head. "I wanted to be here incase you needed anything."

Jude thought it was cute that he stayed. "You do know I wasn't that drunk last night, don't you?"

"Eat up." He said avoiding her question. "I'm going to run. I need to get a shower before I go to work. I'll see you at lunch?"

"Sure." Jude laughed after he was gone. He was so cute when he was flustered. She tried to remind herself that there could be nothing more than friendship. That was just how it needed to be.

"Thought you might need some coffee." Tommy said handing Sadie a cup in hospitality.

"Thanks. And thank you so much for coming to get us last night."

"No problem. I was wondering something." Seeing Jude dancing with all those guys mad him wonder if she had dated anyone while in Rome.

"Let's go into my office. I feel like this may be personal." Sadie had a feeling she knew what was coming.

"Was there someone else?"

Sadie smiled and shook her head. "She was with mom constantly. She actually withdrew more when she found out you were engaged. I thought she'd get out and try to meet someone, but no."

"She asked me a couple of weeks ago what happened with Katie."

"What did you tell her?"

"Just that it didn't work out."

"Maybe you should tell her the truth. I promised you when it happened I wouldn't tell her, and I will keep my word, but maybe it is time for her to know why you're not married to Katie right now." Sadie just wanted them both to be happy.

Tommy knew Sadie was right. Jude deserved to know the truth, but he was still afraid it would push her too far if he told her. Their friendship was too important. He knew that Jude had it in her head that they couldn't be together, and the only way he knew to prove her wrong was to let nature take its course.

Jude was in a daze most of the morning. She was so torn between what she wanted from Tommy. On one hand she wanted him back, but the other hand she wasn't the girl she used to be. She didn't think she'd make a good girlfriend anymore. She had too much baggage.

She had a few lessons that morning. The rest of the day was pretty dull. Tommy came by at lunch. She and Wally spent the afternoon doing inventory. When she got home, she was still tired from the night before. A glass of wine and a quiet night on the couch sounded like heaven to her.

She was half a sleep, when there was a knock at her door. "Tommy, what are you doing here?"

"Thought I would bring by dinner." He said holding up a bag. He'd had a really good day in the studio with Milo, and he couldn't think of anyone he wanted to spend his time with more than her.

"Come on in. I was just watching TV."

"Looks like you were sleeping to me." He laughed.

"So I was dozing. It's been one of those days."

She wasn't sure how it happened nor did she really care, but they fell into this daily routine where they ate every meal together. In the mornings they would meet for breakfast or just coffee. He would show up at the store for lunch. Then they would have dinner at G Major, her place, or his. Jude couldn't deny how easy it was to be with him. It was never awkward. They seemed to always have something to talk about. The natural thing seemed to always happen. They always ended up half asleep cuddled together on a couch.

Tommy felt like they were finally getting somewhere. She was still drinking, but she didn't seem to get trashed every night. He tried to occupy as much of her time as he could. She seemed to be opening up more about her time in Rome. He could listen to her talk about her mom for hours and never get bored. Mainly because she was always smiling.

"So, these are the scrapbooks I was telling you about." She said one night after dinner.

"Wow, Jude, these are great."

"I haven't really looked at them since I moved back. Jamie had them out that day he came over, but I made him put them up."

"Why?"

"Because there are things in there that I didn't want to think about. I know my mom was proud of me, but I've made some mistakes that I wish I could forget." She hoped he would pry deeper, but she knew that was a lost cause.

"Mistakes are what make us. How many mistakes do you think I have made over the years? Sure they are nothing to be proud of, but if you forget them then what's the use?" He couldn't believe everything her mom documented. "She really did follow everything didn't she?" He said reading an article about Jude's eighteenth birthday.

"Yeah, she did. All that time I missed with her, and it was like she didn't miss anything with me. "

They laughed more looking through the books. The memories of working together were always great. They complimented each other perfectly in the studio. Her mom had even made notes of how perfect they were together.

"It's late I should be getting home." Tommy said when Jude was putting the books away.

"Okay, we'll meet at eight for breakfast?"

"I'll see you then."

His phone was ringing when he got home. He laughed thinking she'd forgotten to tell him something. "Miss me already?" He answered not looking at the caller ID.

"Tom?" Katie's voice rang through the receiver.

"Katie, it's late. What's going on?" He hadn't spoken to her since they called off the wedding.

"I'm in town for an exhibit. I thought maybe we could have lunch one day."

He didn't know what to say considering he had lunch with Jude every day, but then he remembered her saying she was taking off Thursday to spend the day with her dad. "Come by G Major on Thursday."

"See you then."

Tommy wasn't sure what she could really want, but it was the last thing he needed. His head was all over the place dealing with Jude. He wasn't sure he had the patience to start dealing with Katie, too.

Jude didn't get enough time with her dad, and it was nice to spend the day with him. They went shopping at the record store then went for lunch. "So, how have things really been?" Stuart asked her.

"Good. I like working at the guitar shop. Wally is a cool boss."

"And how are you and Tom?"

"Dad, Tommy and I are just friends." She couldn't even look him in the eye.

"Friends, huh? You've been spending a lot of time with him."

"He's my neighbor, and he's really been there for me. He doesn't try to push me in to the studio like Jamie. He just lets me be me. I need that right now."

"It's because he loves you. I know I wasn't always supportive, but I could always see how he cared for you." Stuart just wanted his daughter happy. "Speaking of Jamie; he's moved back in with his Nana. Do you know what that is about?"

Jude was shocked. "Nope, I have been avoided his calls. Maybe I will give Zepp a call to check on them."

They had a really nice lunch. Her dad saw that he needed to lay off the Tommy talk. He didn't want to push Jude too hard. He could see she was still very fragile. He wished she would sing again. He missed her voice, but he knew that her love for singing would come back.

Tommy was a bit nervous to see Katie. It was the not knowing that was getting to him. Their argument that led to the cancellation of the wedding was pretty bad. He'd fooled himself that he could get over Jude and have a happy life with Katie. That only ended up hurting Katie.

"Hey Tom." She said coming in Studio A.

"Kat, how are you?" He said giving her a warm hug.

"Good. You look good. The rumors must be true."

"Rumors?" He was confused.

"I heard you and Jude were back together. I knew it would happen eventually."

"Jude and I are just friends. She's been through a lot. She moved back after her mom passed away. I am just trying to help her through it."

"I hate to hear that."

Jude decided after lunch with her dad, she would take Tommy some lunch at G Major. What her dad said to her really got her to thinking. If she and Tommy still loved each other then maybe they could have something again. She always thought they couldn't go back, but maybe they could have something new.

She saw him through the glass doors of the studio. He was with a girl. She was pretty and they looked really comfortable together. His face would light up when he laughed at something she said. "Sadie, who is that with Tommy?" She asked pulling Sadie to her side.

"That's Katie." Sadie said before rushing off again.

Jude thought a minute before turning on her heels to leave. On her way out she threw his lunch in the trash. She was crazy to think they could ever be together again.

Where will Jude turn when she think the one person she depends on is no longer available. And what was Katie's little visit really about?

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