Playing at Forever - By Michelle Brewer Page 0,2

She remembered the sound of his voice, the touch of his lips, the warmth of his arms. Even then, he’d had the brooding look perfected. It had seemingly only gotten better with time.

The headline read, Troubled in paradise? She knew if she reached forward and flipped open the magazine, she would find some long story about the troubled behavior of a Hollywood star—one of the elite. Thomson Davis, they would call him.

Of course, to her, he would always be Tommy Davidson. “You know they probably just sat there snapping pictures for hours, waiting for the worst one.” Penny spoke, though she didn’t believe it was as coincidental as she made it out to be. The darkness in his eyes—it called out to her, begging for solace, just as it always had.

“Even so…” Amy shrugged, letting go of her thoughts of little Tommy all grown up and turning around to continue on. Penny lingered for just a moment longer though, staring at the photo, searching his eyes.

She’d always been able to read Tommy better than anyone else.

The memory of the last time she’d seen him crossed her mind. It had been the night he left for Los Angeles. The last night of their high school performance of Romeo and Juliet. After the show had finished, the two had hopped on his motorcycle and driven to a secluded little beach. They’d been the best of friends—never anything more, never anything less. He was a year her senior, but that had never made a difference.

That night, though, she crossed the line. She remembered rising to her tiptoes and pressing her lips to his—briefly, but it was enough to make the memory almost tangible even ten years later.

They had kissed before—after all, he had played Romeo and she had played his Juliet. And if she was being completely honest, she always thought there might be something more there—something buried deep down that neither was willing to recognize for fear of losing whatever it was they had. Because their friendship was what had mattered most—to both of them. The knowledge that, no matter what, they had each other to turn to, had guided them through high school without so much as once allowing a hint of romance to stir.

But that night, knowing it would probably be their last—Penny hadn’t been able to stop herself. She remembered the way his eyes held hers for a moment, as if anticipating what was to come. She’d convinced herself it had been nothing more than curiosity on both parts—after three years together, how much could one kiss hurt?

It was a kiss like none other she’d ever experienced. Tinted with longing, edged with desperation, tasting of goodbye.

“Don’t forget about me,” she had whispered into his ear, touching her lips to his cheek, fighting against tears.

“I promise,” he’d responded, taking her face between his hands.

It was, for all practical purposes, the last time they’d ever spoken.

A strange pain jolted through her as she thought about the wounded look that had always been in his eyes. How she had once longed to erase that pain. Tommy had become a near permanent fixture at her side after he’d moved to the small town during his sophomore year of high school, her freshman. She still remembered the first time she ever saw him—dressed in worn baggy jeans and a plain white t-shirt. He was the definition of tall, dark, and handsome—with piercing dark blue eyes and perfectly chiseled features.

He had walked into her parents’ small shop seeking a job. He hadn’t found employment, but he had found a friend. A safe haven. Somewhere he could go to escape the realities of his life.

Tommy Davidson had always been troubled.

“You’re probably right about that magazine—those gossip magazines do everything they can to cause trouble.” Amy was saying, and Penny only nodded in agreement, still not believing her own words. She passed by this magazine rack every day, and it seemed to be a growing trend. There always seemed to be some story about the troubles Thomson Davis was facing, ranging from rough breakups and Hollywood rivalries gone too far to rumors of drugs and alcohol abuse.

Even though it had been over ten years since she’d spoken to him, she couldn’t help the trickle of worry that flushed through her. “I can’t even imagine what his life must be like now. How many blockbusters has he been in?”

“I lost count,” Penny mumbled, fully aware that she was lying. She knew far more about Tommy than she let