Candy Hearts, Vol. 2

Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

LOU

“Wait,” I snap, needing a moment, and hold a hand up to the table at large. “We’re seeing Sterling ?” They all nod. “In concert?” I ask just to be clear. Again, all they do is nod. “Tonight?” Same result. “ The Sterling?” I emphasize.

Santa snorts for some reason.

“When you meet him after, you should say he is a great impersonator. He will not like that.” Then he laughs, loudly . “Please do it, I can record and send it to Picard.” He’s wheezing by the time he’s done and I look at the Heart brothers, completely lost.

We’re just enjoying our espressos after the truly delicious dinner Charlie cooked for us, and they just told me what concert we’re going to. Honestly, who could blame me for reacting this way to hearing the news.

“Picard?” I ask, lost as all hell. And then it dawns on me. “ We’re meeting him ?” And okay, maybe I screech that last question at Finn, but come the fuck on.

I’m going to meet Sterling No-Last-Name. I’m going to actually hear him speak right in front of me.

“Okay, breathe.” I hear Finn’s voice from my left and I turn to look at him. I can tell I’m overreacting—again, who could blame me—but how do I stop it? “It’s fine. I promise Sterling’s a nice person, and if you just breathe and nod he’s going to be so happy to have met you. He was really nice to us a few months ago when we met him.”

“How did you meet him?” I demand, damn near grabbing his collar and bringing him close so he can explain.

“Picard is our captain,” Charlie says, and I swivel my head to look at him, the holder of all answers. “Jules Dupont,” he clarifies when I say nothing, and honestly, that clarifies shit-all. “He’s a very famous hockey player,” he says like that’s going to help.

“He is the best hockey player,” Santa pipes in with a stern look aimed at Charlie, who nods wisely.

“True dat. Anyway, Jules’s nickname is Picard, just like Nik’s nickname is Santa.”

“And what’s yours?” I ask for some stupid reason. I shouldn’t interrupt, it’s going to take longer now to learn more about my absolute favorite musician in the world.

“Sweetheart,” Santa says in a tone that’s trying to be mocking, but failing.

“That’s a good nickname,” I mumble, begging Charlie with telepathy to get on with it.

“Yeah, yeah.” He rolls his eyes and wipes his mouth with a cloth napkin. “Anyway, Jules is Sterling’s husband.”

“Ahh,” I can’t help but voicing. I did see something about that in social media though I’ve never loved using it, but it’s inevitable when doing research, sadly.

“Yes. So I was traded to the Pirates—that’s the Las Vegas hockey team—in September, and I met him. Then my whole family came for our first game in October and met him as well. He was very kind to them and he’s generally a pretty chill dude.”

“He will do anything for Picard.” Santa speaks again. “And Picard wanted everyone to be welcoming to Charlie.” That memory seems to not be a great one for Santa, but I decide not to ask about that.

“So we’re really meeting him?” I ask in a breathy tone that betrays my excitement.

“Yes,” Beau says and nods. “And we should think of leaving soon if we’re going to make it there in time with all this damn traffic.” He sounds grumpy, like he has since we got here, but I still think it’s better than the depressed and dejected version of him I saw just a few hours ago.

The concert is everything I could ever have wanted and more.

Being from a very small town in the very south of Illinois, I never got the chance to see him in concert when I was young, and when I moved to Chicago I had much more dire needs and couldn’t manage the expense of a ticket. So this really was the experience of a lifetime.

Despite having the best seats in the house —I still can’t get over how amazing that was—we stood for the whole two-hour concert. Santa and me on the ends, and Charlie and Finn bracketing Beau. Despite the standing arrangement, I didn’t feel like I was on the sidelines of the group like I normally would’ve if I’d been at an event like this with any other group of people.

And during the concert, there were times when the three brothers would look at each other with excitement when a specific song started. I realized that it was also somehow an important experience for them—being there together.

Despite that, Finn kept his hand locked with mine, our fingers interlaced for most of the concert. During a couple of the slow songs, he threw an arm around me and brought our bodies closer so we could sway together.

He made me feel important and like I was a priority and it damn near brought tears to my eyes, feeling that way.

I do manage to chill when we’re brought backstage to meet—ohmygodohmygodohmygod—Sterling, but on the inside I’m a fourth of July display of fireworks.

“That’s right, I remember now,” Sterling says, and points a finger at me after I tell him what I do for work and what the whole company is about. “Jamie has everything you guys sell. I swear she’s addicted to all those containers, she has them in every room in the house!” He laughs a little and I do too just because he does. And honestly because it’s pretty mind blowing that he knows the company I work for.

“Oh, God,” Beau groans from next to me. “Don’t get these two started on that again.” He nods at Finn and me, clearly annoyed, but I don’t mind one single bit. Because Beau grouped Finn and me together. Yeah, he called us dorks, but we did dork out over office supplies and organization, so it’s warranted. I definitely don’t take it as an insult when I’ve made a career out of it.

Sterling laughs lightly and thanks us for coming to the concert, and then makes his excuses. “I’m tired and I need to get home to the family, but will I see you guys on Sunday?”

“Yeah, we still don’t know if we’ll be in the suite or not, but—” Finn explains but Sterling cuts him off.

“Oh, please come hang out with me. Jamie and the kids don’t want to go this time.”

“We’ll definitely come say hi at the very least,” Finn settles on, and that’s a very polite way of saying we still don’t know.

We all walk to the banks of elevators, and the lobby is buzzing with so many people that it surprises me when Santa and Charlie get stopped a handful of times for selfies and autographs. It surprises me since it’s the first time I’ve ever seen a hockey player out and about. I really didn’t know they were that popular.

Super surprising, I know, that I’m not a huge sports guy.

“Wait, you guys are coming up too?” I ask when Santa and Charlie get into the elevator with the three of us.

“Yes,” Charlie says simply as Santa swipes a card and presses the button for the top floor.

“They need to be up super early tomorrow for morning skate, and they’re going to save sleep time if they make the drive in the morning instead of now.”

“It’s way past my bedtime,” Charlie says just as a yawn takes over his face.

I feel like a Hobbit surrounded by giants in the silence of the elevator, and I feel like I can breathe again when the doors open on the twelfth floor.

“We’ll see you tomorrow,” Beau mumbles and steps out with Finn and me right behind him.

“I’ll just walk Lou to his room,” Finn tells his twin.

“As long as you’ve remembered your key this time,” Beau says with an annoyed tone.

“Yes, yes. I have it.” Finn sighs, acting annoyed too, and drags me to the opposite hallway with our still interlocked hands.

Trying to keep up with his longer steps, I come to a realization. Or is it more a decision? I honestly don’t know, but what I do know is that Finn is worth throwing caution to the wind. I’ve always had a rule when it comes to first dates, but tonight I’m going to break it.

And I’m sure I won’t regret it.

Finn stops in front of my door, and I’m quick to swipe the card to release the lock then open the door and look up at him. With my whole trusting heart in my eyes I ask quietly.

“Do you want to come in?”

“Yeah,” he murmurs and follows me in.

I don’t stop walking until I’m right by the bottom corner of the mattress, and then I spin around with an unexpected flourish and face him right as I hear the door close. This is my moment.

“I think we should have sex.”