Chapter 19 #2
As soon as I spotted him weaving his way toward me, I didn’t think—I ran. And the second he was close enough, I threw my arms around his neck, holding on like I never wanted to let go.
Atty held on to my waist, hugging me close as he lifted me off the ground.
“That was amazing,” he whispered into my ear.
“Did you see that? I can’t fucking believe I did that, Atty.” I tightened my grip around his neck, heart still pounding.
“I did. All of it. I didn’t know you were going to sing. It was incredible. Everything—you. It was perfect.”
Our words tumbled over each other in a rush, like we couldn’t speak fast enough to keep up with the adrenaline. My heart was still beating out of sync, impossible to calm.
He set me down gently and cupped my face, pressing his forehead to mine. “I’m so proud of you.”
My eyes burned at his words, but before I could even close them, his lips found mine. A soft army of kisses landed, one after the other, broken only by the low hum of praise he whispered between them.
I tugged on his wrists, guiding him back until my shoulders hit the wall behind me.
“I’ve never felt anything like it, I swear,” I told him.
His hands slid inside my shirt, rising from my waist to my ribs, his eyes chasing the same route until they caught on my face.“You look incredible too.” The heat behind his stare crashed into me full force.
I pulled him back in, crushing our mouths together. This time the kiss was harder, hungrier, with leftover charge that needed an outlet. Atty kissed me back like he needed it just as badly, but it wasn’t the same as before. This wasn’t anxious or frantic—it was us, lit up in the most electric way.
My fingers tangled in his shirt, then in his hair, tugging him closer as his palms swept across my back, searing warmth wherever they touched.
“Hey, lovebirds.”
We broke apart, breathless, and turned to the sound of Jaden’s voice.
He watched us with a crooked smile. “I totally get and approve of the after-show horniness, but the boss is calling.” He gestured to the dressing room, where Paxton stood, arms crossed, nodding while talking to some guy.
I pressed a quick kiss to Atty’s cheek before stretching up and nibbling at his ear. “We’ll definitely revisit this later.”
He answered with another lingering kiss.
With his arm slung over my shoulders, we made our way to the dressing room. It was ridiculously cramped, now also filled with Jaden’s girlfriend, Lexie, plus Holly, Ezra, and Colin.
“I literally have no words. That was our best set,” Brice said, practically bouncing with excitement.
“For sure, for sure. People were going wild out there,” Jaden added.
Atty sat on one of the stools, and I slid onto his thigh, grinning as he rested his chin on my shoulder.
“The sheer number of groupies you’ve managed to amass in one night should be illegal, Noah,” Jaden said.
“Are you hitting on him again? Atticus is right there,” Brice teased.
“Don’t tell me you didn’t notice.”
“There were some very loud, enthusiastic compliments being thrown your way,” Ezra added, as Jaden shot Brice a smug look.
“See? They’ll be devastated once they find out you’re practically hitched,” Jaden said with a bark of laughter.
Atty’s arms tightened around my waist, his grip quietly possessive.
Then Paxton stepped in. His eyes were just a little too wide.
“Spill,” Brice said.
“They want us to play at Neon House next weekend,” Paxton blurted.
Holy shit.
The guys had been playing at La Cueva for months—it was their regular spot. But Neon House? That was where they booked touring acts and big local names. They’d never played there before.
“You’re joking,” Jaden said.
“Swear it on my fucking life. Their social media manager uploaded a couple of clips, and they’re blowing up. He asked if he could announce it tonight, and I said yes. I know I should’ve checked first, but—”
“Yes!” we all said in unison.
Paxton’s gaze landed on mine. “We found our sound,” he said, quieter this time.
“This is a big deal, right?” Ezra asked.
Paxton turned to him and nodded. “It’s a big deal. Scouts go there. I’ve heard they’ve signed people after gigs.”
His excitement was contagious. He’d gone from wise older brother to wide-eyed kid in seconds.
Scouts.
Holy crap, Dad. You wouldn’t believe this shit.
I clutched my medallion, fingers tugging at it, leg bouncing with the rhythm of my racing pulse.
“Okay, two things,” Brice said, standing. “First, we need to fix our social media because, right now? We suck.”
Lexie’s hand shot up. “Oh! I’ll help,” she offered, her hazel eyes settling on Atty and me. “And I’m starting with a clip of you two.”
“And second, we absolutely have to celebrate. We fucking made it,” Jaden declared, breaking into laughter again.
He threw his arms around Paxton, who laughed with him. Brice joined in, tackling them both and nearly sending them toppling.
“Noah, get in here!” Jaden called.
My stomach coiled as Atty loosened his grip, and I made my way toward them. They parted and smushed me in the middle, almost suffocating me. Brice mistimed his jump, and we crashed to the floor—limbs everywhere, elbows jabbing, knees colliding with things they shouldn’t.
We were still sweaty from playing; the dressing room was cramped and stifling, but nothing had ever felt quite like this.
As I laughed with these guys—guys I’d only met a month ago—it hit me, deep in my bones.
What I was feeling was the one thing I’d always craved but never quite found.
I felt like I belonged.
Brice did drag us out to celebrate. It was a huge house party near the beach. All the doors and windows were open, people spilling in and out, music thumping louder than in a club. It had been a while since I’d been to a party this wild.
My fingers tightened around Atty’s hand as I pushed away the familiar feeling I always got in places like this.
Like I was missing something. Like it was close—just out of reach—and my hand was stretching for nothing.
Carrying a beer bottle usually dulled that edge, gave me something to do.
But holding Atty’s hand felt right. Grounding, in a way nothing else ever had.
Brice and Jaden were always mindful about drinking around their cousin, so this was the first time I’d seen them even entertain the notion of a party—and they were already losing their minds, racing to the makeshift dance floor and swaying to the beat.
“They’re just excited. They’ll calm down in a bit,” Paxton said, leaning in and nodding toward them.
That used to be me.
Only not quite. They were actually having fun. For me, it had only ever looked like fun on the outside. It never felt like it. And it definitely didn’t feel like it the next day, when I was nursing a hangover, my nose stuffed, and half my face screaming in pain.
I rolled my shoulder back and tightened my grip on Atty’s hand.
“This place is amazing,” Ezra bellowed, stepping between Paxton and me. His hand landed on both our shoulders. Paxton’s eyes zeroed in on it like a beacon. He leaned down, determination shifting his features, and whispered something in Ezra’s ear I couldn’t make out over the noise.
“Maybe later. I’m going to look around first,” Ezra called back. He stepped away, and Paxton watched him go, regret flickering across his face.
I stepped closer to him. “You ask him to dance?”
Paxton’s eyes snapped up to mine.
“He’s just oblivious as fuck, Pax. You’re going to have to spell it out, or you’ll be chasing him in circles for months.”
He looked like he might bolt, then gave me a sort of helpless shrug. “I’m not good at that kind of stuff. Not anymore.” His gaze drifted toward a group drinking nearby.
That, I understood. Relearning how to be a person without “help” was hard as fuck.
“You’ve got more game than you think. You just have to be real with him. Ez is a brutal honesty kind of guy. He’ll see through anything less.”
Paxton shrugged again. “Maybe,” he sighed.
That was a boundary if I’d ever seen one. I let it go and slipped my arm around Atty’s waist.
“I’m going to make a round.” Paxton patted my back before walking away.
I glanced at the crowd. Jaden and Brice were dancing again—Jaden kissing Lexie, Brice flirting with a girl, flashing that big, easy grin. I’d lost touch with this world. I wasn’t even sure I missed it.
Atty stood quietly beside me, watching too. His face was unreadable, stony, but there was a faint curve to his lips. His arm rested across my shoulders, and just like that, I was back at the party where we first met.
So much had changed since then.
Starting with one big difference I could cash in on right now.
I grinned and tugged his shirt to speak into his ear. “You wanna dance?”
His eyebrows rose, smile growing wider. He nodded, and a bolt of warmth shot through me. The only other time we’d done this was on my birthday—and the context had been very, very different.
I laced our fingers together, pulled him into the crowd, and turned in his arms.
Back then, I’d thought the kind of connection I’d felt between us was only possible because of the molly. That he’d never really felt that way about me. That I was just a stand-in until he found his person.
But I’d been so wrong about that.
It had always been us. He and I. This didn’t fall short now. It was better.
His hands settled on my hips like they were meant to be there, guiding me closer.
That buzz from earlier—the rush of performing—still pulsed in my veins, making everything feel brighter.
Sharper. I was so fucking happy. Really happy.
Not some artificial high. Real, in-the-moment joy.
And I’d spent years thinking I’d never have that.
We moved with the music. I set the pace, and Atty followed with ease. He was good at this. Like everything else, honestly. He had this uncanny ability to match rhythm and flow like he could feel it in your soul. Or maybe it was just with me—but either way, he made it look effortless.