30. Brennan
thirty
Brennan
New Year's Eve
W hat a way to spend New Year’s Eve.
I’m riding the high from the Less Than Zero concert. I’ve received great news. And, my beautiful girlfriend is by my side.
The night’s been electric and as we return to the houseboat, I can’t stop smiling. Astrid’s practically glowing. The rush of adrenaline I get seeing her like this—I’m buzzing. Alive. Hopeful.
“Totally insane.” Astrid kicks off her shoes and grabs us each a beer from the fridge. “I’ve never been backstage before. It felt like stepping into another world.”
Backstage at a big arena concert is a whole different world. Cables and guitar cases are stacked everywhere, people rush around with earpieces, shouting over the music as they make sure everything’s running smoothly. It’s chaotic, but there’s a weird order to it all. Everyone seems to know where they need to be.
I lean against the counter. “You fit right in. Like you’ve been doing it your whole life.”
Astrid knocked it out of the park. She’s gorgeous in a fitted black leather jacket worn over a green, silky camisole. Dark, high-waisted jeans and ankle boots complete her edgy outfit. Her hair is in loose waves. She’s looks like a fashion model in cool, comfortable clothes.
She rolls her eyes, but there’s a genuine, excited smile tugging at her lips. “ Stop . It was wild . Fireball was incredible and finally seeing Less Than Zero? From backstage? It’s like, I don’t know—a dream.”
“They’ve been at it for fifteen years and bring it every single time.” I can’t help but beam with pride. “And you got the full experience. VIP treatment, backstage, the whole deal.” I set my keys down and take off my jacket. “Fireball’s set was killer, too. I’ve seen Liam and Padraig play many times, but they’ve developed this edge. A raw energy that pulls everyone in.”
She makes a swooning gesture. “Yeah, I totally agree. I met everyone in LTZ too. Ty and Zoey were so sweet. And their kids are fucking adorable.”
“Yeah, all they’re mini-rockstars in the making.” I laugh. “Little Oliver has Ty’s swagger.”
“And Jace!” Astrid perks up, her eyes wide. “I’ve heard so much about him from Jason and seeing him with Alex and their kids. He’s incredible. You could see how much he loves them.”
“Yeah, he’s mellowed out a lot. When he’s on stage, though, he’s still a monster.” I think back to when I met Jace years ago. He’s the reason Connor was able to get back into music and pursue his dream again.
“I got to hang out with Jason, too.” A sly smile spreads across her lips. “He’s got big plans for Reuniverse when the lawsuit shit is finally over. It was kind of surreal. He’s talking about our little project like it’s going to be massive.”
I can’t help but feel a flicker of pride. “It is going to be massive. I’ll make sure of it.”
Astrid wraps her arms around me and I pull her close. Our lips meet in a slow, lingering kiss. It starts soft, deepening into something potent because we’ve been holding back all night. Her hands find their way to my waist and everything else fades as we get lost in the moment.
When we pull apart, she rests her head on my chest. “I’m glad you brought me. It was an unforgettable night.”
“I wouldn’t have wanted to share it with anyone else.” I hold her tightly, brushing a kiss against her hair. “Seeing it all through your eyes reminded me I’ve missed too many of my brothers’ concerts over the years. I’m going to make much more effort going forward.”
She tilts her head back to look at me. “I know I say this every time, but your family is amazing. How much love you all have for each other. And, Connor and Ronni. My God, they’re so solid .”
“I love them so much,” I say between kisses. “Now you’re part of it.”
We stand there cuddling for a while in the quiet of the night. My mind drifts to everything that’s happened over the past few months. The legal mess with CognifyAI and all the uncertainty has tied me up in knots for months. Tonight, none of it seemed to matter.
“So, you’d officially classify tonight as fun?” I tease.
“ Fun ?” she echoes. “B, I was let into a secret world. Fun can’t begin to describe it.”
I capture her lips again and kiss her soft and slow. “Good. Do you want me to make the night even better?”
She tilts her head. “How?”
“Sit down.” I gesture to the couch. “I’ve got something to show you.”
Astrid raises an eyebrow and plops down.
I reach into my jacket pocket, take out a folded piece of paper and hand it to her. My heart pounds a little harder than usual. “Open it.”
She shoots me a playful, suspicious look but takes the envelope. As she unfolds the paper inside, I watch her expression shift from confusion to shock. Her eyes widen, and she looks up at me, mouth slightly agape. “Brennan, is this…?”
“Yep.” I nod, feeling the grin stretch across my face. “Cognify’s letting go of the claim on Reuniverse. It’s over, Astrid. We’re free.”
She stares at the paper for a second then glances at me, her eyes glistening. “How did you…?”
“You inspired me. It wasn’t easy.” I sit next to her and run a hand through my hair. “We managed to negotiate a buyout when we found all of the documentation around the acquisition. It wasn’t going to go well for them and we all agreed my heart’s not in it after all of this bullshit they’ve put me through over the past couple of years. So, we keep our company. I give up half my equity in CognifyAI and I’ll take over as the Chairman of the board. I’m losing some money, but no golden handcuffs. No five-year commitment. I walk away with life-changing money and get to focus on Reuniverse with you.”
Astrid’s silent for a moment. I can see her trying to process everything. “I don’t even know what to say. This is exactly what we wanted. I think we manifested this shit.”
I take her hand and squeeze it. “I know. The caveat is, they want to announce after the IPO. I’ll stay in my current role through June.”
“That’s totally doable.” She nestles against me.
“And, perfect timing.” I play with a lock of her hair. “We can launch Reuniverse at the reunion, work with Jason if we choose, or keep it small and manageable. Either way, I want to build it with you.”
Tears well up in her eyes, which she blinks back and replaces with a smile. “I’m so proud of you. I know how hard this has been.”
“There’s something else.” I swallow roughly because my nerves kick in. “Now that things are going to change, we should, you know, resume discussions about our future.”
Astrid sinks against me and strokes my cheek. “Oh, yeah?”
“Yeah. I was thinking it’s time we found our forever home and moved in together. If you’re up for it.” I feel a surge of relief at getting the words out. Like everything in my life has been leading to this moment.
Her eyes light up and she actually giggles. “Brennan McGloughlin, are you asking me to shack up with you?”
“Well, I guess so.” I chuckle. “First, I’d like to squeeze in a short vacation to celebrate, if you’re up for it. Before your busy season kicks in. No matter what, by June I want you with me. Not only on weekends. Not in between business trips. Every. Fucking. Day.”
She doesn’t hesitate. “Yes. Absolutely yes.”
Our lips press together in a deep, persistent kiss and the tension of everything we’ve been through melts away.
We’re moving forward. Our future isn’t something I have to fight for anymore. It’s there. Waiting for us to step into it.
“Happy New Year, A.” I stand and pull her up with me. Lead her to the stairs to her bedroom. “I think it’s time for a celebratory night of orgasms, don’t you think?”
Astrid slaps my ass. “Abso-fucking-lutely. Lead the way.”