Chapter 30
The bar is packed, which isn’t surprising. My brother’s band has always pulled in a crowd, even before they got famous. And now that they’re back together, people can’t get enough. I love this for him, though, for all of them, because they are really good, and they deserve it.
Lisa always saves us a table when they play.
It’s over to the side of the bar, where we can hang out and watch them.
I glance over there as we walk in and see my brother and Daze, along with the rest of the band.
Jonah and Matt are there too, along with a guy I don’t recognize, who I assume is the bassist from Echo Forge.
I throw my arm around Quinn’s shoulders as we walk over and join them. Matt takes one look at us, a huge grin on his face, his brows raised in surprise before he turns and signs something to Jonah that makes him laugh as he shoots me a knowing look.
I flip them both off, which only makes Jonah laugh harder, before I introduce my girl. “Guys, this is Quinn,” I say, as Lacey now signs to Jonah, translating for me. “Babe, this is Jonah, Matt and Lacey.”
“Hi,” Quinn says, giving them a wave.
“Nice to meet you,” Matt says, giving her a smile. “Didn’t think we’d ever see someone tame this guy,” he adds, gesturing to me, even as he signs everything he’s saying for Jonah’s benefit.
“Oh, I’m not sure I’ve tamed him,” she replies, giving me a cheeky smile.
Laughing, I curl my arm tighter, bringing her in as I drop a kiss on her lips and murmur, “Nope.” I turn back to the others. “We’re gonna get some drinks. Want anything?”
They shake their heads, and Quinn and I head to the bar.
“So, Jonah is deaf?” she asks, glancing back at them.
“Yeah,” I reply. “Matt’s little sister is too, which is why he can sign. I’ve been trying to learn, but I still suck at it. Lacey always laughs at my attempts.”
“And you said she and Jonah live together?”
“Uh-huh,” I reply as Lisa makes her way down to serve us.
“Hey,” I say, smiling at her. “Lisa, this is Quinn,” I say, feeling weirdly awkward all of a sudden, as I introduce my girlfriend to my former friend with benefits.
I’ve never actually told Lisa this is the reason we’re not hooking up anymore, just like I’ve not actually told Quinn I used to sleep with the bartender.
“So, not to make this whole thing awkward, but yeah, Quinn is my girlfriend, and Lisa is...” I trail off because yep, shit did just get awkward.
Lisa laughs, shaking her head at me as she says, “It’s nice to meet you, Quinn. And Kai and I are friends. We used to hook up, but that was more of a scratch-an-itch thing, so don’t worry. I’m not some jealous ex or whatever.”
Quinn looks from Lisa to me and then back to Lisa. “Nice to meet you too,” she says, barely reacting to the whole hook-up thing.
“Okay,” I say, blowing out a breath. “Yep, so...”
Lisa laughs. “Man, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you nervous before. We’re good, Kai, don’t worry.”
I nod, feeling strangely relieved as Quinn pinches my side and says, “It’s not a big deal. I appreciate you just being honest with me.”
I drop a kiss to her lips, whispering, “Thank you.”
“So, now that’s figured out, what can I get you guys?” Lisa asks.
“Beer?” I suggest, and Quinn nods.
“Coming right up.”
After we get our drinks, we walk back to join the others.
Flynn and Alana have now arrived and are deep in conversation with Dean, Sutton and the dude from Echo Forge.
Jonah and Lacey are off to the side, doing their thing.
Jonah has his arm around Lacey’s shoulders as she looks up at him, saying something I can’t hear, but which he can clearly read by watching her mouth.
“Are they a couple?” Quinn asks, also watching them.
“No, but they are very close.”
“They look it,” she says.
“They met in high school,” I tell her. “Lacey was always a bit of a loner, and I guess they kinda gravitated toward each other.”
“I think he’s in love with her,” Quinn says, still watching them. “The way he looks at her.”
“He reads her lips, babe,” I say, laughing. “I think that’s all it is.”
“Nope,” she replies, as Jonah smiles at something Lacey says before dropping a kiss to the top of her head.
“Such a romantic,” I tease, taking a sip of my beer before putting it on the table and pulling her into my arms. “You doing okay?”
Quinn nods. “Yeah, I’m good.”
I close the distance, kissing her as I murmur, “Way more than good.” I deepen the kiss, ignoring the catcalls from my friends.
“Dude,” Matt calls, laughing.
Quinn pulls back, an easy smile on her face as she says, “Seems you’re still a bit of a novelty with your friends.”
I roll my eyes, but I’m grinning. “I think it’s us that’s the novelty. My friends just like to give me shit about the fact I’m in a relationship when I always said that was never gonna happen.”
She smiles up at me, pushing up on her toes to brush her lips against mine. “I think all of your friends are really great,” she whispers.
“They’re your friends too, babe,” I tell her, just as my brother walks over.
“Bro,” he says, punching my shoulder.
Laughing, I let Quinn go briefly as I pull Miles into a hug. He’s so different these days. Now he has Daisy and the band back. More relaxed, happier, and it’s so good to see.
“So what’s the story with the Echo Forge guy?” I ask, tipping my chin in his direction. “Is he just here to watch, or is he going to play?”
Miles shrugs, all casual and shit, even though we both know Echo Forge is fucking huge and the fact their bass player is here at all is even bigger. “Dunno, see how he feels. He might come up at the end and smash a few songs out with us.”
I laugh, punching his shoulder this time as I say, “Look at you, all connected and shit, and still rolling like you’re some local band that no one’s ever heard of.”
“Whatever,” Miles says, rolling his eyes before he turns to Quinn. “He doesn’t know who you are. I swore the band to secrecy, and no one’s gonna say anything.”
Quinn nods. “Thanks, Miles, I really appreciate that.”
“He’s still here, you know,” I say, figuring Miles probably deserves to know that given his history with Quinn’s ex. “Sean.”
“Seriously?” he asks, his eyes widening as he looks from me to Quinn.
She nods in confirmation. “Yeah. I’m guessing he didn’t like my post and is hanging around to prove a point. I’m really hoping he doesn’t show up here tonight,” she adds, looking around the bar as though she half expects him to be here already.
“Dude would get his fucking ass kicked if he did,” Miles mutters, and once again, I can’t help but wonder about all the shit that went down when they toured with them.
I know he said a lot of stuff the other night, but I get the feeling there’s still more to the story, especially because Quinn hasn’t spoken to Dean or Sutton or Lacey.
Maybe it’s better we don’t know everything.
Who the fuck knows, but if it’s going to help her get rid of him, then maybe she needs to know.
“Maybe you should tell the others,” I say, tipping my head in the direction of his bandmates.
“Yeah,” Miles says, breathing out. “I’ll let the guys know.”
“And Lace?” I ask.
Miles turns to where she stands with Jonah, the two of them still deep in their silent conversation.
They’ve always been like this—part of the group, but always slightly outside of it too.
And it’s not just because Jonah is deaf.
We’ve always made sure to include him and make things as easy as we can for him.
It’s more that these two have always been in their own little world, and the rest of us just watch it from the outside.
“I don’t know,” Miles eventually says. “Maybe.”
“Did something happen with her and Sean?” Quinn asks, worry in her tone.
Miles shakes his head, still looking at Lacey. “No, I mean, I don’t think so,” he says, rubbing his hand over his head. “But something did happen with her. It’s just that none of us know what it was.”
Quinn turns to where Lacey stands with Jonah, the two of them smiling as they watch something on Jonah’s phone. “Should I talk to her?” she now asks, glancing at my brother.
He takes a deep breath as Daze walks over to join us, giving Quinn a quick hug before doing the same with me. “Not tonight,” Miles says, slinging an arm around his fiancée.
“Babe, Lisa says you’re on in like ten minutes,” Daisy says, smiling up at him.
“Well, shit,” Miles responds, dropping a quick kiss on her lips. “I guess I better go get ready.”
“Please,” Daze scoffs. “Like you need to get ready.”
Miles grins, the smile that seems to be permanently on his face these days, as Daisy smacks him on the ass.
He kisses her neck before giving me a quick wink and then turning to his bandmates.
Dean, Sutton and Lacey all walk over to the small stage at the back of the room, the crowd of people instantly quieting down, even as a few people whistle and cheer.
“Wow, they are really popular,” Quinn says as she looks around the room at all the people whistling and clapping.
“Local kids who made good,” I say, moving Quinn so she’s standing in front of me. I wrap my arms around her shoulders, pulling her close so her back is resting against my front. “Plus, this is who we are,” I add, kissing the side of her neck.
She turns and looks up at me. “I really love that,” she says, and all I can think in this moment is...
I really love you.
I don’t even know where it comes from because it’s not something I’ve ever said to a woman that wasn’t my mom, much less felt. I have never been in love because I’ve never wanted to be.
But right now, with Quinn, with everything I know and learn about her. With the way she makes me feel and the way I want to spend every second of every day with her. Always.
Maybe that’s what this is.
Love.
Holy shit.
“Kai?” she asks, her hand brushing across my cheek. “You okay?”
I blink, pressing a kiss to her temple. “I’m great, babe,” I whisper.
She snuggles back against me, an easy smile on her face as she says, “Yeah, you really are.”
Now it’s me smiling as one of my arms drops to her waist, pulling her even closer. “Keep that up and I might have to drag you to the restrooms and have my untamed, wicked way with you,” I growl.
“Promise?” she asks as my brother steps up to the mic and says hello.
Whatever I’m about to say is lost in the noise from the crowd, which goes nuts. I press a hard kiss of promise to Quinn’s lips before I turn toward the stage.
It doesn’t matter how many times I see my little brother like this. I’m still blown away every single time. It’s like the second he steps onto a stage, his guitar slung around his body and the microphone in front of his mouth, he morphs into a different person.
A person who is loud and confident and so fucking extroverted. A person who loves the music he plays and the people who come to hear it.
I glance over at our friends and see Jonah smiling as he holds up his phone toward the stage. He turns it back to himself quickly, and I can see Lena, Lacey’s younger sister, on the screen as she gives him a quick thumbs up before he turns the camera back to the stage.
And then my brother and his band launch into their first song. It’s a song from their album, one that sat on the charts for months and is probably one of the best songs they’ve ever written.
As the crowd goes nuts, Quinn sways in my arms, a relaxed smile on her face as she watches them. I can’t resist leaning in to press another kiss to the side of her neck, inhaling her scent, which still lingers on my sheets.