11. Chapter Eleven
Chapter Eleven
Allie
I’m not sure what’s funnier—watching a six-foot-something man get pulled away like a ragdoll, or the fact that I’m pretty sure my toddler would’ve put up more of a fight.
He even trips over his own feet, and I have to slap a hand over my mouth to stop myself from laughing out loud, but I fail miserably.
But of course, he’s too sweet to say no.
My eyes flick back to the acoustic on the wall, and my shoulders sink a little.
I’d give anything to know what happened to the girl who used to stay up all night just to figure out a new chord. Or the one who spent entire weekends holed up in her room, scribbling out lyrics with hope they’d turn into something real.
Honestly, I don’t even know if I could play anymore, it’s been that long. And music isn’t like riding a bike. It’s one of those things you have to keep chasing. You can’t just stash it in the back of your brain for over ten years and expect it to still be there.
Ana and Nora ditch the couch and head straight for me the second they realize I’m standing here alone. Nora’s eyes are as wide as freaking saucers while Ana’s never looked more relaxed in her entire life.
She likes to claim she’s an introvert, but I know her better than she thinks. She absolutely invited them over for the social interaction. Watching me panic was just a bonus for her.
“So,” Ana says, barely holding in a laugh. “Did he propose? Or did he find a mystery crumb on the floor and tell you how disgusting you are?”
My face instantly goes up in flames, and I send a silent prayer that the guys didn’t hear that. I’ve already spiraled enough over them being here, I don’t need them knowing it.
I want them to feel normal, and not like they have to live up to any high standards. Because they are just normal people at the end of the day.
They just also happen to be ridiculously talented, make music that wrecks me in the best way, and have accents that could make anyone weak in the knees.
I chuckle and nudge Ana’s arm. “I still can’t believe they’re here. Like, how did we go from planning a relaxing vacation to… this ?”
Ana shrugs. “Because they haven’t hit their fame era yet. They’re cool guys, Al. They’re not stuck-up… yet. ”
“I don’t think they even seem like the type to ever become stuck-up,” Nora adds, eyes still locked on Gareth, and I swear I see drool pooling at the corner of her mouth.
I follow her gaze and spot the three of them crouched in front of the vinyl shelf. Then James reaches for a record, and my stomach immediately drops.
My Aunt Louise has been collecting those since before I was born. If she came home and found them out of place? The thought alone makes me cringe.
Before I can find an ounce of courage to be the party pooper, Jax smacks his hand away with a loud slap. The sound echoes down the hallway, and Nora and Ana both completely lose it, laughing way too hard for how much noise that made.
“See?” Ana says. “If they were already famous, do you really think they’d be acting like that ?”
“Yeah,” I say, pushing off the wall. “Maybe you’re right.”
I turn away, leaving the two of them to keep gawking while I, on the other hand, need a distraction. And what better distraction than food?
So I head for the kitchen and do what I’ve always done when things start to feel like too much—make way too many snacks.
At this point, it’s basically muscle memory.
Back when Trevor used to have his friends over, they’d be camped out in front of the TV for hours while I stayed back in the kitchen—baking, chopping, pretending I didn’t have a million other things I should’ve been doing.
Like, for instance, studying for the exams that would decide whether or not I actually graduated from college within five years of leaving high school.
I was always half studying, half praying I wouldn’t burn the house down while the cookies were in the oven and trying not to fall asleep on the kitchen island.
And somehow, it was always my fault that nobody had fun. I killed the vibe or made things awkward just by being there. Just by existing with a tired face and a brain running on fumes. Trying to finish nursing school while pregnant wasn’t exactly the party Trevor made it out to be.
But I did it.
All without an ounce of his help, I still graduated nursing school the same year I left him. That’s two years of having my dream career with nobody else to thank but myself, and honestly? I’ve never been prouder of myself.
But that’s all behind me now. That was the old Allie.
This Allie is allowed to have fun. This Allie might even be a little… adventurous.
Officially adding this to my bucket list: actually have fun and stop disappearing into the background—tired or not.
After everyone is fed, of course. I can’t be expected to change overnight.
Once I’m somewhat satisfied with the spread, and by “spread” I mean fruit, crackers, and… I think that’s beef jerky? I carefully balance the tray with both hands. One eye on the food, the other on the floor, silently begging the universe not to let me trip over my own two feet.
That would be something I could never live down.
Getting punched in the face was one thing since that wasn’t entirely my fault. But faceplanting with a tray full of snacks? That would easily send me into an early grave.
When I finally make it into the living room, Jax immediately notices my leaning tower of crackers and springs to his feet. My eyes snap to his, nearly tripping from the distraction, and a weird little flutter dances through my chest while I try to catch myself.
He starts to walk over, but I shake my head—because I got this. I don’t need him thinking I can’t handle carrying a tray or food. Even if my nerves are completely shot and I really could use a hand.
My heart’s doing full-on cartwheels by the time I reach the coffee table and finally set the tray down.
I wipe my palms on my pants, trying to play it cool, even though internally I’m screaming.
“Can I get anyone anything else?” I ask, my voice wavering.
Ana grabs my hand with both of hers and yanks me down next to her. “Girl, sit down ,” she says, laughing.
I give her a little half smile and shrug. “Force of habit.”
She leans in, her voice softer now. “I know. But this isn’t one of Trevor’s shindigs. You don’t have to play hostess right now.”
The guys get up from where they were camped out on the floor and wander over to the tray.
James tosses a grape into the air and catches it in his mouth. “Thanks, Allie. You really didn’t have to do all this,” he says, gesturing to the spread.
An elbow jabs into my side—hard.
“Yeah, Allie, you didn’t have to do that,” Ana parrots through clenched teeth, batting her lashes.
I finally let myself sink back into the couch, and my shoulders drop while I take the first deep breath I’ve had in hours.
She’s right. I know she is. It’s just… hard to shake the habit when you’ve been running on autopilot for so long.
My eyes drift across the room until they land on Jax just in time to catch him biting into a piece of watermelon. He swipes his thumb across his bottom lip, collecting a drop of juice before he sticks it into his mouth, sucking it clean.
It’s such a small, innocent gesture, yet I’m completely frozen.
He walks over to the couch, glances at me for half a second, and gives this soft, closed-mouth smile that instantly relaxes me. But then he drops into the only open spot left. Right next to me.
His thigh brushes mine, just barely, but I still feel it like an electrical shock. And every nerve in my body ignites.
The room suddenly feels too loud . The fan spinning. People talking. His presence. Him .
“Sorry I got pulled away like that earlier,” he says quietly, voice low and a little raspy. “James is kind of our golden retriever. He gets excited about, well… everything.”
I smile, trying to pretend like my heart isn’t actively malfunctioning. “Sounds like he just has a really great outlook on life.”
He grins and shifts a little closer, his thigh now flush against mine.
Not that I’m focused on that. Nope. Totally fine. My breathing? Completely normal. We’re good over here.
“So,” Nora cuts in. “When are you guys heading into the studio?”
I glance over—and wow. She’s sitting close. Practically in Gareth’s lap, tucked into his side like they’ve known each other for years. He sure doesn’t seem to mind though.
At least one of us is bold enough to show interest without mentally blacking out every five seconds.
Gareth chuckles softly before turning toward her. “Beginning of August, so roughly a month. We were supposed to start in January, but some… personal stuff came up.”
His eyes flick to Jax, it’s barely noticeable, but I catch it. And suddenly my curiosity is raging . I know it’s absolutely none of my business, but I can’t help but still feel the urge to know.
“What are you guys doing in the meantime?” Ana asks, leaning forward like she’s seconds away from helping them build an itinerary.
And she better freaking not.
Gareth shrugs. “We haven’t really decided yet—”
“I want to go to the aquarium,” James says, cutting him off while bouncing in his seat.
There it is. Golden retriever energy fully confirmed.
But before anyone can jump on that, a low rumble shakes through the house. It stretches on for a few seconds, like it’s dragging across the sky. It’s gone as quickly as it came, but it’s enough to confirm what the forecast said about a storm coming.
Up north, the weather system is a joke. If they call for thunderstorms, it usually means sunshine. If they promise a beautiful day? Well, then you’d better pack a poncho or cancel your plans. It’s a total guessing game.
But down here? They actually seem to get it right.
And that thunder? Yeah, that didn’t sound like it was just passing through.
“Should we take this party downstairs?” Nora asks, already half standing.
No.
The answer leaps into my brain before I can even think it through. Not because I’m overwhelmed or anxious—at least not this time. But instead, it’s because I love storms. Always have.
When I was a kid, I’d sit on the back porch for hours, just watching the sky rumble and flash. But then… they just stopped showing up. One soft roll of thunder, maybe a flicker of lightning, and then nothing. Like the sky got distracted and changed its mind.
Then that voice creeps back in, louder than ever.
Don’t prove Trevor right, Allie.
I’m not a boring person. I’m not going to fade into the background again, no matter how much I want to curl up by a window and watch the sky paint a story.
So even though every part of me is begging for that quiet moment with a good storm, I shove the feeling down.
“Sure,” I say, slapping my hands against my knees. “Let’s go.”
Ana looks at me with a smile and nods like I just passed some sort of silent test. Then she hops off the couch and heads for the den.
Goodbye, old, boring Allie.
Hello, courageous, confident Allie.