Chapter 4
Chapter Four
MIA
Besides the whole discussion about my little boy no longer being my baby and on the verge of becoming a man over the next few years, the rest of the night has been something from a magical dream.
During the night, Lex told everyone he had an idea for us to start a new tradition, but still keeping up what we have already started with our New Year’s Eve getaway together.
He suggested that every summer we all take a short vacation at our lake house.
The whole framily, including the kids and their future families.
I think we have all come to the realization this week that our kids are growing up fast, and it won’t be long before they are all off in different directions, living their lives.
Of course, there will be some years not all the kids can make it to this get-together, and that’s okay. But if we all commit to it being a thing, then hopefully, at least every few years we might be lucky enough to have everyone together, even if it’s only for a few days.
I absolutely love the idea and the others do too.
At first, I had no idea how this would work, but of course it then dawned on me.
I knew last summer Lex was up to something when he had builders out at the lake house extending the barn.
Now I know it’s so they can convert it to a guest accommodation with rooms for all the kids to stay in whenever they want to visit.
My husband may have grown up as an only child, but the deep love and attachment he has for his found family is immense. And his constant need to have them near is adorable.
We should never have doubted that Lex would pull off something spectacular.
He’s the quiet achiever of the group. A deep thinker, but also someone who likes to make sure he has every single detail covered in anything he tackles in life.
I think that’s why his writing has been so good for him.
It gives him the creative outlet to pour all his micromanaging tendencies into the next book.
He’s now so busy building worlds of make-believe that he is no longer hovering over my shoulder or the staff at the charity who are brilliant at their jobs and don’t need him questioning every little decision they are making.
We hired the best for a reason, so when he isn’t writing, Lex can use his time to just concentrate on the big picture of the charity.
Once Tate and Bella declared they were done for the night, all the others have headed downstairs to their bedrooms on the boat too, and it’s just Lex and me now lying on cushions on the very top deck, looking up at the stars.
The weather tonight has been so mild, not too hot, with just a slight cool breeze that you always get when you’re out on the water.
It’s so blissful.
“What are you thinking about over there?” Lex asks, squeezing my hand that is intertwined with his.
“Nothing… everything… you.” Which makes no sense, but it’s the truth. “How about you?” I inquire.
“Same,” he replies so peacefully.
“Can we sleep out here?” I ask quietly. There’s just something so serene about being here, just the two of us in the quiet.
“Let’s nap and later I’ll carry you to bed. Come here.” Lex lets go of my hands, and I roll onto my side, resting my head on his chest like I always do when I go to sleep at night.
“I don’t know what I did to deserve you, but I’m so grateful I found you. I never knew life could be like this, and I don’t mean the money and lifestyle.” Listening to his steady heartbeat through his chest has always been my safe place.
“I know.” He kisses the top of my head.
“I love you more than words, and every day you give me a reason for that love to grow even greater.” I squeeze my arms tighter around his chest.
“You brought me to life the day I met you, and looking back, it feels like it was the day I was born, because nothing before then mattered.” His words really resonate with me.
I feel the same, and in a way, the kids are blessed they were so little that they don’t remember anything before Lex either.
“We were just meant to be.” And after all these years, I know how true that is.
“Absolutely. I love you, baby. Now look up, wish upon your star, and then close your eyes. Morning will be here before we know it.”
I look for the star I’m choosing tonight. It’s not the biggest, or the brightest, just one that is happy to be up there in the middle of all the other stars and being who it is meant to be.
Making my wish, I then kiss Lex on his chest over the top of his heart and wriggle back into my comfortable spot.
Home is where your heart is, and mine is right where it was always meant to be.
“I can’t believe our trip is almost over.
” I look around at our friends as we all stand on the balcony of the house that has been our home for the last seven days, and now we’re off for a couple of days in Hawaii on the way home.
Lex booked the stopover hoping it will help with the jetlag for everybody.
We have done and seen so much. The guys even took Jack and Jessie with them and climbed the harbor bridge.
The other kids were either too young or totally freaked out at the thought of being so high off the ground.
And Lex being Lex, he found another wildlife park just out of Sydney where we could actually pat and hold a koala, feed the kangaroos, and get up and close with quokkas, which are the most adorable animals on this planet, with their cute fuzzy ears and irresistible grin.
“It’s been the trip of a lifetime.” Tilly puts her arm around my shoulders.
“We can’t thank you enough for the ride you have taken us all on, Lex.” Grayson comes up behind Lex, and like Tilly did to me, he puts his arm around his buddy.
“It’s not the trips you take in this life, it’s the framily you take them with.” The emotion in his voice is evident to us all.
“Hear, hear,” Paige replies with a quaver in hers too.
“My flights mean so much more when I have such precious cargo.” Mason steps toward Tate and Bella to bring them into what is now becoming a line of hugging each other.
“Who would’ve thought all those years ago, what a chance encounter of four young boys would grow into.” Bella rests her head on Tate’s shoulder.
And as per usual, Tate has the last say. The emotion in him that he doesn’t share often makes the words coming from him hit a little harder than normal.
“A lifetime of friendship and unconditional love.”
Framily - it’s as simple as that.
IT’S FINALLY TIME TO SAY GOODBYE
TO OUR CHICAGO BOYS.
BUT to the little boy who stole this author’s heart, you grew up, and now it’s time to tell your story.
JACK
I can’t believe it’s been ten years since my first trip to Australia, and now I’m sitting here in a meeting to discuss the logistics of possibly including Sydney concerts in my first world tour.
My life has become a whirlwind that I don’t even know how to process most days.
And to be honest, it all feels overwhelming, and there are days I struggle to breathe.
We kicked off the first national tour in Chicago, and I’ve hardly been home since.
With my record label based in LA, I spend most of my time out there or on the road touring, doing press interviews, photo shoots, videos, and showing up at all the events that my publicist tells me are important to be seen at.
The price of fame is suffocating.
But the moment I step onto that stage with my guitar in my hands, it’s like the heaviness all falls away.
I love to sing. It’s all I’ve ever wanted to do for as long as I can remember. And now that I’m living the rock star life, it’s nothing like I imagined.
Walking out of the conference room after the meeting finishes, I can’t remember a thing that was decided on, and it doesn’t really matter because I know that I will receive a million emails and voice memos from our band manager, Colt.
He tells me what, he tells me when, but hardly ever tells me why.
Apparently, I’m on a need-to-know basis so it doesn’t stagnate my creative flow.
I mean, the band pays him enough that he should be following us around wiping our asses as well.
Taking the elevator down to the parking lot, my mind is restless, but I know the moment I pull on my helmet, fire up my motorbike, and hit the road, it will help.
Some of my best songs have come to me when I’m out on the open road, riding on my own and blocking everything out.
Just letting my brain be free for a while.
Not that it’s easy to ride freely living in LA, with the traffic.
Which is why I don’t bother driving my car often.
The bike is easier to maneuver; weaving in between the cars is the only way you can get through the gridlock.
You just calculate the risk of the traffic in front of you, commit to the weave, and take the chance.
Not exactly safe, but then neither is crossing the road most days.
Racing up the curving roads that head to my house up in Hollywood Hills is exhilarating and makes me smile every time.
The couple of times I’ve been pulled over by police for riding too fast or crossing over the double lines, I’ve managed to bluff my way out of it when they recognize my name.
An autograph and picture for their social media are all it usually takes.
And there was that one time when it was a female officer who pulled me over, looking hot as hell in her uniform, so I gave her two tickets to the show the band was playing that week, with a backstage pass.
And then at the meet-and-greet, when I saw her walking toward me in the line, she proudly introduced me to her husband who was in a full fandom moment over me.
Lesson learned. Just because she isn’t wearing a wedding ring, it doesn’t mean she’s single.
I still haven’t lived that one down with my band.