Chapter 19 #2
“Even if we don’t do anything except go for a nice dinner here, I’d rather it just be us that weekend,” I say, twining my arms around his neck. “No exes. No drama. Just me, you, and bon temps.”
“That’s always a good time,” he agrees, making my heart plump in my chest.
It is always a good time.
And knowing we aren’t saying goodbye when our old “deal” is done is better than any revenge.
Way fucking better.
Later that night, after we get dinner at a bistro near Nix’s apartment, we grab Bea, her guitar, and her suitcase and head back to my place.
She’s going to stay with me while he’s on his trip with the Voodoo.
Just in case.
Even though miraculously, the plan she cooked up with Laurel, her publicist, seems to be going off without a hitch.
Laurel reached out to Kai and the rest of the band late last night. By early this morning, they’d all agreed to cancel the last two shows and enter a brief “mini retirement,” while presenting a united front.
Just after noon, Kai, Beatrice, Cab, the drummer, and Stavros, bass guitar, all released the same post on social media.
It stated simply that they hated to let their fans down, but due to the needs of a chronically ill band member, they would be going on immediate sabbatical.
All ticket sales for the Mobile and New Orleans shows would be fully refunded, and they hoped their fans could understand the need for privacy and healing at this delicate time.
It was simple, elegant, and shockingly easy.
Almost too easy, if you ask me, but I’ve kept my reservations to myself.
There’s no need to borrow trouble, and Beatrice won’t be alone if something goes wrong. I’ll be right there, with backup on hand from Makena and Elly, both of whom insisted on taking Beatrice out to brunch on Sunday to celebrate.
Everything’s going to be fine.
I hope.
“I’ll have my phone on twenty-four seven,” Nix says as he turns into my neighborhood. I swear, it’s like he can read my mind sometimes. “And I’ll check for messages as soon as I get off the ice between periods,” he continues. “If anything happens, I’ll get home to help as soon as I can.”
“Stop,” Bea says from the back seat with a good-natured sigh. “I’ll be fine. Kai’s already posted the announcement. There’s no going back now. And even if he decided to show his ugly side, he doesn’t know where I am. He doesn’t know where you live, let alone Charlotte.”
“And I have an excellent security system,” I remind them.
“And super nosy neighbors. If a tattooed guy with long black hair is spotted anywhere in a five-block radius, Mrs. Spear will let us know. For good or for ill, Brenda is not about tolerating alternative lifestyles. She called the cops on my friend, who was helping build my outdoor BBQ, three times. And his neck tattoo barely shows when he has a collared shirt on.”
“See?” Beatrice says. “We’ll be fine. Alarms and Brenda will make sure of it. Just go have fun, win games, and we’ll be here when you get back.”
“We will,” I whisper as Nix pulls into my driveway. “I promise.”
“I just worry,” he whispers back.
“I know,” I assure him as we open our doors. “But it’ll be okay.”
Nix grabs Bea’s roller suitcase from the trunk, she slides her guitar onto her back, and I lead the way up the walk. Inside, I hit disarm the security system and motion to the stairs.
“The guest room is the first door on the left,” I tell her. “But we can do the downstairs tour before you get settled, if you want?”
“For sure,” she says, reaching for the suitcase when Nix steps over the threshold. “I’ll just put all this on the landing until we’re ready to go up.”
“I can take it,” Nix says, resisting for a beat before releasing the handle when she insists, “No, I’ve got it. It’s not that heavy. And you need to get home and get to bed. You have an early flight tomorrow.”
He sighs. “I do. All right. Be good, you two. Save the crimes and misdemeanors until I get back, okay?”
Beatrice grins as she leans in for a quick hug. “We will. Can’t get our crime on without our getaway driver.”
“No lies detected,” I agree as I slide in for my goodbye hug.
“You know what, I think I’ll take my stuff up to the room now and use the bathroom before our tour, Charlotte,” Beatrice says as she backs away. “Love you, big brother. Thanks for everything.” She punches his shoulder one last time before darting up the stairs with her things, leaving us alone.
Nix pulls me close, cupping my ass. “Thank God, she gave us a second. I was afraid I wouldn’t get to squeeze your ass one last time.”
I smile. “She’s a good egg.”
“She is. I’m so glad you two hit it off right away.”
“Me, too,” I agree. “I think we’ll have fun while you’re gone. We’re going to the botanical garden with my nona tomorrow, then brunch with the girls on Sunday. Then she’s meeting up with some musician friends to have coffee on Monday. We’ll stay busy.”
“And vigilant,” he adds.
“And vigilant,” I agree, smoothing my palms back and forth on his chest. “I promise, I’ll guard her with my life.”
“I know you will.” He presses a kiss to my forehead. “Keep yourself safe, too. I need you around for a long time.” He pulls back, adding in a softer voice, “Or at least through next weekend because I’m really looking forward to Paris.”
I grin. “I know, me, too! I’m so excited,” I hiss, loving that we’re keeping it a secret from everyone for now.
Loving that we’re both so giddy about our first trip.
Loving…him.
God, I love him.
I have gotten in so deep, so stupidly fast, but it doesn’t feel stupid. It feels lovely and perfect and meant-to-be.
I watch from the window as his truck disappears around the corner, wanting to keep my eyes on him for as long as possible, already looking forward to Wednesday, when he’ll be on his way back to me.
“You two are the cutest,” Beatrice murmurs from behind me.
I turn to see her halfway down the stairs, leaning against the railing with a warm expression that reminds me of her brother. I laugh and roll my eyes at myself. “Thanks. I feel a little silly, being this…”
“In love?” she prompts.
My cheeks warm. “I was going to say cheesy.”
Beatrice grunts as she ambles down the stairs.
“Nothing cheesy about it. As I said, I think it’s cute.
And beautiful. And fantastic.” She stops in front of me with a smile.
“And it gives me hope that people still fall in love the sweet, sappy way. Like in all my favorite love songs.” She nods toward the interior of the house.
“Now, are we going to drink wine and gossip for a while before bed?”
“Hell yes, we are,” I say, leading the way toward the kitchen.
“Good,” she says, bouncing after me. “I brought wine in my duffle bag, and I need to tell you all the embarrassing things Baylor did as a kid. That way, you’ll have ammunition if he ever gets too big for his britches.”
“Have I told you how much I like you yet?” I ask, grinning at her over my shoulder.
“Yes, you have.” She beams. “But I still love hearing it, and I adore you, too. I can’t imagine anywhere I’d rather be the day after blowing up my career.”
“You didn’t,” I assure her, fetching the corkscrew from the drawer by the sink. “It’s the end of a chapter. There’s still a lot of story and career left to go.”
“Agreed,” she says, pulling a bottle of pinot noir from her bag. “I mean, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little scared about what comes next. But I’m excited, too. I’d rather fail making music I love than spend another ten years getting paid to sing songs I’m just not passionate about anymore.”
“Amen, sister.” I place two wineglasses on the island between us.
She pours the wine, and we toast to new beginnings, reinvention, and a fantastic future ahead. Then, we settle into the living room, and she keeps her promise to give me all the dirt on her brother.
We laugh until nearly midnight, and by the time we finally head to bed, I’m even more certain that we were meant to be friends.
And maybe, someday…family.
It’s crazy to be thinking about forever with a guy I was doing my best to stop sleeping with just a week ago, but hey, maybe crazy isn’t all bad.