Chapter 27
Chapter twenty-seven
Cole · Then
Livin’ on a Prayer – Bon Jovi
Nineteen Years Old
I thought after almost four years together I knew everything there was to know about my girlfriend.
Turns out, there are some secrets she still holds close to her chest.
Like the fact she’s bloody tone-deaf.
I fight the urge to plug my ears as Hendrix grips the microphone tight in her hand and belts along—completely off key and out of time—to Livin’ on a Prayer on the stage at the end of the room.
How someone so musically inclined can have zero vocal talent is beyond me.
Theo dances around her on the stage, her own microphone lax in her hand as she pirouettes.
I turn to Saint, pinning him with a glare as he snickers into his pint glass. Karaoke was his idea. And now I have to live with the knowledge that the love of my life is, in fact, not perfect.
“Did you know she was so bad?” I shout over the racket.
He guffaws. “I had no idea. I just thought she didn’t like singing. Not that she couldn’t.”
“Fuck me. I think my ears are bleeding.”
My eyes widen as Hendrix attempts the D5 and completely misses, a sharp shriek spilling through the microphone instead.
“This is the best. Night. Ever.” Saint slaps a hand against our table, splashing beer everywhere, as Theo does a particularly low back bend and harmonises with Hendrix.
Also, God-awfully.
Hendrix and Theo link arms, their lips inches apart as they scream out the final chorus.
My ears ring.
If they weren’t both as terrible as each other, maybe it wouldn’t be as bad. But there’s no way I’m letting them do karaoke together again. I’d like to still be able to hear myself think in the morning.
“Aren’t you glad our girls became besties?” Saint asks, rocking my shoulder with his as he shuffles his chair my way.
I grunt, but my lips flicker.
Truth is, I am glad.
Hendrix needed Theo in her life.
Pretty sure if I asked Saint, he’d say the same for Theo too.
Neither of them has a lot of friends outside of us.
Between Theo’s dance lessons, and Hendrix being tucked away here at uni, most of their free time is spent with just us guys, in Carter’s garage while we spend our weekends finishing up our EP in the hopes of getting signed soon.
Hendrix has never once complained that her closest friends are all men, but I see how much brighter she shines when Theo is around too.
Our girls bow to a chorus of whistles and cheers.
I snatch up my beer and drain it, never taking my eyes away from Hendrix as she bounds across the room towards me.
She pauses about a metre away, a bright grin splitting her face.
Then she jumps and launches herself at me.
My chair rocks back as she lands in my lap, wraps her arms around my neck, and crushes her lips to mine.
I grip the edge of the table to hold us steady.
Her tongue brushes the seam of my lips. The tequila she shot before going up still lingers on her tongue as she pleads for entrance.
I’m remiss to stop her.
I curl my hand around her hip, my mouth opening enough for her to slip through.
Her tongue tangles with mine and she moans into my mouth. My jeans tighten. Her eyes pop open. She sinks deeper into my lap, shivering.
I shake my head, smirking as fire licks up my spine. “Not here.”
“Fine.” She pouts against my lips, then grins as I press her flush to my chest. “Did you like my singing?”
I pinch my lips closed as Saint snorts into Theo’s hair.
Hendrix spears him with a glower, before looking back at me with glazed, hopeful eyes.
Pretty sure my options are to lie and live happily ever after with my girl, or tell the truth and never get laid again. I go for something in between. “It was really something, baby. You’ve got some lungs on you.”
“Really?” Her nose crinkles.
“Really.” I thump Saint’s thigh as more laughter spills from him. “You and Theo were brilliant up there.”
“Brilliantly bad,” Saint shouts. Theo’s lips wobble and he instantly sobers. “No. No. I mean brilliantly, badly brave?” He spins to me, eyes pleading for help.
I prop my head on Hendrix’s shoulder, and a smug grin curves my lips.
He got himself into this mess. He can figure his way out.
“You were amazing, love.” He plants kisses on every inch of her face. “Best singer ever, wifey.”
“I think you’re lying.” She turns away with a huff.
Hendrix’s shoulders shake.
She rests her head right over my heart. “If they aren’t divorced before they hit their one-year anniversary, it’ll be a miracle.”
I slide a hand into her hair. “Nah, they’re gonna make it. Even if they eloped on a whim at eighteen.”
“What makes you so confident?”
“Because they love each other. Almost as much as you and I do.” I tug her hair and tilt her head backwards until we’re eye to eye. “This kinda love? It’s a forever thing, baby.”
“Always and forever?”
I steal a kiss. “And even after that.”
She purrs, her fingers tangling in my hair.
“I missed you,” she says.
“It’s been like a week.” I chuckle. She purses her lips, and I back pedal quickly. “I missed you too.” Truth is, it’s not a lie. Every time we part after a visit, time seems to go slower in between the next. “But it’s almost summer, and we’re gonna have all that time together, just the two of us.”
“Hey!” Theo shouts, slamming her glass on the table. “You aren’t stealing my best girlfriend for weeks on end. You have to share, friend.”
I stick my tongue out at her. “I regret introducing you two to each other.”
“No, you don’t.” Theo smirks, leaning back into Saint’s chest as he wraps his arm around her waist. “You’re glad it’s me and not Elaine the fucking pain.”
“Elaine the pain.” Saint jerks up from where he’s kissing Theo’s shoulder. “Whatever happened to her?”
“Why do you care? You wanna get on the bus with her?” Theo deadpans, her eyes glassier with each sip of her cocktail. “God, I should knee you in the balls all over again.”
I laugh as Saint leans across and whispers in my ear. “Told you it was because I got off the bus with Elaine.”
I chuckle, shaking my head.
Static cuts through the air as another duo takes to the stage.
Hendrix snags Theo’s wrist and pulls her over to the empty chair next to us.
“You’re staying a few more days, right?” she asks her.
“Yes!” Theo does a shoulder dance. “We’ve got a rest week. And these two,” She hikes her thumb between Saint and me, “are in the garage all week recording. So, you’re stuck with me.”
“You know that means,” Hendrix says, wagging her brows.
Theo winks. “Shopping.”
“All the shopping.” Hendrix claps her hands.
“You’re not taking my card,” Saint gripes.
Theo snorts and waves him off playfully. “Baby, you’re poor. Your card is of no use to us.”