Chapter 52
CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO
Lucy
Three months later
By the time Nash wrestles the room-service tray onto the low table at the foot of the hotel bed, my stomach is growling loud enough to compete with the birds outside our balcony.
Perth feels like a dream—bright sun, crisp breeze, a city that sparkles with goodness.
Thankfully, we had a three-day break between shows here, so we’ve been able to explore.
This morning, we’re having family “dinner” with the Kincaids via video call, something we’ve tried to make happen every time we’re in one place long enough.
“Okay,” Nash mutters as he props up the tablet on a pillow, “I see now why Grayson and Gideon don’t always manage to call in. Having dinner at eight in the morning while coordinating multiple time zones is weird.”
“Yeah, but it’s good too,” I say, leaning in to kiss the spot beside his mouth. “Getting to see everyone. Even if it is breakfast for us, dinner for your mom and Bennett, lunch for Grayson, and… whatever meal Gideon pretends to eat while sitting on some random detail he can’t talk about.”
“I guess we’ll call it weirdly good,” Nash responds with a smile. “Kind of like everything that’s happened since I met you.”
The screen flickers. Then—
“Hellooooo, Perth!” Nora Kincaid’s voice bursts through, warm and musical.
Behind her, her dining room is chaos. Beautiful, joyful chaos.
Not only is Bennett there, but the Holidays are as well—Simon, Violet, and all four of their adult children.
The table is laden with dinner made by Nora and dessert from Simon and Violet.
They’re all talking and laughing while Beau’s tail thumps loudly from somewhere under the table.
My heart aches to see all these people I’ve come to love. Maybe, one day, we’ll try having a cyber meal with Mom and Dad. We’ve been talking more frequently and it’s been good all around.
Another box pops onto the screen—Grayson, hair a chaotic mess, hoodie half-zipped, holding a burrito the size of his forearm. “Sup, losers. It’s burrito o’clock.”
A third window opens. Gideon, in his usual grayscale T-shirt, sitting in a rental car with pine trees behind him. He lifts a thermos and nods. “Evening.”
“Is that even food?” Nash asks.
“It’s coffee,” Gideon answers.
“Of course it is,” Grayson mutters and everyone laughs.
Nora lifts her glass toward the camera, grinning bigger than I’ve seen her. It’s rare that she’s able to get all her sons on a call at the same time, but to have her sister, brother-in-law, her nephews and niece show up too? The woman must be in heaven.
“I need to hear everything from everyone,” she says. “All the stories about what happened in your lives. Let’s start with Perth. How’s the tour? You have a show tonight and then you’re traveling again, right?”
“Yeah, we have to leave for the stadium in about an hour, and then we’ll load out tonight.” Nash grins, shoulders loosening. “But it’s good, Mom. Really good. Busy, but… good.”
I settle against him, letting his arm fall naturally around me.
The change in him has been measurable. He’s calmer.
More open. He’s building relationships with the dancers and crew and is really invested in their care.
And, oddly enough, has formed a solid friendship with none other than Sandro René himself.
Gone is the hard edge in his eyes, the quiet observer, the grumpy demeanor and in its place, there’s joy and openness.
Instead of isolation, Nash is making friends. His heart is open and it’s wonderful.
“We’re happy,” I say to the camera. “Really, really happy.”
A chorus of awws rises from Nora’s table like a flock of delighted birds.
“And you’ll never believe what happened in rehearsal the other day,” Nash says to the camera.
I elbow him. “You keep making such a big deal about this.”
“That’s because it is a big deal.” He clears his throat dramatically. “Okay. So during rehearsal, one of the backup dancers tripped coming offstage—”
“Someone left a costume in the wing,” I add.
“—and she went down,” Nash continues. “Like, full pancake. The entire backstage went silent. And before I even got to her, Lucy was already next to her, checking her knee, not just making sure she was okay, but actually checking the right ligaments and tendons, going through head injury protocol.”
Bennett makes a surprised face while Nora bobs her head like this is totally expected.
“I’ve been reading a lot of medical texts and paying attention when Nash works with the dancers. It’s not that big of a deal though.”
“What Lucy’s not saying,” Nash adds, “is that she handled it like she’s been doing this for years. She calmed the girl down, stabilized the joint, got her breathing under control. Everyone was staring at her like she’d descended from the heavens.”
I nudge him again. “You’re exaggerating.”
“Not remotely,” he says.
Nora beams so brightly I swear I can feel it. “That’s my girl.”
My chest warms. She started calling me that shortly after Nash joined the tour and I have to admit, I love it.
Bennett wipes a fake tear. “Our little Lucy. Saving dancers. Changing lives.”
Grayson’s mouth curves into the faintest smirk. “I bet she has a better bedside manner than Nash.”
“Hey,” Nash protests while Gideon grunts in agreement with his twin. “I’m getting better about that.”
“And yet there’s still miles to go,” Bennett quips, lifting a glass to his lips with a smile while laughter bubbles up from all sides.
Once it settles, Nora leans close to her camera. “All joking aside… you two look peaceful.”
“We are,” I say softly.
“Do you think you’ve found a new calling?” Bennett asks. “Touring as a doctor?”
Nash squeezes my shoulder. “We’ve been talking a lot about what happens after the tour.”
Nash glances at me. It’s a small look. A soft one. The kind that makes my heart rise into my throat.
“Honestly,” I say. “For as much as we’ve loved this experience, we’re planning on coming home. Back to Stillwater Bay.”
The table goes silent. Even Beau stops thumping.
Nash continues, voice steady. “The tour’s been incredible.
And the med team’s great. But… being around the dancers, helping them with the small stuff, the major stuff…
it’s made me realize how much I miss actually caring for people.
Not in a system that burns you out. Not in a hospital that eats your soul. Just… helping. For real.”
Nora presses her hand to her heart.
“I want to open a private practice in Stillwater,” Nash says. “Family medicine. I want to be the kind of doctor who builds relationships with his patients. Who listens and helps them solve health problems that keep them from living their lives. I want to be what the world needs, not what it has.”
“You’d be amazing at that,” Simon says without hesitation.
“You’d be busy,” Violet adds. “People love you.”
“And fear him,” Grayson says. “A powerful combination.”
“Thank you,” Nash says, smiling. “I think.”
Then Nora’s gaze shifts to me. “And you, sweetheart?”
I lace my fingers with Nash’s. “I think I want to go to school for physical therapy.”
Heads bob. Eyebrows lift. Surprise dances around the faces on the screen.
“I love performing,” I say. “I always will. But watching Nash help the dancers on tour these past few months… it calls to me. In my chest. I feel… pulled. Going into physical therapy feels like building something that won’t fall apart the second one job ends.
Something where I can be good and helpful and useful to people in need.
And I’ve been talking a lot more with my parents and it’d be great to just be home, surrounded by family. ”
Nora’s eyes shine. “I’m so proud of you.”
Gideon lifts his thermos—his version of a toast. “To coming home.”
Grayson raises his burrito. “To Stillwater Bay.”
Nash squeezes my hand. I lift my water bottle.
“To family,” I whisper.
Nora’s voice goes soft. “To new beginnings.”