Chapter Thirty-Eight
Caleb
Just under a year has passed since my accident and since Indi and I finally found our way back to where we belong.
We’ve kept our relationship quiet, though. Only our families and Kenzi know we’re together. It’s safer that way. The less the paparazzi know about Indi, the less chance they have to turn her life into a living nightmare again.
So we’re careful.
Very careful.
Most of the time, Indi works while I’m performing, which means she can’t make many concerts, even if she wanted to. But soon Staked is heading out on a six-month tour with 12GAUGE-Slayed, and honestly? That’s going to test us in ways we haven’t experienced yet.
Especially considering we spend almost every second together whenever we can.
Indi eventually moved back into her old place next door to Mrs. Latham, but she’s constantly at mine, and I’m constantly getting taxis to hers.
We’ve basically been living together unofficially for months anyway.
Which means going from seeing her every day to barely seeing her at all for six months is going to be rough as hell on both of us.
And if I’m honest, I think I’m more worried about missing her than the actual tour itself.
Not that I’d ever admit that out loud to the guys.
Sasha thankfully disappeared completely after everything that happened. Indi and I had a massive conversation about her months ago, and Indi made her feelings painfully clear. If I’m photographed anywhere near Sasha while I’m touring, Indi won’t hesitate to walk away from me permanently.
Not because she thinks I’d sleep with Sasha. She knows I wouldn’t. But she also knows Sasha is dangerous when it comes to us, and after everything Indi’s been through because of her, I don’t blame her for drawing that line in concrete.
Honestly, I drew the same line myself.
If Sasha appears anywhere near me, security removes her immediately.
End of story.
There’s no way I’m risking Indi for anyone. Especially not for a psychotic groupie who nearly destroyed my relationship.
Thankfully, Sasha hasn’t been seen or heard from in almost a year, so hopefully that nightmare is finally over.
Meanwhile, Staked’s popularity has exploded. The venues we’re playing now are insane compared to where we started, and every concert somehow feels bigger than the last. The crowds scream every lyric back at us, and every time I walk onstage now, I still get that same rush of disbelief.
I wish Indi could be there more often to see it.
I’ve told her a hundred times she should quit nursing and come on tour with me permanently, but she always says the same thing. ‘She needs to help people. She needs to feel useful. She needs to make a difference.’
And I have to say, that’s one of the reasons I love her so much.
Being the girlfriend backstage while I performed under bright lights was never going to satisfy Indi in the long term. She needs a purpose beyond me. Beyond us.
So I support her completely.
Even if it means I’m going to miss her like fucking crazy.
We leave for the tour in two days, and today we’re heading into Oxfordshire for a pre-tour meeting with everyone. Apparently, there’s also another band joining us for part of the tour from America, so hopefully they’re not complete dickheads.
Indi’s driving, and over the last couple of days, she’s definitely been quieter than usual.
“Baby, are you okay?” I ask gently. “I can cancel the tour if you want me to stay.”
Her head snaps toward me so fast I nearly regret saying it. “Are you kidding?” she asks incredulously before turning back toward the road. “Absolutely not! You are not canceling a six-month international tour because I’m emotional about missing you.”
I rest my hand on her knee. “I’m gonna miss you too.
” Her fingers tighten slightly on the steering wheel.
“But we’ll make it work,” I continue. “Whenever we get time off, I’ll fly home to see you, or you can fly out to me if you’ve got a few free days.
We’ll FaceTime, text, call… whatever we need to do. We’ll figure it out.”
She glances sideways at me and smiles softly. “I know we will. I always knew this would be part of being with you.” She exhales quietly. “I just didn’t realize it would hurt this much watching you leave.”
God, hearing that nearly wrecks me.
“I’m coming back to you,” I promise firmly. “Every single time, I’m coming back to you.”
She smiles again, but this time there’s sadness behind it.
“And when I come back…” I continue, “… I want us to stop pretending we don’t basically live together already.” Her eyebrows lift slightly. “I know I keep proposing and terrifying you,” I tease, earning a laugh from her. “But since marriage keeps getting me rejected, how about something smaller?”
She narrows her eyes suspiciously. “What are you plotting?”
“Move in with me properly.” That gets her full attention instantly.
“If you don’t like my place, we’ll find somewhere together.
Somewhere that’s ours. But this constant back-and-forth between houses is driving me insane.
When you were staying with me after the accident, everything just felt…
right.” I squeeze her knee gently. “So no ring this time. Just a domestic living arrangement proposal. What do you say?”
To my complete shock, she smiles immediately. “I’d love that.”
I blink at her. “Wait… really?”
She laughs softly. “Yes, Caleb. I want to live with you.”
I grin so hard my cheeks hurt. Internally, I’m basically throwing confetti around my brain. “Well damn,” I mutter proudly. “Who would’ve thought this strategy would work better than asking you to marry me every second week?”
She giggles and reaches down to lace her fingers through mine resting on her knee.
A short time later, we pull through the manor gates and into my usual parking spot, which technically belongs to Indi now, seeing as I’m still banned from driving for another couple of months.
Thankfully, by the time the tour ends, I’ll finally have my license back.
The second we climb out of the car, I groan dramatically. “Right, let’s go sit through another one of Colt’s inspirational speeches.” Indi laughs while taking my hand. “His speeches used to inspire me,” I state. “Now they just annoy me.”
She smacks my arm lightly. “Maybe if you actually listened instead of assuming you know everything, you might learn something.”
I gasp dramatically. “Excuse you?”
“Caleb, this is your first major international tour.” She points at me while walking beside me. “Colt has decades of experience. Stop being arrogant for five minutes and absorb the information.”
I bow my head theatrically. “Yes, ma’am.”
She rolls her eyes affectionately and squeezes my hand while we walk toward the front door together.
Indi
Dee answers the door with her usual bright smile and bubbly energy, which somehow makes everyone around her feel instantly welcome.
“Come on in, guys, everyone’s already here.
I made scones…” She pauses dramatically and gasps.
“Oh my God, I sound exactly like my mother.” She bursts out giggling while Caleb and I walk inside.
I laugh softly as she winks at me before we head down toward the music room, the heart and soul of this enormous house.
There’s always music somewhere inside these walls. Even when nobody’s playing, you can still feel it lingering in the air.
“Oh good, Caleb, you’re here,” Colt says the second we walk in. “Hey, Indi, it’s great seeing you again.”
“Hey,” I reply with a smile.
Caleb leans down and kisses my temple before heading over to sit beside Chad, while I move across the room with Dee and settle onto the white couch beside her.
“So as you all know, we leave for the world tour in two days,” Colt begins. “Well, technically we don’t leave immediately, seeing as the first stop is Wembley, but still, the tour officially starts…”
As Colt continues talking, my attention slowly drifts. Looking around the room, I take in all the people surrounding me. Legendary musicians, famous performers, rock royalty.
Including my boyfriend.
Sometimes it still hits me out of nowhere how bizarre my life is now compared to where I came from. Growing up, none of this existed for me. Not the music industry, not Oxfordshire manors, not world tours or platinum albums.
And yet here I am. Sitting in a room full of globally famous musicians while dating one of them.
It feels surreal sometimes.
Someone squeezes my hand gently, and I glance over to find Dee smirking knowingly at me.
“It’s all a bit overwhelming, isn’t it?” she whispers.
I laugh quietly and nod. “They’re all so talented, and I’m just…” I hesitate awkwardly. “A nurse.”
Dee immediately nudges my shoulder. “Just a nurse?” she repeats incredulously. “Indi, sweetheart, you literally save lives. That’s pretty heroic if you ask me.”
I smile softly. “That’s just training, though. What they do…” I glance around the room again. “It’s exciting. It’s talent.”
Dee’s expression softens like she understands exactly what I mean. “I know that feeling,” she admits quietly. “When I first got together with Colt, this whole world was completely foreign to me too. I didn’t know anything about rock music or touring or any of this lifestyle.”
She laughs softly under her breath. “It’s one hell of a ride, but trust me, it’s worth it.”
My eyes drift instinctively toward Caleb. He’s sitting with Chad, smiling brightly while arguing about something under his breath, completely relaxed and happy.
My chest tightens painfully, knowing he’s leaving in two days.
“How do you handle the touring?” I whisper.
Dee studies me for a second before standing up and tugging me gently to my feet. “Come on.”
I frown slightly but follow her out of the music room and down the hallway toward the kitchen.
“We can talk better out here,” she says. “Plus, I need coffee. You want one?” I nod instantly. “I hate whispering,” she mutters dramatically while reaching for the coffee machine. “Makes me feel like I’m conspiring to commit murder.”
I laugh quietly while leaning against the island bench.