Chapter Twenty-three - A.J.
Thursday, waiting for love, waiting for love
Thank the stars it's Friday
I'm burning like a fire gone wild on Saturday
Guess I won't be coming to church on Sunday
I'll be waiting for love, waiting for love
Waiting for Love – Avicii
We land in Boston a little over an hour after takeoff.
Alexandra lifts her head from my shoulder, and I pretend my heart doesn’t skip a beat at the excited smile on her face. It had been months of calm, easy friendship before our first real fight. And the fact that it happened because Alexandra got jealous?
It made me feel way better than I’d ever admit out loud. I smile back, and even though I loved seeing the anger and desire in her eyes yesterday, the best thing that could’ve happened to us was going back to normal.
So normal that, even after unbuckling our seatbelts, Alex rests her head on my shoulder again to wait until we can leave the plane.
The only problem with this so-called “back to normal” is staring at me from the plane window.
My reflection.
There’s a smile on my face – not a weak one. A dumb, giddy one. And the way I kiss the top of her head? Well, that’s not how a relieved friend acts after patching things up with another friend. That’s the kind of move a guy makes when he likes being around a girl. When he likes talking to her.
When he likes her.
And every now and then finds himself wondering what it’d be like to kiss her.
Yesterday, in that room, I slipped into the fantasy she painted when accusing me to be making out with Brittainy. But it wasn’t Brit with me, it was Alexandra. Not the massage therapist in a white uniform and construction worker hands, but the girl in oversized hoodies and a messy bun.
I wanted to hold her, kiss her, touch her. Not to turn it into a thing or make it a habit. Just to know if she tastes the way I’ve been imagining since the night of her show.
“Can’t wait to see everyone again,” Alex says, pulling me back to reality. “At the same time, I don’t know how it’s going to be, seeing everyone again.”
“We’re going to Guilherme’s house, Alexandra …”
“Yeah, but I don’t know if there’s gonna be some weird vibe now that…”
“You live with me?” I cut in, with a grin— and she shoots me a glare.
“They were always teasing us… and now…”
They are, in fact, giant idiots who’ve been talking crap about us nonstop.
“Don’t overthink. Everyone’s excited to see you.”
“Yeah, but there’s Dani…” she says, uneasy.
“Daniele’s going to love you,” I promise.
“And Bia…”
“That’s where I can’t help. I’ve never really understood why you two drifted apart.”
Alex frowns, looking at me like I’ve just committed a crime.
“I didn’t drift. Her dad died, and Beatriz shut the world out. I couldn’t keep chasing her forever.”
“Well,” I shrug, standing up as the flight attendant gives us the green light to disembark, “you’ve got the whole three-month tour to work it out. I hope it doesn’t take long, though.”
“Why not?”
“You know. It’s bad for the band when my girl is fighting with Guilherme’s girl,” I say with a wink, dragging my tongue across my bottom lip. Her jaw drops. Alexandra closes her eyes and takes a deep breath.
“I’m going to throw you out of this plane, Anthony!”
***
She didn’t throw me out of the plane. And forty minutes later, we pull up in front of Guilherme’s house. The moment the car stops, a song in Portuguese blasts from inside, our official welcome.
“My favorite thing about this house — and now, about Brazil in general — is this mix of chaos and comfort,” I say as Hammer steps out of the car behind us, scanning the area. We’re in a posh gated community, but my bodyguard insists it’s necessary.
“I expected nothing less from the place where the chaotic Vicious Bonds meets,” Alexandra jokes.
“And what’s with that fake little smile, huh?”
“What fake smile?” she asks, stepping away from me — but my hands find her waist, tickling her.
“Okay, okay, stop! You know, A.J...”
“God, I already told you, Dani’s going to love you,” I remind her, throwing an arm across the back of her seat.
“You only say that because she loves you,” she shoots back with a sharp look, just as Hammer returns to the vehicle and signals we’re good to go.
“I’m just the other friend, and I don’t want her thinking I’m here to steal her spot or something,” she adds as we climb out of the car.
Outside, she slips into my arms, the cold always catches her off guard and freezes her in place. Doesn’t matter if it’s five below or a mild sixty degrees.
“Don’t stress about Dani, my heart’s big enough,” I say, tapping the intercom. Alex pulls away just long enough to elbow me, then grabs onto me again.
“I’ll freeze out here!”
“No, you won’t. We’ll find you more layers. And if everyone’s out back — which they probably are, judging by the music blasting from inside — you can wear one of those knee-length coats.”
“Finally!” Dani opens the door with a huge grin, wearing one of her classic tops — this one says Small boobs, big heart .
I don’t even laugh. I’m used to it. But Alexandra shoots me a glance and barely holds back a laugh.
“Guilherme said you’d be here this afternoon.
I was about to go pick you up myself,” she says, wagging a finger in my face — and that’s all it takes for Alexandra to slip out of my arms faster than I’d like.
“And you must be the famous Alex!” she beams, turning to the girl now shrinking under all the attention.
“‘Famous’ is a bit much...” Alex gives a shy smile — but it’s not enough to stop Dani from pulling her into the house.
“Where’s Elvis? He used to come greet me at the door,” I say, peering around for their dog.
“He’s by Richard’s side, as always,” Dani says with a dreamy smile.
“So, how was traveling with this guy?” She slings an arm over Alex’s shoulder, and Alexandra forces a smile, throwing me a look that screams save me.
I raise both hands. Dani’s like that and I warned her.
“A.J., you know...” Alex says over the music, sarcastic. “Nothing about him is normal.”
“Right? A.J. is always doing the unexpected...” Dani glances back over her shoulder.
“Like when he promises, ‘I won’t do that, Dani,’ or ‘I’m not crossing the continent to see her show, Dani’ — and then does exactly that.”
I feel Alexandra tense up in her hug.
“We’re here!” I announce, cutting off Daniele’s attempt to embarrass her further.
A chorus of “Wow!” rings out for a few seconds, and Alexandra and I laugh.
“Back here!” Thomas yells over the chaos. I take Alexandra ’s hand, gently pulling her away from Dani, and she gives me a grateful look.
We found Thomas, Rick, Gui, Bia, Mr. Carlos, and Guilherme’s mother—whose name always escapes m e _ gathered out back. Thanks to the half-wall and the covered patio, it’s warmer here despite the cold.
Before I can say anything, the smell of Brazilian barbecue — one of my favorite foods on Earth — hits me and I start salivating just as everyone gets up to greet us.
Guilherme, closest to the door, is the first to hug me. He shakes my hand, then pulls me in for a hug. Beatriz does the same with Alexandra.
“You need a bigger coat and some gloves. Look at your nose, it’s all red,” Bia says, gently brushing Alex’s cheek. “I missed you. Not just now — I’ve missed you,” she adds a bit embarrassed.
“I missed you too,” Alexandra replies, awkward but sincere.
Before things get heavy, Guilherme pulls his girl to his side, freeing Alex for the rest of the greetings.
Americans and Europeans aren’t big on hugging, but ever since the reality show ended and the basement of this house has become our rehearsal base, Brazilian customs became our customs and even Richard, the most proper Brit I know, hugs me — and I can’t help hugging back, missing it more than I realized.
“You two look great together, man. Congrats,” he whispers, dead serious. I step back and swallow my smile.
“Cut it out, Richard. There’s nothing going on.”
Elvis gets up, tail wagging, and barks at Richard in my defense.
“Oh… Okay. Not yet,” he says. “But you can talk to me when it happens.”
“A.J., I’m stealing your girl for a second. She needs a warmer coat,” Daniele announces, gesturing to the other side of the table. “You sit right there, next to me.”
Then she disappears inside with Alexandra in tow — Beatriz following behind.
“Did you sleep with me?” Carlos yells the kind of mock outrage only a Brazilian dad would throw at someone who walks in and forgets to say hi – and right on cue, Sol smacks him hard on the arm.
I burst into laugh while Guilherme walks me over to the barbecue, and I realize his mother doesn’t speak English.
“Hey, man. All good?” I greet him in the Rio slang Alex taught me on the flight.
“I really don’t know what to do with you,” Carlos laughs, throwing an arm around me in that classic one-armed dad hug Guilherme warned me about.
“Babe, this is ‘A.J.’ — Dani’s best friend.”
“He’s telling mom that,” Guilherme starts, but I shut him up with a hand.
“Nice to meet you. I’m your daughter’s best friend,” I say in Portuguese, making it very clear both my Brazilian girls have been teaching me well.
“Best friend, huh?” Sol reaches out to shake my hand.
“Relax, he likes men,” Carlos says as if that’s the only reason he’s letting me near his daughter.
“I also like men, Mr. Carlos,” I reply — broken, clumsy Portuguese and all — but it makes Solange relax.
“But Dani is just my friend, ma’am. Can I give you a hug?” I ask, and her smile widens.
“It’s so nice to finally meet you. Dani always talked about you… it’s good to see you in person.”
“And did she talk about me nicely or not?” Sol jokes as we pull apart.
“With love and admiration, you were an excellent mom,” I say, and Guilherme corrects me on the pronunciation of the Portuguese word ‘excelente’ because it’s different from ‘excellent.’
“He’s learning, son,” Sol chides him gently.