22. Cecelia #3
“The record label owns a private jet,” I argue. When he just keeps looking at me, I groan. “And we use it whenever we want. Happy now?”
He grins, sliding his hand down to squeeze my knee. “Very.”
Our eyes catch for a long moment and God, I wish we weren’t in public so I could kiss him right now. Like I said, there’s something about Solomon giving me shit that just makes me happy.
I realize that I’m looking at him with a dopey grin about a second before I realize that everyone at the table is staring at us.
I try to wipe the expression off my face, but it’s too late.
Vega and Jay look gleeful while Violet appears to be trying not to laugh.
“Not obsessed, huh?” Vega mutters, and I kick her under the table.
“As I was saying,” Cade goes on. “The parental units will not be at the concert. Which I figure is good for us. We can go to the afterparty and not get any grief if we want to get our drink on.”
“Or smoke,” Ash says, nodding. “Sweet.”
“You’re such a pothead,” Vega sighs and Ash flips her off.
“So are you guys coming?” Cade asks Jay and Solomon, completely clueless about the conversation me and the girls were having about my doubts just a few minutes ago.
“Oh.” Jay looks excited but I can tell he’s trying not to show it since he hasn’t actually been invited. “Uh. I’m not sure.”
“You should,” I say immediately. I’m feeling way less conflicted about this now that I know the parents won’t be there.
And Vega said we’ll be down quite a few cousins.
Sure, there will still be a shit ton of people.
And Will and Wyatt will probably come. But it somehow all feels like less of a big deal without my dad and uncles being there.
I squeeze Sol’s hand where it still rests on top of my knee. “Both of you. Emery too, if you want.”
“Seriously?” Jay asks. “That would be so cool, Ceece.”
“Of course. It’s going to be a fun night.”
“If we’re going to drink, we should probably arrange some cars,” Vega tells him. “Or we could make it a limo instead so we can all ride together.”
“Ooh, or a party bus,” Cade says while Jay looks like Christmas just came early. “Then we could pregame on the way.”
“I’m going to spend the entire night looking after drunk idiots,” Violet sighs.
“Hell yeah I’ll want to drink,” Cade says. “It’s the only way I can deal with all those assholes trying to get my sister to notice them when she’s on stage.”
Vega grins, just to fuck with him. “I don’t blame them. Lyric is so freaking hot when she wears leather pants.”
Cade groans. We all ignore him.
Solomon is quiet as the rest of them make plans for the evening. The longer we sit there, the more worried I get. He hasn’t actually said he wants to go. Does he feel pressured? Is he trying to think of a way to let me down gently?
Eventually, Vi announces she needs to get to class, which reminds Cade that he was supposed to be in Stats twenty minutes ago.
Such a model student, my cousin. I need to be at the soccer facility in half an hour, so I decide to head over now as our lunch group breaks up.
“I’ll walk with you,” Solomon says, and my stomach twists a little at the guarded sound of his voice. Is he upset?
He waits until we’re outside to bring it up. “It’s okay if you don’t want me to go,” he says and I almost trip over my own two feet in my surprise.
“What do you mean?”
He shrugs. “I just didn’t want you to feel like you had to ask us because we were sitting there when Cade brought it up.”
“I didn’t feel like I had to ask you.”
He studies me for a moment before turning his attention back to the path in front of us. “It’s okay if you want it to be just a family thing.”
“Solomon, I want you to come.” He stays quiet, and I can tell that I haven’t done anything to assuage his doubts. I sigh. “I was a little hesitant about it because I didn’t want you to feel pressured,” I admit. “The venue’s going to be loud and crowded, and I know that’s not really your thing.”
He stiffens. “I can handle some people and noise, Cecelia.”
Shit. I’m doing this all wrong. I stop, placing a hand on his arm, and I hate that he looks around to make sure no one noticed the contact.
I yank my hand back, stomach churning. “I know you can handle it,” I tell him.
“I just wanted us to talk it through before I asked in front of Jay and my cousins. Give you the chance to think about it.”
His expression softens, but he still seems tense. “I appreciate that. But I really don’t think it will be a big deal.” I can’t tell if he really means it, or if he’s just being defensive. He hates it when people treat him like he’s needy—is that what I’m doing?
I glance around to make sure no one is watching us, then take a step closer. “I want you to be there, Sol. I always want you to be where I am.”
His expression softens fully, and his smile finally looks genuine. “Then I guess we have a date at your brother’s concert.”
It’s hard to remember what I was worried about in the first place when he looks at me like that. So I smile back and say, “I guess we do.”