Chapter 55
Chapter Fifty-Five
Knox
T he last three hours were three of the best hours of my life. I felt unburdened.
Proud.
Confident.
It was beautiful.
After an extended encore, we unexpectedly became a jam band who didn’t know when to stop playing.
We didn’t want the night to end. Eventually, we took our final bows and walked off the stage and into the arms of the people we loved.
They left the suite during the encore so they’d be there waiting for us when the time came.
We hung out at MSG, where all the friends we’d made over the years celebrated with us for a good hour after the show.
After, we moved the party back to the hotel where Sean and Marie are hosting a party in their penthouse while the kids have a sleepover in Matt and Kristen’s room under grandparent supervision.
Ryan and I are staying in my smaller room, opting to give Ryan’s larger penthouse to Angus, Mia, Sawyer, and my mom.
Mom is on Sawyer-duty while we all go to the after-party.
Daisy and Owen each have their own rooms on another floor.
The only thing missing is Cal and Charlie, but with the baby due in the next three weeks, it isn’t safe for her to fly, and there’s no way my brother would leave her side. I wouldn’t want him to.
Ryan and I gently knock on Angus’s door on our way to the Messing’s penthouse. Mom opens the door with her finger held up to her lips and points over her shoulder toward the living room where Sawyer is dead to the world on the oversized couch.
“He was wide awake one second and out cold the next. It was a long day, but he did great,” Mom says, following us into the room.
“Thanks for watching him,” I whisper, pulling her into a side hug. “I appreciate it.”
Releasing her, I sneak to the couch and watch my little boy sleep.
One arm is behind his head, and his mouth is hanging open.
His cheeks are flushed pink and one pudgy little fist clutches onto his neon green headphones.
Several times during the first few songs, my eyes drifted to the suite where he was bouncing in the arms of whosever turn it was to hold him.
There was one moment I could have sworn he knew I was looking at him. He held his hand out, reaching for me.
Like he knew me.
Liked me .
Wanted me to be his.
As I kneel next to him, Mia and Angus enter the room. Suddenly, I’m aware everyone is watching me watch Sawyer, and a cloud of awkwardness hangs over us. Guilt washes over Mia’s face. Angus looks concerned and there’s no hiding the pity in Mom’s eyes.
But Ryan’s ray of light breaks through that cloud. Her gaze meets mine with a smile and a wink that says, he’s pretty cool, and holy shit, he’s yours.
Giving him one last look, I tear myself away, kiss Mom goodbye and the four of us leave.
The party is in full effect when we arrive.
Jay and Trevor are standing on the dining room table pouring tequila into each other’s mouths and multiple phones are recording the moment.
More of our long-time industry friends are here, as well as quite a few Hollywood darlings who we don’t really know, but who seem to be at every party worth being at, invited or not.
We weave our way through the crowded kitchen where the drinks are being poured, and naturally Daisy and Owen are hanging out.
Daisy’s face lights up when she spots me. “Hey, big brother! I thought it might be past your bedtime, and you weren’t coming.”
Wrapping my arm around her neck, I rub my knuckles across the top of her head. “Hilarious.”
“Hey, I’m thirty-three years old!” She swats me away. “How about for my birthday you let this childish behavior fade into the distance? Noogies are forever banned.”
“You’re not thirty-three yet.”
She taps her non-existent watch. “It’ after midnight. ”
And the worst brother of the year award goes to...
“Holy shit, Dais. I am so fucking sorry. I totally forgot. It’s your damn birthday and it’s been all about the band.”
“Nah, at this age, who really cares? I got to have a birthday lunch in the big city while you were working. It’s all good. It’s only been my day for the last 43 minutes.”
Hugging her, I apologize again.
“Don’t worry, your mom prepaid for her lap dance. She still has a birthday gift to open.”
Releasing my sister, I turn on my brother’s best friend. “Owen Swift, if you give my sister a lap dance... So help me God!”
Daisy saunters over to the counter Owen is leaning against. “I mean, if Mom paid for it, we don’t want her money to go to waste.” She rubs her hand down his chest, and I think I might be sick.
This is the way the two of them have always been. They are either glaring at each other or scheming to embarrass one of us. They make a frightening combination.
“I’m too old for this shit. Beer me,” I say to Owen.
He hands me a cold beer from the ice bucket next to him. “Seriously, though. I’m glad I could be here, Knox. I know Cal wishes he were here, too.”
“I know he does. And I’m glad you’re here too, Swift. Once I’m back in Goose Hollow, we’ll have to get a beer at Gus’s place.”
“I’d like that.”
Leaving the kitchen, Ryan and I venture into the sea of people filling the penthouse.
When we aren’t shaking hands or hugging our mutual acquaintances, we hold hands.
I’d have to be blind to miss the way men’s eyes roam over her.
This may be the band’s night, but she’s the damn star of the show.
She’s in a tight dark denim skirt, a crisp white tank, and red heels.
Her hair hangs loose in long waves and her smile.
.. Her smile is fucking radiant. She’s the hottest woman in a room full of the world’s most beautiful people.
Those that know her love her, and those that don’t wish they did.
People whisper when they see us kiss, but it’s not Ryan they’re jealous of. It’s me.
I get it, everyone. What is a vision like Ryan doing with me? I ask myself that every single day. I’m waiting for her to ask herself that same question. Until she comes to her senses, I’m holding on for dear life.
For the next two hours we drink and dance, have deep conversations about life and hug it out with friends old and new. At some point, Daisy and Owen left and Angus and Mia only stayed an hour. To be fair, we didn’t get here until nearly 1am. Most of the people remaining are strangers.
“What do you say we get out of here?” I whisper in Ryan’s ear.
“You sure? This is your night with the guys. I’m fine to stay as long as you want.”
“All I want is to be alone with you. And I don’t mean sex. I just want to be with you.”
Without another word, she takes my hand and doesn’t let go until she’s removing her clothes and climbing into bed. I meet her between the sheets, my mind racing with the same thing over and over, but I’m afraid she may not want the same thing.
“What would you say if I told you I didn’t want to wait to go home?”
“What do you mean? ”
“I think I want to fly back with everyone else. I don’t want to wait to start my new life. Will you come with me?”
“Like for the week, before you guys head to the rental house for siblings’ week?”
“Yes, please. However, I may pack you in my bag and bring you with me.”
“I think you’ll be fine for a week without me.”
“I really won’t. Last week is proof of that.”
“Are you sure you don’t want the week to yourself? Or to spend time with Sawyer?”
“I’m sure.”
“I have to finish my Hollow Knocks piece.”
She’s freaking out. I can see it in her eyes.
She’s trying to find reasons to stick to the schedule we agreed to earlier this week. I’m moving things up a month on her. But if I’m finally gonna face the town I ran away from twenty-one years ago, I’m gonna need her there like a kid needs their favorite stuffed animal to fall asleep at night.
“I hear there’s this quiet cabin on the lake where there are few distractions. A lot of writing could be done there. And the subject material would be on hand should you have questions.” I tuck her hair behind her ear, my fingers trailing down her neck.
“So, we’ll go back for a week, then I’ll come back to the city while you’re on your trip, then you’ll meet me here?”
“I’ll come back to get you, but I’m ready to make my move. I’ll grab some things from my place here and ship the rest to Oregon.”
“Really?”
“Really. So, what do you think? One more week with me and then you can fly home and get what I am sure is some much needed space from all of this,” I say, gesturing down my body.
“But you only get a week. After that, you’re mine.
” I hook my leg around her, my foot pressing into her luscious ass, pulling her to me.
My arms wrap around her and in a flash, I’m nuzzling her neck, bringing on a fit of giggles as Ryan squirms beneath me.
“Knox! Stop!”
“Say you’ll go home with me.”
“Can I stay hidden at your place and not have to see my parents?”
“You can stay at our place 24/7 if you like. However, there may be a horse at the ranch waiting for you to give her a name and take her for a ride.”
Her eyes go big and I’m not sure if it’s because I just called my house, our house, or if it’s about the horse. I purposely said both, ?hoping not to scare the shit out of her.
“Wait. What?”
“Surprise! You’re a mom!”
“Did you buy me a horse?” Her brow furrows.
Uh, oh. Is she pissed?
“I did. One for me and one for Sawyer, too.”
“Are you serious?”
My fingers linger up and down her spine as I brush a soft kiss against her lips. “I hope that’s okay?”
“Knox...”
“Ryan, your happiness and Sawyer’s are all that matter to me.
I know how much you love and miss riding.
So do I. My family has a ranch that had three empty stalls.
I thought I would fill those empty stalls.
” She opens her mouth to interrupt, but I press my finger to her lips.
“And because I now have my own horses that need to be taken care of, it makes sense for me to pitch in and help the ranch pay for another ranch hand. Mom needed help but couldn’t afford it. It’s a win-win for everyone.”
“Do you know how sexy your heart is?” She’s looking at me like I’ve hung the moon. I plan on doing whatever I can to keep that admiration on her face for the rest of my days.
Ignoring her compliment, I ask her something that has been eating away at me. “Who was your first celebrity crush?”
“You.”
“Me?”
“As a kid, I had posters of horses on my wall. The celebrity thing never really did it for me. At least not until I took a job with this band. My crush began the first moment the lead singer turned around and looked at me. I’ve been obsessed with him ever since.”
“Right back at ya, Ry.”