Sean
When the concert ended, and the family waited at the front of the stage for security. The crowd started to disperse, and a few minutes later, two guards appeared.
“What’s this?” Blue asked, blueberry eyes held wide.
“Do you have backstage passes?”
They followed the guards to the gates and stepped past them.
“A little surprise,” said.
“You’ll love it,” Amelia assured her.
Blue tightened her grip on his hand, then grabbed his forearm with her other hand.
On stage, they spotted Axel having what looked like a heated fight with his manager Chaz. didn’t particularly care for Chaz—the guy was slimy—but he was a good manager.
“Oh my goodness!” Blue shout-whispered.
“That’s Axel.”
“Axel! Your family’s here,” one of the security guards yelled.
Bluebell whipped her gaze up to . “Family?”
smirked.
“Didn’t I mention? Axel’s my brother.”
She blinked at him but said nothing, and had to laugh. Blue always had something to say. Didn’t mean she always said it, though he was sure she wanted to, but this was the first time he thought he’d legitimately caught her off guard.
Axel waltzed up, changing his scowl into a smile as he kissed Nonna on the cheek, and gave Grandpa a hug. Then he charged toward .
absorbed the impact of Axel’s bear hug, never letting go of Blue’s hand, even when she tried to disengage.
“Hey, man, thanks for the bra,” said, pulling back.
Axel chuckled.
“You wore it well.” He turned his gaze on Blue.
“Who’s your friend?”
Blue stuck out her free hand.
“I’m Bluebell.”
“Good to meet you,” Axel said.
“ treating you well?”
“He’s the best,” Blue said.
“Though, he didn’t tell me you were his brother.”
“Typical.” Axel put a hand to his heart.
“Are you embarrassed of me?”
“Always.” laughed.
Blue glanced from one brother to the other.
“I should’ve seen the family resemblance.”
“They all look alike, don’t they?” Nonna said, her delicate hands clasped in front of her again.
Blue nodded, her gaze landing on a bit longer than his brother, and then she yanked her gaze away.
“I’m a huge fan of The Venturists.”
That statement might have intimidated him earlier in the week—maybe even yesterday before she’d called to accept—but now it didn’t.
“She is.” grinned.
Don pointed toward Chaz, sending everyone glancing in that direction. Chaz stood with the band, glaring in Axel’s general direction.
“What’s his problem?”
“He wants me to do an underwear commercial.” Axel rubbed the back of his neck as his face turned beat red.
“You told him no, right?” Gramps asked, sending a death glare in Chaz’s direction. It worked too, Chaz’s own glare turned into horrified shock, then he turned his back to them and slowly moved into a conversation with the rest of the band.
“Of course I did.” Axel sounded exasperated.
It never ceased to amaze just how shy Axel was for a guy who wore such tight leather pants and shirts. He was a rock star but felt no thrill at having underwear thrown his way, or women for that matter. He obviously took after Grandpa in that way.
couldn’t help but pester him. He shot his hand into the air.
“I’ll do it.”
Axel shoved his shoulder, a gleam in his eye.
“Come off it.”
lifted his shirt, showing off his rock-hard abs.
“Seriously, look at this. I’d be a great underwear model.”
Blue perked up at his side.
“I totally had that thought about you the other day!” She laughed.
“Really?” felt heat rushing to his cheeks. Normally only Nonna had the power to make him blush. What the heck? He smiled anyway. Had to play it cool. He cleared his throat.
“Someone’s got to man up and strip.”
“Oh, for the love,” Gramps muttered under his breath, making laugh. He didn’t miss that Blue was laughing right alongside him.
Axel’s knowing gaze shot between them. harassed Axel, now Axel was going to return the favor.
“I don’t know if you can handle it. Being a model isn’t all it’s cut out to be.”
“Like you’d know,” said, pointing to the large band poster that hung at the side of the stage.
“You’ve done, what? One photo shoot?”
Axel groaned as he pulled his phone from his back pocket. How it fit in such tight pants, couldn’t guess.
“Closer to two dozen.” Huh. That was new information.
“There’s weird hours, fasting, water fasting, oiling, primping, and pampering that doesn’t really feel like pampering more like torture.” He held his phone up and started punching through it with his thumb.
“I’m man enough.” puffed out his chest.
“Not if you keep eating Nonna’s pastries,” Gramps said.
“I love Nonna’s Cannoli!” said, affronted.
“Fasting?” Blue said.
“Ugh. I could never. Especially not if I had to give up a Cannoli.”
“Same,” Nonna said.
“Anytime you want a Cannoli, I’ll make one for you.”
“Really?” Blue’s face fell for just a moment, like she was shocked.
“Of course!” Nonna grabbed her arm.
“The boys love my baking.”
This time, grinned for real, then turned back to Axel and pointed at his phone.
“What are you doing? I do not want to see naked photos of you.”
Axel’s phone started to ring and he held it out.
“I’m calling Johnny.”
dropped his head back.
“Oh, come on!” He didn’t need them both haranguing him.
“Who’s Johnny?” Blue asked.
“Our brother,” said as he wiped his hand down his face.
Johnny answered.
“Missed me already?”
“You know it, brother,” Axel said.
“’s going to take my underwear modeling job. You want to write the ad copy for it?”
Nonna leaned closer to Blue.
“Johnny’s a writer.”
Blue nodded.
A snarky laugh came through the phone.
“I don’t write ads for Batman Underoos.”
Blue snorted.
stepped forward and spoke into the phone loud and clear to be sure Johnny could hear him.
“Hey, I do not discriminate between superheroes. Any would do.”
Blue perked up.
“What about Archie? Or Rugrats? Or Mickey Mouse? They’re popular Underoo characters.”
Axel pointed at her.
“She has a good point.”
“Who’s that?” Johnny asked, sounding a little too eager.
“That sounds like a girl.”
“That’s Bluebell,” Nonna said.
“’s date.”
“Nice to meet you, Johnny,” Blue said, waving a hand in front of the screen that was currently aimed up at the rafters. He might be able to see up Axel’s nose, too.
“Let me see her!” Johnny demanded.
“So, Rugrats?” Blue asked.
glanced down at her. She had a totally straight face, wide-eyed innocent look. knew better. Two could play at this game.
“Nope, no way. I’m talking manly underwear only.”
“What about Bob the Builder?” Blue batted her lashes at him.
“Well, he can build anything, so yes.” He folded his arms.
“Great, now there’s two of them.” Gramps rubbed at his eyes.
Nonna looked at Grandpa.
“I know, they’re the cutest.”
had to agree, he felt pretty dang cute with Blue. He loved this banter. It was fun.
“Could we change the topic?” Gramps asked.
Blue narrowed her eyes at , and faced him straight on, folding her own arms.
“How about Wonder Woman?”
scrunched his nose. Okay, maybe she’d bested him.
“I said manly .”
“She’s hot,” Johnny said from the phone.
“Isn’t she? Aim the phone at her so I can see.”
“Do you have a problem with a woman in your pants?” Grandma asked.
A passing stagehand came up short, eyes bulging in their direction.
“Amelia!” Grandpa said, more shocked than anything. Nonna was the only woman/person who’d ever been able to embarrass Gramps. Even if she didn’t know she was doing it.
Johnny started laughing hysterically over the phone.
“She’s seventy-six,” Axel explained to the worker, with yards of thick cable wire rolled over his arm. He’d come to a complete stop and seemed to be settling in for the rest of the conversation.
’s face heated up like he’d just been struck with a nuclear missile.
“Nonna,” Axel said, lowering his voice.
“I don’t think that means what you think it means.”
“Girl power. Get with the times.” She nudged Don with her elbow. We’ve been married for fifty-five years and he still hates it when I hang my bras over the shower rod.”
Yep, Nonna had totally missed the entendre. Thank goodness.
But Blue held her cool, stepping closer and lifting her little chin which had a dimple in it.
“Okay, how about Elsa?”
“No!” barked at the same time as Gramps, Axel, Johnny, and the stagehand, who seemed to pucker up a bit before finally racing off.
stepped closer to her this time, now their forearms were touching where they had them folded over their chests.
“Freezing powers don’t belong down there,” he lowered his voice.
This time, Blue did burst out laughing, bent over, and rested a delicate and cool hand on his bicep. It sent a thrill up his spine.
“Seriously, Axel, I gotta see this girl,” Johnny snapped.
“Quit yanking the phone around.”
“Gotta go,” Axel said.
“No, just one look at her—” Johnny’s voice cut off abruptly.
Oh, you will . If had his way, she’d never slip out of his grasp.
Blue straightened up, and arched one brow at her.
“Have something to say?” he asked.
“I can’t remember the last time I had this much fun.” She wiped tears from her eyes.
Nonna stood taller as she clutched onto Grandpa’s arm.
softened.
“Glad we could be of service.”