He nodded to me as his hands were occupied, but it was like a straight shot of adrenaline to my heart. The teenager inside me wanted to jump up and down and squeal, “Did you see that? That’s for me!”
God, he looked so incredible. The money this raised for the band...It was one thing to have the marching band perform, but The Burnouts playing would be...I couldn’t imagine. How had I missed all of this? Maybe in the weeks of moping, I might have missed something. It didn’t matter. Nothing else mattered. Just Leo. I would show him every appreciation possible.
The song ended after an incredible drum solo that made the crowd lose their minds.
“Thank you, Green Valley. It’s great to be back.” Vander wooed the crowd. “Thank you to Green Valley High School, my alma mater, for hosting us.” Cheers went up. “We look forward to a long future for the marching band. Proceeds from this show and a portion of our album releasing this summer will continue to support the programs. Thanks for coming out tonight. We’ve got a great show. But first, uh, wait, sorry. Hang on?—”
I had burst forth from my seat, rushing the band at full speed. I ran up to Leo, and he barely had time to realize I was heading for him before I tackled him off his stool.
Somewhere behind us, Vander was laughing.
CHAPTER 36
LEO
“Mari,” I gasped out her name as we both fell back into the grass. “You’re always tackling me.”
“Thank you. Thank you. This was too much. Thank you.” She straddled me in the middle of the field, her happy gaze moving over me.
“You’re welcome,” I said through her peppered kisses. The whole of Green Valley and much of the surrounding counties filled this stadium. I was vaguely aware of hoots and hollers from her students and the fans.
“I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you about Janice. I didn’t even think,” she said and kissed me.
“Mari,” I broke the kiss to say.
“I won’t ever do it again.”
“I know but?—”
“I’m sorry I kept myself so locked up. I was just afraid you wouldn’t choose me.”
“You don’t have to worry.”
“Sorry for not sharing about my family when you’ve been so open.”
“Mari, I?—”
“And sorry for tackling you. I couldn’t wait. I just couldn’t take another moment of you thinking I didn’t feel the same. I guess it was assumptive to think you did all this for me and not the band. Oh God. I just realized this could have only been for the school.” Her eyes grew wide as she spoke. “You’re so thoughtful and sweet and do things for everybody even when you grumble about it, but if this wasn’t for me?—”
I tugged her back to kiss her again. “It’s all for you, Mari. It always has been. Since the moment you showed up on my lawn.” I looked up at her. “I love you, Mari Mitchell. I will always be here. With you.”
“I love you, Leo.” Her eyes sparkled as she swallowed.
The crowd went absolutely wild.
“But just so you know, we have a few more songs to play. These people paid good money to see a whole set,” I said. “Though, really, how important is a drummer?”
She bit her lip, a flush spreading up her neck. “Okay. I guess I should maybe not be doing this in front of the students. I will never hear the end of this.”
“For years and years. It will be lore passed down to every new student. The time Miss Mitchell attacked the drummer.”
“I can only hope.” She had so much love in her eyes, and it was all I could ever want.
“I’m not done with you yet. Wait for me?” I asked.
She started to move off me. “Always.”
We finished the show, and it was the most fun I’d had in a while. I might not love touring, but I did love playing with this band. Vander and I made plans to meet up any time they passed through town, and I told Devlin I was available for drumming tracks anytime a band needed help. But more than anything, I just wanted to be in my garden with Mari and think about the rest of our lives.
