"Don't call me sweet right now. I'm mad at you."
"Why?"
"Because I thought you were suffering, and instead, you were talking about sports."
Tolliver grinned. "Did you want me to suffer?"
"Maybe a little," I grumbled, but when he pulled me in for another hug, I sighed.
"I thought of it as a rite of passage," he said. "Or whatever it is when you have run barefoot over hot coals or something. I knew it would be hard, so I came prepared."
Looking up at him, I tilted my head. "You're tougher than you look, Stone."
"You're worth it, Kent."
As he leaned forward to catch my lips, I felt like I could fly.
Aurora hurried over and said, "Did I miss it?"
My phone alarm chimed, the one I set to alert me five minutes before the performance, and I turned it off. "Nope, you're right on time. We're about to go on."
"Oh good. I didn't want you guys to be upset or think I wasn't coming."
"We wouldn't have been."
I nudged her with my elbow.
"Plus, this is nothing compared to playing sold-out shows with HERS."
"Performing will always be a little daunting for me. I'm not like you, Freya. You shine on stage."
"She does," Tolliver agreed.
"Thanks," I said, "but you do too, Ror."
She sent me a knowing smile. "Not like you. Even after the tour, I still have anxiety—it's just deeper down. Anyway…" She smiled at me and Tolliver. "How are you guys doing?"
"We're fine," I said, catching myself and looking up at him.
Tolliver and I had been awefor a while. But it was still weird sometimes, feeling the word fall from my lips. For his part, Tolliver merely arched a brow and laid a kiss against my hair.
"We're good," he echoed and smiled at Aurora. "It's nice to see you again."
"You too, Tolliver," she said.
I gestured to the makeshift stage. "The others are getting ready. I was about to head back."
Aurora nodded, and after giving Tolliver one last kiss, I walked away with her to get our instruments ready.
"Again, sorry I was almost late," she said.
"It's fine," I said.
"Felix and I got some surprising news that held us up."
"Where is Felix anyway?"
"The uncles caught him on the way in," she said.
