My lips curled. “Tomorrow. Next week. Next month.”
“We’ll make music, and we’ll make love,” the guitarist responded.
Abel twisted to look at us from my lap, his green eyes shining. “It’s the same thing, isn’t it?”
It was for the five of us. Music had brought us together, and in its boundlessness, we’d found that love had no limits, either.
Together, we’d pave our own path.
Together, we were infinite.
Epilogue
ADELINE
The clock tickedon the wall of my living room, one of the few pieces still left to pack in the dozens of boxes scattered throughout the house. I glanced at it when we returned from a quick lunch. “What time are they going to be here again?”
Cole came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist. “Five pm, darling. Staring at the clock won’t make it tick any faster.”
“Abel and Ezra are going to purr like kittens when they find out how badly you’ve missed them these past few days,” Silas said, walking by us and flicking my chin. “Their egos really don’t need the extra encouragement.”
“I just hope everything worked out okay in LA,” I muttered, nibbling on my bottom lip. “The two of them had a lot to handle in just over a week. I can’t imagine how they managed to find a house for all of us and sort everything out with the label in such a short time.”
“They were highly motivated to get it done so they could come back to you,” Cole said, tightening his hold on me. “Silas,” he called out to the guitarist who’d begun taping up a box across the room. “I feel like we didn’t make a point to enjoy this time as much as we should have.” His pressed a light kiss to my temple. “This is the last time we’ll have you to ourselves in God knows how long. Between packing up this house and wrapping things up at the studio, we haven’t spent enough quality time together.”
The last two weeks had been hectic, starting the day after the show at the Barnyard. Suddenly, there’d been a million decisions to make and things to do, and then Ezra and Abel had left with Barney to deal with things in LA, and I was still wrapping my head around my life changing overnight. The news about me joining the band hadn’t leaked yet. Bleeding Moonlight’s label was insisting we get my contract in order before going to the press. In a few hours, Ezra would be returning with the documents, and then all I had to do was sign it, and it would be official.
“You’ve seen me every single day,” I pointed out, craning my neck to look back at him.
“You know that’s not what he means,” Silas piped in, drawing my attention. His dark eyes narrowed dangerously, and my core clenched on instinct.
“You’ve slept here every night,” I shot back, trying to discreetly rub my thighs together. I knew if they saw, they’d pounce on me immediately. “That’s not enough for you?”
“Never,” Cole said behind me. I could hear the grin in his voice. His finger landed on my chin, and he turned my face until our lips met in a kiss that threatened to make me forget all about packing. “Good thing we have a few more hours left,” he purred, pulling away. “I have some compelling ideas on how we can make the time go by faster.”
I laughed lightly, twisting in his arms. “We need to finish here first. Good thing you’re highly motivated.”
He groaned, rolling his eyes. “Damn you for using my words against me.”
I left them in the living room and walked to the kitchen where a pile of bowls and plates were still waiting to be wrapped. Rays of sunshine splayed across the surface of the kitchen island, and through the open window, birds chirped, calling to each other before flitting away.
I got to work, tearing off pieces of coarse brown paper and wrapping it around the ceramics. Tonight, I’d be leaving this house forever. It had gone on the market last week, with the help of the real estate agent that had sold Silas his condo. I thought I’d be relieved to be rid of it, but now, in the remaining hours, a creeping nostalgia settled in my bones. I’d been raised here. Each room contained memories of my parents, of Molly, of a life that seemed so different from the one I had now. I’d cried, laughed, grieved, and loved in this house. And soon, another family would be doing the same.
I placed my hands on the counter and closed my eyes. I was saying so many goodbyes so quickly. In a few days, I’d be boarding a plane and moving to LA with the guys. Despite growing up in River Valley, I’ve never felt particularly fond of the town until now. That’s how it went, didn’t it? We took familiar things for granted until we were on the verge of losing them. Their beauty emerged suddenly, as if it were something new, but really, it was there all along. I thought back to the lights at the Tulson Estate gardens, the Crooked Stool in the early afternoons before it opened, Annie’s omeletes and red vinyl booths, Gravehurst Park’s solemn splendor during sunset…
A pair of strong arms wrapped around my waist.
“Cole, we can’t keep getting distracted,” I murmured. “The movers will be here in just a few hours.”
“Don’t worry, he’s moving the boxes to the garage right now.”
I whipped around, startled. “Abel.”
The singer smiled at me, his eyes dancing over my face. Hair pulled back in a low bun, two-day-old scruff, and barely noticeable bags under his eyes. He looked tired, but his expression radiated warmth as he tugged me closer.
“What are you doing here?” I asked. “I thought you wouldn’t be back for another few hours.”
“We wrapped up early and switched to an earlier flight. We didn’t want Silas and Cole getting too used to being alone with you,” he said with a smirk. “So Cole’s been distracting you, huh? I bet I can do a much better job than him.”
