Page 78 of After Midnight

Both women light up at that.

“Oh, you’re going to love it,” Jordan says. Then she twists her mouth to one side and adds, “If you like LGC’s music, that is.”

“I never used to listen to them,” Nora admits, glancing away as she tucks a strand of hair behind her ear, her engagement ring catching the light. “But it grows on you.”

“I like their stuff,” I say, then add, “especially the drummer.”

They exchange smiles, and Jordan says, “They go on at eight.” She lifts her hand and checks her Apple watch. “Which means we have an hour and a half until we need to wrap it up here.”

“I’m going to grab something to eat,” Nora says. “Do either of you want anything?”

“Something to drink would be great,” Jordan says. “The fruitier, the better.”

“Got it. How about you, Remi?”

“I’ll take whatever.” I shrug. “I’m not picky.”

“Okay.” Nora gives me another one of those small smiles, then starts to back out of the tent. “And thank you again.”

“Of course.”

She vanishes back out into the early-evening sun, and I return to the stack of clipboards and interest forms waiting to be sorted.

An hour and a half. Then I’ll get to see Seb play onstage for the first time. And I find that I’m a lot more excited for it than I thought I was going to be.

chapter 35

Remi

THE SUN IS SINKING TOWARD the horizon, casting long shadows across Palisades Park as we work to wind down the charity event before the concert begins. A few volunteers are gathering the dogs and loading them into Wag vans, which have cold AC blowing to keep the pups cool. Other volunteers are working to take down folding tables and store them in the small utility trailer parked nearby. Jordan, meanwhile, is organizing and putting away the last of the paperwork. Nora and I are helping to load up the signs and dog toys and everything else scattered around the tent, but we both look up when Jordan says, “I can’t believe it.”

“What is it?” Nora asks.

Jordan grins. “We raised enough money today to cover expenses until winter. And we got a ton of adoption applications.”

My mouth turns up in a smile. “That’s awesome.”

Nora adds, “Which dogs are the applications for?”

Jordan double-checks her paperwork. “Isis, Yuki, Poppy, and Juniper. And all the puppies.”

“I’m so happy for them. I hope it works out.” Nora is clutching one hand to her chest, and she looks kind of like a little kid trying to wish on a star.

“We’ll have to do interviews and home visits, but I’ve got a good feeling about it.” Jordan puts the last of the paperwork away. When she’s done, she holds up her hand to check her watch and says, “Show starts in fifteen. We’d better get over there.”

The three of us leave the Wag tent, and as Jordan gives a few last instructions to her volunteers, I cast my gaze out over Santa Monica Beach and across the glittering ocean. It stretches for as far as my eyes can see, shimmering in the setting sun.

Like a mirage, I think briefly. Almost like I brought the desert here with me. It makes me smile to myself.

We follow the flow of people toward the big stage, and on the way, I spot a beer truck and say, “Hey, you guys want a drink? I’ll buy.”

They both nod, and I weave through the crowd and step up to the window, ordering three cold Blue Moons, then return to the women where they’re waiting for me. Nora is looking anxiously toward the stage, like she’s getting antsy that we’re not there yet.

“It’s packed,” I say, then lift the beer and take a deep drink. It was so warm in that tent, the cold beer feels amazing going down my throat.

“We’re definitely going to be stuck at the back,” Jordan says. Then she glances at Nora. “Unless you want to watch from backstage?”

But Nora shakes her head. “No. I prefer watching from the crowd.” She meets my eyes. “It’s a better experience that way.”