Page 213 of Love Felt Like This

“Good,” I answer. Beverly nudges me, and I chuckle. “Very good.”

“A man of not many words.”

I huff out a laugh. “I’m honored. Truly.”

“He’s happy,” Ava chimes in, leaning toward the microphone.

“Oh?” The interviewer laughs. “Well, the internet is still talking about your tour. And I am so excited to finally meet the woman who inspired Bird in Hand! Beverly is here with you. So…how is all this going?”

Beverly and I exchange a look, then both laugh.

“We, uh, we’re still long distance sometimes,” I say. “Yeah, but we make it work.”

It’s been a whirlwind few months. Our second tour lasted four months, and I spent every minute thinking about Beverly. Around halfway through, filming for the new season of Birds on the Block ended, and she surprised me by flying out to our city. We spent the next couple of months floating from place to place, touring new destinations, and jumping between monuments and national parks. Occasionally she and Ava would sit backstage, so I could look over and see my daughter with her massive pink earmuffs bouncing up and down on Beverly’s lap with a giggling grin.

I stroke my thumb over Beverly’s hand. For once her nail polish is not chipped away from stress. All of us are getting more sleep nowadays.

“We’re actually traveling together next summer,” I say. “ ‘Bernie Goes Abroad!’ is making a comeback, so I’m taking a small hiatus, and we’ll be in Europe for a couple months.”

The interviewer gasps. “Is that after you write a third album?” She crosses her fingers and squeals.

I chuckle. “Yes.”

“Okay, let’s talk about that for a second. You’re at the peak of your career—”

“Christ, I hope not.”

“Sorry, you’re doing very well, yet you’re cutting back a bit. You’ve said there will be no tour until after the next album releases. Why?”

I smile at Ava. “I want to spend more time with my girls.”

The interviewer almost collapses on the spot. “That is so precious.” She sighs wistfully. “Wow. Well, good luck. And thank you so much for speaking with me.”

I walk away with Beverly’s hand in mine and Ava squirming in my arms.

“She’s nice,” Ava says.

“You’re also getting nicer, GP,” Beverly whispers.

I chuckle. “Only for you two.”

We walk up the stairs and into the cool building. We’re escorted to our table, and Ava makes a beeline for the guys once she spots them. Poe scoots out her chair. She hops on and kicks her feet back and forth under her poofy skirt with the ribbon tied around the waist. An even bigger one sits in her hair. Young children aren’t exactly permitted at award ceremonies unless they’re nominated themselves, but Jimmy found a loophole since Ava was technically featured on the album.

Poe grabs Beverly’s hands in his. “Beverly, darling, gorgeous as ever.”

“Back off, you,” I say with a grin, taking Beverly’s hands in mine again. Shimmering back is the engagement ring I gave her just a few months prior, when we were looking up at the northern lights, and beside that is the accompanying wedding ring I slid on her finger at the Grand Canyon. Under the stars, like I promised.

We order drinks before the ceremony starts, and Jimmy stops by our table to warn us about taking shots. Poe knocks one back in protest. Royce does, too, in solidarity.

Finally, the show begins. The comedian host comes out, cracks a few jokes about recent scandals and music videos—some land, some don’t, but overall, I’ve experienced worse. Eventually, the nominations begin, and my fist tightens under the table.

Teagan, an artist renowned for her crooning voice and equally anxiety-inducing buildup, presents the first of the final four awards. Fitting. She stands onstage in a flowing dress that I could see Beverly pulling off. There’s a small speech introducing herself, the weight of this first award, and finally—

“And the nominees for Song of the Year are…”

Beverly’s hand disappears under the table, and she links her fingers through mine.

We’re nominated in a few categories for our album Bird in Hand. Record of the Year and Album of the Year are up for grabs, but this first category is a good litmus test for how the rest of the ceremony will go. Plus, it’s for my favorite song on the album.