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“You look cute,” Matthew says as he eyes my new dress and boots I bought after our show in Billings last week.
“Thank you,” I reply with a smile. “Thought it was about time I spoiled myself a little bit from the money I’ve been making.”
The gigs we’ve booked have been paying pretty good, and it’s been a great feeling to be able to help my mom with some of the bills and take away the burden from her of paying for the things I need.
He leans over to give me a kiss again. “Well, you deserve it.”
As he pulls away from the curb, I reach over and turn on the air a little higher. The humidity is really starting to get thick, and I’m not sure if I’m ready for what today is going to bring, weather-wise.
“Forever After All” by Luke Combs comes on, and Matthew instantly grabs my hand, bringing it to his leg, holding it there. The song talks about how people say things don’t last forever and him trying to say they will.
Matthew does this every time the song comes on. It’s such a sweet gesture, and I want to hope it’s true, but lately, I just don’t see how we will possibly work.
He leaves for college next month and is still begging me to go with him. It’s not a far drive, and if I save up a little more, I’ll be able to buy a car, but for what? What would I do all day when he’s in school and playing baseball? I could be here, working with the guys and really seeing where our band could go.
Trent, Cole, and Nate have made it very clear they are all in. All of their parents are okay with them taking a year off of school to give it a shot as well. I feel I owe it to them to stay here and give this all we’ve got.
Matthew’s been supportive of it all, sitting front row at the few shows he’s actually been able to attend, but deep down, I know he’d rather me go off with him.
We pull up to Justine and Tucker’s place and hop out of the truck, him rushing to my side to hold my hand again as we head toward the front door.
We enter, and the best wave of cold air I’ve ever felt washes across us in a whoosh, taking me by surprise. “It feels amazing in here,” I say as I breathe in the cold air after feeling like I was dripping in a sauna from the short walk from the truck to the house.
Tucker comes around the corner. “What a pregnant woman wants, a pregnant woman gets.” Then, he leans in closer. “I’m just glad I can afford to pay the utility bill,” he teases before giving me a hug. “Hey, Hannah.”
I laugh at his antics. “Hey, Tucker. How is Justine hanging in there in this humidity, being so pregnant?”
“I’m not,” Justine says as she walks to greet us from the kitchen. “And it’s a damn good thing I can work from home, so I can sit in this beautiful air-conditioning and not suffer out there.” She gives me a hug.
“How are you feeling?”
She rubs her belly. “Getting bigger every day.”
I place my hand on her stomach, and she moves it, so I can feel the baby. My eyes light up at the movement under my palm.
“Pretty cool, huh?” She grins up at Matthew. “He gets weirded out when she’s kicking this good.”
Matthew holds up his hands. “Dude, there is a tiny human in there. I don’t care what anyone says. That’s a trip!”
We all laugh as Tucker wraps his arm around Matthew. “That human is your little sister. Don’t forget that.”
Once we’re in the kitchen, Tucker offers me a drink and then asks, “How did last weekend go?”
I grab the water he hands me and take a sip. “It was fun. The place was packed. They actually said they thought just as many people were there to see us as the actual band they’d booked. I think we’re going to start getting headline gigs here soon.”
His smile is so genuine that it melts my heart. Since my own father is basically MIA, Tucker has become a father figure in my life, especially through music, so seeing his proud face makes me happier and happier every time I get to tell him something good.
Matthew holds me tight. “My girl is kicking ass and taking names.” He kisses the top of my head since I’m so much shorter than him.
“That she is.” Tucker holds out his beer for us to clink our drinks together in cheers.
We spend the next few hours eating and relaxing together until there’s a knock on the door.
Justine looks to Tucker. “Who could that be?”
Tucker’s lips turn up in a shit-eating grin. “I didn’t want to say anything because I wasn’t sure if she was going to be able to stop by, but I have a surprise for Hannah.”
“For me?” I ask, placing my hand on my chest. I watch as Tucker gets up, and then I turn to Matthew. “Do you know what he’s talking about?”
