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Jude
The six ofus occupied a horseshoe-shaped booth in a fifties-style diner, a dessert of some kind in front of each of us. Tali had apple pie a la mode, and she’d made me order a slice of cheesecake.
For someone who didn’t like to share her pastries, her fork came over to my plate pretty often.
I pointed to the utensil in her hand. “Can’t believe you’re eating ice cream with a fork.”
She stuck her bottom lip out in a pout. “I know, but it’s so confusing. If I use a spoon, then scooping up the pie won’t feel right. It’s a delicate balance.”
“You’re so cute,” I whispered.
“I can’t be cute anymore. That was okay at nineteen, but now? Really?”
I nodded and kissed her cheek. “Exceptionally cute and devastatingly sexy.”
She leaned into me, her lips curving with pleasure. “ThatI’ll take.”
“Awww.” Jin rested his chin in his hands, watching us like he was watching his favorite rom com—which, from the years I spent in close quarters with him, I knew was10 Things I Hate About You.
Erin knocked his hands from under his chin, making him nearly fall face-first into his chocolate cake. “Don’t make it weird, Jin.”
“You don’t understand how long I’ve been waiting for this moment. They’re like my two little children finally coming together.”
Erin snorted, and the rest of us looked at least mildly horrified. “You might want to rephrase that, my love.”
He smacked his forehead. “Right. If they were my children, coming together would be incest, and nobody wants that. What I’m trying to say is, I’m still not going to talk to either of you about the other, so feel free to talk smack with me. But I’m kind of hoping you won’t need to, because I think the two of you together is all that’s right in this world.”
“Plus that song,” Lydia added.
Nina’s eyes rolled in mock-rapture. “That song,” she moaned.
It was crazy, being at a table with Nina, Jin, and Tali. Never thought this combination of people would sit down for dessert on a Saturday night, but here we were, and it was pretty damn grand.
“I wrote that song while Tali was sleeping. We ate a lot of pastries in Europe, and I promised her I’d write about it,” I explained.
“You write anything else? Am I going to get my album?” Jin asked.
I chuckled. He never failed to ask for that. “Slowly, but surely, I’m working on it. It’s going to be digital, and low-key as hell. I have to figure out the logistics of releasing an album on my own, but…”
Tali squeezed my leg. “I can help with that, you know. Unless that feels like I’m trying to manage you.”
God, I was annoyed with myself for overreacting in my dressing room. It was stupid, and completely kneejerk. Tali had been there in the beginning of my career, but she’d gotten out before I got really bad. She couldn’t know the triggers I had surrounding it, but I’d tell her. Not all at once, and not when we were having a disagreement, but I would. I wanted her to know me, to know what I’d gone through, just like I wanted to know about her life over the years.
“It doesn’t, Stripes. I would love you helping me, being my partner in this.”
Jin nodded vigorously, clearly approving of that answer. “All I want is more music.”
“You’ll get it. I’m feeling inspired as hell these days,” I replied.
“Maybe you can play ‘Compass’ at the wedding,” Nina said.
I frowned, lost. “Wedding?”
She frowned back. “My wedding...next weekend? I just assumed you were coming…”
Lydia linked hands with Nina. “You’re obviously invited, and of course we don’t expect you to sing. We’d love to have you.”
I looked at Tali, and her eyes met mine. Her mouth opened, but an explanation didn’t seem to be forthcoming. I cocked my head, trying to read her. Not once had she mentioned Nina getting married so soon. She’d talked about Lydia. Hell, I’d met Lydia once. But this? Nah, this was brand new information.
