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As if my mind finally absorbs the shock, it all sinks in. Riggan removes his arm from around my neck as Paxtyn says, “There’s one catch.”
There was the shoe drop.
“What is it?” Riggan asks, because it’s not hard to see that he has some internal guilt over us backing out of that tour after Abby died. He shouldn’t. It wasn’t his fault she died. And it wasn’t his fault that it altered his ability to write songs and play music for so long. Sometimes our mind just checks out until it’s ready to come back. Mine did.
I would have been more concerned had he pushed through back then. We all would have played shitty. Our friendship wouldn’t have been as strong. We wouldn’t have the bad experience that made us better, more thankful. We probably would have ended up being ‘one hit wonder’ musicians, or worse.
When someone like Abby dies, it’s hard to bounce back like they never existed, and the world is a much darker place when they’re gone, at least until you can come to terms with the fact that they’re likely in a better place, and don’t miss being here at all. We all know Riggan wants this band to make it more than anyone does, and it’s not because he loves the music more.
“If they sign you,” Paxtyn starts, “you have to move to LA. If this isn’t something the band is in agreement with, then we can’t confirm the meeting.”
The only way to eat your cake and have it too.
God knows I wasn’t moving to Miami. My girl is in California. The band would have always been at a standstill with me in it; at least ‘til Paxtyn graduates.
“We’ll do it,” Sayler blurts out, being the first to speak.
We all look at her, confirming that Riggan beat us to it. “Are you sure?” he asks her.
“Yes. I’m the only one tied to Miami. Konnor and Presley are from California. Gabby just wants to be with Maddox. Landon has already said he’s moving to California for Paxtyn. It takes sacrificing in the beginning to have your way in the end. I learned that from my two individually successful parents. If we everwantto come back, we can when the band has seen success. Let’s do it.”
“I agree with her,” Gabby tosses out. “Music has always been the end goal. The band has to come first. This would eliminate the distance problem for everyone. I think we should move regardless of what comes with the meeting. Everyone knows people pack up and move to LA just for a shot, same with Nashville for country music. If we live close, we have a better chance at another meeting should this one not work out. You guys could play any and everywhere you could get a gig. And I’m going to speak for Presley and say she’d be happy. She wants to work for her dad. Her dad is in California.”
“I second that,” Konnor adds. “And it won’t mess up either of our dad’s businesses. All Maddox and I have been doing is flipping houses. We’re almost done with the current project.”
“If Gabby is in, I’m in,” Maddox says.
“Princess, what about school?” Riggan asks her. “And your parents? You’ve been hanging out with them a lot since Chloe was born.”
“We’ve talked about this. I can go to school anywhere, just like the rest of us currently taking classes or wanting to. My parents just want me to be happy. We can visit each other whenever schedules allow. I won’t be the only one away from my parents. Gabby and Maddox and Landon will be too. If any of us need a sitter for a date night, we can help each other out.”
Suddenly, all eyes are on me, like my silence is anything new. “Landon,” Paxtyn says, her tone not obvious to anyone but me that she’s nervous.”
“Why is everyone waiting on me? I already told y’all my ass is moving to California.”
“Because Laguna Beach isn’t Los Angeles, dipshit, which is where you stay to be close to Paxtyn, and at some point, you may have to quit your job like I did. We’re all in or we’re all out,” Maddox says, again with that serious demeanor versus his usual jokes.
Motherfucker. The job isn’t the problem. The first offer I get where the money is right, I’m gone, but the distance . . . I think back on how long it took us to get there when she went dress shopping for prom.
My eyes find hers again, wanting to go to her because she doesn’t look like she is enjoying being over there by herself. She likes affection. “We’re talking like an hour and twenty minutes on average. It’s not Mississippi, or Louisiana, or Miami,” she tells me. Not exactly what I wanted to hear considering my plan was to move toLaguna, to finally live in the same town. “You have to do this. It’s not just about you, or me.”
God, I love that selfless bitch; to the point that I’d give up this whole fucking band for her. I love the music, but I love her more, and that’s a miracle. “Konnor,” I call out, not taking my eyes off her.
“What’s up, bro?” he answers from somewhere off to the side.
“If I crash with y’all when we have band shit, is the house in Laguna still an option for me to rent? I’d rather commute while she’s in school. There are plenty of rooms to return the favor.”
Her grin is instant, and it’s one that lights up her whole damn face. She’s happy, and that makes me fucking happy. “The house is yours as long as you want it.”
Relief floods in and I relax. I nod her over to me. Instead of walking slow and tantalizing me like she would have back when we first met, she comes running and jumps in my arms, wrapping her legs around my waist when my arms encircle hers. When our eyes are locked and loaded on each other, I say, “Then I’m in.”
“You had me nervous,” she responds on an exhale.
“We’ll always meet in the middle. You’re what I want. The rest I can figure out as we go. When we get moved, I’ll start looking for jobs on land to give this a real shot.”
“I like our plan,” she says, just before kissing me in front of everyone.
When she pulls back, I can finally think again. “How did you pull this off?”
