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“Yeah, but you know what they say about people who make assumptions.”
I shook my head and sighed. “Nothing to assume. This is a done deal, Drew. And you know it.”
Chapter7
You’ve Never Been To My Man Cave
Sleep eluded me that night. The next day promised so many good things, but Jason was at the forefront of my mind. How would he cope with the rest of the tour if he was struggling already? And would he try to back away after getting so close to me? Distancing himself from people when he’d started to open up was one of his specialties, and I didn’t want him to push me away. Not now.
As it turned out, Jason actually gravitated toward me, and although we didn’t talk about what had happened, a kind of understanding hung between us.
The things I’d said the night before had maybe made him see that I wouldn’t judge him, and that he could talk to me without me hovering over him the whole time to make sure he wasn’t going to mess up.
At eleven that morning, Jason, Drew, and I set off for the airport to pick up Ellie. Deep down, I was sure Drew would have preferred to pick her up alone, but he knew how much Jason and I wanted to see her too, so he said nothing.
I didn’t realize how much I’d missed my big sister, but as we waited for her to walk through the arrivals gate, I bounced up and down on the balls of my feet, desperate to give her a hug.
Beside me, Jason chuckled. “Excited much?”
I grinned up at him. “I know it’s only been a week, but I can’t wait to hang out with her. Plus, you know tonight is going to totally change her life, and I cannot wait to see her face when Drew proposes!”
Drew nudged me but was unable to suppress his own smile. “Hey, no more mention of that until it’s done, okay?”
I held up my hands. “I promise. But it’s going to be epic!”
Jason laughed. “You’ve already got a bridesmaid's dress picked out, haven’t you?”
“Oh, how well you know me!” He laughed harder, and I’m sure my eyes lit up at the prospect. Truth was, I did sort of know the kind of dress I’d like. Assuming she picked me. Shehadto pick me.
“Shut up. She’s coming,” Drew murmured.
Drew’s face broke into the most enormous grin as Ellie ran toward us, and I bounced a little faster, making Jason laugh again. Drew swept her up in his arms and kissed her for a long time. They pressed their foreheads together, saying things to each other nobody else could hear, and my heart swelled with happiness for them. Jason slipped his arm around my shoulders and gave me a squeeze. “They’re sickening, aren’t they?”
I didn’t need to look up at him to know he was only messing around. In spite of his coolness, I could virtually feel his happiness for them too. He, of all people, knew what a rough road Ellie and Drew had had, and seeing them reunited was a special moment.
“They’re adorable, and you know it.”
Jason leaned down and whispered in my ear, “Fine, but don’t tell anyone I said that.”
The soft tickle of his breath on my neck made me shiver, and my stomach flipped. I tilted my head to look up at him, and his eyes were soft on me like they had been the night before. I wished we were somewhere a lot less public so I could find out if anything more would have happened next, but he pulled back, and a chill swept around me as he released me from his hold.
When Ellie and Drew finally broke apart, Ellie rushed toward me, and I squealed with delight as she hugged me tight. “Missed you!” I told her.
“Missed you too! How’s it going? Are you okay?”
I laughed. “I’m more than okay. I’m having the best time ever!”
“I wanna hear all about it! What do you say to some girl time later?”
“Of course!”
* * *
That was exactly what we did after having lunch with the rest of the band on the tour bus. It was so much fun having everyone together again. By the time the gig rolled around, I was flying high and so excited about Drew’s proposal. Ellie and I behaved like real groupies and shoved our way to the front of the stage for the show. Thankfully, the Vienna crowds weren’t too wild. It would have been awful if Ellie never made it to the end of the gig due to being crushed against the barriers by over-enthusiastic rock fans.
Between the two of us, Ellie and I had been to more Razes Hell gigs than we could count. But that night in Vienna was one of the best. As the lights dimmed for what should have signaled their exit from the stage, a shiver of anticipation rushed over me. The crowd around us continued to cheer because the guys hadn’t left the stage, and Ellie cast a questioning look at me. Usually, by now, they’d have made a dash for the dressing room. I shrugged, doing a stellar job of keeping my face neutral, even though my insides squirmed with joy.
The lights came back up, and Jason caught my eye and winked before stepping back up to the microphone. “This is our last show in Europe for a while, and normally, our set would be over. But we do have one more song for you tonight. This song is a special one, and it’s never been played live before, but… it’s not really for me to introduce.” He turned to Drew, who had risen from behind his drums and made his way to the front of the stage.
