Page 39 of Sixty Days Of Summer

Xander strolls in, grabs a cold beer from the cooler, and plops down next to me on the couch. We dive into a conversation about how Walt’s band is settling in, adapting to life in a foreign country, and gearing up for the upcoming shows. Xander’s relaxed demeanor helps dissolve the last remnants of tension in the room, allowing me to let my guard down a bit and soak in the positive vibes before we take the stage for tonight’s performance.

Scarlet comes over and sits down beside me, her presence hitting me like a jolt of electricity. The warmth radiating from her sends a rush through me, making it hard to focus on anything else. My heart kicks into overdrive, but I do my best to keep my cool. What the hell is going on? How does she have this effect on me? I’ve already been with her—three times, in fact—and yet there’s something about her that makes me crave her even more. Usually, my motto is “no strings attached,” which makes it easier because I’m the one who gets to walk away. But for some reason, Scarlet is making it damn near impossible.

My eyes stay locked on Jack, making sure he’s true to his word about not hitting on her again. He never once looks in her direction, and I can’t help but smirk as I finish my beer. At least that’s one less asshole I don’t have to worry about.

My cock’s been pulsing with need since I first saw her tonight, rocking that fucking get-up. Tight black ripped jeans, a top that clings to her body, showing off those perfect tits. Long tattooed arms on full display, tousled long blonde hair, thick eyeliner making those gorgeous eyes pop. The second she walked into the hotel lobby, waiting for the town car, I couldn’t stop staring. She’s every man’s fucking dream, every fantasy, and I want to go there over and over again. I didn’t give a fuck if anyone saw me eye-fucking her tonight. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from her, and honestly, I didn’t give a shit if Xander was watching.

I know every fucking guy at the show tonight is going to be checking her out, thinking the same filthy thoughts I had the moment I laid eyes on her. And if any of those asshole groupies think they can get close, they’ll have to go through me first. Hell, I’m sure Theo won’t let anyone near her either. We’re both on the same page about this—no one’s messing with Scarlet while we’re around.

Ever since we got back to the hotel, I’ve been stressing over tonight’s show. I wanted to swing by Scarlet’s room earlier, maybe walk her through the last-minute details, hoping it would calm her nerves. But there’s no way I trust myself to be alone with her right now—not after what went down at my place.

The only way to stop myself from crossing that line again is to avoid her altogether. But tonight, when I’m fucking those groupies, I know Scarlet’s going to be the only thing on my mind. It’s like she’s branded into my brain, a fantasy I can’t shake nomatter how hard I try. She’s always there, pulling me back in, and I have no fucking idea why.

Even now, as we wait for Walter’s band to finish up, she’s all I can think about. Every dirty thought I've had since we hooked up is running wild through my head, and I know I need to shove them aside and focus on why the hell I’m here. This show is too important for me to be distracted, but with Scarlet so close, it's a losing battle. The more I try to push her out of my mind, the harder it is to forget what we’ve done—and what I want to do again.

Scarlet anxiously paces back and forth, just like she did earlier today. Theo’s lounging on the couch, his eyes shut tight, lost in whatever mental zone he’s in. Xander’s sitting between us, his eyes darting back and forth as he follows Scarlet. Judging by his expression, it’s clear that he’s more worked up about this than I am.

The silence is abruptly broken by the sound of Scarlet’s phone ringing, halting her pacing. She makes her way over to her bag and fishes it out. Xander and I share a quick glance, but stay quiet as she answers the call. Almost immediately, her expression softens, and I catch a glimpse of a genuine smile—the kind I haven’t seen all day. “Hey, Nate,” she says, her voice lighter, turning her back to us as she sinks into the conversation.

“How do you think she’ll handle tonight?” Xander asks, keeping his gaze fixed on Scarlet. “She’s just as nervous now as she was earlier today.”

“I’m hoping she can pull it together,” I reply. “But those nerves might mess with her head. We knew it was a big ask going in.”

“Yeah, I’m still torn about whether we should’ve just canceled the tour. This could be the end for us, Ace,” Xander says, his voice heavy with worry.

“She’ll be fine,” Theo chimes in, turning his head to look at both of us. “Trust me. I’ve got every bit of faith in Scar. And you should too.”

Xander and I exchange glances before turning our heads back to Scarlet as she hangs up the call.

“That was Nate wishing me luck,” Scarlet says, her voice a bit steadier.

The door swings open, and Kit steps in. “Walter’s just wrapping up. You guys are on in ten minutes.”

“How’s Walter’s band doing out there?” Xander asks before she can shut the door.

“They're killing it out there,” Kit replies, giving us a quick smile before closing the door behind her.

Xander sits next to me, grinning like he’s just hit the jackpot. It’s obvious how much he loves giving people a hand, and I’ve got to admit, it’s pretty damn cool. Watching him now—my old buddy, my partner in crime, the guy who’s come so far from being that broken kid with an asshole for a father—it’s hard not to feel a sense of appreciation. Seeing how much he’s grown, how much he’s changed, is something that hits me in ways I never expect.

We’ve both been through hell—me with my screwed-up life, watching my mother bring home whatever cruel asshole she wanted, always chasing the next high, and Xander dealing with his own demons. We were just two kids drowning in the chaos, trying to survive in a world that saw us as worthless. And now, look at us—actually making a difference, helping people, carving out our own place in this crazy world. It’s a far cry from where we began, and despite all the shit we had to wade through, every second of it feels worth it.

I can’t help but laugh out loud, thinking about those two young dickheads we used to be—dreaming big in my garage, and now here we are, living it, just like we’d always imagined.Xander shoots me a glance, and Theo does the same. Then I catch Scarlet’s eye, when she looks right at me. It’s rare for me to laugh like this—I’m usually buried in my own fucked-up headspace, dragged down by all the baggage I carry around. But damn, who could’ve scripted this? I glance back at Xander with a grin, feeling the weight lift, even if it’s just for a moment.

“I was just thinking about those two dickheads that used to sprout all that bullshit back in my garage.” I watch as a smile creeps onto Xander’s face, and he leans forward in his seat. “If we told them this was their life now—”

“They’d call us out on our bullshit,” he says, his eyes meeting mine briefly, a silent exchange of memories and hardships passing between us. He lifts his hand, giving my shoulder a soft squeeze.

He rises from the couch and makes his way to the side wall, eagerly grabbing a bottle of water and gulping it down—a pre-show ritual he always follows before we hit the stage. I scan the room and spot Theo talking to Scarlet. She seems to have loosened up a bit. But something still feels off—Nate’s absence leaves a noticeable void, like a piece of the puzzle is missing. Ever since our Australian tour, we’ve dreamed of making it on our own, and now that we’re on the brink of something huge, it feels fucking incomplete without him here. I pull out my phone from my back pocket and fire off a quick text to him.

Ace:Miss you, man. Wish you were here with us.

I rise from the couch, pocket my phone, and stretch out my shoulders, cracking my neck to shake off the tension and get into the zone. Just as I do, the door swings open, and Walter’s band spills into the room, still riding high from their performance. They’re sweaty and elated, faces lit up with huge grins. Two ofthem head straight over to Xander, grabbing bottles of water from the table before flopping onto the couch, utterly exhausted. They’ve clearly left everything out there for the fans, and the buzz of their excitement fills the room.

“How was it?” I ask, turning to face the group.

“It was fucking unbelievable,” Jack replies, lifting his bottle and chugging down half of it.

“Yeah, it's what I always dreamed it would be,” Walter adds, a wide grin on his face. “But seeing that many people out there… well, fuck, I don’t think anything will ever compare to that in my life.” He extends his hand to Xander. “Thanks, man. You have no idea what you did.” Then he turns to me and Theo. “What you guys did.”

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