Page 53 of The Fate of Us

I look over to Noah whose eyes are locked on mine. He smiles at me and there is something about that smile that brings a sense of peace to me.

I look back to Mason. “Okay.”

He fumbles with a guitar pick in his mouth and it falls out. “You shitting me?”

I shake my head, letting my hair fall into my face. “No. But you better start playing before I change my mind.”

He strums the first few chords and I hum along to the melody. I hide my face behind my hair, using it as a shield to protect me from the rejection I am scared I’ll receive. But as I sing the first few lines of the song and make it to the chorus, my voice gets stronger. I realize everyone who was talking has stopped and when I look up all eyes are focused on me.

It brings me a feeling I haven’t felt in years. Gratitude, excitement, acceptance. The feelings I used to feel on stage come to life and I let my voice carry itself across the flames of the fire. I pour my soul into the song, letting the lyrics warm my soul like the fire in front of me warms my body.

When I sing the last note, I open my eyes and everyone is staring at me with their mouths open.

“Holy shit,” Mason says before Liam starts clapping and Seraphina squeals.

I don’t even realize tears are falling down my face until Noah is in front of me, wiping them away. I look into his eyes and I smile the biggest smile I think has ever crossed my face.

“I did it,” I say and Noah nods at me mirroring his grin with mine. Then the thought hits me square in the chest. “I’m going to Nashville. And I am going to do the same thing. And I am going to surprise the shit out of all those songwriters and musicians.”

“Yeah you are, babe. Just like I said you would.”

Mason grabs my shoulder breaking my gaze from Noah. “I—I don’t even have words. Holy shit, Anna May. Fuck that was—that was something else.”

Sera runs over to me, her squeals high pitched in my ear. “I haven’t heard you sing like that ever, Anna. That was even more intense and raw than you ever sang before.”

“It was captivating,” Carson says as he walks over to me too.

Pretty soon everyone is surrounding me. Praising me for my song and my voice. I have never felt so elated in my life. I have never felt like the path I am on is the exact path I should be on.

The party continues long into the night. Mason and I play a handful of songs together along with some of his friends and Darnell.

By the time I stumble up to bed with Noah, I feel like I am on cloud nine. It could have been all the lemon martinis but I don’t think I have ever felt this happy, this complete ever in my life.

As me and Noah crash into bed, I realize for the first time I am excited about my future.

* * *

I rollover and groan at the headache pounding away at my brain. I reach out for Noah and wrap myself around his back, one leg hooking over his hip.

He slides his hand up and down my thigh before mumbling. “Do you feel as shitty as I do?”

I giggle into his bare back, pressing kisses on his shoulder before making my way to his ear. “I think we drank enough for the next year.”

“Maybe two,” he mutters.

I hear him digging around in his nightstand drawer before he moans as he flips over to face me. He goes to kiss me but I pull away.

“I don’t think you want to kiss this mouth right now. It tastes like day old tequila, lemons, and cotton.”

He chuckles as he pulls my mouth to his anyway. “Mine is worse,” he says against my lips.

He isn’t lying.

But I deepen the kiss anyway as I feel his dick stir against my thigh. I grind my hips into him but he pulls away.

“I never gave you your birthday present yesterday. Everyone got here too early.”

He reaches behind me and grabs whatever he must have grabbed out of his drawer.

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