Page 84 of Caught Stealing

“Then what’s the score with us?”

“You tell me, Nix,” I murmur, my attention darting between his eyes and lips. “Because from our conversation in that classroom, I’m under the impression we’re doing this your way. You’re mine, and I’m yours, and that’s the end of it.”

“Glad to see you were listening.”

There’s a small smile lifting his mouth at the corners—equal parts innocent and sexy—and it takes everything in my power not to kiss him breathless right here outside the practice facility. But I can still see his hesitation, paired with the worry in his eyes. And my only thought circles around erasing it. Even if for a moment.

“Do you have a game on Friday?”

He shakes his head before leaning back against the wall. “Season officially starts at the end of next week.”

Perfect.

I take a step away, a smile on my lips. “Good. Then I’ll pick you up at five.”

A line forms between his brows. “For what?”

“Our first date.”

Twenty-Four

Phoenix

I snap a photo of The Peach Pit’s marquee sign listing Icarus Ignites as the headliner for tonight’s sold-out show and send it off to my father with absolutely zero context. Then I send another for good measure, this one of the VIP pass hanging from the lanyard around my neck before looking around at the scenery.

We’re at one of Chicago’s oldest music venues—one I’ve never been to in my three years at Leighton—and it’s near the heart of downtown, surrounded by massive high-rises, condos, and office buildings that dominate the skyline. Despite being a smaller venue with standing-room only, it still retains a lot of notoriety for bringing in some of the best acts to the Chicago metro area—a bit like the Opry does for country music back home. It’s one of the many reasons I’m excited to finally be here.

My phone buzzes in my hand, alerting me of my father’s text, and I check the screen.

Dad: Have fun. Let me know if they’re any good. Might have to sign them. ;)

I let out a little laugh, seeing as he knows damn well how good these guys are. Even if their lead singer can be a tad bit problematic.

“You look like a kid in a candy store,” Holden says suddenly, amusement laced in his tone.

I glance up to find him watching me from where he’s leaning against the wall. He’s looking sexier than should be allowed in a fitted black long-sleeve shirt—one he’s bound to be dying of heatstroke in later—and a black snapback sitting backward on his head.

“What makes you say that?”

“Don’t act like you weren’t just snapping pics of the sign and sending them off to your dad.” He glimpses at my phone, leaning toward me and pretending to look at the screen. “What’d he say, by the way? He said I did good, right?”

Pocketing my phone, I frown. “He said nothing about you, actually.”

Holden narrows his eyes at me. “Only because you didn’t tell him about the super awesome, ridiculously hot guy who’s taking you to see one of the best up-and-coming bands in metalcore, right? Even though he and I are best friends now?”

I laugh softly at thebest friendscomment, knowing it might not be that far off.

When he wasn’t entertaining Charlotte with those ridiculous photos of Francesco the Flamingo, Holden spent most of our night in Nashville last month chatting with my dad. Mainly about his job in the music biz; something Dad is more than happy to go on about for hours. And to his credit, Holden was thoroughly engaged in the entire conversation, even asking him things I never thought to ask as his own kid. Like why he started in the business or why this particular genre of music.

Not sure if that merits the title of best friend, though I could tell from the smile on my father’s face, he really enjoyed talking with Holden.

I cross my arms and arch a brow. “You wanna know what he would say if I told him about the super awesome, ridiculously hot guy who took me to see Icarus Ignites for a first date?”

“What?”

“He would’ve said it’s too bad he wasn’t told ahead of time, because he could’ve gotten us backstage.”

He rolls his eyes. “Fair enough. But I bought these tickets months ago during the artist presale, so I figured we might as well use them. Even if backstage passes would have been a lot more fun.”

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