Page 100 of The Drummer's Heart

“You don’t need toletme do anything, I’m just gonna do it.”

“I don’t need you to cancel the tour. I just need a little time to see her. Then I can come back reenergized.”

Tristan scratched his chin. “Okay. How about we cancel the next three shows due to undisclosed illness? And we’ll play it by ear after that. When you’re ready to come back, we’ll take this thing on the road again, but not a second sooner.”

“You’re serious about this?”

Tristan nodded. “Go home for a week. Be with your woman. I’ll go home and be with mine. And we’ll reconvene when you’re ready.”

It was hard to turn down the opportunity. “Thank you. I’m gonna take you up on this.”

He slapped me on the back. “I’m not gonna say anything to anyone until tomorrow, including Ronan. Everyone worked hard tonight. Let them decompress before I break it to them in the morning. I don’t need their anxiety when I just want to crash tonight myself. But get the hell out of here, and I’ll make an excuse for your absence if anyone asks.”

A huge wave of joy washed over me.

I’m gonna see my baby.

My babies.

All three of them.

***

I was able to get a flight out to New York that night. But as I stood in line at the airport, my phone lit up with a text.

Tristan: You need to get back here.

My stomach dropped.

Atticus: What’s wrong? I was just about to board.

Almost immediately after, I got a text from Nicole.

Nicole: Where are you?

Atticus: About to board a plane to New York.

Nicole: Don’t! I’m here in Philly!

I looked around.

Atticus: What? Where?

Nicole: On your bus.

What the hell?

Atticus: Stay there. I’m headed back!

My heart raced as I weaved through the airport crowd. I called a car and sweated every second of the hour-long ride back to where our tour bus was parked.

Out of breath, I rushed onto the bus to find my beautiful woman lying back on one of the seats with her feet up. “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?”

She sat up. “I wanted to surprise you. My flight got delayed, which is why I’m here so late. I can’t believe you were gonna leave the tour.”

Caressing her cheek with my thumb, I knelt. “I couldn’t take being away from you anymore.”

“I guess we’re on the same wavelength, because that’s exactly how I felt.”

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