Page 94 of Finding Home

“Can I see a photo?” Aubrey asks. And for the next several minutes, we check out photos and videos of both kids, with Dax proudly showing us a short video of his young son wailing confidently on an electric guitar.

“Damn, he’s really good,” I say.

“That’s my boy.”

I can’t resist teasing Dax a bit. “I do think it’s a bit strange you’re teaching him to play the second-coolest instrument in the world, instead of the coolest.”

Dax snorts. “Teach your own kid to bang on drums, if you want. My son is gonna play the coolest instrument.Guitar. Just like his old man.”

We all laugh again, and, suddenly, it feels just like old times. Easy and comfortable. Like no time has passed. I thought it’d feel awkward to stand face-to-face with Dax again, and even weirder to face him with Violet on his arm. But if these first few minutes of this reunion are any indication, we’re going to be able to patch things up and move on from the past in record speed.

Aubrey says, “Caleb has already started giving Raine drum lessons.”

“Not surprised at all,” Dax retorts with a smile.

“She mostly likes playing along to ‘our song,’” I offer proudly. “‘Fool in the Rain.’”

“Nice,” Dax says with a chuckle.

“To be clear,” I add, “I’mthefoolin the song title. The big, stupid fool.”

Dax’s blue eyes warm and soften. “We can all be big, stupid fools, on occasion. Nobody’s perfect.”

Endorphins flood me. Seriously, why didn’t I do this years ago?

Violet looks at her husband and shoots him a look that reminds me of the one Aubrey flashed me a moment ago. One that silently screams,Isn’t this going great?But what she says out loud is, “Your daughter is adorable, Caleb. I can’t wait to meet her one day soon.”

Dax clears his throat and smiles at Aubrey. “It’s great to finally meet you, Aubrey. Miranda speaks really highly of you.”

Violet interjects, “Miranda said she’s thrilled you came into Caleb’s life and finally turned her brother into an actual adult.”

I give Aubrey’s hand a squeeze. “That she did. Aubrey’s been a godsend.”

“No, you did that for yourself,” Aubrey coos, and the look of unadulterated adoration she flashes me damn-near brings tears to my eyes.

Violet noticeably looks between her husband me, her lips twisted, before motioning toward my sister on the couch. “Speaking of Miranda, I think she’s beckoning to me. Do you want to come with me, Aubrey?”

“I’d love to.” In parting, Aubrey flashes me apointed look, this one encouraging me to get everything off my chest with Dax, once and for all—to leave nothing unsaid, like I told her I want to do tonight.I stumbled and stammered my way through a less-than stellar apology five years ago at Reed Rivers’ wedding, but I’ve learned a thing or two, since then—things I very much wish to make clear to Dax now.

When the ladies have left and I find myself standing alone with Dax, I take a deep breath and speak on my exhale. “So, hey, Daxy, I owe you an apology. A good one this time.”

Dax looks genuinely confused. “You already apologized to me, remember? At Reed’s wedding. There’s no need to do it again.”

“No, there is. Hear me out. It’s gonna be hard to get this out.” I take another deep breath. “Back at Reed’s wedding, I didn’t have the capacity to fully appreciate the position you were in during our tour together.” I look across the room at Aubrey, who’s now chatting happily with my sister, Violet, and several other women. “But thanks to Aubrey and Raine, I finally understand the meaning of true, unconditional love. What it feels like to love someone so fucking much, you don’t have a choice in the matter.”

Dax nods, looking at me intensely.

“What I know now, but didn’t back then, is that I would have done the exact same thing in your shoes. If you’d dated Aubrey years before me, and then I happened to meet Aubrey at a party later on and fall hard for her, then I’m certain nothing and nobody could have stopped me from making Aubrey mine. Not even my friendship with you, even though I genuinely loved you like a brother.”

Dax’s Adam’s apple bobs. “Thanks for saying that,Caleb. But we both know I handled things badly. I should have spoken up sooner. I should have?—”

“No. You couldn’t do that.” I shake my head. “You were the opener for my band on your very first world tour, and you knew I was a hotheaded prick with anger management issues. Was it realistic to expect you to come to me, right away, and possibly risk everything for your band?” I scoff. “No fucking way. You had a skyrocketing career to consider and two bandmates who were counting on you, along with a girl you couldn’t possibly give up for the sake of our friendship. In the end, you decided our friendship wasn’t the most important consideration—and rightfully so.” I exhale. “I’m sorry it took me so long to realize all this. I hope it’s not too late for you to accept my full and sincere apology, so we can put the past behind us, for real this time, and start our friendship back up.”

Dax takes a deep inhale. “I’d love that.” He puts out his hand, but I pull him into a bear hug. And mere seconds later, even before we’ve pulled apart, we’re swarmed by our respective bandmates, all of whom must have been watching our conversation from afar with bated breath.

For a while, both bands—all three members of 22 Goats and all four members of Red Card Riot—mix and match hugs and chatter about what a dumbfuck I’ve been. That it’s been far too long since we all hung out together, like we used to do. Clearly, we’re all excited to put this beef to rest, for good.

When the conversations between our two bands have run their course, I drift over to Aubrey across the room and pull her into a corner, where I give her a quick update about the outcome of my conversation with Dax.

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