Page 112 of Once Upon a Boyband
I had my first real panic attack when a very enthusiastic Midnight Rush fan showed up at work with a dog she “borrowed” from a friend so she could get close to me and ask a million questions about the band.
Adam and I had our first very stupid fight about communication and timing and responding to texts when he’s on the other side of the country.
And we’ve both struggled to keep up with work at the rescue and my responsibilities at my father’s practice without taking advantage of the people who pick up the slack when we run off to do Midnight Rush things.
But through all the ups and downs, we’ve only grown closer. We’ve learned how to communicate, how to fight in a way that makes it very easy to make up after. And we’re stronger for having worked through the hardandthe easy.
Hours later, when the concert is over and the arena is empty, Adam and I are alone in our hotel room, but we’re too buzzed on adrenaline, and for him, the high of performing, to actually fall asleep.
We’re stretched out on the bed, my head propped on his shoulder, and I’m scrolling through all the Midnight Rush posts on Instagram. The general consensus seems to be that the band sounds better than ever, the concert was a magical experience, and can theypleaserelease a new album so the Midnight Rush magic can last forever.
Adam says they’ve talked about a new album, but who knows if it will ever be more than talk. Freddie has a solo album dropping next month, and Leo isn’t sure he actuallywantsto be on stage when he loves being in the production studio so much more. But there’s still time to figure all that out.
“I want to ask you something,” Adam says.
I put down my phone and roll onto my side to face him. “Okay.”
He pushes up on his elbow, mirroring my position. I see the scar from his fall into the ravine, the first time I saw him run away from something. “I don’t want you to freak out.”
I narrow my eyes. “Okay.”
“Because it’s fast.”
My heart starts to beat a little faster.
Then Adam pulls a ring out of his pocket and sets it on the bed between us.
“Maybe because we’ve been pretending all this time, Ihave a pretty good idea of what it feels like to be engaged to you, and Ireallylike it. So I thought…maybe we could make it official.”
I pick up the diamond with trembling hands. It’s beautiful—an oval stone set in a circle of tiny sapphires.
“It’s my mother’s ring,” he says softly. “I talked it over with Sarah, and we decided Mom would want you to have it.”
I close my eyes, and tears slide down my cheeks.
“Will you marry me, Laney?”
I lean over and kiss him, ring clutched in my fist, and he lifts his hand to my cheek, wiping away my tears.
“Of course I’ll marry you.”
I open my palm, and he picks up the ring, slowly sliding it onto my ring finger.
As fate would have it, it’s a perfect fit.
Adam kisses me again, and I lean back onto the bed, pulling him down with me.
We’ve kissed countless times in the past three months. Six-second kisses.Much longerkisses. But this one feels different. This one feels like a beginning.
It’s the early hours of the morning, the sun turning the sky purple and orange as it rises above the Nashville skyline, before we’re finally ready to sleep.
My head is on Adam’s shoulder, my eyes getting heavier and heavier when he murmurs, “The forever I want really did start in your eyes.”
I lift my head and prop it on his chest. “Are you seriously quoting your own lyrics to me?”
He grins without opening his eyes. “I probably need some new material, don’t I?”
“Yes, please,” I say as I settle back down. “An entire album of love songs.”
