Page 51 of Once Upon a Boyband
“Okay. It’s in there. Laney. Kissing. Lots of tongue.”
“Percy!”
He presses his lips together and lifts his hand, sliding his fingers across his lips like he’s zipping them closed.
“Are you ready to take me seriously?”
He nods but doesn’t say anything, which I take as the gesture of support I am sure it is meant to be.
I take a deep breath, realizing on the exhale that I’m actually trembling a little.
Percy must notice too, because his eyes narrow, and he immediately breaks his self-imposed silence. “Are you for real freaking out over there? Girl, what is going on?”
I let out a shaky laugh. “Percy, Adam’s full name is AdamDeaconDriscoll.”
He frowns. “I don’t get it.”
“As in…AdamDekeDriscoll.”
“Adam Deke…” he repeats. Then he gasps. “No.”
“Yes.”
“Your Adam—he’s…and you kissed…” He stands up. “Laney! Are you for real right now?” He leans toward me, hands pushed into the table, and I quickly slide his coffee mug out of the way. “Are you telling me that Deke Driscoll of Midnight Rush lives in our tiny town? And that youkissedhim?”
“That is exactly what I’m telling you.”
“But he looks so different. How? I mean, I guess with the beard, but no. Are you sure? Maybe he just looks like him.”
“I’m sure. Because last night, Freddie Ridgefield showed up at Adam’s house.”
Percy lifts his hands in the air. “Oh, no. Now you’ve gone too far. You cannot tell me lies like this.”
“I’m not lying, Percy. I swear. Adamdoeslook different with a beard, but now that I know, I can totally see it. And Freddie is…Freddie. All the tattoos. The big green eyes. There was no mistaking him.”
“Oh my word,” Percy says, pressing a hand to his stomach. He starts to laugh, head tilted back. “Oh my word!” He pulls me up off my chair and wraps me in an enormous hug. “I am so happy for you,” he says. “It’s not a wonder he knows so much about music.”
“I know. And you should see his record collection. He has a signed Elvis Christmas album. The red 7-inch LP. Do you know how much those things are worth?”
“I did not understand a word you just said, but I’m sure it’s amazing.” He turns and retrieves his coffee, then glances at his watch.
We’re both going to be late if we don’t leave soon, so Icarry my abandoned cereal bowl over to the sink and rinse it out.
Freddie follows me to my entryway, where I pull on my shoes and grab my purse. “Last night, on FaceTime, he and Freddie sang ‘Never Say Never’ for me. Like, just the two of them, singingjustfor me.”
“I would have literally peed my pants,” Percy says.
“I know. I almost did.”
When we get outside, Percy moves to the passenger side of my car. “What are you doing?” I ask.
“I’m riding to work with you. There are too many details you haven’t given me yet.”
It’s only a ten-minute drive to the office, but Percy takes advantage of every minute. He asks question after question, and I end up telling him almost everything, minus the possibility of a reunion concert, only because that doesn’t feel like my news to tell. As far as I explain it, Adam and Freddie remained friends, and Freddie has simply come into town to visit.
Which is true enough. I won’t betray Adam’s privacy to share more.
Our conversation stops short when we get to work and find Dad crouched in front of the main entrance, working on untying a dog leash from the door handle.
