Page 64 of Once Upon a Boyband
“Did I catch you before you got to work?” Adam asks as soon as I answer.
“Just barely. Is everything okay?”
“Yes?” he says, like he’s debating how much to tell me. “Maybe?”
“What’s going on?”
He breathes out a sigh. “I don’t know. We just got briefed on everything that’s happening the next few days as they prepare to drop the concert news. Photoshoots. Media coaching. Stylists and wardrobe stuff. We’ve just been focusing on the music and the creative parts of the actual show, and that’s been amazing. But now we’re getting into all the marketing stuff.”
“And that’s not your favorite.”
“Not at all,” he says. “I’m fine. It’s part of it. I get it. I just don’t like it.” There’s a slight edge to his voice that makes my gut tighten. The last time Adam did anything like this, he was weeks away from going through a pretty traumatic loss. This can’t be easy for him, and the realization makes me want to get in my car and drive down to Silver Creek right now.
“Yeah, I’m sure,” I say. “And they’re probably trying to cram a lot of planning into a very small amount of time. It has to be overwhelming.”
The concert is only three months out, which was totally surprising to me when I first found out. I have no idea how long it usually takes to plan and execute something of this scope, but I’m guessing this isn’t the norm.
With enough money to grease the wheels, probably anything is possible. And if Freddie needs a PR boostnow,I’m sure everyone is highly motivated to make things happen. But it has to feel like a lot. Especially to Adam, who has been out of the industry for so long.
“It has been, which has me thinking about what might make it easier.”
My ears perk up.
“Whomight make it easier,” he says. “Like, maybe there’s this person who really makes me happy and would probably distract me from stressing about stuff I have to do that I don’twantto do.”
I lean against the wall outside the office and watch a tiny green lizard crawl up the siding, my heart rate climbing. Is Adam suggesting what I think he’s suggesting?
“Adam,” I say slowly. “What are you trying to say?”
He waits for a beat, then says, “Are you busy this weekend? And also all of next week?”
I laugh. “An entire week?”
“I know it’s a lot to ask. But…I miss you. And so much is happening. They’re going to make me shave my beard, Laney. I’m fine—I’ll probably be fine—I just find myself wishing you were here. You ground me, I think. And I could use some grounding.”
I close my eyes. What is happening right now? Adam andI have only been officially dating a few weeks. We’ve kissed and texted and talked and watched movies and eaten dinners together, but it still feels pretty new. To go spend a week with him at a Midnight Rush rehearsal?
I fight to stifle the giggle rising up my chest.We’re having a conversation aboutMidnight Rushrehearsals. What even is my life?
Because I knew Adam before I knew he was Deke, when we are hanging out at the rescue or at my house, it’s easy to forget his boyband history. He’s just Adam. Even knowing the New Year’s concert is looming, so far, it’s only been a thing we talk about.
But if I drive down to Silver Creek to crash his rehearsal, it’ll be a lot more than talk. We’ll be living a very different reality than the one I live in Lawson Cove.
Also, and probably most importantly, I have a job.
Though, the truth is, most days, we don’t reallyneedtwo vets at the office. Dad has been semi-retired since he hired me on, talking about slowly phasing himself out as he turns the practice over to me. But he’s a lot better at that in theory than he is in practice. Sometimes he comes to the office just to be there, even when he doesn’t have any patients scheduled. And he’s been begging me for months to take a vacation—something I haven’t done since he hired me over a year ago—if only to give him the chance to see patients again full time.
He’d be just fine without me.
My heart starts pounding. This is wild. Completely wild. But…I’m going to say yes.
If only Percy could see me now.
“Let me talk to Dad,” I say. “See if I can make it happen.”
“For real?” Adam says, his voice so full of hope it makes my heart squeeze.
I laugh. “This is crazy, Adam. But yes. For real.”
