Page 67 of Never Say Die
“Be real with me.” She poked him in the sternum. “You think this is it? You and Shay? Because if you two don’t stick this out, the band pays the price.”
Aiden tongued at his cheek. Being with Shay felt immortal. Fast and sought after, like he’d opened Pandora’s Box and trapped the contents in his chest. So, yeah. Shay wasit. First and last, then and now. But trying to convey that to Georgia would be impossible, so he just said, “I know.”
“And. . . ?”
“And Knight’s Blood comes first.”
She flapped her lips. “There’s no undoing this now that you’ve gone and done it, huh?”
“No. . .” His blush worsened. “No, I’m pretty sure we’retogethertogether, so.”
Georgia nodded. She held her breath, watching him with clear, woodsy eyes. “While we were waitin’ for check-in at thehotel, Pru bet twenty bucks you two were canoodling. Should’ve listened to my gut, I guess.”
“She’s got eyes in the back of her head,” Aiden said. He offered a bashful smile. “I know it’s weird, okay? But it’ll be fine. We’ll be fine.”
“That’s the thing—doesn’t feel weird. Feels like it was bound to happen. I just didn’t think it’d happen right now.” She clutched her glass, walked back to the table, and took Shay by the wrist, hauling him to the other end of the bar.
Aiden sat next to Pru again, watching Georgia and Shay engage in heated conversation near a darkened window. At one point, Shay glanced at him while he spoke. Aiden looked away, blinking awkwardly at Dylan.
“Anyway, what’re we doin’ after this?” Aiden asked.
“We’re supposed to keep bar hopping, I think,” Dylan said. He craned to look at Shay and Georgia. “If Mother Hen doesn’t peck your new conquest to death. Speaking of which…” He stretched his arms across the table and drummed his hands in front of Aiden. “I’m happy for you, dude. I really am! I’ve been waiting for you and Shay to take the leap for years. But if you do,you know, kill him—not that you will, no judgement—let us cash a few more paychecks first.”
Aiden laughed in his throat. “Thanks, man. Will do.”
There, Aiden thought.Now they fucking know. He popped an ice cube into his mouth and stared at white shutters hugging tall, slender windows. He hadn’t expected to be relieved, but relief struck him, quick and violent, like a pin to an overfilled balloon. For years, he’dwanted. Searched for ways to go without. Pined from a safe distance. And in the span of twelve months, he’d learned how to hate, how to cheat death, how to become the worst version of himself. Someone willing to do the unthinkable to stop wanting, searching, pining, loving.
Failing his own exorcism felt like relief, too.
Georgia and Shay returned to the table, carrying taut silence. Georgia grabbed her novelty cocktail cup and shrugged toward the exit. Shay shifted his jaw, stalking through the bar and onto the sidewalk. Aiden’s phone buzzed.
Shay Bennett: She can be kinda mean when she wants to be
Aiden Moore: i told you this would suck. what’d she say?
Shay Bennett: That there’s no way in hell I didn’t know you had feelings for me before I left the band
Shay Bennett: Except I DIDN’T because you never TOLD ME and I’d liked you forever and nothing ever happened so I assumed you just didn’t want to fuck up our friendship or something
Shay Bennett: Meanwhile I debated ruining our friendship everyday for like 3 years straight
Aiden Moore: you should’ve
Shay Bennett: I know
Shay Bennett: Could’ve avoided a scar
Aiden Moore: if you woulda fucked me before leaving us for chain you’d have a worse scar right now
Shay sent a heart emoji.
“Go a little easy on him,” Aiden said, bumping Georgia with his elbow. “He’s the one who wanted to tell the band.”
She huffed, annoyed. “You’ve been bunking with him sincewe started the tour. It’s not like I didn’tknow, I just. . . I pretended not to know, because knowin’ meant havingthisconversation. The one where I’m supposed to tell you Knight’s Blood comes before your happiness. Which isn’t true, you know? Your happiness matters to me, like, more than most things. We’re in this together. We’re best friends—all of us, even Shay. But I can’t help thinking about our future, and you two going nuclear one day? That could change everything.Again. You can’t expect me not to worry.”
“I know. But if me and Shay go back to being whatever we were before this it won’t be at the expense of the band. I promise.”
“You can promise all you want, but that don’t make it true. You’re smart, Aiden. And I know you don’t believe a lick of that shit.”
