Page 35 of Sweet Oblivion

“Bullshit,” I spat. “She likes hanging out with me.”

Steve rocked his head back, almost as if he couldn’t believe I’d yelled at him. I couldn’t believe it either, but I kept the concern that Beanie might throw us out locked down tight. Steve might be one of the few adults I could trust, but that didn’t give him the right to pick on Aya.

He sighed. “You really like her.”

“I do.”

Steve rubbed the back of his neck. “You’re young, so you don’t see the dangers ahead. Just as you can’t see how much you mean to each other—how much you need each other. That girl… I get it, Nash. She’s special. Smart, caring, and beautiful.”

I growled, and Steve smirked. “She’s also seventeen, and I’m old enough to be her father.” He blanched.

I crossed my arms over my chest. What did that have to do with anything?

A little while later, I settled next to Aya as Quantum took the stage. She clasped her hands under her chin, and her eyes shone with excitement. When my dad started the opening chords for one of his most popular songs, Aya gasped, her eyes going wide.

I smiled, loving that I shared this first with her.

When my dad gave me the cue, Aya threw her arms around me and whispered good luck in my ear. I turned my head and pressed my lips to hers. The moment seemed to slow, then stop. Her lips were soft, plump, perfect. She pulled back, a shy smile teasing her mouth.

“Get out there,” she said.

I nearly stumbled as I made my way onto the stage. A roadie handed me my guitar, and I settled in next to my dad.

“Hey, Dallas. This is my son, Nash.”

Dad squeezed my shoulder and grinned as the crowd went wild. “He’s going to play this next song with me since he had a hand in crafting it.”

Dad continued the chords, and I kept up, just like we’d practiced. He began the song but backed off after the first chorus, letting me sing the last two verses. The crowd went nuts, their screams filling my head with joy.

This high—it was amazing. I glanced over at Aya and winked.

She stood there, mesmerized. She didn’t move or even seem to blink. But she clapped and cheered with the rest of the audience when I took my bow. I ran off the stage to people screaming my name. I lifted her from the ground and spun her around, nearly tripping over the various cords on the floor.

“You were awesome,” she squealed, which turned into a laugh.

I laughed too, loving that she’d been here to see me.

Still onstage, Dad segued into another tune as the roadie took my guitar.

Aya turned to me, swaying, eyes wide. “I can see why you’re into live music.”

I grimaced. “Not so much this song.”

“Not one of yours?”

I shook my head. “No, thank fuck.”

She giggled.

We listened to another couple of songs, but the magical moment was gone. The band played hard, but they’d lost the crowd. Dad shot me an angry look, so I leaned over toward Aya.

“Want to head back to the hotel?”

She nodded.

We walked out of the venue, followed by Steve, and I sighed out some of the tension I’d been carrying in my shoulders since the run-in earlier with Beanie.

“So what did you think about the concert?” I asked. “Better than climbing the side of a mountain?”

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