LorennaM:You and Dale voted, LJ. The rest of us were not informed, otherwise I’d be president.
Toby:Stick to the point, people! Otherwise Jayd’s gonna remove himself from this convo. Hello, Jayd, precious! Happy Pype Festival!
Gage:It’s called Iron Pipes, Trey. You’re thinking of the Fyre Festival.
Toby:It’s…not the same thing, then?
Gage:Let me interpret this for you. Iron Pipes is to Fyre Festival what Chanel is to secondhand Primark.
Toby:Oh dear God!!!!! I’m so sorry!!!!! Happy IRON PIPES, Jayd!!!!
I laughed out loud, and it was kind of a watery, sniffly sound. How had all these names gotten added to my phone? How did they all have my number?
Except I knew. Of course I knew. Only one man could have done it. Only one man would have thought to do it. And only one man in the vicinity had had the code.
Littlejohn:He’s not replying. Is he there? JAYD, ARE YOU THERE?
Beale:Could be that you’ve written 10 messages in 30 seconds. Chill out. Some of us need a minute to think up an answer.
Littlejohn:Maybe he’s meditating before the show. Sting does that.
LorennaM:I thought he did the tantric sex.
Fenn:I don’t think Jayd’s having tantric sex. Not while Rafe’s on a plane for at least two more hours.
Mason:Wait, are they together? Together-together? Officially together?
Gage:I will bet literally any amount of money they are. Jayd, pls confirm.
LorennaM:Maybe Jayd’s already singing! SING IT, JAYD! What time does he go on? SHAKE YOUR MONEYMAKER, HONEYBUNCH!
Gage:IDEK. Rafe didn’t say, probs bc he doesn’t understand how time zones work anyway.
Jonquil:What’s IDEK?
Mason:I don’t even know.
Jonquil:Yes, honey, that’s why I was asking Gage.
I snort-giggled. It was like Rafe had known that I’d need this. Precisely this. The ridiculousness. The love.
Gage:The text just said “Maybe let Jay know you’re all thinking of him and you’re not mad.”
DonCorleone of Whispering Key:Mad? Why would we be mad?
Gage:Because Jayd’s missing the concert, Dad.
DonCorleone of Whispering Key:Only so he can play a bigger concert, bringing even more glory to the island!
I laugh-sniffled again. God.God. I loved these people,myodd ducks, so much.
But I loved Rafe more. And I hadn’t even told him yet.
I’d been so worried about all the other details—the hows and whens of coming out and being with Rafe, the whats and wheres of navigating a career and a relationship simultaneously—that I’d forgotten thatwhywas the most important component of all.
And then he’d reminded me.
And Oak had reminded me.
