Axel laughed. “Oh sweetheart, you so stepped into that one.”
I assumed this had something to do with whether or not Axel and Hugo were going to have children.
“He loves his students. In a professional way,” Axel was quick to clarify. “And I’m all over the place. ADHD and all that.”
I wasn’t certain whether or not someone who had ADHD should be a determining factor about having children, but I respected the fact he knew himself so well. He allowed me to guide us to the family room. “Do you want to come to the kitchen while I make the hot chocolate?”
“Once I’ve met Freddie, Reese, and Creed? You bet.”
And so it went. Everyone shook everyone’s hand. I encouraged Spencer to mingle with the group while Axel and I headed to the kitchen area. What I really hoped was my boyfriend might get a sense of what being engaged or married to a rock star entailed. Hugo and Thornton might be good for Spencer as the two men were clearly rooted in reality and not starry-eyed with their mates.
Just about everyone was willing to try my hot chocolate, so I poured enough to fill the saucepan.
“How are you handing things?” Axel retrieved fifteen mugs. That included enough for the film crew if they chose to take a break.
I eyed the saucepan and figured we’d need more. I grabbed a second pan and put that on another burner.
“Sorry, man. I’m making you do a lot of work.” He slid onto a bar stool at the island.
“I don’t mind. Making hot chocolate soothes me. Even if it’s for a large group of people.” I found two wooden spoons so I could stir. “What do you mean when you ask me how I’m handling things?” I was aware Lydia the videographer and Kato the sound engineer had slipped into the kitchen. Laughter filtered through from the family room on the other side of this massive space. In the fraction of a moment, I swore I caught Spencer’s deep, resonant laugh.
“Well, heading to Europe.”
I handed Axel the chocolate powder I used when making a large batch. Much as I would’ve loved to melt Swiss chocolate, I didn’t have the time or patience for that tonight. “Did I plan on heading out of the country in the new year and being away for more than seven months?” I chuckled. “That would be ano. Would I be crazy to pass up the opportunity? That would be ayes. Sometimes you just have to go with the flow. I’m going to miss my home—”
“And Spencer.”
“—and Spencer.” I met his gaze. “But he’s fully supportive. He wouldn’t be the man I loved if he wasn’t. I guess we’ll find out if the adageabsence makes the heart grow fonderis actually true or not.” I continued to stir the milk.
“We’re going on tour. Thornton has a documentary he’s working on, and Hugo has his teaching. Ed and I are going to be without our significant others for a bit.”
I cocked my head—indicating I was listening without speaking. Because, frankly, I wasn’t certain what the correct response would be.
“You’ll be without Spencer. And you’re just beginning your relationship. I have that correct, right?”
I didn’t ask how he knew. “Yeah, we met when I chained myself to the Lion’s Gate Bridge.”
“Which was pretty badassed.”
“Which could have gotten me charged and barred from entering the US.”
“Oh shit.” Axel’s face distorted in panic—as if he hadn’t thought of that before.
“Right. Arrested and charged would mean no Rocktoberfest.”
“Ouch. You’ve submitted a demo, right? An audition tape?”
I nodded. “We’ll follow it up with something we record at Keriakos Studios. I don’t know if the organizers will be willing to take a chance on a newbie band.”
“We were new.” Axel winked.
“A ten-year overnight success.” I chuckled. The milk was boiling, so I turned down the heat.
Axel brought me the mugs one-by-one, and I poured the hot milk into them. Then he stirred each one.
“Grab the whipped cream from the fridge?” I’d finished pouring the milk—with just a smidge left—and I grabbed the marshmallows.
“Whipped creamandmarshmallows?” Axel’s eyes widened.
