After a slight hesitation, Bobby disappears.
Austin pushes his hair back. “You good?”
My legs are shaking, and I’m still not entirely sure where I am, but I nod. “No more hiccups.”
“Good.” He studies me for one more second, like he has something to say. But there’s no time. “Let’s go.”
19
AUSTIN
There arethousands of people in front of me, cheering for me, screaming my name, but all I can think about is the girl ten feet behind me.
I don’t know what came over me. I mean, I do. She needed a surprise, and I gave her one—one I’ve been wanting to give her for a few days now.
The craziest part, though, is that when I pulled away, she reeled me right back. Maybe she knew getting rid of those hiccups would require more than a quick kiss. Maybe she’s been thinking about kissing me as much as I’ve been thinking about kissing her.
Whatever inspired it, I’m not mad.
But I have to get it together for the sake of this enormous crowd.
I turn toward her every few minutes of the show. Just to make sure she’s still okay, you know? It’s common courtesy. It can’t be easy being the only backup vocalist all of a sudden.
The festival crowd has a completely different vibe than what we’ve had so far. Yes, there are a lot of wasted people out there, so I can’t read too much into their cheering, butthere are also a ton of people hearing my music for the first time. I use the termmyloosely, of course.
Speaking of my music, am I crazy, or was Mia listening to one of my old songs backstage? I could’ve sworn I heard the chorus ofHeart on Fire.
She also ripped my shirt while we were kissing. Not like she meant to. Honestly, it’s hardnotto rip those shirts. But when I pull it off in front of the crowd, I can’t help but smile and look at her. She helped make it a little easier, after all.
The way her entire face goes red sends a thrill through me.
It’s a shorter show than usual, since I’m not the only artist performing, and for the first time I can remember, I’m anxious for it to be over. I want to talk to Mia.
I wave to the crowd as I jog offstage, then make my way to Mia’s tiny dressing room. I run into her before I get there, though.
“Hey,” I say, breathless.
“Hey.” There’s that tentativeness in her gaze that tells me she’s thinking about the kiss as much as the concert. “How do you think it went?”
“The kiss? Amazing.” This is me testing the waters to gauge how much of it was sheer desire versus desperation to end the hiccups.
“The performance,” she says firmly, looking around us like someone might have heard me.
“Oh, that.” I smile. “I think it went great. You did amazing. We can probably fire Rose and Kelly.”
She hits me, and I suppress the impulse to grab her wrist and pull her into me.
“I’m joking,” I say.
“Well, if it isn’t Austin Sheppard. In the flesh.”
Mia and I turn toward the unfamiliar voice, and my stomach clenches.
Blond hair brushed forward to a point, mouth arranged inhis characteristic half-smile, Noah Hayes walks toward me, hand out for a shake. I think Paul mentioned he was in Europe, but I didn’t know he’d be in the festival crowd.
Hardly aware of what I’m doing, I take his hand and go in for the usual bro-hug. He stiffens his arm.
“Whoa,” he says, still smiling while he rears back. “I don’t hug guys who are half-naked.”
