Tori
Just three days left for y’all to reconsider.
Her next text is a GIF of the Eiffel Tower.
Mom
I may have bought tickets last night. Dad can’t make it this time, but I’ll be there to cheer for you on his behalf, Austin. We love you!
I smile, but the thought of my mom observing me rip off my shirt isslightly weird.
Austin
It’ll be so great to see you! I’ll make sure you get backstage passes.
Siena
Madi and Rémy will be there as our envoys since neither of us can get work off right now.
Troy
We’d love to join too, but the thought of throwing up on the plane is more than Stevie can handle right now. She’s doing enough of that as is *wink emoji*
Siena
WHAT?
EXPLAIN YOURSELF, YOUNG MAN.
Troy
Baby Sheppard will be making his/her debut in December!
The family text thread goes wild. Let’s be honest. It’s always pretty wild. I send my own GIFs and congratulations, but my stomach feels weird.
It takes me a minute to figure out what’s behind it. Settling down and having a family hasn’t even been on my radar. I’m chasing my dreams—and some days, it feels like I’m catching up to them.
So, why does Troy’s announcement make me feeljealous?
Another text comes through.
Paul
Coast is clear.
“Finally,” I mutter. It’s not that I grudge Paul his romantic rendezvous in the bus—heaven knows he’s gotten my back for plenty of my own. I just didn’t expect it to last this long.
I stick my phone in my back pocket and make the ten-minutewalk to the buses. I thought about texting Mia to come with me tonight, but even though the prospect of roaming around Lyon with her was really tempting, I didn’t do it. The whole Noah thing has me feeling salty, and I’m trying to grow up a little so I don’t do something like stick my tongue out at her when he comes up again. Which he inevitably will.
My gaze flits to the girls’ bus. Are they still shrieking with excitement over him asking Mia out? Mia said it’s a business lunch, but I’m familiar enough with Noah to know differently. And I know Mia’s feelings about Noah well enough to guess she’d be happy to go on a date with him.
Paul’s getting out of the shower when I get inside the bus.
“How was it?” I ask. Paul started dating someone just before the tour, and she finally got tickets to see him. I’m grateful, since the constant texting and late-night calls between them have gotten a bit old.
He smiles at me as he rubs the towel on his hair.
“That good?”
