“I’ll owe them a lot of money.”
I clench my teeth. “Yeah…”
He grabs my other hand and threads his fingers through, bringing them between us. “You know what you’ve taught me, Mia?”
“That not every shirt crumbles at the slightest touch?”
He smiles. “That too. But no. You’ve taught me to rediscover and prioritize my love of music. I don’t want to put a price tag on that. Not anymore.”
I swallow and nod.
His eyes search mine. “You may not have been drowning when I met you, Mia, but I was. And you’ve saved me. You’ve given me the courage to do what I want.”
“File for bankruptcy?”
He chuckles softly, his expression becoming more serious. “I want to be with you, Mia. But I want even more than that. I want to make music. Together.”
My heart hammers.
“Only if you want,” he rushes to say. “It’s an idea I’ve been playing with. After our talk of crowdfunding, I was thinkingabout doing that together to maintain control, you know? But I promise I won’t be offended if you?—”
I drop his hands, put mine on his cheeks, and bring his lips to mine.
He’s stunned for a second, but then his hands steal around my waist, pulling me toward him.
I’m already there.
The exhilaration of the last show, the joy of hearing what Austin wants to do and be together run rampant through my body. I can feel it in him too, in the way his hands grip my clothes and press against my back, in the fierceness of his kiss.
In it is the determination to make a future together—one that we can both be proud of. One that has us in it together.
The kiss finally slows.
“Should I take that as a maybe?” he asks.
“A definitely maybe.”
“Yeah?” He brushes my hair behind my ear with a half-smile. “Well, I’m definitely maybe in love with you, Mia.”
“I might’ve possibly absolutely fallen in love with you too.”
We stare at each other for a few seconds, smiling but saying nothing.
“Can I cash in on that rain check right now?” he asks. “Probably the last check I’ll be cashing for a while.”
I laugh and take his hand in mine. “Good thing your girlfriend is independently wealthy. Oh, wait…”
“No one I’d rather be broke with,” he says as we head for the venue’s back door. “We better enjoy being broke while we can. I have a feeling it won’t last long.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Given how much the fans loved us together,” he says, pulling me into him, “we’re going to do all right.” He presses a soft kiss in the hollow under my ear, and my entire body breaks out in chills.
“And here I thought your plan was to make a living ripping off your shirt.”
His head shakes gently against mine. “That’s a private performance only from here on out.”
I smile just before my mouth is occupied with better pursuits.
