I shook her hand first, and then Ren's.
Neither of them asked how I knew Nathan or whether we were together. I assumed they knew better than to ask someone like him if the girl he was with was a one-time thing or not.
"I came over here to warn you," Ren told Nathan. "Security has done their best to keep out the rabid fans, but some have managed to sneak in."
"I can handle fans," Nathan said easily.
An amused smile played on Ren's lips. "I bet you can."
Ivy put a hand on her boyfriend's arm. "We should talk to the venue manager about where to set up." She looked to me. "It was so nice meeting you, Becca. Let's talk some more after my performance."
After we waved them off I turned to Nathan, concerned.
"Rabid fans?" I asked. "Are they going to mob you and demand a lock of your hair or something?"
Nathan laughed. "They're usually not so obnoxious about it. Mostly, I get cornered and asked for selfies and autographs."
"Like when we met in the hospital and you assumed I was a fan? I thought you were just a crazy person back then."
"Who says I'm not?" he quipped. Nathan put his arm around my waist and led us around the room. He snatched a wine flute from a passing server and handed it to me. "The drinks at these things are usually top notch."
I took a small sip of something bubbly. It was alcohol, I knew that much, but I supposed my palate wasn't refined enough to tell the difference between great and just okay.
"Hey, shit-face!" someone yelled from across the room. A man with familiar fire-engine red hair darted through the crowd until he was right in front of us. A pretty girl with long dark hair followed, a long-suffering expression on her face.
The redhead jabbed a finger at Nathan's face. "Did you dare Gael to destroy my foyer?"
"Me?" Nathan asked, feigning innocence. "Would I do a thing like that?"
It was Cameron Thorne, the one who'd thrown that rager where Gael had swung on the chandelier. I winced at the memory.
"I'm sorry," I said. The guy turned to face me. "It's my fault. I'd never been to a crazy house party before and I joked with Nathan that I wanted to see something like out of a movie. I didn't think anyone would actually do it."
This guy had also been the one to jump from the roof into the pool, the one who'd given me the idea to do it myself. I winced again. That night had been full of a lot of terribly awkward memories.
Cameron blinked at me, then shook his head. "Don't worry, I'm just giving this guy shit. I don't blame anyone other than Gael, that asshole."
"Maybe if you weren't so mean to him, he wouldn't want to get back at you," the girl at Cameron's side said reasonably. "You should give the poor guy a break."
"Why would I want to do that?" Cameron asked with a manic grin.
"Lily's right," Nathan said, I assumed referring to Cameron's girlfriend. "You know Gael idolizes you. When you aren't trying to piss him off."
"Exactly," Cameron said. "That guy has got to stop thinking I'm some sort of god. He's a great musician in his own right." Cameron shrugged. "Maybe if I pester him enough he'll realize I'm just another dude, you know?"
Nathan looked taken aback. "That's… oddly thoughtful of you."
"Hey, I can be thoughtful as hell when I want to be. Just ask Lily." Cameron pressed his face to his girlfriend's cheek with a noisy, messy kiss. "In fact, just last night I was—"
Lily clamped a hand over his mouth. Cameron continued talking, muffled under her hand.
"Just stop," she laughed at him before winking at me. "I can't take this animal anywhere without him trying to cause a scene, I swear."
Cameron pulled her into a hug and swung her around until she squealed and dropped her hand from his mouth. He set her down and placed another, softer, kiss on her lips before bumping her nose with his. A dreamy smile crossed her face as she looked up at him.
"Let's go before they start making out in public," Nathan said loudly, intending for them to hear, but they were lost in their own little world together. The two of them were so cute it was almost sickening.
I wondered if Nathan and I ever looked at each other like that.
