And now, she gets to return to her full glory onstage tonight. I slip it over my shoulder, the weight familiar and soothing.
I look over toward my brothers, and none of them seem to have heard Arun’s warning.
Jane’s massive engagement ring sparkles even under the dim lighting off in the wings. It seems since Nikolai gave her that a few months ago, that she’s suddenly left-handed. Even now as she takes a photo of the two of them, she uses her left hand to hold the phone. When she notices me watching them, she flips me off.
Again, using her left hand.
It’s probably a good thing we’re back in business because I’d be willing to bet their wedding is going to be the biggest of all of ours.
“Why’d my sister just flip you off?” Walker asks as he steps up to my side. A neon green drumstick twirls around his fingers.
“You’re assuming I did something wrong?”
He jabs a playful elbow into my side. “Always.”
I smirk. Scarlett joins Aspen off to the side, the two of them immediately jumping into conversation. Probably about the shelter or one of the many animals Scar and Walker are fostering at the moment. Ever since they got back from their honeymoon last year after eloping, they filled their house with more animals than even we have.
Walker says it’s been good for Scar, as well as working on her own music again.
Nikolai leaves Jane to join the girls and strides over to us, his gait calm and cool despite the gravity of the moment we’re about to have. He’s always been good about managing nerves before a performance, though. The perfect picture of a front-man. Ready to show off.
“I think you missed a few buttons.” I point to his open shirt. The material is a pale-golden silk, almost matching the hue of his flowing hair. It hangs open with only the bottom two buttons done up.
I’d bet by the end of the show, it’s off completely.
He flexes his abs. “You know, you guys could’ve dressed up a little more for the occasion.”
Walker shakes his head. “I’m never giving up the cut-offs.”
“What’s wrong with this?” I gesture to my black jeans and leather jacket.
Nikolai scans the two of us with a contemplative look. “We should’ve done some sort of refresh with the new album. New music, new look.”
“You’re dressed exactly the same as you always have,” Walker points out.
“Because it’s a classic look.”
“So is mine.”
“That shirt has a hole in the stomach of it.”
Walker glances down, finds the spot, and simply shrugs. “Whatever. It shows off the guns.” He flexes one of his beefy arms, showing off the bulging muscle.
“Save that for your wife,” I tell him.
A frazzled looking stage-hand approaches us. “You guys go on in five?”
We look at him. “Is that a question or…” I drag out, pinning him with my gaze.
His cheeks turn bright red. “Uh?—”
“Thank you,” Nikolai cuts in. “We’re ready.”
He nods quickly and peels off in the opposite direction, talking into the headset over one of his ears.
“Well, glad to see you’re still a dick,” Walker says cheerfully and pats my shoulder. “Hayden, five minutes! Get over here!”
Hayden glances over his shoulder at us, dressed in all black like usual. He holds up a finger as he turns back to his wife. He gives Carter a quick kiss before bending down and planting one on her slightly bulged belly. She’s only four months along and the reason we have a shortened reunion tour for this year before we kick off more shows next year once the baby’s here. He wants to be home with her leading up to the birth, and with us calling the shots in our career now, we were able to make that happen for the two of them.
