We have done and seen so much. The guys even took Jack and Jessie with them and climbed the harbor bridge. The other kids were either too young or totally freaked out at the thought of being so high off the ground. And Lex being Lex, he found another wildlife park just out of Sydney where we could actually pat and hold a koala, feed the kangaroos, and get up and close with quokkas, which are the most adorable animals on this planet, with their cute fuzzy ears and irresistible grin.
“It’s been the trip of a lifetime.” Tilly puts her arm around my shoulders.
“We can’t thank you enough for the ride you have taken us all on, Lex.” Grayson comes up behind Lex, and like Tilly did to me, he puts his arm around his buddy.
“It’s not the trips you take in this life, it’s the framily you take them with.” The emotion in his voice is evident to us all.
“Hear, hear,” Paige replies with a quaver in hers too.
“My flights mean so much more when I have such precious cargo.” Mason steps toward Tate and Bella to bring them into what is now becoming a line of hugging each other.
“Who would’ve thought all those years ago, what a chance encounter of four young boys would grow into.” Bella rests her head on Tate’s shoulder.
And as per usual, Tate has the last say. The emotion in him that he doesn’t share often makes the words coming from him hit a little harder than normal.
“A lifetime of friendship and unconditional love.”
Framily - it’s as simple as that.
IT’S FINALLY TIME TO SAY GOODBYE
TO OUR CHICAGO BOYS.
BUT to the little boy who stole this author’s heart, you grew up, and now it’s time to tell your story.
JACK
I can’t believe it’s been ten years since my first trip to Australia, and now I’m sitting here in a meeting to discuss the logistics of possibly including Sydney concerts in my first world tour.
My life has become a whirlwind that I don’t even know how to process most days.
And to be honest, it all feels overwhelming, and there are days I struggle to breathe. We kicked off the first national tour in Chicago, and I’ve hardly been home since. With my record label based in LA, I spend most of my time out there or on the road touring, doing press interviews, photo shoots, videos, and showing up at all the events that my publicist tells me are important to be seen at.
The price of fame is suffocating.
But the moment I step onto that stage with my guitar in my hands, it’s like the heaviness all falls away.
I love to sing. It’s all I’ve ever wanted to do for as long as I can remember. And now that I’m living the rock star life, it’s nothing like I imagined.
Walking out of the conference room after the meeting finishes, I can’t remember a thing that was decided on, and it doesn’t really matter because I know that I will receive a million emails and voice memos from our band manager, Colt. He tells me what, he tells me when, but hardly ever tells me why. Apparently, I’m on a need-to-know basis so it doesn’t stagnate my creative flow. I mean, the band pays him enough that he should be following us around wiping our asses as well.
Taking the elevator down to the parking lot, my mind is restless, but I know the moment I pull on my helmet, fire up my motorbike, and hit the road, it will help. Some of my best songs have come to me when I’m out on the open road, riding on my own and blocking everything out. Just letting my brain be free for a while.
Not that it’s easy to ride freely living in LA, with the traffic. Which is why I don’t bother driving my car often. The bike is easier to maneuver; weaving in between the cars is the only way you can get through the gridlock. You just calculate the risk of the traffic in front of you, commit to the weave, and take the chance.
Not exactly safe, but then neither is crossing the road most days.
Racing up the curving roads that head to my house up in Hollywood Hills is exhilarating and makes me smile every time. The couple of times I’ve been pulled over by police for riding too fast or crossing over the double lines, I’ve managed to bluff my way out of it when they recognize my name. An autograph and picture for their social media are all it usually takes. And there was that one time when it was a female officer who pulled me over, looking hot as hell in her uniform, so I gave her twotickets to the show the band was playing that week, with a backstage pass. And then at the meet-and-greet, when I saw her walking toward me in the line, she proudly introduced me to her husband who was in a full fandom moment over me.
Lesson learned. Just because she isn’t wearing a wedding ring, it doesn’t mean she’s single.
I still haven’t lived that one down with my band.
I pull into my garage and shut down the bike next to my black Porsche 911. Swinging my leg over the bike, I stand and pull my helmet off just as I feel my phone vibrate in my jacket pocket.
Looking at the calendar reminder on my screen that has popped up, it’s something I had totally forgotten about, but my heart instantly feels just a little lighter for seeing it.
Walking into the house scrolling through my contacts, I dial the one person who can help me with this event.
