We all wave to the camera, and Cailin runs closer to it.
“We miss you, Uncle Max!” She kisses into the screen right before Noah shuts the video off.
I look up into Adam’s amazing blues, happier than I’ve ever been.
“Welcome to the club, baby,” he whispers only to me.
I lean up to kiss him. Hearing him call me baby does things to me that I shouldn’t be feeling with everyone around us like this.
“See? That was so much fun, huh?” Cailin asks.
“So much fun!” I respond. “Do you guys do that after every song?”
Adam chuckles, throwing his head back. “No, I think Jack would have a fit. Only after the first and the last.”
“Yes, he would,” Jack says as he starts to wipe everything dry. “I’m down for some fun, but that’s a lot of cleaning up.” He laughs.
I help wipe things with a towel he threw to me. When we’re finished, I sit on the couch with Adam. “How do you think Max will react? I don’t want him to feel like we’re doing something without him.”
He places his hand on my knee. “Don’t worry. I emailed him once Jack and I started working on the song. I wanted him to know he’d always be part of the band and that this was a side thing going on that he was welcome to jump in on whenever he was ready. He emailed back this morning, saying it was a cool idea. We’re not sure yet how long he’ll be gone for or what his next move will be. He said this took a lot of pressure off of him, knowing we’re not sitting idle while he’s there. He’s the best guitarist around, and he knows we could never replace him.”
I lay my head on his shoulder, absolutely content with life. When my phone rings, I get up to answer it. A cheesy smile covers my face when I see it’s Maggie FaceTiming me.
“Oh, girl! You’re never going to believe where I am and what I’m doing right now,” I answer as I turn to an empty wall, so that’s all she sees.
Her face scrunches. “If you tell me I interrupted you and Adam, I’m not sure if I’ll scream from excitement or be weirded out because, you know, that’s a little TMI on FaceTime.” Adam laughs out loud, and she hears him. “OMG, I did.” She bites her bottom lip in question. “Oh God, show me him. Wait, no. Sorry, that’s weird. Never mind.” She’s waving her hand in front of her face.
I laugh out loud as I flip the camera to Adam. “Maggie, I’d like to officially introduce you to Adam. Adam, say hi to Maggie.”
She yelps into the phone as Adam stands to head toward me. He waves before stepping next to me, so I flip the view back to me.
“Hot damn, you’re tall,” Maggie states with a slight laugh.
“Maggie’s my bestie from New York,” I say to Adam.
“Yeah, you can thank me later for helping her become the badass she is today.” Maggie tilts her head with a shrug to her shoulder. “But, okay, you haven’t told me where you are.”
I glance to Adam, who grins my way, saying, “Show her.”
I flip the camera again and show off the room.
“No. Fucking. Shit. You’re at a recording studio!” she yells.
“And they just recorded a song together!” Cailin jumps up in the view of the camera, so I point it directly at her.
“Are you serious right now?” Maggie screams in shock.
Cailin dramatically nods her head. “Yes! They did. And it’s sooooo good.”
I turn the camera back to me, dying to see her reaction, but I can’t through all the tears filling my eyes. I blink them away, but more come. I knew this was the best day of my life, but being able to share it with Maggie, who’s been by my side for all these years, has pushed me over the edge.
“Oh, sweetie. Don’t cry!” Maggie says.
I wipe my eyes. “I don’t know why I’m crying.”
“You’re crying because you’re finally getting what you’ve deserved all this time,” she says.
“Damn straight.” Adam pops into view, so Maggie can see him. “She’s a natural talent.”
