He tips his head back and exhales, long and loud. “Contracts are fuckin’ shit!” he yells at the sky, before he drops his chin and smiles softly, resigned to our fate for now.
“Am I here because Good Guy pulled some strings?” I ask, as realization hits.
He shakes his head. “I shared your photos with the right people, but you’re here because your talent speaks for itself. They lost their minds when they saw your account and knew they couldn’t pass up the chance to work with you.”
I’m a grown woman and shouldn’t crave this kind of validation, but knowing I’m here because I bring somethingunique to the project and not because he insisted on it boosts my confidence in ways I can’t explain. Now I’m smiling too as I ask, “Did your mom really love the song ‘Iris’?”
He nods slightly as his thumbs brush back and forth over my earlobes. “Still does. She made me listen to the Goo Goo Dolls’ greatest hits on the drive from Pennsylvania to Kentucky last week.”
“And your uncle has a rooster named Steve?” With each question, it’s like he comes into sharper focus. Ever morphs into Good Guy. And Good Guy morphs into Ever.
“He’s an impressive cock. And a huge dick.”
I can’t help but crack a smile at that and feel him relax a little too. Taking a small step back, I point at his legs. “Tan lines?”
Bending over, he pulls down a sock.
I sigh. “Well, hell, it’s even sexier in person.”
He snorts out a laugh as he stands to his full height, but then glances down at my legs and says, “I could say the same about you,” as he pulls me back into a hug. “Though that photo you sent me does make for killer lock screen wallpaper.”
I laugh in surprise. “Great minds. Your legs have been my phone wallpaper since about thirty seconds after you sent the photo.”
He squeezes me tighter and whispers, “Slacker. It only took me twenty.”
“Would it be weird if we took a selfie? Lola wants to see Good Guy.”
“I think it would be weirder if we didn’t,” he says.
I spin in his embrace and take my cell from my pocket. “Do you mind? Your arms are longer.”
He holds the phone slightly above us, and I lean my head back against his collarbone and look up at the screen. He dips his chin, and it rests against my temple. Seeing us together on thesmall screen does something to my heart, and I can’t help but smile.
I text it to Lola with,
I think you were right, he’s not here for the kidney.
twenty
Soph’sunruly waves are piled up on top of her head like a crown of obsidian flames in the bright sunlight. They bounce as she strides toward us across the parking lot, her long legs eating up the distance. Sunglasses on, I shamelessly watch her approach. She’s in problem-solving mode, talking into her cell calmly, while her free hand gesticulates, venting the frustration she’s feeling so it doesn’t creep into her voice. When her outward composure coexists with her inner passion, she’s at peace. But when they go toe-to-toe from the inside out, she’s fierce. And it’s sexy as hell.
“I love that Soph’s on our side, because I think I’d be kinda scared of her if she wasn’t,” Jess comments from the passenger seat beside me. “She’s so nice, but you just know she could tear someone limb from limb if she ever decided to break bad.”
I smile because he’s right. And that makes me fall a little harder for her.
Rolling down the window, I listen in as she approaches. “Have you looked out front? Half of Tulsa is on your doorstep. I’m sorry, but we can’t park in front and unload. From a safetyand security standpoint, that’s a liability waiting to happen. Can you please unlock the gate to the back lot so we can get a van in?” There’s a pause. “Perfect, thank you. Maybe if you’re fully staffed, you could open the doors early and get people in and out of the heat? May as well take advantage of a couple extra hours of drink sales and disperse the crowd outside before someone has a heatstroke.” She listens and then says, “Great. If you can be flexible and work with us, we’d really appreciate it. I’ll talk to the guys, and we’ll brainstorm ideas and try to make this a win-win for everyone. We’re parked down the street. Shoot me a text when you get the back lot open, and we’ll figure out the rest when we get inside.” There’s a quick pause and then, “Thanks, Susan. You’re the best.”
After she makes a call to Hannah and Ben, who are still at the campground dealing with mechanical issues on the RV, she climbs into the back of the van. “The line isinsane. Doors don’t open for another four hours, and there are easily a thousand people out there already. And if past crowds are any indication, I would say most of them are here for Thicker Than Water.”
“Fuck yeah. Ben who?” Jess says with a teasing laugh that holds no ill-will toward his friend.
“What’s capacity?” I ask.
Soph grimaces. “One hundred fifty. There are gonna be a lot of sad people in Tulsa tonight.”
“Shit,” I mutter. “Do you think they’ll be able to open early? This heat is brutal.”
Soph nods. “Susan, the owner, said they can open within the hour.”
