“Just teasing! I’m just joking with you. I love you, too, Cash. It didn’t start at the thrift shop, but it started long before tonight.”
“You’re…” Cash’s eyes held a hurricane of emotion. “You’re the first woman I’ve ever said that to.”
Milo jumped down from the stage. “I’ve said it a bunch, but this is the first time I’ve meant it. Like,reallymeant it.”
I cupped his face. “That means a lot to me. I love you, too, Milo.”
He kissed me, then grinned at the other two. “She said she loves me. Did you hear that?”
“I think I speak for everyone,” Riot stepped in, “when I reiterate that we don’t want you to leave. We want you to go wherever we go. Wherever life takes us. As a groupie, or girlfriend, or part of the band, or whatever. Doesn’t matter.”
“I’m not sure which of those I want to be,” I admitted. “But yes. The answer is yes. I don’t want to leave, I don’t want to go back to my normal life. I want to be withyou. All of you.”
Milo let out a carefree laugh and threw his arms wide. “Group hug. Bring it in everyone.”
As the four of us huddled together, arms wrapped around each other and heads touching, I knew that I was jumping into something crazy. Something that would have seemed impossible just a few months ago.
But just like when I agreed to tour with them, I knew it was the right decision.
And I couldn’t wait to see what the future held.
Epilogue
Roxie
Violet was waiting for us back at the tour bus. “Well? What’d she say?” she demanded of Riot.
Then she saw me and said, “Well? What’dyousay?”
“I’m going home,” I replied, someone managing to keep a poker face. “I’m done with them.”
She gasped, and all the color drained out of her face. That’s when I finally broke.
“Sorry. I couldn’t resist.”
“You’re mean!” Violet said, shoving me playfully. “So you’re staying? They convinced you?”
“They convinced me.” I looked back at each of the three men. “I got in my head and spiraled.”
“Happens to the best of us,” Milo said. “Cash went through a phase where he thought he could pull off the shirtless look.”
“It was one show,” Cash muttered. “And it was because the stage was sweltering in Birmingham.”
“By the way, Brian called,” Violet announced. Brian was the band manager.
“Why’d he call you?” Riot asked, looking offended.
“Because the three of you were ignoring your phones for the past two hours. Do you want to hear what he said, or not?”
“Is it about our time in the recording studio?” Cash asked. “I negotiated two weeks. He only wanted to pay for one. If he’s changed his mind…”
“Relax, it’s not that,” Violet replied. “He wanted to share the tour numbers. The amount of money we earned.”
Everyone perked up at that.
“How much?” Milo demanded, grabbing Violet by the arms. “More than we expected?”
“Or less?” Cash guessed. “I saw some empty seats in the last couple of venues…”
