by Lisa Suzanne
Brody makes a joke about kids, and when my eyes dart over to Zoey, I can tell they won’t be too far behind, either.
We’re all growing up. We’re becoming husbands and fathers and branching out from the five of us, and as I watch my MFB family grow, I can’t help but feel a rush of excitement. Seeing how happy everyone around me is makes me want those things, too, and I know Amber is the one who can give it to me.
We’ll laugh, and we’ll fight, and we’ll piss each other off, and all that sounds like a pretty damn good life to me.
That blue box has been burning a hole under some old t-shirts in my dresser drawer, and I’m ready to give it to her.
Except I’m not just going to hand it over.
I have a plan.
Yep, believe it or not, the immature man child Rascal has a mother fucking plan.
And it all goes down Monday morning. We just have to get through the wedding first.
After the rehearsal, I’m sitting at my kitchen table with Kane, Brody, Adam, and Dax, and we’re all drinking beer. It’s just the five of us. Amber and Emily are at Emily and Adam’s house having a sleepover. Zoey is at her place, and Sierra is at hers. Kylie is at her parents’ house since she wanted to adhere to tradition and sleep separate from her husband-to-be the night before the wedding.
This isn’t exactly a bachelor party, per se, but it’s sort of a last hurrah for Dax. He wanted to keep it simple with beer and Texas Hold ‘Em just the five of us in the kitchen, so that’s what we’re doing.
“Can you believe that tomorrow at this time, the second one of us is going to be a husband?” Kane asks after he folds his hand.
We’re all quiet as we each take a sip of beer.
“Do you think things will be any different?” Brody asks, echoing my own thoughts as he throws some chips onto the table.
Everyone left folds and Brody rakes in his winnings.
Dax shrugs. “I feel like I’m already married to her. It’s only been her since that damn reality show I went on, anyway. And now with the baby coming soon...I don’t think anything will really change until then.”
We all nod as we process that. “Same,” Adam says.
All eyes turn to him. Apparently the secret still isn’t out yet.
“What?” Dax says.
“Em’s pregnant, too,” he says, his face lighting with a big smile.
“Congratulations,” Kane says first, his voice lacking its usual enthusiasm, but that’s blocked by the other reactions in the room.
“Holy shit, dude,” Brody says at the same time Dax says, “Always riding my coattails.”
Adam shrugs and grins. “Had to try to beat you to it,” he says to Dax. “Happened in Vegas and we couldn’t be happier.”
We all laugh, and then Dax says, “A wife and a baby all in one night?” He nods in approval. “Good work, man. So who’s next?” He glances at Brody, then Kane, then me.
“For what?” I ask.
“Marriage. Kids.”
Brody raises his hand. “Zoey mentioned fall or winter for our wedding. I’m just doing whatever she tells me to do.”
All eyes turn to Kane next as they wait expectantly for him to say what his plans are where Sierra is concerned, but I jump in first.
“I’m proposing to Amber Monday morning.”
“You’re what?” Adam demands, almost like he deserved this insider information first.
Three other sets of wide eyes turn on me, too.
“What?” I ask. “I love her and I want to spend my life with her.”
“Holy shit,” Dax murmurs. “Did anyone else see this coming? Rascal found a woman to sleep with him?”
Brody laughs, and Adam’s still pinning me with a glare, and Kane’s just quiet.
“You better fucking treat her right, Rascal,” Adam says. “Because I will kick your ass if—”
“Okay, okay,” Dax says, suddenly the peacemaker of the group as he holds his hands up to cut Adam off.
“I will,” I promise my future brother-in-law. “It’s kind of crazy how she’s been right in front of me all this time. Remember that party you had back when Kane and I first joined the band and you told us all to stay away from her?”
“Yeah,” Adam says, folding his arms across his chest and puffing it out at the same time to look tougher than he is. “I remember. Thanks for listening.”
I laugh. “I listened. I stayed away until I couldn’t anymore, and trust me when I say we’re both happier together. We’re better together.”
He relents, and I think his anger may have been in jest the whole time—except I’m pretty sure he was serious about kicking my ass if I hurt his sister. I don’t know if he could kick my ass, though. I’m pretty scrappy, and I’ve been working out.
“You do seem like a new man,” Brody says, and heads nod around the table. “More settled or something. Less of an assclown.”
“Thanks,” I mutter.
“I mean that in the nicest way,” he says, and then he turns toward Kane. “So you’re the only one left, man, and you’ve been with your girl the longest. What’s up with that?”
He shrugs but doesn’t answer, and he looks incredibly uncomfortable.
“Is everything okay with you and Sierra?” Adam asks.
He nods. “Yeah. It’s just...I don’t know.” He shrugs and lifts his hands up in confusion. “I keep wondering what’s next for us.” He makes a circle motion with his finger to indicate the five of us sitting around the table, not him and Sierra. “You’re both taking time off when your babies come,” he says, nodding at Dax and Adam, “and I don’t even know if I want kids. I don’t know if I want to get married. But it’s not just that.”
“Then what is it?” I ask.
He takes a deep breath and averts his gaze to the deck of cards sitting in front of him since he has next deal. “What happens to MFB when you’re all off getting married and having kids and raising families?”
We’re all quiet as we ponder that question.
I think we’ve all thought it over the course of the last year or so as different members of the band have started settling down and finding wives and making babies.
But not one of us actually has the answer to that question.
And that’s a little terrifying—especially considering it’s all we’ve known for the last decade.
CHAPTER 45: WILL
I’m taking a break from the dance floor while Amber and Emily help Kylie use the restroom (apparently pregnant women have to pee a lot, and apparently wedding dresses make that difficult. I don’t need more details than that) when Mark Ashton slips into the chair next to me.
“How’s life, Rascowicz?” he asks.
I laugh. “Really good.”
He raises a brow, and I motion toward the dance floor where Dax and Kylie are clinging to one another like no one’s watching.
“I may be next,” I say.
“Oh?”
“I’m proposing on Monday.” I say it softly so no one hears, but for some reason, I feel the need to tell him. He’s not just my boss. He’s one of my musical idols, and the last time we spoke, he made me feel like he cared about me and my future.
“Holy shit,” he murmurs, and then he whistles. “Good for you, man. Congratulations.”
I nod once, a little embarrassed all of a sudden that I blurted out my plans to him.
“Speaking of proposals, I have a proposition for you,” he says.
I hold up both hands with a nervous laugh. “I like you a lot, man, but I’m into women.”
His eyes narrow to a glare. “I knew this was a mistake.” He moves to stand, and I stop him.
“Sorry, sorry. I was kidding. Obviously I know you’re into women, too. I mean everyone knows about your colorful past, and—”
“Dude, shut up while you’re ahead.” He shakes his head then leans in closer like he doesn’t want anyone to hear. “I know a band looking for a guitarist and a bassist. I thought of you and Kane since there’s no
thing on the books for MFB for the next few months. If you’re interested, I can have their A and R rep get in touch.”
If I’m interested?
He thought of me?
Fuck yeah I’m interested. I’m interested in anything Mark Ashton asks me to do anytime, always, and ever. Even if it doesn’t involve women. I mean I’m not into that sort of thing, but if Mark asks...
“Uh, wow,” I mutter like some idiot. “Yeah, that sounds interesting. I’d have to talk to the MFB guys about it, but—”
He cuts me off. “MFB comes first. Always. I get that, just like Vail will come first always for me. Steve, James, and Ethan are my top priority after my wife and kids. And I get wanting to talk to them about it, but if this was solely your decision, what would you say?”
“I’d say fuck yeah. Hook me up, man.”
“It would just be a few months,” he says. “Their A and R rep is looking for replacements but in the meantime, you might be a great fit. It would just be to record tracks in the studio and play some local shit for a few months.”
His wife walks up beside him. He automatically slips his arm around her waist from where he sits and keeps talking business. “We’d have to let you jam a few times to make sure you mesh with them, but I think it’ll work. And the timing couldn’t be more perfect.”
“Why are they looking for a guitarist and bassist?” I ask.
He glances up at his wife, and she smiles down at him. He pulls her a little closer. “It’s a long story, one I’ll let them tell you someday.”
I nod even though I’m burning with curiosity. “Can we set up a meeting sometime next week?”
“Yeah. I’ll have their rep get in touch.”
“There you are.” Amber’s voice interrupts our conversation, and she seems a little more enthusiastic than I’m used to...probably due to the presence of the rock star sitting beside me.
“How’s this going?” Reese asks, nodding between the two of us.
“Good,” I say. I can’t help my smile as I look at my girl.
She returns my gaze then presses her lips to my cheek. “Really good.”
“Get a room,” Mark says, and then he stands and kisses Reese’s temple. “Good chat, Rascowicz.”
“You too, Ashton.”
He narrows his eyes at me like I crossed a line, and God damn this guy intimidates me. But then he smiles with a nod and walks away, his arm around his wife’s shoulders and hers around his waist, the picture of the perfect couple.
“What was that all about?” Amber asks.
Do I tell her?
Her brother is in my band...but she’s going to be my wife someday.
I think I can trust her.
I lower my voice and glance around to be sure no one can hear us. “He said he knows some band looking for a guitarist and he thought of me.”
“Guitar?” she asks. “But what about MFB? What about the keyboards?”
“It’s temporary.” I shrug. “MFB doesn’t have anything on the books while Kylie and Emily incubate, and Dax and Adam will need a little time off. This gives me something to fill the void.”
“But what if you like playing guitar more than keys?” she asks, her voice a loud whisper.
“I will, no doubt about it. But I won’t like playing with these guys more than MFB. That’s a guarantee.”
She gives me a look that clearly questions how I know that, but we’re interrupted when Kane slides into the chair on my other side.
“Where’s Sierra?” I ask.
“Bathroom.” He gestures toward the doorway. “Did Ashton talk to you?”
I nod. “You?”
“Yeah. You in?”
I lift a shoulder. “How could I say no? It’s something to do during our time off, and it’s not keys. You?”
He nods. “I keep wondering what’s going to happen to MFB when the lights go down, you know? Doesn’t hurt to have a back-up plan.”
“The lights aren’t going down,” I begin in protest, and I’m about to lay into him about how this is temporary, and two of the guys in our band are about to bring kids into the world and they need time with their new families, but I’m interrupted when Reese walks up to us.
“Okay, MFB boys. I’m organizing a bachelor auction for charity at the beginning of June. I have several big names already signed on and it’s the night before the premiere of Rock on the Road Revisited, so I need at least one MFB name on my roster. Who’s it gonna be?” She sets a hand on her hip as she patiently waits for one of us to volunteer.
“Uh, Reese, we’re all in relationships,” I say, linking my fingers through Amber’s.
“It’s fine. It’s for charity. Dax is married now, and Adam is, too. Brody’s engaged. So it’s down to you two. Give your woman the money to place the winning bid, I don’t care. I just need one of you to do it.”
I look at Kane. “Not it,” I say.
He rolls his eyes, but we both know he’s got a better chance of raising money than I do.
“Dude, my girl is sitting right here,” I say, tossing an arm around her. “Yours went to the bathroom. If she cared enough to protest, she would’ve been here.”
Amber giggles, and Kane blows out a sigh. “This is so stupid,” he complains. “But fine, whatever. I’ll do it. I just need a guarantee Sierra will win.”
Sierra walks up behind him just as he finishes. “Sierra will win what?”
“This bachelor auction Reese is putting together,” he says.
“He’s not a bachelor,” Sierra says in protest.
“He’s not married, either,” Reese counters. “And like I just told these guys, you can bid to win the date. I just need someone from MFB to participate. I’m putting together this whole big fancy shindig and it’ll be amazing press to get everyone hyped for the premiere of Rock on the Road the next day.”
Sierra folds her arms across her chest like she thinks this is a terrible idea, but it looks like she doesn’t have much say in the matter.
“I promise you’ll win me,” Kane says to her, like he’s trying to appease her. “Besides, you know you’re the one I’m coming home to.”
She rolls her eyes but relents. “Fine.” She jabs a finger in his chest. “But you better come home to me.”
He pulls her down onto his lap. “Always.”
“Get a room,” I say to them, repeating Mark’s earlier words to Amber and me.
We all laugh and make a toast to the upcoming bachelor auction, but I still can’t help wondering what’s going on with Kane lately.
The thought easily leaves my mind as Cody Johnson sings about all the things he went through to get to his girl in “On My Way to You,” and I take Amber’s hand and lead her back to the dance floor. We sway slowly to his country twang and I sing softly near her ear.
She giggles as she shakes her head. “You and your country singing drive me crazy.”
“Well, Cookie,” I say, and I thrust my hips toward her to show her what dancing so closely with her does to me, “you’re driving me crazy, too.”
And with any luck after what I have planned on Monday, we’ll be driving each other crazy for the rest of our lives.
EPILOGUE: AMBER
Will pulls the truck into some back alley I’ve never been in before, but I recognize it. I’d recognize it anywhere, even in the light of morning.
It’s the alley where he got arrested.
I watched the footage on TMZ over and over, and I can’t understand why he’d possibly take me here after what he did the last time he was here caused me to break up with him.
He stops the car outside a bright orange door with no window on it.
“Why are we here?” I ask when he cuts the engine.
“You’ll see.” He smiles at me. His eyes are hidden behind sunglasses, but I sense a little nervousness in his movements—likely from bringing me to a location that caused some tension in our relationship in the past.
He opens his door and rushes around to my side to ge
t mine, too. I hop down out of the truck, and he shuts my door behind me. He pauses for a second and takes a deep breath, and then he turns to me, flipping his sunglasses up on his head.
I do the same.
“This door is brand new,” he says, nodding to the orange door with the logo for Just Desserts splashed across it at eye level. “No window this time.” He chuckles at his own little joke, and I still can’t figure out why we’re here. “I have something to show you.”
He goes to open the door, but I stop him with a hand on his arm. “Wait!”
He stops and turns toward me. “What?”
“I don’t think you’re supposed to just barge into the back of someone’s store.”
He laughs. “It’s okay. She’s expecting me.”
She? Who is she?
He opens the door and holds it open for me. I walk into what looks like an industrial kitchen completely set up as a baker’s dream.
“Daisy?” Will yells.
An adorable woman bounds through the door that leads out to the store. “Yay! You’re here! Did you tell her?” She oozes bubbles from her entire personality.
“Not yet,” he says.
“Tell me what?”
He takes a deep breath. “I wanted to do something more for Daisy after I broke her door, and we got to talking. Turns out she thinks business would probably benefit from having MFB in her corner, and she wants to sell some custom cookies but just doesn’t have the time to make them.”
My heart squeezes at what he’s implying, but I wait for him to get there before I allow myself to get too excited.
“She wants you, Amber,” he says softly. He squeezes my hand, and my jaw drops open. “You’ll have full access to her kitchen and this is totally up for negotiation, but she’s agreed to give you sixty percent of the proceeds of your custom cookie sales with the exception of the MFB cookies for charity. All proceeds on those will go directly to our foundation. We’ll see how things go, but once it all gets off the ground, that opens the door to hire more employees and make the cookies for charity thing huge. It won’t just be us. We’ll have an actual storefront where people can purchase the cookies, and we can still take online orders as well.”
