“You are.” Lexi steps back into the house and Opal pulls me inside.
“Fucking finally.” Austin pushes off the wall next to Trent.
“There he is,” Sean says with a wide smile.
“My girl’s right.” Trent lifts his chin with a nod. “We want you back. How would you feel about coming back to the band?”
“You’re serious.” I can’t believe it. I really can’t.
“Yeah, well, we found out our drummer was an actual musical prodigy. Apparently, he’s loaded, too.” Austin bugs his eyes and shakes his head. “We’d be fools to pass on that.”
“Oh.” My stomach sinks with his words. “Then I can’t accept your offer.”
Austin laughs. “What the fuck are you talking about?”
“You seriously don’t want to play with us again?” Trent looks at me as if I’m crazy. Which might actually be true.
“No, it’s not that. There’s nothing I want more. Well, actually there’s not much else I want more.” I glance at Opal. “But I’m only interested if you’re cool with a guy who really loves music, but cares about his friends more. A guy who doesn’t come with any money or family connections, but promises to give his all on stage or in a recording booth.”
Trent steps forward and claps my back. “We never gave a shit about your family or where you came from.”
“Yeah, we didn’t know.” Sean lifts his brow. “Remember?”
“Don’t be an idiot here.” Austin holds out his hand. “We want you because you’re our brother. You screwed up, but you made it right again.”
I shake his hand and he pulls me in for a hug. “I’m really sorry.”
“We know,” Trent says. “That’s why we’re giving you a second chance. Everyone deserves a little forgiveness, don’t you think?”
My throat tightens with emotion. “Thank you.” Right here, in this room, is everything and everyone I could ever need. I hold my hand out to Opal and she doesn’t hesitate, walking right into my arms. Exactly where she’s meant to be. We’re a family, she and I, and I’m ready to spend the rest of our forever making a future we both love. One with music, laughter, children, and so much love.
Epilogue
Opal
Nine months later
“We got everything?” I glance at the back of our Yukon, and take inventory for the second time today.
Leighton crosses his arms over his chest and stares alongside me. “I feel like we packed our entire apartment.”
I laugh because he’s not wrong. “Yeah, probably.”
“Ready to go to work?” His arm goes around my waist and he kisses my lips.
I nod, a smile taking over my face. “Yeah, I am.”
“Then let’s roll.” He takes the infant car seat from my hands and lifts it high. “You ready for your first day of work, little man?”
“Don’t wake him.” I groan and open the door so he can place the seat into the base. “I have enough guilt as it is.”
“No guilt,” Leighton says, his tone stern with no room for argument. “You were meant to write songs. We’re doing this.”
I nod and walk around the car to the passenger seat and settle in for the short ride. These past months have been a whirlwind, but each step of the way Leighton’s been at my side. He’s been supportive and attentive. But it hasn’t been easy. I challenge anyone else to spend most of their pregnancy on tour with a rock band—one dealing with all sorts of issues, no less, but we’re figuring life out together.
Leighton’s determined not to let parenthood take away either of our careers, and I love him for it.
He’s the best baby daddy a woman could want. Yeah, we talked about getting married a few times. Especially during our first few weeks back together, but there wasn’t time or energy to plan the celebration we both wanted. Axl became our priority, not a piece of paper. And while I have no doubt we’ll walk down the aisle at some point, there’s no rush. Not when we’re living our best life.
