An overwhelming feeling of peace swept over me, and I had to surreptitiously wipe at the corner of my eye.The guys always had my back.But I never would’ve expected—let alone asked—them to make this change for me.
Damn, I loved these guys.
“Plus, since we’re all multiplying lately, I thought it’d be good if there were less drunk assholes backstage.”Chase raised his glass to Jesse with a smirk.
“Chase!”Ella yelped.She gestured furiously for him to stop talking, but her brother was too busy shaking Jesse’s shoulders to notice.
“Fuck, that’s one way to announce a pregnancy I guess.”Jesse grinned while Ella looked like she was plotting her brother’s murder.
“Oh shit, was that not public?My bad.Sorry, sis.”Chase lifted his glass toward his sister.
It was probably a good thing that she was not within reach of her brother.
“Too many witnesses, Ella!”I patted her shoulder.“But I’m down for an alibi if you need one later.”
“You are my favorite Tin God, Noah,” Ella said, giving me a slight smile before turning to Chase and promising retribution with a glare.Then she was enveloped by well-wishers.
“Right.”Xander whistled to get the crowd’s attention again.“Can we get all the Gods over here for the kickoff toast?Where’s Noah?”
“Coming!”I hollered.“I was just keeping Ella from committing…what’s that word Shakespeare would use for killing your brother?”
“Fratricide,” Shay said like it was a word everyone had at the tip of their tongues.
“Holy shit.”Chase beamed down at his wife as he wrapped one arm around her shoulders.“I really hope our nugget gets that brain of yours.”
“Because it’ll be tragic if little Robinson gets yours.”I snorted with laughter.
Jesse laughed too.“Yeah, it would just be thinking about chords and tits.”
“Hey!”Chase barked as he elbowed Jesse in the gut.“Watch your language.Developing ears are listening.”
“What?”Jesse raised his hands in an act of innocence.“It’s not like I said anything nasty.Tits are tits.Besides, your fetus isn’t even here yet.”
Shay grabbed Chase’s hand before he could start a slap fight.She held his hand between hers and pressed a kiss against the back of it.
Something about the action made my heart thud unevenly.But I shook off the sensation.
Shay smiled at her husband.“Technically, at this stage, the baby can only hear my heartbeat and muffled sounds from my voice.It’ll be a few months before you have to worry about language.“
“See?Stop being a dipshit.”Jesse laughed and danced away from Chase’s reach.
Shay rolled her eyes.“But loud music like from say a rock concert can be stress inducing, so I won’t be watching you all perform.Sorry.Hope you all kick ass tonight.”
“Wait, stay for the toast at least.”Chase turned a puppy dog stare at his wife that had me embarrassed for him.
I turned to Xander to mutter something about Chase’s whipped status, but Xander had his arms wrapped around his new wife, Harper.And Jesse was all over Ella, no doubt whispering naughty shit in her ear, judging by the flush on her cheeks.
And the cheese stood alone.
Fuck.
“Hey, Romeos!”I hollered at my loved-up band.“Can we get this toast on the road?I think there are a few thousand fans out there who are waiting for us.”
The dull roar had rumbled in the background for a while now.
“Shit.”Chase grabbed the bottle of cider, and my annoyance leached away.
I shouldn’t be blaming them for my ridiculous jealousy—or chosen celibacy—especially when they’d already gone so far to make me comfortable here.
