I bite back a grin as I step into the mic. “Montreal,” I growl, “let’s burn up the night!”
The crowd answers like thunder.
We dive straight in.
I don’t just play—I give. Everything. Every ounce of pressure, every lyric raw with truth I’m not brave enough to say out loud yet. Not here. Not in front of them.
But I want to.
God, I want to.
I want to turn to Mac right now and ask her to marry me.
The ring’s in my guitar case. Nestled in velvet. Been there for weeks. Burning a hole through my patience. And every time Ilook at her—every time I feel her watching me like I’m hers—I almost cave.
Almost.
But I want it to be right. Just her and me. No noise. No chaos. Just the kind of moment that holds everything still.
Trey takes over vocals for a verse while I drift closer to the edge of the stage. The lights flare, sweeping over the crowd, and Mac—my girl—is there with fire in her eyes. Her smile slays me. She grips the hoodie tighter around herself like she’s holding on to me. Like she feels this as much as I do.
And shit, she has no idea how close I am to falling to my knees right now.
I want forever with you.
But I swallow it down. Keep playing. Keep bleeding out my truth in chords and chaos.
Because the sets not done.
But my mind? My heart?
Already hers.
And after this…
I’m going to give her everything.
The boys burst off stage like a pack of wolves, all fired up and buzzing with energy.
“So?!” Trey’s practically in Mac’s face. “Did we kill it or what?”
Sam’s grinning ear to ear. “Give it to us straight. Don’t hold back.”
Chace laughs, “Come on, Mac, what do you think? We crushed it, right?”
I watch them swarm her, their excitement filling the room like electricity. I can see how much this means to all of us—and how much she’s become part of it.
But I hang back, taking my time.
My fingers find hers, warm and steady in mine.
I look into her eyes and say softly, “Want to take a walk with me?”
We weave through the winding maze of tech tents and catering vans, slipping past roadies and security. No one stops us—they’re all too busy chasing the adrenaline left behind on the stage. Eventually, I find what I’m looking for.
A quiet little slope just beyond the side of the main stage. From here, we can see everything—the crowd stretched out like a sea of shadows and glow sticks, the stage lights shifting in pulses of gold, violet, and blue. The music from the next act rumbles beneath our feet, vibrating through the ground in steady waves. It’s loud, but not overwhelming. Just enough to make the moment feel alive.
We sit on the grass, and I pull her between my legs, my arms wrapping around her waist like she’s always meant to fit there. Her head rests against my shoulder, soft hair brushing my jaw, and I take a slow breath.
