“The whole run, Austin! The whole run is sold out because of that review this morning!”
“Even Thursdays!” Ian yelled from the wings.
I couldn’t help but laugh—he was in hog heaven as my understudy.
“Please tell me you’re willing to do more of these shows?”
“I have to intersperse them with my touring and recording, but yes, totally.” I started looking around as the cleaning crew began their nightly routine.
“You have fans at the back door.” Jayne smiled.
“I need to find my friends,” I said.
Maddox gave a wolf whistle from stage left and I turned and looked. They were all standing around the unicorn, smiling and waving at me. I took off running, and she met me halfway.
“Austin…”
I had my sister in a hug for the first time in eight years. “Oh, my God. Aubrey. How did you get here? Who told you?”
“I left him, Aus. I left Gerry. I had to. He was killing us. Taylor found us, he flew us out here to see you.”
I grabbed Taylor and pulled him into the hug. “Dude.”
There were tears on all of our faces.
Taylor sniffled. “I know, man. I know. I set her up in an extended stay place for now.”
I looked at her. “You’re staying with me.”
“I can’t—”
“I have a five-bedroom apartment, you’re staying with me,” I said. “Where are the kids?”
“Sitter,” Bryce said. “Well, sister, actually. She agreed to watch them.”
“I owe Poppy again.”
“Carly and Devon actually love the baby.” Aubrey laughed, wiping away her tears. “I don’t know who got the real deal there.”
Staring at her again, I pulled her into a hug. “God, damn. Aubrey.”
“I know, little bro. I know.”
“Bar!” Luis yelled.
“I gotta do stage door. Let me change and meet me out beyond the throngs, okay?”
Everyone nodded and headed back out for the theater to leave through the normal door. Aubrey pulled me in for another hug. “Austin, we need—”
“Yes, we do. But not here, and not now. Please. Let’s just celebrate what this is, and that you’re here and safe. We can talk tomorrow. I have the eight show, Ian’s got matinee.”
She nodded and headed out with the rest of the crowd.
I headed back to my dressing room, and as soon as I walked in, the door slammed shut. I turned and Uriah was on me like a starving lion on an antelope. His lips were harsh and demanding and he tasted like a cosmopolitan and cherries.
“God, the filthy things I want to do to you,” I whispered.
“Not nearly as filthy as I want, I think,” he breathed, and his mouth was on me again.
