Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 96284 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 481(@200wpm)___ 385(@250wpm)___ 321(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96284 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 481(@200wpm)___ 385(@250wpm)___ 321(@300wpm)
“Cool.” The other girl held up her phone. “Can we get a selfie?”
“Sure thing.” I gave Jake’s arm a quick squeeze, knowing he hadn’t gotten used to this attention. But he relaxed his stance, and we huddled close for a selfie with the women.
“Thank you so much!” The blonde beamed at us and dragged her friend away. “Have a great time tonight.”
“You too.” I smiled.
Jake exhaled, and I linked my arm with his.
“You almost made that look natural,” I noted.
At that, he deflated and let out a chuckle.
He was so weird. Sure, yeah, go get shot in Afghanistan, no problem. Get a selfie with two followers? The horror.
We made our way through the gates, and we bought beers before we went to find our seats. He’d splurged for the good tickets, so we were somewhere in the middle, with the stage right in front of us.
We sat down in our seats, and I glanced around us. It’d been a long time since I’d gone to a concert. Jake and I had seen Social Distortion in freaking Toledo after we’d done a Nomads episode nearby.
Maybe I should’ve brought a sweater. “It’s chilly, isn’t it?”
“I wouldn’t call it warm.” He took a swig of his beer and held out his arm. “C’mere. You’re my date tonight. It’s my job to keep you from freezin’.”
I grinned and had no problems playing along, just to take advantage. Nobody was in the seat in front of mine, so I planted my feet up there and leaned against Jake’s side. Fucking perfect. I drank from my beer and felt really good. I needed this night.
I brought out my phone. “Hey, famous person, can I get a selfie with you?”
He groaned through a chuckle. “Fine. For Haley?”
Sure, that too.
We smirked for the camera and held up our beers as I took a couple quick shots.
“One just for me,” I added, lowering my beer. “Smile like you love attention.”
I snapped off another few with a couple seconds in between, and then the opening act went onstage. The people around us stood up to cheer, and the area flooded with blue spotlights. But Jake and I remained seated. He’d told me this guy wasn’t good, and if he thought an artist put too much twang in the music, I sure as hell wouldn’t enjoy it either.
He still paid attention, though. The singer began his set, and Jake listened and peered between two guys standing up. In the meantime, I checked the photos real quick—and I came to a stop at the last selfie.
Damn. It went without saying we were hot together, but this one was next level. It had nothing to do with hotness. It was how he looked at me. A smile playing on his lips, affection in his eyes. This was how he kept reeling me in. He loved me so much that it was too easy for me to confuse his feelings for something deeper.
That part fucking sucked.
I just had to remind myself that I was the brother he’d always wanted. He’d told me once that sisters were for adulthood—in terms of how great of a relationship he had with Haley today, when they were grown. As a kid, he’d found Haley completely useless—obviously said with a glint in his eye, and with Haley within earshot.
I pocketed my phone and took another swig of my beer.
Oh, it was that fucking song again. Halfway into the main act, the singer was getting drunk on a plane after having his wedding canceled. It was just so country, with songs about alcohol, trucks, dirt roads, broken hearts, and, of course, new love and vows. But it was a good feeling too. Nobody was sitting anymore; people were enjoying themselves, and I’d even call the music all right. It continued to represent Jake’s gardening days for me, and I could never get enough of those. Few things brought me as much contentment as watching Jake in his element. That applied to both a busy day of filming and summer chill in the backyard.
I took a swig of my second beer as the song drew to its close, and Jake set his cup down on the ground to applaud with the other four or five thousand fans.
I followed suit, wanting my hands free for a bit. I’d just have to remember not to knock my beer over.
The singer began tinkering on a much calmer song and introduced “Riser,” and an overwhelming cheer traveled through the crowd. Jake applauded and let out a sharp whistle. I guessed he loved this one too.
He put an arm around my shoulders—something he often did these days—and sent me a smirky smile. He pulled me with him to sway to the beat, maybe as a “come on, don’t just stand there,” and a “Relax and have fun, buddy.”