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“Wait. Before you say anything, I want to talk first.”
I thought for a moment Darcy would protest, but then she folded her hands in her lap and raised her eyebrows at me, showing a picture-perfect image of waiting for me to speak. But the second she did this, I felt nerves overtake me. I took a deep breath and pressed forward.
“I’m sorry you overheard my conversation with Brady. I didn’t know you were there. But it’s no excuse. I should never had said that to him. I should never had told him I would go on the tour.”
“You don’t owe me anything …” she started, but I pushed forward, wanting her to understand something. And, in fact, I needed myself to understand it as well.
“I’m not going on tour. I don’t want to go on tour. I want to stay here.”
“But you told him you’re going.”
“I know. It was a dumb thing to do. But he was standing there telling me that he was going to replace me. In my own band where I write all of the music! He’s going to move Liam up front and have him be lead singer.”
“Well, that will never work,” Darcy said, letting out a little scoff. Her immediate response to this plan made me feel vindicated just as my conversation with Liz had done.
“That’s what I tried to say,” I agreed. “But he wouldn’t listen. And I just wanted some time to think without Brady berating me and telling me I’m not dedicated to the band. It seemed like the easiest thing to say to get him off my back. I just needed time to think.”
“So, you want to stay?” Her tone was tentative and I hated the vulnerability I heard there. I grabbed her hand.
“Darcy, I’ve never stopped thinking about you. Ever since I was seventeen years old, I’ve wanted to be with you. So I’m not going anywhere. Even if it means getting kicked out of the very band I created.”
I leaned in and kissed her, and I felt Darcy open up to me. She relaxed against me, and after our kiss I felt her arms wrap around me. We hugged each other close, finally seeming to understand each other.
“You can’t give up your band,” she said into my ear. “I wouldn’t ask you to do that.”
“You might not, but Liz certainly will. I promised her a full summer and she’s going to hold me to that!” We laughed about Liz and I leaned back from the hug. I took both her hands in mine so I could look at her.
“I’ll figure things out with Brady and the band. I’ve been ready for something to change for a long time. And I’m excited to figure out what that looks like.”
“Good,” Darcy smiled. “Because we have a solo album to record at your new recording studio.”
“You’re still up for it?” I hadn’t dared to hope she was still interested.
“As long as you promise me you won’t leave before it’s done, I’m open to it.”
“Hmmm ... leaving before something’s over? I think you’re the one we might have to worry about.”
Darcy playfully pushed me, and I allowed myself to fall backward as we both laughed. She leaned over and laid her body on top of mine before dropping down to kiss me again.
“I won’t leave,” I told her, staring up into her eyes. “I want to stay here and get to know you better. And I have a feeling that truly knowing Darcy Stevens will take much longer than one summer.”
29
DARCY
My mind swirled with all this new information. My body flushed with happiness as I kissed Callum, feeling the solid form of his body beneath me. The fifteen-year-old me would not believe that I was lying in this field with Callum Jones. And to think that our separation all these years was because of some big misunderstanding.
Callum lifted his hand and brushed my hair behind my ear.
“I can’t believe we’re here,” he said, mirroring my own thoughts.
“Me neither. I doubt Liz is going to be too happy with us ... we sort of bailed on the play.”
Callum laughed.
“Don’t worry, she already gave me an earful. I think I’ll have to bring the kids to that theme park I promised them sooner rather than later.”
“Can I come?” I asked, feeling like a little kid myself. “I love rollercoasters.”
