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She doesn't believe in second chances. It can only mean one thing. She's here to say goodbye.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Ariel
I can sing a cappella in front of ten thousand people without a nervous bone in my body. But walking thirty yards across the beach to a man who walked away from me two days ago has every nerve in my body tingling.
The last two days, I've had to look in the mirror and face my own hard truths. Who am I? What type of person do I want to be? And how do I get there from here? It started with a long dinner with my mom. Shared hurt, heartache, and laughs over pasta and wine. Lots and lots of wine.
This morning, I met Dax at the airport. Three hours in an airport lounge sharing hard truths. Where we are as a band and our future. Truths they've been telling me in so many ways for months. Truths I've chosen to ignore, figuring I could change their minds. Dax points out why I'm wrong. That supporting me and loving me doesn't mean they'll bend to my will every time.
It's an eye-opening discussion. By the end, we're sharing hugs, laughs, and I give him a gift for the entire band. The news that Calvin and Marshall will have our live album ready in a month. Dax wisely advises me to share the news with the rest of the band in person when I return to Ohio.
After the airport, I have to face the hardest truth of them all.
Looking in the mirror and being honest about what I need. I need love in my life. The unconditional love that comes with lifetime friends. The kind I've been gifted with most of my life. A realization that love is expressed in many ways. That I don't need my friends to be on the stage beside me, on the tour bus with me, or hanging out at the hotel lobby bar after a concert to have them by my side. We're bonded for life, and nothing will break that bond.
The sun reflects off Adam's blue eyes. A twinkle of joy shoots in my undeserved direction. I speak first before he can start with the dozen questions that must be on his tongue.
"I'm not here to drag you on the stage at the festival." His shoulders unclench, giving me the courage, I need to proceed. On the drive over, I watched that damn TikTok of me performing at the workshop. Singing his song. Feeling his words. Being exposed. Performing that song was against my initial instinct but may become a turning point in my career. An unexpected high I would have never achieved if I didn't take the chance.
Here I am again, taking another chance, being exposed.
"I'm not the wait on a guy to accept her for who she is type of girl. I'm not the stay at home and tend to the garden type of girl." I stop two inches in front of him and ignore the buzz of the surrounding crowd. "I'm the type of girl who follows her passions and pours one hundred and twenty percent into it until she's on the floor in a happy puddle with a smile on her face. I'm a lot to handle, but once I have your trust, and your heart, you'll never ever, ever have to worry that I won't tell you the truth. I'll be by your side for every battle, for every victory, for every heartache. I'll be by your side until my last, dying breath."
Adam shifts from one foot to the other, the smile growing on his beautiful face. A face I can't believe how much I've missed in the last two days. "So, I say to you, Adam. Trust me. I'm here. I'm here for you. I'm here for a chance at an us. Here's my heart. Here's my everything." I slip my hand in front of him and pray he takes it. He's gonna take it. He has to.
His eyelids flutter: his soft gaze rises from my extended hand to my face and back down again. I'm a rush headfirst into a fire type of gal, and he reminds me he's the slow walk on a beach type of guy. I'm jump feet first, and he's located the exit doors before entering. We're opposites. Just like my band. And just like my band, I know we will work.
He's patience, and I am impulse. I don't apologize for who I am. I embrace it. And so should he. He slips his hand into mine and gives me a soft squeeze without saying a word. That's okay. Today, I'm the one who has written the lyrics. "You are what I want. Step onto my stage, next to me, and share the spotlight with me. You are my music."
He's the patient one who has taught me to enjoy the anticipation. I tip up on my toes. He leans forward, and I mirror him, not wanting to miss a word. "We don't have to call it a second chance." His adorable wink allows me to breathe. "It's an encore. A two-day it will be worth the wait encore. The world is waiting—let's give them a show."
I leap into his arms, his hands around my waist, my lips pressed against his. For two days, even in the middle of the chaos, this is what I wanted. Every decision, every conversation, every sacrifice was to bring me to this—to him. "I'm sorry, Adam. So, so sorry. I should've told you everything from day one."
"And I should have understood you were being protective of your band. I'm sorry…" He pauses, a smirk on his face. He's just hearing my words. "Wait a second. I thought you didn't apologize."
I brush my nose across his with an Eskimo kiss. Something I've never shared with another man. "You've got me doing a lot of things I never thought I would. Things I'm finding out I love."
"Like this?" He peppers kisses down my collarbone, and I close my eyes.
"Yes. Like that." My teeth find his earlobes, and I take a gentle nibble. "And spending a lazy day on a deserted beach grove in the backseat of a rental car. And turning around every moment in the studio, knowing you're watching me with an irresistible smile, a warm bottle of water, and a look of adoration which I'll never ever tire.” I give him another peck on his cheek before whispering in his ear. "Like … giving up a coveted spot on the Seaside Sunday program."
Adam's hands lower me to the ground, and his grip tightens. "You did what?"
My hand brushes a tendril of hair from my face. An urgent need to see him clearly. "I gave up my slot. Worked it out with Calvin. We swapped in Gael and Dante's local band Plot Twist. They'll take the stage in an hour."
Adam's eyelashes flutter, and I'm sure he's as surprised as Dax was when I told him of my decision. He pressed for me to go solo, even offered to back me on drums, even though the song didn't have a drum section. But I said no. For the first time in my life, there's something more important than the music. The man.
"You could've gone on without me. Your band must hate me."
I press a kiss to his chin. "They love you. They're not here, just Dax."
My fingers stroke his jawline. "Because you told them not to get on the plane. I'm so sorry, Ariel."
I wrap my hand around his waist and press my cheek against his chest. I feel the beat of his heart. "You have nothing to apologize for. They weren't ever coming. I was trying to guilt them. But they understood before I did." I lean back and connect with his gaze. "The band will always be my home. My best friends. But over the years, I've made them my everything. They've been telling me for years there's more out there. They're creating their own families. Families who only extend the love we already have. Now it's my turn."
"You mean."
