Page 217 of Just Wait

This actually might be the perfect time to spring my offer on him.

Malcolm comes out, pulling on his T-shirt as I’m wrapping up my phone call with my dad. I disconnect and shove the device into my pocket, sighing heavily.

It wasn’t a bad talk, but I also know that he’ll agree to something while he’s drunk and loving life, only to change his mind when he sobers up the next morning.

“You felt kinda funky in the bond,” Mal says, tugging me in for a hug. “Is everything okay?”

I nod and wrap my arms around him. “I called my dad.”

“How did that go?”

“It could have been worse, but I didn’t push for an answer.” I shrug. “I just planted the seed. He needs to be the one to let us know if he wants to take advantage of the offer.”

“Either way, I’m proud of you for getting that over with.” He kisses the top of my head. “I know that was weighing on you.”

“It was, but I’m glad it’s done.” I tilt my face up to his. “By the way, you said something when you were about to perform your song.”

Mal nods, opening his mouth, but I speak before he can.

“I’m falling in love with you too,” I tell him, stretching up on my tiptoes to kiss him. It’s a quick kiss, and I settle back onto the floor as Riser and Kincaid come to join us.

“Can we get in on this?” Kincaid asks.

“Bring it in.” Mal raises his hands, and I can only assume he waves them over. “Love you guys.”

Riser and Kincaid join the hug.

“Not to copy Mal, but I love you all,” I say, reveling in being held by the three of them.

“Love you too, beautiful,” Riser says.

“You know I’m gone for you,” Kincaid says, sneaking a hand around to yank on my necklace chain. It tightens around my throat firmly but not painfully. “Love you, Lumen.”

I guess a rebound really can turn into forever.

Epilogue

Riser

The second leg of the tour goes smoothly. It’s a long two months, but at least we have another four weeks before Lumen’s next heat is set to hit. We’ve already notified the label that, moving forward, all tours will need to be coordinated with her heat schedule.

It’s a blessing that Ruined Records’ owner is an alpha. He was either completely supportive of said change, or Benji softened the blow by only telling us the positives. It could go either way, but I’d like to think Rook Jacobs is a decent guy. He seemed like it in all the face-to-face meetings we’ve had over the years, and I’m usually a pretty good judge of character.

Our new opening act is easy to get along with, and Lumen loves that they’re an all-female ensemble. Honestly, I think she’s been daydreaming about ditching writing music for us so she can swap over to working with Midnight Skies.

They’re an incredible mix of grunge and alternative that Lumen is obsessed with, and I’m only fifty percent joking when I say she would wave at us in her rearview mirror if she got the opportunity to work with them.

Luckily, she loves us enough to come home to us, even if she branches out with her songwriting abilities. I have no malice when I say I think they would make chart-toppers if they worked together.

We haven’t had any backlash from taking first dibs at her songs, but we probably have Benji and Kincaid’s lawyer to thank for that.

Mostly I’m just ready to head back to Florida.

We get to move Lumen into our condo, and I can’t wait to see what she thinks of it. With our crazy tour schedule, we haven’t had the chance to meet her dad in person, but we did video calls before and after he went to rehab.

While he’s only been out for a little over a week, things seem to be going well. After our experience with Randy, the label-appointed babysitter, it gave us the idea to get Lumen’s dad some backup in the form of a sober support companion.

Tony is the guy’s name, and he’s a hard-ass but also fair, according to what Lumen’s dad said during our last video call.