Page 2

Inside, I set my keys on the table and kick my shoes off before walking up the stairs to our living room. The lights are dimmed, which is typical for us at this time of night. Instead of calling her name, I walk down the hall and knock softly on her office door.
“Come in,” she says almost instantly.
I twist the doorknob and crack the door slightly, and peek my head in. “Hey.”
“Hey,” she says, matching my soft tone.
“How’s the studying going?”
Nola sighs heavily and I brace myself for what she has to say. “It’s meh. I have a test tomorrow and . . .” She shakes her head.
Her words make me feel like an ass. Did I seriously doubt she had homework?
“Can I come in?” I ask, even though she’s already invited me. Nola nods and I enter, making my way over to the small sofa she has in her office. I sit on the cushion closest to her. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about the tour earlier.”
Nola sighs again, swivels on her chair and presses some buttons on her computer before coming to sit next to me. She angles her body toward me, pulling her legs underneath her.
“It’s not the tour that bothers me. It’s that you think I can drop everything to go with you.”
I nod. She’s right. It’s exactly what I expected. “I really love having you on tour with me and I guess I just expected you to be there without asking you.” I shake my head.
“Did your mom drop everything to go on tour with your dad?”
Shrugging, I look at her. “Yes and no. It depended on how old we were and what was going on. The older we got, the less she went.”
“Quinn, I want to finish my degree and get a job.”
For whatever reason, hearing that she wants to work makes my heart hurt. “You know you don’t have to work.”
“I know, and I appreciate the offer, but I want to feel like I’m contributing to our relationship. Right now, you pay for my schooling, this house, car, and everything else. While I know I can go to the bank and take money out, I feel awkward. I want to be able to buy you something without you seeing it onyour credit card statement or buy my parents a present without feeling like I need to justify the purchase.”
My eyes widen at her. “Have I ever asked you why you spend money?”
“No, but that’s not the point, Quinn.”
I know I’m not a perfect person, nor do I try to be. Nola’s my first girlfriend and the only woman I have loved outside of my family. To the best of my ability, I’ve tried to be the greatest boyfriend or fiancé I could be.
We’re quiet for a bit until she reaches for my hand. Our fingers link and I bring her hand to my lips and kiss the back of it. “I’m going to be better about checking with you before I make plans or agree to do things. Like tonight, with going to Peyton and Noah’s. I should’ve checked with you before I agreed.”
“Thank you,” she says, moving closer. “I’m so close to being done, I just want to finish and graduate, and then things will be much easier.”
I scoff but keep it under my breath as much as possible. Nothing about this will be easier. She’ll have a job and I’ll still be heading out on a tour. It won’t be this one, but the next, and the one that follows, and she’ll always be home, while I’m touring the country.
My hand maneuvers enough so my fingers rub over her ring. I remember sliding it on her finger, thinking I’d be fine with a long engagement. Look at my parents. They’re not married, at least not in the eyes of the government, but they are to each other. The fact that they never signed a piece of paper never bothered me.
With Nola, I want the piece of paper. I want to stand up in front of our friends and family and say our vows to each other.
“I have a couple of stops in South Carolina,” I say to her as I play with her ring. “What do you think about you flying out when I’m there and we get married? Your parents are already thereand mine can fly out. Then after you graduate, we’ll go back out there and have the full-blown wedding of our dreams.”
Nola smiles, but it doesn’t reach her eyes. “I’ll talk to my mom and make sure they don’t have anything booked.” She leans toward me and gives me a quick kiss. “I need to get back to studying.”
“Okay.” I stand and head to the door. “I love you.”
“Love you,” she says, glancing up quickly and then back at her computer.
TWO
The door to the studio opens. Ajay Ballard and Keane Sandoval walk in. Ajay is the drummer of my band, Sinful Distraction. Well, it’s technically the band Elle put together with the assumption I would be in it. Keane plays the piano and keyboard, depending on what the song calls for. He’s also a single dad to his kickass daughter, Chandler. She tours with us, and she reminds me a lot of the twins when they were growing up on the road.