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Chapter thirty-nine

Naomi

“What did you do today? Tell me everything and don’t leave anything out,” I gush into my phone. Robbie is in Texas with the band, and my jealousy has been off the charts ever since he left yesterday morning. What I wouldn’t give to be right there with him.

His soft chuckle emanates through the speaker.

“Well, let’s see… Aiden had breakfast sandwiches waiting for us on the bus this morning—mine was a ham, egg, and bacon on a rye bagel.

It was a little on the dry side, but I added hot sauce, and that helped immensely.

I washed it down with two orange juices that were a little tart for my liking.

” He pauses. “Are these the kind of in-depth details you’re looking for? ”

“Yes. Exactly like that. Keep going,” I demand as nicely as I can while rummaging through my pantry.

“And then Dane and I got off the bus to do some souvenir shopping—I may or may not have bought a pair of authentic cowboy boots.”

I smile to myself as I rip open and pour a bag of marshmallows onto the s’mores tray.

“Let’s see…we stopped at a Tex-Mex restaurant for lunch—I had a chicken quesadilla and an avocado corn salad. It was delicious. Then we headed straight to sound check—oh, this venue is incredible, Naomi. I wish you were here to see it.”

“What does it look like?” I open the bag of graham crackers and pour them onto the tray next to the marshmallows.

“It’s got a three-hundred-sixty-degree design with the stage right in the middle. Literally, we’re fully immersed in the crowd. The only access to it is through an elevator that comes up through the center.”

“That sounds really cool.” I layer the pieces of chocolate to finish off the tray.

“It is. And now we have about an hour before showtime, so I’m on the bus, taking advantage of the downtime to talk to you. Should I describe what I’m wearing next?”

“No, thank you.” I grin. “I’m about to head back outside. The guys are currently cannon-balling off the end of the dock and I’m giving it about five minutes before Mrs. P. runs out with her broom.”

He chuckles again. “They’d probably deserve it. You know, I really love the fact that you have a watch guard that lives next door. It makes me feel better about being away.”

“I can take care of myself too, you know. I have for years,” I point out.

“Yeah,” he says in a throaty voice that makes my stomach flip. “But that’s my job now—and Mrs. P.’s.”

I let his words smooth over me in a comforting wave and feel the tug of another smile at the corner of my mouth.

“Did I tell you Gabby is here?” I ask, keeping my voice low, as if she might hear me from where she sits around the fire pit outside.

“She’s back in town, huh? Have you talked to her?”

“Just a little. Everyone just got here a bit ago. It seems like she’s in a good mood, though…less grouchy than before.”

“Well, good luck. Don’t take any crap from her or anyone else, okay?”

“Yes, sir,” I say playfully.

“Listen, I’ve gotta run. Aiden is waving his arm ridiculously fast at me with a stern look on his face. I think I’m in trouble.”

“Okay, have a great show. I miss you.”

“I miss you more. I’ll call you when I get back to the bus.”

When he hangs up, I feel the same familiar twist in my gut that’s been happening lately every time we disconnect. I can’t quite place it, but it feels an awful lot like homesickness—even though I’m well aware that I’m standing in my own home.

I grab the finished tray and head outside to my backyard, where Mrs. Pelinski is, indeed, admonishing the boys as they bob in the lake.

“It’s alright, Mrs. P. They’re my friends!” I call to her with a laugh.

“Are you sure?” she shouts back, clearly not convinced as she doesn’t retreat even an inch.

“I’m positive!” I smirk as she hesitantly moves back toward her deck, keeping her eyes pinned on the guys the whole time.

When I’m confident she won’t charge after them, I turn to place the tray on the small bench next to the fire pit. After grabbing the roasting sticks that are leaning against the tree, I sink down into the open Adirondack chair between Gabby and Rachel.

“S’mores, ladies?” I offer them each a stick. “Might as well make yourselves one before the guys get out of the water and hog all the chocolate.”

As if they can hear us talking about them, Luke yelps as Charlie dunks him, clearly the result of some sort of wrestling match I’m not invested in in the slightest.

“Sure.” Gabby gives an unusually friendly smile, taking a stick and passing one to Rachel.

“Thanks for inviting me,” she says genuinely as we stick our marshmallows in the fire.

Things have felt different with her today.

Now that I’ve created boundaries for us—and she’s been clear about her intent to work on certain parts of her own self—there seems to be a much more authentic layer to our friendship.

An ‘I see your flaws and admire your efforts’ kind of unspoken acknowledgment on both of our parts.

It’s what true friendship should look like, in my opinion.

“Of course. It wouldn’t be the same without you.” I smile at her.

“I like your shirt,” Rachel says, pointing to the Copper Snake band T-shirt I’m wearing.

“Oh, thanks.” I grip the bottom of the cotton shirt, rubbing my fingers over the fabric as if it might comfort me the same way the feel of his actual touch would. “I stole it from Robbie’s backpack before he left and haven’t taken it off since.”

“It must be hard—him leaving all the time,” she says.

“It is,” I agree with a frown. It’s getting harder and harder to be away from him when he’s gone, but absence has definitely been making the heart grow fonder.

When we finally are reunited, I swear, I’ve never felt anything as exhilarating as being in his arms, not even in my wildest dreams. “But he’s living his dream and I’m happy for him. ”

“Oh my gosh, Naomi, these cookies are to die for,” Gabby interrupts, taking a bite with her free hand.

“I’m glad you like them. Those are Owen’s favorite too.”

“Rachel, you have to try one.” Gabby passes one over to her.

“Oh, wow,” Rachel purrs, taking a bite of her own.

“You have to teach me how you get your cookies so soft and crisp at the same time,” Gabby croons, examining the cookie in her hand.

“Yeah?” I ask, gauging whether she’s actually interested or just being nice. I would love to have something to bond with her over, especially baking.

“I’m serious. I’d really like to learn,” she says emphatically.

“I can show you now if you’d like?” I tilt my chin toward the house behind me.

“Really?” Her brows perk up.

“Yeah, let’s do it.” I nod, getting excited. “Rachel, are you in?”

“No, thanks,” she says, sliding her charred marshmallow between two graham crackers. “I think I’ll show the boys a thing or two about diving.”

“Go easy on them.” I smirk, sliding my own marshmallow onto a cracker. “Shall we, Gabby?”

I stand, dusting the graham cracker dust off my shorts. As I follow Gabby back inside, I can’t help but relish the content feeling that runs through me on a night like tonight. If I have to be apart from Robbie, at least I get to enjoy this new dynamic with an old friend.