Page 8

Dani’s almost a year and a half old now, and can finally sleep through the whole night, so we’ve all made extra sure not to wake her.

Adam even had me go up into the plane before them to let the flight attendant and pilots know not to make too much noise.

She could have woken up with all the noise when we took off, and all that effort would’ve been pointless, but she only fussed a little, and didn’t even open her eyes when Adam offered her her binky.

We’re served breakfast four hours in, and slowly everyone starts acting more alive and actually talking.

It’s only after Adam is done feeding Dani and carries her to the bathroom that Sebas’s eyes lock on me, and they narrow.

Here we go .

“What did you end up doing yesterday?”

The question is simple enough. I could very well tell him I just went home and crashed, but there’s no reason to lie. Not even the simple reason that I feel compelled to is good enough.

“I was actually invited to dinner at Samantha Sawyer and Ed Trent’s home.”

“What?” Sebas screeches, and even Mike and Theo sit up in alert. They’re not looking at Sebas though, but at me.

“Since when do you know them?” Mike asks.

“How did you get invited?” Theo mumbles.

“What?” Sebas repeats, and before I can answer any of them, Adam comes out of the bathroom with a sleepy Dani resting her head on his shoulder.

“Why are you shouting?” he asks Sebas.

“Because he just casually mentioned he had dinner with Samantha freaking Sawyer as if it’s an everyday thing!” Sebas shouts again.

Dani doesn’t even flinch. I guess she’s used to her father’s loud voice. Honestly, we all are.

While they discuss my announcement, I regret even mentioning it for a moment, but then that regret disappears—they’re my friends and they all understand being famous in a way I never have and honestly never want to. I don’t think I’ll tell them about the incident, though.

“I met London on the plane. We were sitting next to each other.” I speak loudly so they can hear me.

“We chatted and after hearing how many famous friends I have she felt comfortable with me, and also she’s practically in love with a mate of mine from school, so she called her mother and they invited me over to dinner.

And of course it didn’t even cross my mind to say no.

” Despite what I told Liam when he was being so rude to me when we met.

But I think it’s better if I don’t say that.

“You were bragging about us?” Adam asks with a cocky smirk before passing Dani to Sebas. She makes the most adorable babbling noises when she sees him and it’s like he’s forgotten all about everyone else on the plane when he looks at her.

“No, I wasn’t,” I protest. “I just wanted her to know I wasn’t going to go running to the tabloids.”

“So how was dinner?” Sebas asks, still not looking away from Dani.

“It was nice. They’re all really nice. Their sons are all fans of yours, of course,” I admit, nodding at Adam and Mike. “And Ed remembered me from your wedding, Theo. So I had a bit of explaining to do.”

“What explaining?” he asks with a frown.

“I was a drunken mess that day.”

“Oh, but...” He trails off and chews his lower lip. I know he’s not going to say it, thinking it’s rude, so I do it for him .

“I explained how I’m better now that I’ve been going to therapy.”

“That’s a bit much,” Adam says with a frown. “You don’t owe anyone any explanation for anything.”

I smile. Couldn’t stop it even if I wanted to. Adam’s always overprotective of all his friends.

“I spent hours sitting next to his teenage daughter while she was traveling alone, and then went to his home, Adam.”

“I guess,” he mumbles, but then he turns and sees Dani smiling at Sebas, and when she almost says “papa” he melts, and I see understanding come into his eyes.

“In any case, it was a nice evening, and they told me they’re coming to the party tomorrow too.” That gets Sebas’s attention.

“They are?”

Dani laughs at his panicked question, and the rest of us follow.

What’s left of the flight is full of Dani’s laughter and of all her uncles taking turns reading her books, and I feel balanced again.

I missed them while I spent time in Oxfordshire, I really did, and looking at them, and then greeting all the other amazing friends I’ve made here when we arrive at the ranch in Malibu, I know that selling the house was the right thing to do. I know this is where I belong.

Wolf, CJ, Hawk, and Derek greet us and then join us when we walk over to Adam’s grandfather’s house.

Mike, Theo, and I already left our stuff at one of the guest houses in the Storm ranch that’s not really a ranch—something Hawk always reminds us of.

It’s full of people setting up all kinds of fun things for CJ’s birthday still, and we know we’ll be able to catch up better at Clive’s.

We bump into Bennett and Luke on the way, and of course Lizzie and Robbie, their kids, are with them. They go right to Adam’s side and stare up at Dani in wonder. With Lizzie being four and Robbie three, they can already talk very well, but they also seem to understand Dani’s babbles perfectly.

Mike picks up Robbie and Luke picks up Lizzie, and that way they can keep staring at the youngest member of our group while we make our way down to Clive’s house. It’s one adorable moment after another with them, and none of us even talk to each other, we just stare at the kids.

Adam and Sebas go right to their bedroom to set Dani down for a nap while we greet Clive and Adam’s parents, Peter and Diana.

They’ve been like parents for CJ almost all his life, since he met Adam in kindergarten, so they’re more than guests of honor for his birthday.

While we were all at Cavendish near San Francisco, I got to know them as well, and they never failed to make me feel at home with them.

“Come on you two, it’s my turn for some time with my boys,” Diana says, after we’ve all been catching up for a while. She gestures to CJ and me, and Adam squawks indignantly where he’s sitting next to his younger brothers, Kevin and Elliott.

“We’re your boys,” he protests .

“Oh please,” Diana waves him off. “I talk to you all the time. Now come on you two, let’s go out to the deck.”

We follow her dutifully, though Wolf makes a point of kissing the hell out of CJ before we do.

“Tell me all about your party,” Diana demands from CJ once we’re sitting.

“There’s going to be a waterslide,” he starts out excitedly, and I smile and sit back.

“A bouncy house big enough for adults, though probably not Mike, but it’s pretty palatial.

There’s gonna be hot dogs and all kinds of fair food, and even a pinata, and fireworks at midnight.

We tested them only two days ago, on the Fourth, to make sure it all worked out well, and it was amazing ! ” he ends with a little cry.

I know CJ didn’t have the best of childhoods, in fact, if it weren’t for Adam and the Darnells, he’d probably be a very sad person nowadays. The worst part is he wouldn’t even know it.

So for his birthday, he decided he was going to set up everything he’d ever wanted and never got as a kid. I mean, he has more than enough money to go all out, so there’s no one to stop him from getting absolutely whatever the fuck he wants now.

According to what Hawk has been saying in the group chat we have, Wolf has been working tirelessly to get everything ready. Whatever CJ wants he’ll get if that grumpy puppy has anything to say about it.

Any time someone’s made the mistake of questioning one of CJ’s choices on the event, Wolf has started growling, and I swear if anyone says anything critical tomorrow he’s going to go feral on us.

I smile at the thought—weird, but the truth is I have a soft spot for Wolf. He’s so unapologetically protective over CJ, how could I not?

And I’m so bloody happy that CJ finally has someone who loves him fiercely by his side.

I keep quiet while Diana asks CJ more and more questions, which he answers without a second’s hesitation. I let them visit for a while since I don’t think I’ll have a lot to tell when it comes my time to be interrogated.

It comes too soon, though having all of Diana’s attention is nice. She always makes me feel like I’m the most important person in the world, and I don’t get that anywhere else.

“Now you,” she declares, as she deliberately turns in her seat to look directly at me. “How was your trip?”

“It was good,” I tell her honestly. “I reconnected with a mate from school and even met his new boyfriend, who as it turns out, is from New York.”

“That’s nice.” Her smile shows that she’s not just saying that, she really means it. “And the sale of the house?”

“It went flawlessly. We had the sale practically wrapped up a week after I arrived, and Milton stayed to give them the keys the day I left. I spent the whole month packing everything I want to keep and selling most of the furniture, though the new owners wanted to keep a great deal.”

“And what about Milton? You told me you were going to ask him to come help you with the brownstone.”

My eyes shift to CJ of their own accord, and seeing his peaceful smile, something inside me settles.

It’s his brownstone. Just one of the properties he inherited when he gained access to his trust fund, and one of the few he didn’t sell or isn’t trying to sell. It was his idea to ask Milton to move so he could help me manage it.

Back in May we came over to the ranch because Wolf and Hawk were doing a few shows for their latest album, and he asked me to keep living at the brownstone.

I could technically buy it from him, but that means I’d be left with practically no savings. Even with the sale of my parents’ home and with all the money Dad left me, a brownstone on Park Avenue is fucking expensive, and the upkeep would be a big burden.

So we compromised that I’d pay the upkeep while I’m living there and he won’t let me pay rent.

“He’s flying over in two weeks,” I tell Diana. “We managed to sort out his visa without any issues, and he’s actually excited.”

“You know you can make whatever changes you want to the brownstone,” CJ tells me.

“It’s perfect the way it is now,” I disagree, shaking my head at him. “I’m sure Milton will have the whole thing in tip-top shape in no time.”

“And the galleries?” Diana asks.

“Sebas’s is getting more and more visitors every quarter. His sculptures are really taking off.”

“He’s making a name for himself,” Diana says, pride clear as day in her tone and expression.

“And St. Anthony is almost at the point where we’ll need to start asking other artists to do showcasings because there’s barely anything left in storage.”

“And what are you doing with all that money?” Diana asks, turning with an interested smile to CJ .

He smiles happily, and stretches his arms forward like a little kid.

“It’s all going to art programs in public schools.”

“You’re such good boys,” she coos, patting his hand then reaching over for mine. “I’m so proud of you,” she says, looking right into my eyes. “I’m sorry you felt the need to go through the sale alone, but I’m really glad you weren’t alone.”

“Me too,” I whisper.

“Now, I need to go inside and see what Clive has thought of for lunch. Y’all need a good meal before tomorrow’s festivities.”

She’s up and rushing inside in no time and I’m left sharing a secret smile with CJ.

Kevin and Elliott aren’t the only boys Diana and Peter adopted. We’re Darnells in spirit, and that is all I really need to be happy.