Page 60 of When the Stars Rise

“A sleek black Steinway. As soon as I put my fingers on the keys, that was it for me. Love at first sight.” Julian smiles as if he’s talking about a lover. But I get it. Music is his first love.

“He was a prodigy,” Bastian says proudly.

Jules disputes that with a shake of his head. “Nah. I just practiced a lot.”

“You’re too humble.”

“You are too humble,” I concur. But I still can’t believe I didn’t know any of this. “You’re more talented than any of us. I never understood why you’d want to be in my band when you could have played at Carnegie Hall.”

He and Bastian exchange a look, and I get the feeling that I’m missing something. When Noah loops his arm around myshoulder and squeezes it, I’m even more suspicious that they all know something I don’t.

Then it dawns on me, and my stomach sinks. “You’re leaving?”

“Not until after the tour is over.” Julian smiles, trying to soften the blow.

But heisleaving. I lower my eyes and sip my drink to hide my reaction.

I hate change,loatheit, but I can’t hold someone back from following their dreams. “So what will you do after this?”

“Who knows? Maybe I’ll be playing at Carnegie Hall.” He’s joking, but I don’t think it’s a joke.

I’ve heard Jules playing the piano before our soundchecks. He can play Rachmaninoff, Chopin, and Liszt just as seamlessly as my less-complicated songs that don’t require the same skill level.

He isn’t even gone yet. But I already feel a sharp pang of loss.

Once the tour ends, I know we’ll all scatter and go our separate ways for a while like we always have in the past. After spending this much time on the road together, we’ll all need a break.

But still. Julian has been with me from the start, and while I’m happy for him and only want the best for him, it’s bittersweet to think that this tour is the last time we’ll all be together.

“I’m going to miss you.” And I will. So very much. We’ve gotten so close over the years and went through a lot together—Aiden, Liam, Julian, and me.

When you spend that much time with people on the road, they become your family.

“I’m not gone yet. We still have another month,” he assures me.

I shake off my sadness and smile.

Jules is so beautiful, inside and out, and so talented that I know he’ll succeed.

I need to stop thinking about myself and do what a good friend does—support and cheer him on. “When you play at Carnegie Hall, I’ll buy front-row tickets and give you a standing ovation.”

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.” He laughs. “But thank you.” He tips his chin. “Your support means a lot to me.”

“Do Liam and Aiden know?”

Jules looks a bit guilty but nods, and it shouldn’t hurt, but it kind of does.

My gaze swings to Noah. “Did you know?”

My face falls when he rubs the back of his neck and then nods.

Seriously?

“I only found out a couple of days ago,” he says as if that’s supposed to appease me.

As usual, I’m the last to know. Why am Ialwaysthe last to know?

“I was going to tell you in London,” Jules says with a wince. “But I didn’t want to add more stress to your life.”