As we break off the kiss, I smirk. “Okay, let’s do this.”

Allie brings Ben out on the porch while I wait a few feet away on the stairs. He sits on the swing, picking at his shoelaces while she explains we’re dating. Her explanation covers that sometimes she and I will go out to dinner or the movies on our own and sometimes with him.

His expression turns pensive. “Do we have to see kissing movies? I don’t like those.”

While Allie laughs, I say, “Naw. We’ll let you pick. I’m not into those either.”

Ben nods slightly and says, “Okay then.”

Inside, the small house is homey and laced with the smell of something fantastic cooking. But the sight of her father with his arms crossed, standing between the living and dining room, is not as welcoming as the house. Dressed in jeans and a flannel shirt, he glares at me in the same way he did when he found us making lunch in her apartment. Her mother, on the other hand, is giddy with excitement and rushes into the living room from the kitchen. With her graying auburn curls and wide smile, it’s easy to see whom Allie takes after more.

I apologize for being late. Her mother waves a hand, saying Adam is always late. Before I can ask who Adam is, he comes through the door. I keep the surprise from my expression as I’m introduced to Allie’s brother and his wife, Veronica. Allie has never said anything about a brother. Other than wavy auburn hair, they look nothing alike. He shakes my hand while grinning at his sister.

Her mother rushes everyone to a table covered with food. After a prayer—I’m late to fold my hands together; my family never prayed before dinner, and heck, we rarely ate dinner together—everyone talks and passes dishes. During the meal the talking continues. Adam has a new job. Ben was the star of his play on Friday. Allie’s mother is training a new secretary at the insurance office where she works. Allie might be taking on another tattooist at the shop. Her father describes fishing with Ben yesterday. Forks are pointed. Napkins tossed on plates to make points. Hands slapped on the table. On and on they talk and eat, comfortable and open with one another.

Though I feel slightly out of place, I realize this is a normal, loving family. Something I knew existed outside of the cold, refined lives of my parents, but not like anything I’ve ever witnessed. I also realize how much I don’t know about the girl I’m in love with.

After laughing at her father’s story about Ben tangling their fishing lines, she glances at me and then reaches under the table to squeeze my hand. You okay? she asks with the press of her fingers. I give her a smile and press my fingers against hers. The future of learning everything about her flashes through my mind.

The future looks endlessly bright.

Chapter 34

Allie

Across from me, Holly fills my beer and winks at me. Jake puts an arm around her. We’re standing at a tall table, waiting for the band to come out. After two pitchers of beer, they’re giggling and cuddling together. In a bar. At a table in front of the stage. Surrounded by people. Dorks. I take a sip of the beer, wishing Justin were here to cuddle with me so I could be a dork too. Though he’s probably backstage by now—Romeo called an emergency meeting before this show.

It’s been two weeks since Justin had dinner with my parents. We’ve been together whenever possible, but there’s never enough time for us.

With everything going on in my life, we’ve been slowly figuring things out. We’ve had breakfast—well, actually lunch, since breakfast never works—a couple of times over the past two weeks. He’s come to the shop with takeout for dinner. We took Ben to a movie together. We tried to study—we both have spring semester classes—but that didn’t work out very well. We just studied each other.

Besides my busy life, he has the band, and we’ve both had appointments with lawyers. Mine is confident all my demands with Trevor will be met, especially after his two court dates and the temporary restraining order I asked for. Justin’s lawyer is pretty certain he’ll be fined, but he’s hoping to get Gabe off with probation and court-ordered anger management. Justin did have to drag Gabe to the lawyer.

I take another sip of beer and try not to feel too envious when Holly and Jake start kissing.

Though the venue is small, this show is big. Luminescent Juliet’s indie album launches tomorrow, and tonight is the kickoff. Justin has been grumbling all week about Romeo’s decision to do a small show to get the word out. But Romeo would not change his mind about keeping the gig invitation only.

They’re playing only original music. There’s a team of volunteers, from the visual department at our university, that will be recording the show. Most everyone here has agreed to flood Facebook and Twitter and anything else across the Internet with show clips over the next few weeks. Romeo is obviously taking this seriously. I’m guessing Justin just wants to sing in front of a boisterous crowd.

Her own camera ready, Riley waves to me from the side of the stage. Next to her, Chloe waves also. I raise my beer in a toast and they laugh. Justin invited me backstage too, but I like being in front of him. Sometimes when he sings, even in a roomful of people, it feels like it’s just the two of us—and the current of emotions between us.

The lights dim and the crowd’s murmur swells as it pushes toward the stage. High-pitched whistles compete with loud shouts and claps. The stage stays dark and my stomach flutters with the anticipation of seeing Justin perform.

The lights slowly come on and the band stands silent in front of microphones, except for Gabe, who sits behind the drums. Then they break into “Midnight.” One of my favorites. Justin has been loading their original songs on my iPhone and I have been listening to them every chance I get.

Stepping to the microphone, Justin breaks into the fast, bluesy tune with his powerful voice. He’s looking hot in distressed jeans and a form-fitting black T-shirt that melds with the ink on his arms. My eyes devour him, and for a few seconds I don’t notice the music. Just Justin. Dark blond messy hair. Intense gaze. Hard jaw. Flexing inked biceps as he reaches for the microphone. Those eyes find me, and burn into me. Wow. I’m wishing the show were over and we were at my apartment. Alone.

That’s it. I’m not letting him in next time unless he has his guitar.

Next to me, Jake holds Holly while she sways in front of him as the band rips through one song after the next. Justin’s gaze finds me more than once and I can’t help smiling at him. People press behind us and bounce to the music. It’s kind of amazing, but the band sounds as good live as in recorded music on my phone.

Partway through their performance, they change instruments and go acoustic. Justin has shared his fear of playing live acoustic songs with me, and though I know he’s nervous, they sound awesome. His voice is rich and deep, then lush and even. Riley once said something about his vocal range, which I didn’t understand at the time, but now hearing the changing pitches he effortlessly sings, I get it.

Cameras move back and forth in front of the stage the entire time. The crowd is wild and totally into the music. Onstage, the band moves and plays like professionals. During the whole show, I can’t help believing tonight is the springboard for something huge. Tonight is going to catapult Luminescent Juliet into the mainstream.

The thought leaves me bubbly and excited as I sway to the music.

Justin strums the last notes of a fast song with Romeo, then removes his guitar from his shoulder. Dressed like a forties pinup girl in a short, black dress that hugs her curves and a veiled hat, Chloe comes and takes it from him. Several sharp whistles ring out as she carries it off the stage.

Justin adjusts the microphone. “Playing for you guys tonight has been fucking awesome. We’ve played a few new things, but we’re going to close it out with the newest.” His gaze finds me. “I hope you like it.”

Romeo and Sam start a slow, haunting rhythm that isn’t familiar to me. Gabe breaks in with a soft, pounding beat. Justin wraps his hands around the stem of the microphone, closes his eyes, and leans forward. He begins to sing in a clear, deep tone:

Got lost and found what I wasn’t looking for

She smiled and I fell into her a million miles an hour

Brought the stars down from the night sky

Just to drink in her soft sigh

Fell into her a million miles an hour

Again

But the needle dropped

Inked my heart and scarred my skin

Inked my heart and scarred my skin

Though Justin’s eyes are open, he doesn’t look up as the band plays the soft melody between the lyrics. And I’m not sure I could handle him looking at me while the emotion and pain of the lyrics have my knees buckling. I’m not only aware he wrote the lyrics but also know I’m the confused, messed-up source of them. Guilt rips through me and I grip the table edge as his eyes close again.

Empty days go on and on

Bright memories won’t let me sleep in the dark

I want to taste her sigh once more

Suck it in and take her pain

But she’s silent wrapped in a gray-eyed storm

That holds her in and keeps me out

Fell into her a million miles an hour

Again

But the needle dropped

Inked my heart and scarred my skin