Page 33 of Crash & Burn

“Are you ready for tomorrow?” He asks.

“Yep. Got my new ear plugs too, so I don’t have to listen to your songs for the millionth and one time.”

Mateo chuckles at my joke before asking, “But seriously, are you going to be okay?”

At this moment, I have two choices.

One, settle his concerns and tell him he has nothing to worry about.

Two, be honest and tell him how I’m nervous, but ready.

I decide to go with option two.

“I’m nervous. The last time I was at anything even resembling a concert was when I saw Nico’s band play. It was the last show before he died.”

“I know.”

“But I’m ready.”

“I know.”

He stands up, and I follow suit. He wraps me in a hug and kisses the top of my head. This is the first time in I don’t know how long that Mateo has made me feel capable rather than someone he has to take care of.

“Mateo?” I take a step back from his embrace. “Thank you.”

He looks down at me, confused. “For what?”

“For always taking care of me.”

“It’s my job.”

“But you know I can take care of myself, right?”

He smiles and shakes his head before wrapping his arms around my shoulders and resting his chin on the top of my head. “I do now.”

Mateo and I walk over to Lenny’s after we both make some sort of joke about how we both had enough emotional chatting for one day.

When we get there, Theo and Silas are standing at the bar. Across from them, on the other side, has to be the most gorgeous person I have ever seen. She has long dark brown hair, so silky and smooth I swear it is shining. Her prominent cheekbones and big brown eyes make it hard to look anywhere else. Sheisleaning up on the bar, and Theo and Silasareboth competing for her attention as they ordera drink, but she didn’t look the least bit affected. It’s notjust her looks that make her so compelling, but she carriesherself in a way that you feel like you would do anything to impress her.

To her left, I seethe familiar blonde hair and blue eyes of Luke, but his normal golden retriever-like demeanorisnowhere to be found. Instead, he’swatching the brown-haired girl and every move she makes as she got Theo and Silas each a drink.

Next to LukeisEmmett whoiswiping down the bar,ashe looks like he would rather be anywhere else, which was not surprising.

The few times I have been around Emmett, I have learned that he’s grumpy 90 percent of the time and is as intimidating as he looks with his freakishly large frame, semi-permanent scowl, and tattoos. Unless he is talking about his girlfriend, Drew, who must not be here yet.

I walk up and take the seat next to where Silas is sitting when Eddie comes out from the Employees Only door with two drinks in his hand, a beer and a White Claw. I watch as he scans the room until his green eyes find mine, and I feel a swoop in my stomach when he smiles.

“There you guys are,” he says as he looks between me and Mateo, who sat down next to me, from the opposite side of the bar. He sets the beer down in front of Mateo and the White Claw in front of me before popping the tab on the white can and pushing it towards me.

The brown-eyed girl comes over to us before I have a chance to thank him. “Eddie, thank goodness you’re here. Now,youcan serve the drinks while I talk to your new friend.” She turns to me. “Hi, I’m Annie. Mia, right?”

“That’s me.” I take a sip of my drink. “Nice to meet you.”

“Likewise.” She turns to Mateo, “Your two yahoos are making bets as to who can get the drunkest tonight.”

“Theo! Silas!” my brother barks. “You two have to be up at 6 a.m. tomorrow. Neither of you are getting drunk.” With that, he stands up from the chair to wedge himself in the middle of them, so he can play dad for the night.

Annie turns to me and smiles. “He’s so easy to work up.” She grabs my drink and circles around the bar gesturing for me to follow. I look at Eddie who gives me a wink before walking over to Luke and Emmett who have joined the other three guys.

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