Page 69 of Even Beneath the Stars

"Probably both," from Seb.

"Can we read it now?" Finn begs. "Please? While we eat lunch?"

"Afterlunch, remember?" I remind him, praying Xavier won't undermine me. Especially in front of Seb. "And we have to wash our hands first, right?"

Finn nods. "'Cos books don't like peanut butter fingers." He places the book carefully on the side table with an adorable sigh of resignation.

And… no snide comment from Xavier. No offer to read Finn his book right now, despite my words. A flutter of victory hitches my breathing for a moment as I lower myself onto the floor beside Finn's pile of books, looking over at Xavier. "So? How're you feeling today?"

Xavier's lips curl into an easy grin. "Good. Ribs still hurt but I can breathe better."

I release a shallow breath. And not just because he's feeling better, but because he grinned. He's beingnice.Xavier Rockwell doesn't totally hate my guts anymore.

I haven't hated his guts for a while now.

"I made his yucky bruises look pretty," Finn announces. "Xave let me put a fake tattoo on them yesterday." He points at his brother's torso.

"I'll take a tattoo, Finny Boy," Seb says, not looking up from his phone. "Got lots of compliments on the 'Future Cat Lady' tattoo last week."

"Yay!" Finn beams. "The cat lady was mysecond favorite."

"What?" Seb looks up with an offended frown. "How come I only got your second favorite?"

"Xave always gets my first favorites, silly." Finn giggles.

As if to prove his brother's words, Xavier casually lifts the hem of his T-shirt with his free hand, revealing a waving mermaid with a sparkly tail swimming in a pool of blue bruises. The words "Certified Mermaid Whisperer" float above her flowing hair. And if tattoos on bruises were art, Finn would be the next Picasso.

Apparently getting through twenty straight minutes up close and personal with Xavier Rockwell's bare skin Friday night without drooling didn't grant me immunity from being presented with another dose less than forty-eight-hours later. I can't decide if it's unfair torture or a blessing.

"I liked my Cat Lady one better." Seb says, dead serious, eyes dipping back to his phone.

Finn slides off the couch and goes over to Seb, head tilted, and places a hand on his cheek, so gently it's adorable—especially since Seb is this totally ripped, baller dude. "If you're sad it's washed away, I can find you a really super cool one today so you're not sad anymore," he offers earnestly.

Seb looks up and pokes Finn's belly. "Sweet."

Finn does a little hop. "I'm gonna find you a super awesome tattoo, promise! And another one for you, Xave!" He calls, as he races for the staircase and up to his room. Then a second later, he calls out again, "And two for Maggie!"

"How come she gets two?" Seb and Xavier ask in unison, but Finn doesn't hear them, already upstairs.

"Oh, yeah," I gloat. "Nanny privileges."

My phone buzzes with an incoming text just then. I glance at the screen.

Liam

can u remind X about jam sesh? Cam's been trying to reach him

I look up at Xavier, who's still scrolling through his phone. "You're going to jam with the guys this afternoon, right?"

His jaw tightens almost imperceptibly. "Probably not."

The way he says it—too casual, too dismissive—catches my attention. I think back to finding him alone in the Observatory that night, playing his heart out when he thought no one could hear. The way he stopped dead when he realized I was there.

It clicks then—Xavier Rockwell, who seems so confident about everything else, is nervous about playing in front of people.

It's a feeling I can relate to all too well. That familiar mix of wanting something badly while simultaneously being terrified of doing it in front of others. It's how I felt when I had to present my first diorama at the art show. And the first few times I posted on my YouTube channel, while that voice in my head singsonged on repeat."No one's going to watch this." "This is going to totally bomb."And other similar gems.

Seb glances up from his phone. "You're going to jam with the guitar player from that band the other night?"

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