Page 96 of Even Beneath the Stars

"Think that ship sailed when we wrote our first song together, dude." Tyler leans back, twirling a drumstick between his fingers. "But yeah, a name makes it official. Now we can book some gigs. Get ourselves out there."

The idea sends a jolt of excitement through me. This thing feelsrealnow. It’s not just me hiding away in the Observatory, filling notebooks with lyrics no one will ever hear. We’re building something together.

And I can’t wait to tell Maggie.

I’ve got something solid planned for our date Saturday evening. Something farther afield since she has the night off. A plan that’s specially tailored for her—even better than the first date, I'm hoping.

I’ve never put this much thought into any sort of outing before. Never wanted to. But I want this to be perfect. And not because of the whole third-date-kiss thing. I honest-to-God want her to have fun. I want to see that light in her eyeswhen she’s all in on something. I want her to get that this isn’t just another night to me.

Okay, yeah—I totally want to impress Maggie LeClair.

When I get back from jamming with the guys, Finn is sprawled across the living room floor, face scrunched in deep concentration as he studies the Twister mat. Maggie sits cross-legged beside him, looking equally serious.

"You sure you’re ready for this, Maggs?" Finn asks, shooting her a doubtful look. "You remember what happened last time, right?"

Maggie gasps. "Okay, first of all, I only fell over twice, and that was entirely the sock situation’s fault. Second of all—" she lifts her chin "—I have trained extensively for this moment."

Finn narrows his eyes. "Youpracticed?"

"Wouldn’t you like to know?"

The way Finn studies her, trying to determine if she’s bluffing, makes me grin. I see it so much more clearly now: Maggie isn’t just good with Finn—she gets him. Plays into his little mind games, lets him win in ways that aren’t about letting him win at all.

I clear my throat, stepping farther inside. "Hope you two are leaving room for a third challenger."

Finn whips around, his whole face lighting up. "Xavey!"

Maggie tilts her head. "You think you’ve got what it takes, Rockwell?"

"I think," I say, setting two steaming cups on the coffee table, "that I have just secured your loyalty."

Maggie blinks at the cup, then at me. "You—wait. You got me hot chocolate?"

The surprise in her voice catches me off guard. Like she genuinely wasn’t expecting it.

I scratch the back of my neck, suddenly feeling way too self-aware. "Yeah. And one for Finn. Figured you two could use some fuel before your inevitable defeat."

Maggie accepts the cup like it's something rare and precious. "Youjust figured?"

I roll my eyes. "Jesus, LeClair. It’s a drink, not a marriage proposal."

Finn snickers into his cup. Maggie smirks over the rim of hers, eyes glinting. "Well, now that I know your grand romantic gestures involve seasonal beverages, I’ll be sure to keep my expectations in check."

I groan. "Are we playing this game or not?"

Finn springs up. "YES. But first rule—no cheating." His eyes flick to me. "Okay,Xave?"

Maggie gasps. "Wait, he cheats?"

Finn nods solemnly. "A lot."

"Wow." Maggie shakes her head, taking a slow sip of her hot chocolate. "You think you know a guy…"

"Okay, you both suck," I mutter, already pulling off my hoodie.

We play for almost an hour, and by the end of it, Maggie is a wreck—half upside-down, tangled in Finn’s little limbs, barely managing to keep her balance. Finn, though, is holding on like some kind of Cirque du Soleil acrobat.

"Right foot red," I announce lazily.

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