Page 102 of Dirty Little Mistake

"Have you asked them to go?"

I shook my head again. "No. I hate that feeling of disappointment when they say no or don't show up, so I don't usually ask anyone. Kaia, Jax, and Owen have always gone, and Harlow and Syn come most of the time, but this year is different."

"So, I'm the first person you've asked to come?"

I nodded, my cheeks heating slightly. "It's actually the second time I've invited you."

His head recoiled. "When was the other time?"

"It was my junior year in high school." I laughed. "You said you'd come, but you didn't."

"I remember," he said. "We were here at the beach house sitting around the bonfire. Kaia brought it up, but honestly, I thought you were inviting me just to be nice. I'm sorry, Cam."

"It's okay. I got over it, and thankfully, that year, everyone else showed up."

"You weren't kidding when you said we were the only family you had, were you?"

I shook my head. "No. It's the reason I want a big family someday."

The corners of his lips lifted into a smirk. "Yeah, how big?"

"I don't know..." I smiled, teasing him. I guess that would be a conversation my future husband and I would have to have."

He raised his brows as he pushed up, moving closer to me like a predator, and I was his prey. "Your future husband?" I nodded, laughing as he leaned forward. “You mean me, right?" His arm hooked around my waist, the pad of his thumb finding that sensitive spot just above my hip. The movement sent a shower of sand cascading from the towel as he shifted over me, blocking out the orange-streaked sky. "Because I am your future husband." His guitar pendant dangled between us, cool metal against my collarbone. When he kissed me—hard and fierce, sending my senses into overdrive. "And you are my future wife."

"Prove it."

"I will," he said, brushing his lips across mine. "If it takes me the rest of my life, I will prove it to you."

The sincerity in his tone and eyes made my chest tighten. It made me believe him.

He kissed me again before rolling to the side of me. "The band got invited to the Music Awards this year."

"What?" I sprang up. "Are you freaking serious?" He nodded, a big smile spreading across his face. "That's so fucking awesome, Trystan."

"I want you to be my date."

My smile faded. "What, like..." I paused, letting it really sink in. "Like on the red carpet." He nodded, chuckling. "Oh, no." I shook my head. "I'm not really that kind of girl."

"And I'm not really that kind of guy, so..." He tugged my hand, pulling me to him. "So, we can figure it out together." I didn't say anything as the thought of walking down the red carpet in front of millions of people and cameras made my stomach twist. "Please." My gaze met his, and suddenly, all my worries faded away. "I can't do it without you."

I slowly nodded. "Okay."

He smiled. "Now, come lay with me until we have to go inside."

Chapter 50

Camryn

Three weeks later...

I'd reminded Trystan every day for the last twenty-one days what day my showcase was, trying to avoid those empty seats. Each day that passed made my stomach twist a little tighter.

Now, minutes before my performance, I pressed against the curtains, scanning face after face in the crowd. My calves burned from pushing to my toes, but I couldn't stop searching. The house lights would dim soon. He still wasn't there.

Three weeks ago, he'd asked me to move across the country with him, and I still hadn't given him an answer. It wasn't because I didn't want to. It was because even though everything had been perfect, I still needed more. I needed him to prove that if I did this, he wasn't going to change his mind.

But looking out into the crowd, it looked like he did. I hadn't heard from him all day. He'd gone out of town, promising he'd make it back in time. I knew I shouldn't have gotten my hopesup, but I did, and like so many times before, there was no one sitting in the audience for me. Just a row of empty seats.

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