Page 55 of Lost Lyrics

“Sure.” I didn’t mind when people asked to touch my tummy, but I hated it when they just dived on in and rubbed it without permission.

She flattened her palms over my bump and her eyes widened. “It’s so hard. I thought your belly would be mushy. Sorry. You’re the first person I’ve known to have a baby.”

“You want one?” I pointed to my stomach.

“Hell no.” Maddy grimaced and shook her head. “But I’m happy for you. You look amazing. Definitely have that glow about you.”

“Thank you. And how are you?” I clutched her hand.

“I’m...” Smiling, she swiveled her head toward Slip, catching up with the guys. “We’re really good.”

Within seconds, Slip had a guitar in his hands and had joined the jam session.Ooooh!My eyes watered. My chest quivered.Holy shit.I placed my hand over my heart. The guys were playing. Just like old times. But why the fuck was I so emotional?

“How are you, Ava?” Maddy sank onto the sofa opposite Ava. Sutton returned to sit beside Maddy. “How’s living with Cole?”

“It’s loud. Crazy. Non-stop.” Ava’s gaze drifted to Cole and a warm smile curled across her lips. “Waking up every day next to someone that good-looking is tough, but someone has to do it. I’m okay to take one for the team.” She shrugged one shoulder and giggled. “But it wasn’t much of a change. We basically lived together anyway. Dad loves having my house all to himself. He’sactually started dating. I’m happy he’s finally moving on after losing Mom.”

“That’s awesome.” Maddy shuffled around on the sofa and turned to face the guys.

As they played, hope filled my chest.Please get back together.

The boys churned out another three songs before they joined us on the sofas, squishing in beside us.

“That was incredible. Damn, it’s been too long since the four of us have played together.” Lewis leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. He jutted his chin toward Slip, sitting opposite us. “It’s fucking great to see you, man. Why are you in LA without letting us know?”

“We had some shit to take care of.” Slip twisted and fidgeted with the lid on his water bottle. “Mads had to meet with her agent and has put her house on the market... and I wanted to talk to you guys about something.”

“As long as it’s good news.” Cole wiped his sweaty face on a towel he’d grabbed from the basket beside the drums, then hooked it behind his neck.

Slip winced, grimaced, and rubbed the tip of his chin. Then a big cheesy grin inched across his face. “I was wondering if anyone is fucking ready to get back together?”

“Holy shit! You mean that?” Flint yanked his arm from around Sutton’s shoulders, knocked her in the head, and shot forward like a bullet. “Sorry, babe.” He patted her knee, then refocused on Slip. “Are you serious?”

Slip splayed his hands wide. “I’m here, aren’t I?”

“Fuck yes!” Flint hollered. My pulse skipped in time with his energy. This was what we’d been waiting for.

“We’re in.” I waggled my finger between Lewis and me. I couldn’t wait to get back behind the soundboards and control panels, working with these guys.

“Me too. One thousand percent.” Cole pumped his fist. “Fuck yeah.” But then he drew his shoulders back, cracked his neck, and patted the air with his hand. “Can we think this through for a sec though? We’ve got events coming up before Christmas. Lewis and Tia will have a baby in mid-February. My kids are in Kindy and school. Flint and Sutt, you’re getting married in May. Slip and Maddy, you’re still in Canada. Before we jump into this, we need to put a solid plan together. If Blake gets a whiff of this, he’ll have our next tour planned before we’ve written our first song.”

“Then let’s talk.” Lewis rubbed his hands together. The vibe radiating off him and the guys filled the room with a contagious buzz—totally addictive and adrenaline-pumping. “How are we going to do it? When? Where?”

“I don’t want to rush this album,” Slip said calmly. “Like Cole said, we’ve got a lot on in the coming months.”

“True, but first...” Flint caught his breath and scanned the guys, as if readying himself to gauge their reactions. “We all need to be on the same page. Have the same mindset. I can’t wait to record again. I’ve got lyrics coming out of my ass. But we have to think about where we’re going to take this. How big do you want to go?” Fire blazed in Flint’s ice-blue eyes. “Everhide and Ashlem will need to know for scheduling ahead. So for me? Singles and promo are a given. Tour?Fuck yeah.But do you want indoor venues like last time or push for larger arenas and stadiums? I’m all for bigger shows. I want to sell out the likes of Wembley and MetLife, and perform in front of enormous crowds. So if you want something different to that, say so now. We all need to agree and commit to this. There’ll be no turning back. So if you need a few days to think about it, do so. But I’m all in for fucking big.” Flint slapped his thighs, stomped his feet, and yelled, “I can’t freaking wait.”

“I don’t need to think about it.” A buzz hummed throughLewis’s voice as he edged forward in his seat. Any farther and his ass would be on the ground. “I’m with you. Count me in. Stadiums would be wicked.”

“The bigger, the better.” Cole clapped, then nudged his elbow against Ava’s arm. “Are you ready?”

“Yes, absolutely.” She kissed him on the cheek.

“I wouldn’t have bought it up if I wasn’t ready.” Seriousness hovered in Slip’s tone. “Ashlem promised us to make us as big as Coldplay, so they’d better fucking deliver. But when we tour, our breaks need to be longer. I don’t want to burn out again. We need to accommodate Sutton’s and Maddy’s schedules. Lewis will need time with Tia and their baby. Cole and Ava with their kids. So if you’re okay with that, I’m in. My hip is better. My head is straight. I want this. Let’s go as big as fucking possible.”

“Whoa! Yes!” the guys hollered in unison, jumped to their feet, and hugged each other across the coffee table. After some back-slaps and fist-pumps, they flopped back onto the sofas.

Flint couldn’t wipe the smile off his face.

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