Page 172 of Before We're More Than Friends
Hayden bit his lip. “Not really.”
Every ounce of hope in me collapsed along with our faces.
“Oh,” I said, scratching the back of my neck. “Um, well, maybe Caleb has something?—”
“We freaking love it!” Hayden wrapped me and Raina into a hug, a grin breaking out on his face. “It’s perfect for Battle of the Bands.”
“I can’t believe you did that!” Raina shouted as he crushed us. “I was about to cry.”
“Me too.” I laughed. “You’d have to mop the room with the trail my tears would leave.”
“Please save that emotion for the performance.” Hayden beamed as we broke out of the hug. “The song is simple enough to learn in a week but still provides enough emotion. It’sjust our style.”
“It’s settled,” Oliver said, smiling. “Like Airplanes is back in the game.”
We all let out cheers, sounding like we’d already won Battle of the Bands. But whether we won or not, I knew we weren’t going to regret giving our band another shot.
It wouldn’t be a disaster this time.
After finishing my first task, I went into Mom’s office to see how she was doing. When I saw her grin as she typed on her computer, the tightness in my chest subsided. “Hey, Mom.”
“Oh.” She looked up at me, adjusting her glasses. “Sorry, Dallas, I was just focused on some charts.” She smiled, the brown in her eyes gleaming for the first time in a while.
“Having a better day?” I asked as I sat across from her.
“Much better. Been able to focus and get more done.” She let out a happy sigh. “I’m enjoying myself here again.”
“I’m glad.” I smiled back, my spirits lifting. “I’m guessing Dad really delivered with whatever he did to cheer you up on the phone.”
“Yeah.” Mom’s cheeks turned pink as she glanced at her keyboard. “He did.”
I gagged. “Seriously? I don’t need to know, then.”
“Wait, what?” Mom’s lashes fluttered. “No, we didn’t—Oh, Dallas, why are you so?—”
Blood rushed to my own cheeks. “What else was I supposed to think with the way you blushed?”
She sighed. “I guess you get your blushing from me.”
“I can’t really blame my paleness anymore, can I?”
She giggled. “Gosh, you’re so much like me. But you’re also a lot like your dad.” Her gaze went to the family photos on her wall. She’d put all the ones with Dad in them back up. “Especially with the way you smile. And your adorable dimples.”
I reached for her hand. “I’m the best of both of you.”
“You are.” Mom squeezed my hand.
After talking to her for a little longer, I started my first task of the day, which was playing with the kittens with Raina. Giddiness coursed through me as I made my way into the cat playroom, where Moonlight was already walking on Raina’s stomach.
I laughed. “I’m guessing she missed you.”
“I never thought a cat would want to be back here,” she said as she tried to sit up, her hair falling in her face. Moonlight let out a deep meow before rubbing her black back against Raina. “But I think she’s in love with me. She’s too freaking cute.”
“She is.” Sunshine meowed when I sat down, and I rubbed behind her ears. “I missed you too, girl. I can’t wait to play with you again.” I shook a cat toy that was shaped like a mouse, and she reached a paw for it. “All the other cats are going to be jealous.”
“Why are they back, though?” Raina asked, the joy in her eyes fading.
“Their owners couldn’t keep them.” I thought about how our move had changed so many plans in our family. How comfortable had Moonlight and Sunshine gotten before being brought back? Thinking they had a forever home before it was snatched from them? My heart pinched. “They found a new place to move to, but the complex didn’t allow cats.”
