Page 95 of Once Upon a Boyband
He winces. “Fine. Yes. Definitely don’t read the comments.”
I groan, and Ringo lets out a tiny bark.
Stupid Kevin.
Stupid jerkface Kevin who ruined everything.
“Maybe it really is for the better,” Percy says. “You and Adam could have a good life in Lawson Cove. Without having to deal with all of that mess.” He reaches over and scoops Ringo from my lap. “Now give me this cute baby.” He leans back in his chair and plops the puppy on his chest. “I’m going to be a very good friend and hold this precious puppy while you finish your dinner.”
I think about Percy’s words for the rest of the night. While I’m eating. While Percy tells me about a cute new administrator at Shady Pines named Jamal. While we watch two episodes ofSchitt’s Creekand cry through the “Simply the Best” episode.
By the time Percy goes home and I’m standing in the front yard waiting for Ringo to pee for the fifteenth time, I’m almost convinced.
Maybe I can just let it go.
Maybe I can have a relationship with Adam, and it will be enough.
Maybe we can both forget that once upon a time, he was in a boyband.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Adam
It’s beena while since I’ve made a meal this extensive.
Short ribs. Roasted carrots. Homemade angel biscuits. But I’m going for broke tonight.
Last week was more like a fantasy than real life. Laney and I were together almost nonstop. Even when I was doing stuff with the band, she was right there on the sidelines, watching, cheering me on.
But thatisn’twhat my life is like normally.
And I want her to know thatthislife, my Lawson Cove life, is good too.
It’s stupid to think that I’m in competition with myself, but her childhood bedroom made it clear how much she loves Deke. I don’t want her to be disappointed that she’s dating Adam instead, because I can’t be Deke.
Not anymore. Not ever again.
I spent a long time up on the ridge over the weekend,avoiding the ravine that practically killed me, and thinking through everything that happened over the past week.
One thing became perfectly clear.
I never should have gone back. Never should have said yes to Freddie in the first place.
In the weeks right before my mom died, she called me every day.
And every day, she told me how much she wanted to see me. I hadn’t been home in months, but I was in Europe on tour, and we had shows too frequently for me to just jump on a plane and leave.
I couldn’t go see her without disrupting the entire tour.
So I didn’t go.
I listened to her tell me she was dying, and I convinced myself I had time.
I letKevinconvince me I had time. I prioritized money and fame and fan expectations over my own life—over mymother’slife.
And I disappointed the one person who deserved it least.
I missed years that I could have spent with her so I could sing for everyone else.
