Page 75 of Daring Destiny
New Year's Eve
Whatawaytospend New Year’s Eve.
I’m riding the high from the Less Than Zero concert. I’ve received great news. And, my beautiful girlfriend is by my side.
The night’s been electric and as we return to the houseboat, I can’t stop smiling. Astrid’s practically glowing. The rush of adrenaline I get seeing her like this—I’m buzzing. Alive. Hopeful.
“Totally insane.” Astrid kicks off her shoes and grabs us each a beer from the fridge. “I’ve never been backstage before. It felt like stepping into another world.”
Backstage at a big arena concertisa whole different world. Cables and guitar cases are stacked everywhere, people rush around with earpieces, shouting over the music as they make sure everything’s running smoothly. It’s chaotic, but there’s a weird order to it all. Everyone seems to know where they need to be.
I lean against the counter. “You fit right in. Like you’ve been doing it your whole life.”
Astrid knocked it out of the park. She’s gorgeous in a fitted black leather jacket worn over a green, silky camisole. Dark, high-waisted jeans and ankle boots complete her edgy outfit. Her hair is in loose waves. She’s looks like a fashion model in cool, comfortable clothes.
She rolls her eyes, but there’s a genuine, excited smile tugging at her lips. “Stop. It waswild. Fireball was incredible and finally seeing Less Than Zero? From backstage? It’s like, I don’t know—a dream.”
“They’ve been at it for fifteen years and bring it every single time.” I can’t help but beam with pride. “And you got the full experience. VIP treatment, backstage, the whole deal.” I set my keys down and take off my jacket. “Fireball’s set was killer, too. I’ve seen Liam and Padraig play many times, but they’ve developed this edge. A raw energy that pulls everyone in.”
She makes a swooning gesture. “Yeah, I totally agree. I met everyone in LTZ too. Ty and Zoey were so sweet. And their kids are fucking adorable.”
“Yeah, all they’re mini-rockstars in the making.” I laugh. “Little Oliver has Ty’s swagger.”
“And Jace!” Astrid perks up, her eyes wide. “I’ve heard so much about him from Jason and seeing him with Alex and their kids. He’s incredible. You could see how much he loves them.”
“Yeah, he’s mellowed out a lot. When he’s on stage, though, he’s still a monster.” I think back to when I met Jace years ago. He’s the reason Connor was able to get back into music and pursue his dream again.
“I got to hang out with Jason, too.” A sly smile spreads across her lips. “He’s got big plans for Reuniverse when the lawsuit shit is finally over. It was kind of surreal. He’s talking about our little project like it’s going to be massive.”
I can’t help but feel a flicker of pride. “Itisgoing to be massive. I’ll make sure of it.”
Astrid wraps her arms around me and I pull her close. Our lips meet in a slow, lingering kiss. It starts soft, deepening into something potent because we’ve been holding back all night. Her hands find their way to my waist and everything else fades as we get lost in the moment.
When we pull apart, she rests her head on my chest. “I’m glad you brought me. It was an unforgettable night.”
“I wouldn’t have wanted to share it with anyone else.” I hold her tightly, brushing a kiss against her hair. “Seeing it all through your eyes reminded me I’ve missed too many of my brothers’ concerts over the years. I’m going to make much more effort going forward.”
She tilts her head back to look at me. “I know I say this every time, but your family is amazing. How much love you all have for each other. And, Connor and Ronni. My God, they’re sosolid.”
“I love them so much,” I say between kisses. “Now you’re part of it.”
We stand there cuddling for a while in the quiet of the night. My mind drifts to everything that’s happened over the past few months. The legal mess with CognifyAI and all the uncertainty has tied me up in knots for months. Tonight, none of it seemed to matter.
“So, you’d officially classify tonight as fun?” I tease.
“Fun?” she echoes. “B, I was let into a secret world. Fun can’t begin to describe it.”
I capture her lips again and kiss her soft and slow. “Good. Do you want me to make the night even better?”
She tilts her head. “How?”
“Sit down.” I gesture to the couch. “I’ve got something to show you.”
Astrid raises an eyebrow and plops down.
I reach into my jacket pocket, take out a folded piece of paper and hand it to her. My heart pounds a little harder than usual. “Open it.”
She shoots me a playful, suspicious look but takes the envelope. As she unfolds the paper inside, I watch her expression shift from confusion to shock. Her eyes widen, and she looks up at me, mouth slightly agape. “Brennan, is this…?”