“Aw, you went and got yourself BFFs.” I smirk and turn toward the town square.
“I did!” Andy exclaims with amusement. “One of Jonah’s brothers will probably be joining us as well.”
“That’s nice,” I reply. “What song are we singing?”
“‘Photograph’ by Ed Sheeran.”
I consider for a moment, running the lyrics through my head.
“That’s a bit close to home, don’t you think?” I ponder.
“That’s the point, isn’t it?” Andy looks at me. “Kind of like couples therapy through song.”
“Then, we should go all the way, sing in role reversal!” I laugh.
“See, I knew this was a good idea,” he gloats.
“Or a really bad one. We won’t know until after the fact, I suppose.” I sigh, sneaking a glance at Andy.
Not being able to resist, I reach out and caress his jaw, and Andy turns twinkling eyes at me.
“What was that for?” he wonders.
“Just… Just because.” I shrug, returning my hand to the wheel.
“That’s a good enough reason as far as I’m concerned.” Andy smiles and leans back, and we fall into a comfortable silence, hitting the freeway on the way to Columbus.
Every now and then, I peek at Andy through the corner of my eye. His usually tense jaw seems relaxed as he hums “Photograph” to himself with a small smile playing on his lips, and part of me wants desperately to ask him: You may be all in, but are you ready to lay your cards bare?
Andy
“I still can’t get over that performance,” Jonah states with wide eyes, looking between Phoebe and me with awe.
“Yeah, you guys were fire,” Micah, Jonah’s older brother, agrees. “There’s a girl checking you out, bro.”
Micah bumps his elbow to Jonah’s arm, indicating a curvy brunette staring at Jonah. She bites her lower lip and a blush spreads over her cheeks when Jonah turns his gaze in her direction.
“Thanks, but, uh, I’m not in the mood tonight.” Jonah takes a swig from his beer, avoiding my gaze.
“Your loss, my gain.” Micah shrugs and stands to walk over to the bar. He’s trying to make light of the situation, but when his eyes meet mine, they’re full of worry.
“I need to make a little visit to the ladies’ room, powder my nose.” Phoebe also gets up, squeezing Jonah’s shoulder on her way to the toilets.
“You okay, Jo?” I ask when we’re finally alone.
“I guess.” He shrugs before lifting dark, haunted eyes to me. “The nightmares, they’ve been getting worse the past couple of days.”
“Why do you think that’s happening?”
“My therapist asked the same question.” A bitter smile spreads over Jonah’s lips. “But sometimes, it just does. Doesn’t it, Double-A?”
“Yeah,” I concede. “Sometimes, it just does.”
“I’ll be fine, it always gets better, eventually.”
“You call me anytime for anything, you understand me, Jonah?”
“Sir, yes, sir, Lieutenant Atkins, sir.” Jonah cuts through the air with a sharp salute, smirking at me, and I roll my eyes with a chuckle.
“All good?” Micah claps Jonah on the back.
“Couldn’t be better,” Jonah declares with a genuine smile. “I’m kind of tired though, I think I’ll head home once Phoebe gets back.”
“Need a lift?” I ask, my eyes wandering on their own accord to the direction Phoebe went off to.
“I’ve got him covered,” Micah assures, gazing the same direction as me as Phoebe strides our way with unwavering confidence in her step. “She’s really something, your girl.”
“She really is,” I agree. My eyes roam her toned legs and feminine curves, covered by a short ochre dress, her neck decorated with a large turquoise necklace, the colors perfectly complimenting her complexion.
“You two really seemed connected up there,” Jonah observes. “When you were singing.”
“We always were good at talking through music.”
“Ready to go?” Phoebe asks when she reaches the table, and we grab our things and pay the bill, walking out to the crisp night air of Columbus.
“Talk to you later?” I turn to Jonah, and he nods before we all say our goodbyes.
“Will he be okay?” Phoebe wonders, and the only answer I can give her is a shrug.
“Phoebe?” I ask after a few moments of silence, taking her hand in mine as we walk to where we parked her rental. “What song do you think of when you look at me?”
“Selena Gomez’s ‘Back To You’,” she whispers, and I make a mental note to look at the lyrics when I get home. “You?”
“‘Hallelujah’.”
“That’s a sad song,” Phoebe observes, squeezing my hand.
“Do you remember after my dad’s funeral when you shaved my hair?”
“I was crying the entire time,” she recalls, turning sad eyes at me. “It was such a big part of who you were, even your nickname was because of your hair.”
“Yeah, I’m sorry I asked you to do that.” I pull out the car keys and unlock the doors.
“People who love each other do things for one another even when it’s hard, Andy.” She stops and pulls at my hand, forcing me to turn and face her. “Just like you do for Jonah.”
Unspoken words hang between us, our gazes locked, when suddenly Phoebe yawns, clasping her hand over her mouth.
“Shit, sorry,” she grumbles.
“Way to break the tension, Curls.” I laugh, opening the passenger side door so she can slide in. She’s asleep before I even make it to the driver’s seat, and I move a strand of hair out of her face before starting the car and making the quick drive to the inn.
We’ve been sitting in The Lantern’s driveway for a while. Call me a creep, but I can’t stop staring at Phoebe while she sleeps in the passenger seat next to me.
She's breathtakingly beautiful with the light of a half-full moon shining on her. Her features are relaxed and soft, her plump lips all too kissable when slightly open as she sleeps.
I'm so caught up watching her in a peaceful slumber that I almost have a heart attack when she suddenly moves to adjust her position.
“Phoebs.” I gently touch her arm, and she mumbles in her sleep. “Time to get up.”
Her eyes slowly open and take in her surroundings, smiling when they land on me.
“How long were you watching me, you weirdo?” she asks with a yawn and stretches.
“Like, five minutes,” I reply with a sheepish smile.
“New low.” She giggles and turns to face me. “Walk me to my door?”
“Obviously.” I cut the engine and run to her side to take her hand as she exits the car.
“Tonight was good, Andy.” She looks at me with shining eyes. “Really good.”
“Yeah, I thought Jonah’s eyes were going to pop out when we went up to sing.” I laugh. “We still sound damn good together.”
“We do,” she agrees. “I declare it a success!”