The song was finished anyway.
I imagine she was going to get punished — in the best way imaginable. Homeboy seemed to have a lot of anger — but the good kind — like the kind that you knew if timed right could be… exciting.
I giggled when Chase and Mil took the stage.
I’d never seen a better pair in my entire life. She was feisty; he was hilarious but had this underlying intensity that I think he tried to hide in order not to terrify small children. It worked.
They sang “A Whole New World.”
Chase was the magic carpet.
You can imagine how that went.
Mil got on top of him and… well, it was Chase; he immediately flipped her around and started kissing her.
The song never even finished before Mil stopped singing and flushed a bright red.
“Get a room!” Tex yelled.
“We have one!” Mil gripped Chase’s hand and led him to the door just as Phoenix and Sergio made their way in.
“What’s going on in here?” Phoenix shoved his hands into his pockets and grinned.
“Singing!” I announced.
Sergio tried to leave.
Chase barricaded the door with help from Mil.
“Yay!” I yelled. “Our turn!”
I jumped to my feet and quickly fell back to my chair.
Sergio was at my side immediately. “Are you okay? Do you need to go to bed?”
“No,” I lied. The room was spinning, but I was having so much fun, and I just wanted to pretend the night could last a little bit longer. “Let’s sing!”
“Huzzah!” Tex yelled.
“Historical romance nod.” Chase held up his fist to Tex. “That’s my man.”
Sergio rolled his eyes and gripped my hands. “Alright, Russia, what do you want to sing? I swear to all that is holy if you say the Russian national anthem, I’m going to Taser your ass and hide your gun.”
I pouted. “But my gun is special.”
He smirked. “So’s mine.”
“Fine. You win.”
“Ha.” He kissed the corner of my mouth. “Okay, so what will it be?”
The only song I could think of wasn’t fun. But it had meaning, so I pressed my finger to his lips and went over to the little machine and picked my song then grabbed the microphone.
“‘If I die young, bury me in satin, lay me down on a bed of roses…’” I kept singing and twirled around on the stage, but I got dizzy super-fast and had to stop.
Sergio was there instantly. He sat on the makeshift stage and put me on his lap as I kept singing.
I was on his lap…
Singing about getting buried.
And he was rocking back and forth like it was okay.
Tex and Mo sobered.
Phoenix turned off the lights, and soon cell phones lit up the small dark room.
“The sharp knife of a short life… oh well, I’ve had just enough time,” I crooned. “‘And I’ll be wearing white…’”
Sergio grabbed the microphone when I couldn’t finish and started singing with me. I was breathless, maybe from my cancer, maybe from the fact that it was so true, so close to home — being buried in white, leaving the boy from town.
“‘So put on your best, boys, and I’ll wear my pearls,’” I sang
“‘A penny for my thoughts…’” Sergio countered in a low voice that was smooth, effortlessly beautiful.
Nixon and Trace came back and immediately held up their cell phones.
It was like a tribute concert.
The end of something great.
A ballad of beauty.
I closed my eyes and cherished the moment — where I had family, where I had love, where I had in that night everything I could have ever hoped or dreamed for.
It was short.
But it was beautiful.
And it was enough.
CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
Sergio
”ANDI?” I’D NEVER TIRE OF KISSING her mouth, of pressing my lips against hers, of tasting her, of exploring. My tongue met hers. She was tired. I wouldn’t pressure her or anything. I just wanted — needed — to be close.
“Hmm?” It was early morning; the sun had just started to rise over the horizon. “Everything okay?”
“Yup.” My hands found her hips as I pulled her against me. “It is now.”
Her eyes were still closed as she nestled her head under my chin. “You smell sexy.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Yup.” She sighed happily. “I’ve always thought so, like expensive cologne.”
I laughed.
Andi was quiet. I’d assumed she’d fallen back asleep when suddenly she let out a tiny whimper.
“Hey…” I tilted her chin toward me. “…you okay?”
Her eyes blinked and then rolled up in the back of her head.
“Andi!” I gripped her by the arms and set her on her back. “Come on, sweetheart. Talk to me. Stay awake.”
She jolted and then blinked. “Sorry, sorry… I just… sorry.”
My eyes narrowed. “What’s going on?”
She licked her lips. “My face just felt… funny and…” Her eyes kept blinking wildly at me.
“Andi?” I hated to ask. “Double vision?”
“Yeah…” She frowned. “…and a bit of a headache.”
Shit. I’d read every brochure, researched until I felt like I was going to go blind from the glare of the computer.