Graduation and Gifts (Untouchable Book 8)

by Heather Long

  Yeah, the irony was not lost on me, and it kept me cracking up all the way through.

  When I finally got off the call, I leaned back against Coop, and he plucked one of his ear buds out and tucked it into one of my ears. The playful cadence of music washed over me, along with a French singer crooning.

  “If you’re taking requests, songbird, I’d love for you to sing to me in French. The sultrier the better.”

  “Mon dieu, qu’est-ce que je vais faire de toi, mon amour?”

  His whole body shuddered behind me. “I know you said my god and my love, I’ll take it.”

  Laughter swelled up through me, and when he tilted my head back for a kiss, I sighed against his lips. The French serenade just added to the sweetness, but I paid attention to the music selection. If Coop wanted me to sing to him in French, then I was going to sing to him in French.

  Our third full day in Paris, Rachel and I left the boys to head to the Louvre. Jake loved the history of the city and the art as much as I did, but they were going out to scout some vineyards.

  “Don’t let Archie buy them all,” I teased before they left, and Ian grinned at me.

  “You mean you don’t want a manor house here in France in the heart of a vineyard where you could play out every romance movie trope ever?” The playful dare in his voice made me snort.

  “You really know how to paint a picture,” I said as I tugged on the light jacket I’d picked out to wear. The weather called for rain on and off, so in addition to my umbrella, the jacket seemed prudent, along with the baseball cap and my hair pulled back into a braid.

  “That’s not a no,” Ian pointed out, and I gave him a little shrug before leaning up to brush a kiss to his lips.

  “No, it wasn’t.”

  I winked before Rachel and I scooted out, and she laughed. “You’re getting used to them spoiling you.”

  “More than a little,” I admitted. “It’s wonderful and frightening at the same time.”

  “But you’re happy,” Rachel said as we stepped out of the hotel. A car waited for us, our one concession to the guys not following us was that Archie’s car service would pick us up and drop us off. “And I could get used to this traveling in style.”

  I laughed and pinched her as I followed her inside.

  The Louvre was a magical place. I stared at the glass pyramid, fulfilling a years-long longing I hadn’t even realized I’d possessed. Rachel said nothing while I gazed up at it. Some people called it a blight on the face of Paris, but I loved the design. I loved what it meant.

  I just loved it, and more, I loved being here.

  We took selfies together, then Rachel had me spread my arms, so she could snap a couple of me with the pyramid that she then fired off to the guys with the note that said, Our girl looks good, right?

  Their immediate responses made me laugh. We snapped one more selfie blowing them kisses, and my phone buzzed with selfies of the four of them blowing me a kiss. I burst out laughing, and Rachel rolled her eyes playfully before linking arms with me and pulling me toward the main doors.

  I didn’t know which one of us started humming a song from French class, but we were both singing it together as we made our way inside. I was pretty sure the guys would have enjoyed the museum as much as we did, but it was fun to just hang with Rachel.

  We talked about everything and nothing. She updated me on her family and asked about mine. I told her about Hank and Chloe. Rachel decided Chloe was her favorite. Staring at the Mona Lisa was an experience. Yes, it was smaller in person than I once imagined, but I’d also known it wasn’t as big as it seemed in all the memes and graphics.

  Still, I might have sniffed a little as I studied her. Thankfully, Rachel didn’t tease me. Much.

  We’d barely managed a third of the exhibits we wanted to see before it was time to find food. Café Grand Louvre beneath the pyramid was our dining choice, and I was in heaven.

  “So, have you found a place in New York yet?” Rachel asked, and I grinned.

  “I’m betting Archie has and is going to surprise me when we get there, what about you? I mean, the offer to stay with us still stands.”

  Rachel snorted. “I like to sleep at night, and I’ve heard you’re loud.”

  I rolled my eyes.

  “Besides, you guys are all sickeningly happy and in the honeymoon phase. I need my own space. Plus, you need a place to retreat to when they piss you off.”

  It was my turn to snort, but I didn’t disagree. We’d been known to fight in the past, though I couldn’t imagine anything would be so bad that I’d want to sleep away from them. To be honest, I’d gotten so used to them being there, I had trouble sleeping without one of them pressed up against me.

  “That expression,” Rachel said with an indulgent grin. “You have it so bad for them.”

  I did, and I lifted the wine we were having for lunch, and she clinked her glass to mine. The fact we could order alcohol without anyone blinking an eye at us just added to the atmosphere. We got the waiter to snap a pic of us, and I sent it to Madam, even with Rachel razzing me I didn’t need to be teacher’s pet anymore. Me flipping her off just sent her off into gales of laughter.

  After lunch, I checked in with the guys. Coop had been sending me the best shots of the vineyards they were touring. He warned me Archie purchased a few cases of wine that he thought I’d like and was having them shipped home because…well, Archie.

  God, I loved them.

  Jake collected histories from the tour guides who spoke English and sent me notes. The part that was funnier was his commentary and subtle shots of Coop listening to their French. Apparently, it was only a turn-on when I spoke it. So I might have sent Coop a quick voice clip of me telling him about the museum in French.

  The response was hilarious.

  Phones away, we wandered back out to explore. There was no way to see everything, not in just one visit. And by the time we needed to leave to meet the guys for dinner, my feet were sore but my heart was happy. It was also raining outside, and I swore I swooned a little as we opened our umbrellas to make our way across to where the car would be waiting for us.

  The fact Archie slid out to hold the door open for us and had his own umbrella just made me smile wider.

  Whether we were romping at a water park in Florida, sunning ourselves in the South Pacific, or wandering in the rain of Paris, the happiness of just being with them was real.

  One night, we did dinner on the Seine with a tour of the night sights. Another, Archie stole me away for a romantic dinner at an exclusive café, followed by a long walk through the rain-slicked streets. Jake and I nerded out on a tour of Versailles, then a day trip to Normandy, where I swore chills of the past kept shivering over me.

  Architecture and the history of the ancient city held me in as much thrall as it did him. Ian and I escaped to more museums and an afternoon stroll across one of the old lock bridges. You couldn’t put locks on it anymore, but they had painted it and we could do a picnic there. A part of me was sad, but then Ian found a lock necklace in one of the shops and he got it for me. Even better, we found a busker singing in English and joined him for a few familiar songs before leaving him a few euros.

  Coop and I spent an afternoon just exploring and getting lost together while riding one of the hop on and off bus tours. I tortured him playfully for hours as I gave him his own tour, translating everything but also repeating all the French. We missed dinner that night, because Coop proved just how insatiable the French made him.

  Ooh, la la.

  Every evening, we did something different, including delightful cabaret shows, dancing, and romantic dinners. Rachel found a gourmet food walking tour, and the guys took bets on when I’d get full. I totally won though, because the food was to die for.

  Finally, we went to see the Eiffel Tower, and standing on the observation platform as we gazed out over the city just seemed to fill my soul. We got all the touristy shots we could dream of and sent them back by the dozens t
o Hank, Alicia, Carly, Joe, Sara, and Jeremy. We kept the more salacious ones to ourselves.

  All too soon, it was time to leave for London, and as excited as I was about seeing KC and the girls, I didn’t want to leave Paris. We also had to say goodbye to Rachel. She said she would come over for the concert in three days, but she had some stuff she wanted to do before she left Paris.

  We’d be back, but still…I didn’t think I could love a city more.

  London tasted different from Paris. The city was also ancient, featuring cobblestone walks side by side with modern improvements. The Tower Bridge swept me away to ideas of the distant past, when kings and queens took barges up and down the river to get away from the London heat. Scorch marks on some of the old buildings served as evidence of the Great Fire of London.

  Our hotel wasn’t far from the Tower of London, and our first morning there, we made our way to St Katherine’s Wharf for breakfast and shopping. KC and the girls were waiting for us at the Starbucks. They sported baseball caps to hide their distinctive hair and sunglasses. Like us, they were dressed in comfortable T-shirts, jeans, and light jackets because it was chilly in the early London morning.

  Granted, I was used to the suffocating heat of Texas, so the cool air even filled with the smell of exhaust from the cars and the fishier scents from the river was welcome. KC practically skipped toward us when we entered, and then I had an armful of girl in a tight hug.

  Aubrey and Yvette followed her at a slower pace, and while their hugs might not have been as fierce, they were no less warm. I found myself wishing Rachel was already there. We took a huge table on the second floor and looked out over the wharf and the people hustling on their way to get to day jobs, open up shops, and tourists like us settling in to enjoy the view.

  “You look fantastic,” KC told me as she grabbed the chair nearest mine. I wished I could have said the same thing about her, but as soon as the sunglasses came off, all you could see were the black smudges beneath her eyes and some hollowness to her bone structure.

  When was the last time she’d slept? Or even eaten?

  Yvette and Aubrey were much the same, though it looked like Yvette had done her cosmetics with a careful hand as though to hide the signs of tiredness, but her eyes were red-rimmed.

  “You all look like hell. How many more shows do you have?”

  Aubrey actually snorted with laughter. “This is why KC loves you—you are not a suck up.”

  No, I wasn’t. “I’m also starving. Can we go get food from downstairs, or do we want to go somewhere else?”

  “I can’t eat yet,” KC said. “We have a photo shoot this afternoon, so this coffee is it until after. I don’t need anyone yelling at me about rolls.”

  I blinked. KC was tiny, I’d say almost stick-like but that would be rude. If anything, she seemed like she’d lost weight since the last time I saw her. “How are you doing all those shows and not eating?”

  “Eh,” Aubrey said with a shrug. “You get used to it. Besides, under the lights and on the stage, it’s hot as hell and you’re in the moment. Too much food, and you’re puking.” She slanted a look at Yvette and then at KC. “We eat after the show.”

  “If we’re hungry,” Yvette agreed. “Sometimes, it’s just some drinks, some water, a shower, then falling into a bed if we’re lucky or a transport if we’re not and on to the next show.”

  “But this is our last week,” KC said. “We have three shows left. We’re wrapping this bitch up where we started it.”

  Three more shows.

  Still…

  “Don’t fuss,” KC said. “This isn’t about us. Trust me when I say we’re used to it. I want to hear all about Paris. We were there a few weeks ago, but I don’t think I even saw the city other than the route between the hotel and the venue.”

  “And please, for fuck’s sake, tell her what song you want to do,” Aubrey stated. “Then we can get our manager off our asses.”

  “Do you want to come to our soundcheck this afternoon?”

  Was that a real question? Of course I wanted to go to the soundcheck. I also wanted to fuss more and to make sure she ate. As it was, we finished our coffee, and they had to go. Business meeting before the soundcheck, but KC handed us badges that would get us backstage and past security.

  Ian and I had chosen “Reckless.” It was one of their earliest hits and the third song of theirs on the album that made me fall in love with them. It was all about making choices and just because a choice seemed crazy, impulsive, or reckless, didn’t mean it was a bad one. Besides the fun message, it had the crazy sexy beat that made it easy to dance to and a chorus that I adored.

  KC’s beaming grin at the choice made me feel even better about picking it. “I wrote that, you know,” she told me as we walked them out of the shop and toward the side street where a car waited for them. The guys had been kind of quiet through the whole conversation, letting us dominate it.

  But Ian promised we’d be there for the soundcheck and anything else they needed. We grabbed more hugs, and then the girls were gone. I stared after the car, and Ian wrapped an arm around me.

  “They’ll be fine, Angel,” he murmured. “Three more shows and they’re free.”

  I mean, I’d read between the lines of those emails, and it sounded like Ian had too. They were exhausted.

  “You two are never going to tour until you are down to skin and bones,” Jake said abruptly, and I glanced over to find him half glaring after the car that had picked them up. “I mean it. My little finger has more fat on it than any of them, and KC looks like she’s one good stiff wind away from breaking.”

  “Yeah,” Archie said slowly. “Not a fan. Not eating because of photo shoots? I get that the camera adds some weight, but not that much.”

  Coop, unlike the others, didn’t say much, at least not on our walk back to the hotel. We had a few hours before soundcheck and I was starving, a fact I felt almost guilty about, especially when we found a little place that smelled sumptuously of bacon, sausages, eggs, and baked goods.

  Even more, I felt guilty about the food we ordered. Coop studied me a beat and then said, “Exhaustion and stress do wild things to a person. You eating isn’t going to make it better or worse for them. You’re doing what you can by being her friend. By being all their friends.”

  “But she looks so damn tired.”

  “They’ve been touring nonstop, Baby Girl,” Jake said, nudging my plate. “Eat. They know how bad it is, or I don’t think they’d be taking a break from all of it.”

  “Agreed,” Archie said. “And I agree with Jake, you and Bubba are never going to tour until you turn into a ghost of yourselves. I’ve seen you get worn away by stress. Hard pass.”

  It was Ian who summed it up when he said, “I’d never let them do this to her. Trust me on that.”

  I swore, one by one, the others relaxed, and Archie nodded firmly. “Good. Now, do we want to try and do some sightseeing before the soundcheck, or do you want to go back to the hotel and get laid?” The last he directed at me, and Coop burst out laughing.

  “It’s always good to have options.”

  We did go back to the hotel, and while I didn’t get laid per se, the guys were very cuddly. Ian and I practiced our songs, and the guys heckled playfully. A huge lunch was waiting for me after my shower, and I stuffed my face happily, even if I was still worried about KC and the girls. Before long, we were at the venue and it was huge. From the outside, it looked large, from the inside, it was an arena. They could probably fit twenty-five thousand people in there.

  More.

  Terror bubbled in my stomach.

  Maybe performing wasn’t the best idea.

  As if reading my thoughts, Ian threaded his fingers through mine and he leaned down to whisper, “You just look at me when it’s time to go out there.”

  The simple note of command in his voice settled some of the nerves. KC let out a playful squeal when security guided us back to where she and the others were drinking
hot tea. Apparently, it was good for their vocal cords.

  There was food on one of the back tables, but none of the girls were eating. I considered scolding, then bit my tongue. KC shot me a grateful smile, and despite disliking not saying anything, it was the right choice. They were dressed up, cosmetics in place, jewelry gleaming, and KC’s blue hair fell in a straight waterfall over one shoulder from where it had been tied up in a single ponytail on top of her head.

  Grabbing my hand, she led us toward the stage. “Come on, it’s freaky when you first get out there with or without people, so let’s get that freaking out of the way.”

  My heart hammered triple speed the minute we walked out on that stage. It was empty, save for the backup band and others who were working and cleaning, and sound carried. The hollow arena didn’t make it any less intimidating though. If anything, it was a thousand percent worse.

  All the moisture in my mouth fled, and I stared around with wide eyes.

  “It’s scary,” KC said from right next to me. “But when the lights come on and the music starts playing, it’s the energy from the crowd that brings everything to life. For a few hours, on this stage, you become your pure self. No problems. No past. No future. No bullshit business contracts. No family drama. Just you and the music.”

  “Hey,” Yvette said as she bumped KC on her way past.

  “And your besties,” she told me. “It’s us against the world, but this right here—this is our world, and we own it. So, let the fear make you tingle and don’t be afraid of the chill racing up your spine because when those lights turn on, ice becomes fire and fear becomes power.”

  I was still turning those words over in my head when they started their soundcheck. They wanted me and Ian out on the stage with them, and we both got wired up with mics that weren’t on while the guys waited for us just off stage.

  Coop and Jake both had their phones out, snapping photos of us and filming it. When one of the grips complained, Aubrey told him to get fucked and leave us alone.