An Invincible Summer (Wyndham Beach #1)(71)

“When was the last time we went out together to have a good time?” Natalie sank back into the seat and sipped her champagne.

“Before I was married. Back when we were in college. One of those weekends you were home from Penn State and came down to see me at Delaware.” Grace appeared to be debating whether to pour another drink.

“Your sorority had some epic parties.”

“We did.”

The sound of a horn blowing got their attention. Their driver had cut off another car on Broad Street and was now apologizing for it.

“Oh, we’re here.” Natalie drained her glass and put it back into the cooler as the limo rounded a corner and crept slowly behind the Wells Fargo Center. “You don’t happen to have a Taser, a torch, fireworks, or brass knuckles on you, do you?”

“What?” Grace stared at Natalie.

“How ’bout a box cutter? A drone? Skateboard?”

“Are you crazy? What are you talking about?”

Natalie laughed. “Chris sent me a list of all the things that are prohibited at the arena. Those were just a few items on the no-no list.”

“Good to know. Nope. No contraband.”

“Ladies, I’ll be stopping by a door up here soon. You’re going to wait until I open your door before you get out, okay?”

“Sure.” Natalie nodded and grinned at her sister. They were here. After so many years, she’d see her old friend again. Her long-ago wish for him had come true, and she couldn’t be happier.

They were escorted to their seats—front row center, same location their mother had occupied with her friends some months ago—and soaked up the excitement of the crowd.

“I love listening to music at home and in the car, but boy, nothing is like being on the floor during a live concert,” Natalie said over the rumble of voices surrounding them.

There were two opening acts: the first, one Natalie had never heard of; the second, an up-and-coming singer she’d seen on one of the late-night shows. And then the lights went down, pyrotechnics went off on the stage, and Chris appeared, looking so much like the lead singer of a world-famous rock band that Natalie had tears in her eyes. The boy from the small town few people had heard of, who’d had such a huge dream, had made it come true. It really was a Cinderella story. He glanced down into the crowd and winked. She was hoping it was for her, but there were so many screaming women around her she couldn’t be sure. Grace had told her he’d been dating a Brazilian model for months. Natalie looked around but didn’t see anyone who looked like a Brazilian model, but you never knew.

Still, Natalie smiled when the band began to play all the songs she’d listened to and knew by heart. She sang along with the crowd as it sang along with the band and danced with Grace in the space between their seats and the stage.

After a long version of “If You See Me,” Chris stood alone at the front of the stage, the microphone in his hand, and motioned for the crowd to quiet down. When finally the cheers and applause faded, he took a few steps closer to the audience.

“You all know I like to stop about halfway through the show for a little story time. So settle down, boys and girls. This is a story I’ve never told anyone before and may never tell again. But tonight is special, so here goes.” He paused, the crowd in expectant silence. “A long time ago I had a friend. We only saw each other in the summers, but every summer, we’d spend time together. Mostly talking. I was a little older, and I never wanted to take advantage of that, because she was a very special friend. A very special girl.” There were a few hoots from the crowd, and Chris stopped for a moment, smiled. “The last time I saw her, we were sitting on a big rock on the beach down the road from her house, and it was growing dark. The stars were coming out overhead, and it was a perfect night. She was leaving the next day, and we knew we wouldn’t be together there again for a long, long time. But we’re sitting there, and I’m teasing her about something, and we look up and there’s a shooting star going right across the sky, and she said, ‘Make a wish.’ And we did. Turns out we both wished for the same thing, and that wish came true. But I remember, and I wrote this . . .”

He turned and gestured to the band, and the music began. “We’ve never done this song before in public. It’s called ‘Shooting Star.’”

“Natalie, he’s talking about you.” Grace elbowed her. “What the hell’s he referring to?”

Natalie couldn’t respond. She stood stock-still, staring up at the stage, seeing only Chris. He really had remembered. He’d promised he would, and he had. She barely heard the words of the song, but she knew it was about that night, about watching the sky together and sharing their dreams and that one perfect kiss. The rest of the concert went by in a blur, and before they knew it, they were ushered back to the band’s dressing room, where Chris gathered her in a bear hug and kissed her face.

“You really did remember,” she said when her feet finally touched the ground.

Chris nodded, but he didn’t let go. “A double wish has to come true.”

“Hello? Remember me? Grace? The big sister?” Grace waved to Natalie.

Chris laughed and hugged Grace. “How lucky am I to have both the Flynn girls here? You two are gorgeous. I think I’m in love with you both.”

Chris introduced them to the other members of his band, several celebrities who’d flown to Philly for the show, and a number of local professional athletes, careful all the while to keep Natalie at his side and Grace in his sight. But before they knew it, Chris had a plane to catch, and the limo driver who’d brought Natalie and Grace arrived to take them home.