Take Me with You (Take Me #2)(86)

My parents were also pleased with the news, which was no surprise to me.

“It’s going to be so glamorous. A big Boston wedding!” my mother said. She looked down at the grimy barstool and upturned her nose. She carefully slid the pad of her index finger over the surface and then examined it. She shuddered. “Anyway, I’ve already had an engagement announcement drafted and sent to the newspaper. It’s going to be the event of the season.”

I laughed at my mother’s behavior but nodded. “It certainly is.”

The news seemed to ease the discomfort that had occurred with my family, and even though my parents looked stuffy and uncomfortable, they carried on a conversation with Grant without snubbing him. It seemed like enough progress to me.

Almost too soon, Grant was kissing the top of my head and whispering my ear, “Time to go backstage. I’ll see you after the show. I love you.”

“I love you, too,” I said.

My hand held on to his until he was too far away, and we had to let go. He gave me a mischievous smile before disappearing in the crowd.

“Jim, I’m going to need a drink.” With disdain, my mother’s eyes scanned the dive bar, but it was nice to at least see her here…trying.

“Of course, Diana.”

“Vodka martini. Grey Goose.” Then, she seemed to think better of it. “Do you think they even have Grey Goose?”

He shrugged his shoulders, and I tried to keep from laughing hysterically.

Only my mother.

“Well, I’m going to go to my normal spot. I’ll see you all after the show? We can get dinner or drinks? Talk about the wedding some more?”

“Yes, of course, dear,” my mother said. “We’ll go somewhere…a bit classier, I hope?”

“Sure, Mom.” I wrapped my arms around my father. “Thank you for giving him a chance.”

“We love you, baby girl. We trust you to make the right decisions…even if we don’t always agree with them.”

“Thank you,” I repeated before pulling away from my family and veering through the packed crowd.

I found the girls standing at the center of the pack, only about three rows back from the stage. Not speaking to each other, Shelby and Sydney were on opposite sides of Gabi and Cheyenne. Sydney didn’t seem bothered in the slightest. While she was around, Miller didn’t seem to realize how much Shelby cared for him. It was such a weird juggling act that no one had expected from Miller. He had turned into this accidental player, and I wasn’t looking forward to the fallout when it all blew up.

At least for now, McAvoy and Gabi were back on. I didn’t know how that was going to work out with the band going to L.A. for the summer, but Gabi seemed confident enough. She already had plans to visit. Cheyenne had sworn up and down that she and Vin weren’t serious, but I saw her eyes sparkle when he walked onstage. Another mystery—someone actually liked Vin. It baffled me.

My eyes cut to the left, and I saw Kristin standing in the audience with a guy at her side. She smiled at me and waved. We hadn’t hung out much since school ended because she had gone home for the summer, but it looked like she was back—at least for the night.

Then, it all came down to Grant and me.

He strutted onstage to an eruption of applause, cheers, and catcalls. He looked like a god in jeans and a button-up with the first two buttons undone and the sleeves rolled up. His hair was wild. His eyes were even wilder as they searched me out in the crowd.

Our gazes locked, and then I was lost.

He only had eyes for me.

The show was as incredible as ever, maybe even better.

I’d seen them twice on tour with The Drift, but being here at home had them in their element. Everyone knew the songs, and now, the band was even more comfortable in front of huge crowds. “White Hot” still made me blush. “Life Raft” still made me swoon. I was certain I would never stop swooning at the fact that Grant had written this amazing song just for me.

“We have one last song for you tonight,” Grant said into the microphone after they’d finished “Life Raft.”

“One more?” Cheyenne asked. “They’ve played everything I know.”

I shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe something new?”

Intrigued, we both looked back up at the stage.

“I’ve been working on this song for a long time. It was missing something for so long, but now, I think it’s perfect. So, you get this exclusive, Leaguers. This one is ‘Take Me with You.’”

Everyone quieted as the intro music filtered through the speakers. It was a heady melody with a soft sound like “Life Raft.”

Then, Grant sang his beautiful lyrics with his hypnotic voice,

I’m an arrow,

Aiming straight for your heart.

Pierce the skin, take you in.

It’s tearing me apart.

Love-struck, dumbstruck,

Can’t think without you close.

Can’t even dream.

Give me another dose.

So, baby, I’ll take you with me

Wherever I go.

Just promise you’ll take me with you

Wherever you go.

I’ll take you with me

Wherever I go.

If you take me with you

Wherever you go.

The words hit me hard as if he were actually shooting an arrow at me. Grant had obviously written songs about us before, but every time it happened, it felt so deeply personal, like he was exposing so much about us to the world.