Chapter 17

My BOYBAND boys did not disappoint. And Randi didn’t either. I’d only managed to bring a T-shirt bearing the band’s names and faces. Randi had tracked down a full ensemble. Even her leggings had little BOYBAND 2.0 insignias stitched all over. We looked completely ridiculous, but it was still amazing—everything I had imagined and more. When we left the arena, I could hardly talk for all the screaming we’d done.

We walked toward the car arm in arm, still singing with our worn-out, croaky voices to the songs humming through our heads. “There will never be a band like them,” Randi said. “I don’t even think they look that different all grown up. Except for Corban. Sad he’s the only one who’s bald.”

“He’s still cute though. The beard makes up for it.”

Randi pulled out her keys. “Do you remember where we parked?”

I looked around. “This way, I think. Over in the corner.”

We found the car and climbed in, deciding we needed a run for cheeseburgers before we headed back to her apartment.

“You know I have two trays of pistachio macarons in my freezer, right?”

“What? I did not know this. How have I been staying in your apartment for two days without knowing this very important piece of information?”

“I guess I forgot about them. But hooray! Now we know, and we can eat them all tonight.”

“Two trays? In one night?”

She shrugged. “Maybe we ought to skip the cheeseburgers?”

I pulled into the line of cars waiting to exit the arena parking lot. “I don’t want to skip the cheeseburgers. I haven’t had any real food tonight, and I’m starving.”

“Fine, fine. I’ll eat a burger. So give me a boyfriend update. Did you talk to Simon earlier today?”

I shot her a sideways look, wondering if she realized what she’d just done. “You mean Jamie?”

She gave me a quizzical look. “Right. Isn’t that what I said?”

“You said Simon.”

Her eyes went wide. “Did I? That’s so weird! Why would I have done that?” She leaned back in her seat. “Maybe it’s a sign, Lane. An echo of things to come!”

“An echo comes after something that’s already happened. Besides, you told me to run far away from Simon and focus on Jamie.”

“You’re right. I did. So, Jamie, then. How’s Jamie? Did you talk to him today?”

“Just briefly. He’s back in NC and spending some time with Dave before the wedding this weekend.”

“Oh, that’s right. You told me the wedding was coming up.”

“Yeah. It’ll be good. Dave and Katie are really great for each other.”

“You think Jamie might propose?”

“What, to me?” I finally pulled out of the parking lot and into the still slow-moving traffic circling the arena. At least we were going somewhere.