Library

Chapter Thirty-Two

Soaring on post-performance endorphins, a rush he'd nearly forgotten, Dev handed off his guitar to one of Kenny's high school roadies. He gave Haru a hug—not the bro-backslap kind, but a real one.

"Great show, man, even if I do say so myself."

Haru returned the hug and then stepped back. Judging by the size of his grin, he was flying as high as Dev. "I think the audience said it first."

"We've gotta do it again."

Haru's grin faded a little, turning wistful. "Do you mean it?"

"I do." Dev looked down at him. "But I've got to tell you, I'm fixed here in Home. I don't want to tour. I don't want to deal with the assholes in the music business anymore. Making music? Yeah. Being a rock star? No." He chuckled. "Not that I think I'd ever get there, but—"

"Don't sell yourself short." Haru moved out of the way as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Roadies hauled the next act's equipment onstage. "But I'm right there with you on the touring and the industry shit. We wouldn't have to go that route, though. I told you I've got my own recording equipment?" When Dev nodded, Haru bit his lip. "It's a little more than that. Like a lot. I've produced albums for other local artists. That's what I did before Nash hired me for POV."

Unbelievably, Dev's post-performance rush stepped up a level. "Really? You'd be willing to do that?"

Making music, recording music, capturing the spark of performance for others, even when they weren't actually present… That was a dream he'd followed from the time he'd stepped onstage with his guitar at his first grade school talent show. He thought he'd lost it when he left POV to take up the Harrison mantle in Home. If he could have that again…

Dev came back to earth with an almost audible crash. "But you've got the POV touring schedule. And like I said, I'm fixed here in Home."

Haru looked out at the sliver of the field visible from their spot in the wings. "I'm pretty sure I'm out of POV. In fact, I'll quit before Nash has the chance to fire me."

"Are you sure?"

He nodded. "I'm sure. I've found something I like better." He sighed, a sound of deep contentment. "I've found Home."

"You're serious? You want to stay?" Dev grinned and clasped Haru's hand. "That's fantastic. I've got several houses you could—" Dev spotted Casey standing next to the willow tree. "Hold that thought, okay? We'll talk."

Leaving a bemused Haru, Dev ran down the steps at the side of the stage and raced across the grass. He caught Casey up in a hug and whirled in a circle.

"Dev," Casey said, laughing. "Put me down."

Dev looked into Casey's face, his heart so full he felt like he could light Main Street all summer long. "Not yet." He danced around in a circle some more.

"Okay, but at least stop twirling me around. I'm getting dizzy."

Dev stopped immediately, setting Casey back on his feet, but keeping his arms around his waist. "Sorry."

Casey laced his fingers behind Dev's neck, his eyes practically glowing. "Don't be. You were wonderful. And that song?" He blinked rapidly. "Crap, now I'm gonna cry in front of all these people."

"Don't cry, Casey." Dev smoothed the soft curls off Casey's forehead and kissed each of his eyes. "I never want you to be sad."

"I'm not sad, you doofus. I'm… I don't know. Thrilled. Touched." He laid his palm along Dev's cheek. "Happy. And so, so proud of you."

"Me?" Dev scoffed. "All of this was your doing. If it had been up to me, I'd have been up to my ass in Port-a-Potties for no reason."

Casey shook his head. "It wasn't me. It was all of us. You. Kenny. Ty. Pete, Kat, Sylvia." He chuckled. "The high school kids. Everybody pitched in. Everybody wants to save Home." He lifted on his toes and kissed Dev's lips gently. "And you're its heart, Dev. Home wouldn't be home to any of us without you."

Flying again.

Dev carded his fingers through Casey's hair and tilted his face up at the perfect angle for a deeper kiss or seventeen. Casey's little whimper, his taste—of raspberries and sunshine—his lips so soft under Dev's, the way he opened so sweetly for Dev's tongue, the—

"Uh, guys?"

Still intoxicated by Casey kisses—the perfect capper to post-performance euphoria—Dev dimly heard Haru's voice and… was that applause? The next act was probably taking the stage, so he ignored it and pulled Casey closer, so they were pressed together from chest to groin.

"Guys?"

The feel of Casey against him, the softness of his hair under Dev's fingers, the sweetness of his mouth. God, this was home.

"Guys!"

Reluctantly, Dev lifted his head to glare at Haru, tucking Casey's head against his chest. "What?"

"You've, um, kind of got an audience." Haru cut his eyes to the side, and Dev realized that the applause wasn't for the next act—the musicians were standing next to the stage, grinning like loons. Every face in the audience was turned toward him.

Toward him and Casey.

"Oh my god," Casey murmured. "Crying in front of everybody is nothing. Dev, we practically humped each other!"

"Nonsense." Dev kissed the top of Casey's head. "We didn't go that far." Barely. Although if Haru hadn't stopped them, Dev wasn't sure what would have happened. But since the audience was applauding, cheering, and hooting, he just raised one hand in acknowledgement and, keeping Casey tucked safely against his larger body, covered the short expanse of grass and into the shelter of the willow tree.

Unfortunately, the space inside the leafy green curtain was more populated than Dev liked. Kenny grinned and gave them a thumbs-up. "Nice encore, Dev."

Dev gave him the finger, but the grin that threatened to split his face probably canceled the effect.

"My dudes!" Owen punched Dev's biceps and then held his fist out for Haru to bump. "Fan-fucking-tastic set. You've seriously gotta record those tunes."

His arm still firm around Casey's waist, Dev glanced at Haru. "I, uh, think we might have floated the possibility?"

Haru shrugged. "I'm there if you are."

Dev looked down at Casey. "Haru's interested in moving to Home, along with his music production equipment."

"Really?" Casey asked, almost breathlessly. "Do you do video production, too?"

Haru glanced from Casey's eager face to Dev. "Yeah. But nothing too elaborate."

"That's perfect." Casey beamed at him. "I've got a couple of ideas I want to run by you. Maybe we can chat later?"

"Sure." Haru's hopeful smile faded, and he set his jaw. "But first, I've got to get through my farewell performance with POV."

"Duuuude," Owen groaned. "You're leaving the band? Why?" He held up both hands. "Nope. Don't say it. I know." He looked at Casey. "Dickhead, am I right?"

Dev bristled. "Watch it, Owen. Casey isn't—"

"Settle down, big guy." Casey patted Dev's chest. "He's talking about Nash."

"Oh. That's okay then."

Owen's shoulders sagged. "Damn. That means the band's breaking up."

"You could get another guitarist," Haru said. "You did before."

"Maybe. But who'd write the songs?" He tapped Casey's shoulder. "And who wants to work with a dickhead?" He glanced between Dev and Haru. "Don't suppose you two would be looking for a drummer?"

Dev shared a look with Haru. "I don't know, Owen. We haven't really gone much further than the possibility. We won't tour. No industry events or perks. And whatever we do would be based here in Home."

Owen glanced sidelong at Kenny. "There's worse places to be." He linked elbows with Haru. "Come on. If it's our last appearance, let's make it a good one." He dragged Haru out from under the willow and toward the woods.

"Did he…" Kenny looked at Dev and Casey. "Was he flirting with me?"

Dev chuckled. "Kenny, my man, if you can't tell, then you've been single for way too long."

"Tell me about it," Kenny muttered. "I better go check on my high school crew. See you guys later. And Dev? Seriously great set." He grinned. "Welcome back."

Dev frowned after him. "What does he mean? I've been here for almost two years."

"I think, sweetheart, that he means welcome back to you." Casey gazed up at Dev, his eyes serious, and placed his palms on Dev's chest. "I don't blame you for leaving the band or for returning to Home." His expression darkened. "And lord knows I'm ecstatic that you left the dickhead in the dust. But music and Home aren't mutually exclusive." He patted Dev's chest. "The magic is in you. You carry it with you wherever you go, with or without your instruments, as long as you set it free. That's what Kenny meant."

Thank god he'd already performed, because Dev's throat was so tight he couldn't have done anything other than croak.

When Dev left the band, it had seemed like an either/or decision. He'd been treating POV and music as though they were synonymous, but they weren't, just as—like Casey had brilliantly put it, igniting a giant fucking lightbulb over Dev's head—Home and music weren't mutually exclusive.

He'd been caught in some kind of toxic denial triangle for almost two years: Can't have Home and POV, can't have music without POV, therefore can't have Home and music.

Yes, he'd been juggling the grief of loss—his brother, his grandfather, and music—with stepping into a role he'd never expected to fill and for which he was woefully unprepared.

But then Casey.

Casey had shown Dev that he could recombine his responsibilities and his passions into a new dynamic that—if he didn't fuck it up again—could make him better at both.

Dev wrapped his arms around Casey and buried his face in Casey's soft hair. "God, I love you," he choked out. "I'm going to miss you so much when you go."

"What if," Casey said, his voice muffled by Dev's chest, "you didn't have to miss me? What if I stay?"

Dev's heart bounced against his collarbone. What? He raised his head and searched Casey's face. "You'd do that? You'd stay for me?"

"No." Casey shook his head, and Dev's heart plummeted. "I'd stay for us. I'd stay for what we can do here—and not just for the town and its people, but for what we can do, both together and separately, for ourselves." He gazed up at Dev, his lips curved in a soft smile, his eyes warm. "You're on the cusp of something, Dev. We both are. Of remaking our lives into something we can love, something we can be proud of, something meaningful."

With the tip of one finger, Dev traced Casey's face from temple to chin. "I see how this benefits me. But what about you? Your life is in Manhattan."

"Wrong." Casey caught Dev's hand against his cheek. "My residence was in Manhattan, but I wouldn't call my existence there a life, at least not one I chose. But this? Home? You? This is home. This I choose." Uncertainty flickered across his face, and he bit his lip. "That is… if you want me to."

Dev whooped, his grin so wide his cheeks hurt. He grabbed Casey around the waist again and danced in a circle.

"Dev," Casey said crossly. "What did I say about the twirling? I get motion sick."

"Can't have that." Dev strode to the willow's trunk and pressed Casey's back against it. "How's this? Too lumpy?"

Casey wriggled, causing some very distracting friction when he wrapped his legs around Dev's waist. "No. But this hideaway isn't as private as you might think."

"I know." He kissed Casey once, just a soft press of lips, and set him down. "We'll go back to our house and lock the door. Then I'll show you exactly how happy I am that you've found a home in Home. With me."

A muffled mew at their feet was followed by a soft plop.

Casey clenched his eyes shut and clutched Dev's biceps. "Oh my god. Did Randolph Scott just drop a dead mouse on my shoe?"

Dev glanced down. "Yep." He kissed Casey's eyelids until they fluttered open. "But that's a good thing."

Casey's brows drew together in the least intimidating—and dearest—scowl in the world. "How do your figure?"

"Because if Randolph Scott shares his treats with you, then you really are home."

Comments

0 Comments
Best Newest

Contents
Settings
  • T
  • T
  • T
  • T
Font

Welcome to FullEpub

Create or log into your account to access terrific novels and protect your data

Don’t Have an account?
Click above to create an account.

lf you continue, you are agreeing to the
Terms Of Use and Privacy Policy.