things. In return, Phil got to keep his club. A clear win for the rock and rollers.
I take down their (extensive) drink order and promise to hustle. Instead of feeding the ticket to the bartenders, I duck under the flap and help myself to the spare row of spigots.
“Did you hear what song is playing?” Vada asks, nudging my shoulder with her bare one and causing me to nearly foam over at the tap.
“‘Everlong,’” I say after recovering. I am perhaps unsuccessful at keeping the edge from my tone.
Her red lips spread into a wide smile, clearly ignoring my tone, and she nods. “Well done, you.”
I narrow my eyes, my frames slipping down my nose a little. “Wait, did you play this for me?”
Her eyes roll, and she taps my frames back into place. “Duh. It’s romantic.”
“For who? You and me, or you and Dave?”
She takes two of the pints and nods for me to lead us to the table of waiting customers.
“Mostly you. I swear.”
I try to glare at her over my shoulder and nearly trip over my own feet. She gets to the table first, distributing her half and passing out some of her signature smack talk along the way.
“Vada!” my dad says. “Light of my life! You aren’t on today, are you?”
She gives him a side hug and plants a loud kiss on his cheek. When I first met Vada, she had one deadbeat dad. Now she has two rocker has-beens who dote over her every move, two meddling and overprotective gay brothers, and me.
Not that I’m like her dad or anything. Or her brother, for that matter. Thank God.
“You know I can’t stay away, Charlie. I’m already going through withdrawal. California can’t compete with this crowd.”
“Says you.” He turns her to the group. “Have you lads heard? Our Vada writes for Rolling Stone.”
“Just the online version,” she demurs. “I got the gig writing about this genius,” she continues, gesturing at me. “He deserves partial credit for inspiring me.”
“Don’t you mean not writing about me?” I tease.
She shrugs. “Not writing about you not writing a song about me.”
“That’s a lot of denial. It’s a wonder we ever found each other.”
“All it took was one hot kiss on a street corner, and I was convinced,” she says, stepping toward me.
“It’s the Cure, actually. They’re like a Vada-aphrodisiac,” I reply softly so only she can hear.
Her brown eyes darken. “When’re you done?” she asks, staring at my lips and licking hers. Hell.
“I’m not technically on. I came for you.”
Her smile is blinding. “What a coincidence. Charlie!” she hollers. “I’m stealing your son away!”
Phil yells from the bar, “What are you talking about? Kid, you’ve owned that boy since the night you roped him into working for you.” A great cheer goes up from the patrons, and I know my cheeks must be red because Vada is looking at me like I’m a puppy she found under the Christmas tree.
Adorable ginger.
I love her for it.
“True, but we don’t need to dwell on it.”
“Wanna get out of here?”
I tug her close, and even though I know we’re making a scene, with her, it’s always just us. I can’t see anyone else. Her soft lips find mine as if they were created for that sole purpose, and I smile against them and whisper so only she can hear me.
“I’ll go anywhere with you.”
“Excellent,” she whispers back. “Because I have plans.”
Save Liberty Live Set List
(Holy fuck, we’re doing this!)
“More Than Maybe” Luke Greenly
“Thank You” Led Zeppelin
“What It Is” Kodaline
“Silver Lining” Mt. Joy
“And Then You” Greg Laswell
“Just Like Heaven” The Cure—Phil gets to shout out to his new bride.
“I Know” Tom Odell
“Who’s That Girl” Bad Apples—Give Charlie the lead so he can have a public midlife crisis onstage. I saw that, you ungrateful little shit. Doesn’t mean it’s not real, Dad.
“Anna Begins” Counting Crows (Be cool, it’s just Duritz, man.)
“Break for You” Luke Greenly  After which Vada gets to kiss Luke forever.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Writing your second book is terrible. It really is. Don’t get me wrong. I am obsessed with Luke and Vada (and Phil and Mary and Kaz and Cullen and Charlie and Zack and Meg, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera…) but oh my gracious, telling their story took all of my magical unicorn powers.
It also took the hard work of so many others.
To my super-agent, Kate McKean, who read approximately seven thousand versions of Luke and Vada (ranging from bank heists to spurned best friends working in radio) and pressed me for just the right setting. I