Play Mine (Brooklyn Dawn #3) - Cari Quinn Page 0,116

wait a few minutes.” Then I kissed my girl in the sunshine with a ring burning a hole in my pocket and my future in my arms.

Twenty-Five

I wasn’t sure I’d ever seen a more beautiful amphitheater in my life. Brooklyn Dawn had last played here right before I’d joined the band, so this was my first time here. The mountains behind the stage were a touch overwhelming. Like they’d carved the bit of stone and wood right into the land and allowed us mere mortals to play for Mother Nature. The Black River flowing behind it was made for tubing, since it had been a dry summer so far.

It was the perfect setting to wind down our summer tour. It still felt a little strange to be finishing up in not too long, but then again, everything attached to this tour had been odd. As if a specter had been hanging out on the fringes, coloring the tone of the shows.

Thank God, it didn’t seem to translate to the crowds. There was nothing but smiles on the faces of the stream of concertgoers. Especially today on this perfect summer day.

I nodded to Cole, who had shadowed me to the side of the stage set-up so I could get a look at the place. “I’m good to go back in.”

He pressed something at his ear and checked in with the team before we headed back into the dressing rooms. Daisy was putting the finishing touches on Lindsey’s hair. For once, volume wasn’t a problem for all of us girls. The humidity was a bitch at these outdoor shows, but Montana was blissfully temperate.

I was already dressed for the show, and because we were a co-headlining tour, it was our turn to go first tonight. Normally, I liked a bit of quiet before a show, but today had been full of laughter, crazy cute alpacas, and possibly a new bit of family added to my life.

I was an only child. My first taste of crazy had been joining Brooklyn Dawn. My parents were about as all-American as you could get, and we were the quiet kind of family who played Scrabble every Sunday. Nothing like the busy Dallas family with their ranch and yarn business headed by a strong woman who had carved out a life for her loved ones even with so much loss.

Cooper had come from that. A man who valued family in all its forms.

I glanced over at him, pacing in the dressing room. He’d been a little off since our trip out to his mom’s place. Not exactly secretive but definitely antsy.

Had it been because I’d almost blurted out the big L word? It had been such a short time since we’d changed our relationship, but it felt right. Better than right. He was the other piece I’d been looking for all my life.

“Go in ten, people,” Noah called from the hallway.

I swear, he’d become our tour manager more than just the head of security lately. He seemed perfect for the role, even if he’d probably deny it to his dying breath.

I went over to Cooper and slid my fingers between his. “You all right?”

“Yeah.” His forehead was creased, and I watched him forcibly relax. “It’s just been one of those days. A lot going on.”

“Right.”

He kissed my forehead. “I gotta check on something. See you on stage?”

“Where else would I be?”

He started to walk away then turned around and caught me up in a hot, hungry kiss. “Right, gotta go.”

He released me, and I staggered a little. “Well then.”

Lindsey came up next to me. “Everything okay?”

“I think so. He’s being a little weird.”

“Well, he’s male. They’re thinkier sorts than we give them credit for. Don’t get me wrong, they definitely aren’t obsessing on the same things we do, but they aren’t quite as oblivious as they like us to believe.”

“I’m learning that.”

Lindsey squeezed my fingers. “You guys are really good together. I was a little worried about a Fleetwood Mac thing, to be honest.”

I laughed. “Pretty sure we won’t be trading partners in the band.”

“No, thank God. But I don’t want anything to hurt my family, and love makes us all a little crazy.”

I wasn’t sure what to say to that.

She took my other hand and looked me straight in the eye. “Yours is the good kind of crazy.”

“I hope so.”

“I know so.” She fluffed my hair. Some part of me would always be the little sister, and I was really okay with that. “Now, it’s time