At that moment a woman working for the festival entered the tent, wheeling a cart with audio equipment to wire the guys.
Maddox and Emma entered right behind her.
“I need you guys back here.” The woman pointed to the back of the tent.
“See you soon.” Maddox leaned down and kissed Emma quickly.
He waved at me and then playfully shoved his twin before the three disappeared behind a curtain.
“Have you been here a while?” Emma asked, plopping down in one of the other plastic chairs. She wore a black crop top and pale yellow skirt that came up higher in the front and was long in the back and sides. Her favorite floppy black hat sat on her head with her wild blonde hair curling beneath it. I was slightly envious of her effortless, almost hippy, style. I knew Emma spent hardly any time picking out her clothes, and yet she still managed to look gorgeous. Although, she’d argue the fact that she looked like she’d just rolled out of bed.
“Uh, yeah. I guess.” I replied. “Why?”
“You look a little sun burnt.”
I turned my head to look at my shoulders and discovered that they were slightly red in color. “I forgot to wear sunscreen.”
“Yours?” She nodded at the fish swimming lazily in the jar.
“Ezra’s. He won it in one of those stupid games.” I waved my hand to encompass the festival.
“Have you been having fun?” She asked, straightening her skirt and crossing her legs.
“Yeah,” I nodded. “We saw the aerial circus act and it was amazing.”
“Oh!” Emma clapped her hands together and leaned forward. “So, Maddox found a great place for us to stay in the Florida Keys. Do you think you can be ready to leave in a week?”
I nodded. “I can make it happen.”
“Perfect!” She did a little dance. “This is going to be so much fun!”
I smiled in agreement. I hadn’t been on board with this in the beginning, but the more I thought about it the more excited I became. I knew being around everyone for a week would make it hard for Ezra and I to get any alone time, and that sucked, but I needed this.
Maddox returned, smacking his drumsticks against his legs and jumping up and down. “Are you guys ready to rock? Because I’m ready to rock.”
I glanced at Emma. “Did he drink too many Diet Pepsi’s again?”
She smiled and shrugged sheepishly. “Maybe.”
“Dude, chillax.” Hayes appeared next, his bright blue guitar slung across his body. “You’re like a fucking monkey on crack. What’s with the jumping?”
“We haven’t performed in a while and I’m really excited,” Maddox replied gleefully, still drumming his drumsticks against his leg.
Hayes’ face crinkled in thought. “We just finished a six month tour a month ago.”
“I know but it feels like forever.” Maddox went back to jumping.
“He’s going to give me a headache,” Hayes pinched the bridge of his nose, “I never thought I’d say this, but someone get that guy his knitting bag.”
“It’s in the car,” Emma said, digging through her clutch for car keys.
“Hey, you.” Hayes grabbed one of the festival workers that was milling around the tent. “Go get Maddox his knitting supplies before he blacks out from excitement. He needs to calm the fuck down.”
The worker’s eyes widened. “Uh…”
“I’ll get it,” Emma stood, heading for the tent flap. “You,” she pointed at Maddox, “try not to break anything.”
Maddox grinned, now tapping his drumsticks on the concession table. “No promises.”
Emma sighed and left.
Mathias returned, fiddling with his earpiece.
He strode over to his twin and snatched the drumsticks.
“Hey!” Maddox made a grab for his stolen drumsticks, but Mathias was faster and turned away. “Give those back!” Maddox demanded, jabbing at his brother.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the Wade Brothers: forever twelve years old.” Ezra entered the room, carrying his bass.
The twins continued to scuffle, completely oblivious to Ezra.
“You want some water?” Ezra asked me, striding over to the small refrigerator in the corner.
“I would love some, darling,” Maddox called, still trying to get his drumsticks back from Mathias.
“I wasn’t talking to you,” Ezra chuckled.
Maddox gasped, forgetting his drumsticks. “Lovebug, have you moved on? I thought what we had was real. I’m devastated.”
Ezra rolled his eyes and grabbed a bottle of water, tossing it to Maddox.
“You guys have the weirdest bromance ever.” Hayes shook his head.
“Aw,” Maddox reached up to put his arm around Hayes’ shoulders, “Ez and I are open to making this twosome and threesome.” He winked.
Hayes shrugged out of Maddox’s hold and his lips twitched with suppressed laughter. “Yeah, I don’t want in on this particular threesome.”
“Such a shame,” Maddox shook his head, “Ezra and I are a lot of fun.”
“I’ll live.” Hayes chuckled, leaning his hip against the concession table. He grabbed a handful of chips and started munching.
“Here,” Emma grouched, shoving the tent flap open, “now chill out.” She held out a blue duffel bag to Maddox.
“Ooh,” Hayes smiled, “sounds like someone’s in trouble. Will he be sleeping on the couch tonight?” He turned to Emma.
She smiled, laughing under her breath. “Possibly.”
“If I knit you a sweater will I redeem myself?” Maddox asked, his eyes round and his lower lip jutting out.
“It’s ninety degrees outside. Do I look like I want you to knit me a sweater?” She tried to sound serious, but laughter soon infused her tone.
“You look like you want to be wrapped in my arms.”
She snorted and then laughed out right. “That’s quite possibly the cheesiest thing you’ve ever said to me.”
“Come on,” Maddox held his arms out, his t-shirt stretching to fit across his broad chest, “let’s hug it out. Hugs make the world a better place.”
Hayes gagged. “I’m choking on the sweetness. I need to breathe normal air.” He set his guitar aside and headed for the back part of the tent. Bright sunlight streamed in for a moment when he exited and then the tent was plunged into its shaded state once more.
Ezra appeared in front of me and handed me a bottle of water before sitting down in the chair. “There’s never a dull moment around here,” he commented.
I nodded in agreement. I sipped at my water as Maddox and Emma pulled up another set of chairs.
Mathias paced in the corner, talking on his phone. From the sounds of it he was checking in on Remy.
Maddox sat the duffel bag on the ground and began rummaging through it. Small items fell out and I eyed them before reaching out and picking one up.
It was a tiny sweater and I had no idea why he would make something so small. I fit it onto my hand and eyed him. “What did you make this for?”
He looked at me like I was the crazy one. “For Sonic of course. He gets cold.”
“Your hedgehog?”
“Do you know any other Sonic’s?”
“I guess not.” I tossed the small sweater back into his duffel bag.
He began knitting and I couldn’t make out what it was. “What is that?” I asked, my brows wrinkling in confusion.
He held it up. “It’s baby socks. For my future niece or nephew, since my asshole brother won’t tell me what his kid is.” He raised his voice and glared at his twin. Emma tried not to smile since we both knew the gender of Mathias and Remy’s child.
Mathias ended his call and stuffed the phone in his back pocket. “It’s a fucking boy!” He lifted his arms at his sides. “Happy now?”
“Immensely.” Maddox grinned, sitting the yellow yarn away and pulling out baby blue. “Now I can make my nephew a proper sock and blanket set.”
Mathias closed my eyes. “How on Earth are we twins?”
“Well, you see,” Maddox started, “a sperm met an egg, and said, ‘Oh hello, Imma fertilize you.’ So then the fertilized egg split in utero—”