Epilogue
Adam
A Year and Six Months Later
It was minutes before I was about to step on the stage where I’d watched Pacey perform for the first time over a year and a half ago.
Only this time, I wasn’t spectating.
I was performing with Pacey.
Since I moved back to the city to be with Pacey, we had been making music nonstop. Some days, we’d forget to eat anything because we were so busy in the music studio.
I convinced Pacey to turn the spare bedroom into a studio for both of us to create music together. We were thankful for that space because we created song after song. We experimented with sounds and instruments that had never been done before.
Since I moved in with Pacey, I’d been sober for over a year and a half.
The thought of having a drink or a cigarette made me physically sick. I couldn’t even remember why I had picked up such gross habits in the first place.
I stopped partying altogether.
Pacey and I would spend weekends cuddling and watching movies, or we’d take Cadence on an evening stroll on the beach. Oh, and then we’d fuck all night until one of us got tired, which nine times out of ten would be Pacey.
There were times when Pacey discovered a beautiful riff on the harp, and I’d have to drop everything and fuck him on the studio floor.
I was that madly in love that I couldn’t help myself. I couldn’t get enough of him.
Sometimes, it’d be four in the morning, and we’d be stuck on a part of a song, Pacey would magically find a solution for it, and I’d bend him over and fuck him hard to reward him.
We had to keep a bottle of lube in the music studio because it was happening so often. Though our bedroom was down the hallway, we wouldn’t be able to make it there. Buttons on the soundboard were all sticky from our sweat and come.
We learned to accept that it was part of our creative process.
There was a love song on the album where I was actually fucking Pacey while I was singing.
It was the only way that I could convey the right emotions for that particular song on the record. We were tired and delirious at three in the morning, and I was making sweet love to Pacey while singing the song.
I was planning to sing that song live that evening. But I knew it would never be as good as when it was just the two of us in the studio lusting for each other.
The more music we made together, the more I couldn’t keep my hands off him—and my cock out of his ass.
When Pacey left our studio with his ass sore and barely able to walk, we both knew we had a productive day.
Simon was mad initially that I quit Kingdom 4, but my mom was able to convince him that it was for the best.
Pacey and I started showing some of our initial samples to Simon. He was so impressed that he decided to sign a record deal with us.
Although he proposed that we do a world tour, Pacey and I talked it over and decided that it wasn’t the life we wanted. We would rather stay at the comfy beach house all year round and make music together. Instead, we agreed to play four shows a year in the Symphony Music Hall, where it was just Pacey and me performing.
We called ourselves Cadence, after Pacey’s dog.
Tonight was the first show ever.
Since releasing our debut album, most of my fans from Kingdom 4 had come to support us. Critics claimed that it was a more mature sound and that the music was much more genuine.
The album was a reflection of our love for each other. We made songs about our friendship, our separation, our families, and our future. It was our hearts poured out into a record, and it was only the beginning of what we had to offer.
Pacey and I held hands backstage, and though I wasn’t nervous, Pacey looked nervous as hell.
He wasn’t used to having so much attention on him. In the past, he was hidden in the back behind other musicians in the orchestra. I didn’t want to remind him that we sold-out of tickets within minutes of announcing that they were up for sale.
I went up to him and held him in my arms, trying to stop his shaking. “We’ll be alright, babe. We were fucking born to do this.”
“Maybe you are, but I’m more comfortable when I’m not the center of attention.”
“Well too bad, because I want the whole audience to see the beautiful face I get to see every day. We’ll be fine.”
“That’s easy for you to say, you’ve been performing around the world for years.”
“And you know the acoustics of this space better than me,” I said. “We’ve rehearsed enough times to know that we’ll own this show.”
We took a peek out the side door onto the stage.
Every seat was filled. It was a mixed crowd of people. Some were dressed in fancy suits and cocktail dresses. Others wore sleeveless shirts showing off their tattoos.
Hell, even Pacey and I were dressed like opposites because we couldn’t decide if we wanted to be casual or formal. So Pacey decided to wear a classic suit, and I wore a plain white tee and ripped black jeans.
It was true to who we were and the music that we were performing. It was a mix of classical and rock and everything in between.
When we got the cue, we walked onto the stage.
I held Pacey’s hand, and the crowd cheered. With my head held high, I smiled at everyone in the dark music hall.
Blood rushed to my cock that gave me a semi in my jeans from my excitement. I felt a rush of adrenaline course through my body, the rush I’d miss so much right before I was about to perform. This rush was more powerful because I was with Pacey.
In the front row, I saw my mom wearing a proud smile on her face.
She was in a beautiful black sequined dress that she’d called me earlier about to ask if it was too much. She’d come a long way since the days of my childhood. Our relationship was so much stronger and we were both happier than ever before.
Next to her, was Simon who had a smirk on his face and was holding her hand.
I was happy that I was honest with him about quitting the band. In the end, he still believed in me, the same way he did when I was only eighteen. With his help, Pacey and I were able to make our vision come to life.
Mr. Rivers sat next to Simon.
He wore a classy suit and a big grin on his face. He winked at me, the same way he did after school when I was a teenager. It was a small reminder that he’d always loved me like a second son.
Then I saw Mrs. Rivers.
She was already tearing up and we hadn’t even started performing yet. Her smile lit up the dark auditorium. She had taught me what it meant to be loved before anyone else.
Since Pacey and I started dating, Mrs. Rivers made an effort to hang out with my mom more. Though their lifestyles were different, they were slowly starting to become really close.
Once in a while I’d be at her place, or at my mom’s place, I’d see both of them laughing in the kitchen. Mrs. Rivers was teaching my mom how to make some of the recipes I’d loved growing up. I was surprised to see my mom so receptive to learning something new.
Then, I looked over at Pacey.
The love of my life. The one who had taught me so much about myself. The one that almost got away—who was I kidding…if it didn’t take six years for us to reunite, I was sure that we would have sooner or later.
I knew that in this world, we would’ve crossed paths again eventually. I was glad that it was sooner rather than later because I wanted to spend as much time with him as I could.
I was excited to make so much more music together to share with the world.
I waved to the crowd and looked around at all the people who’d come to support our very first show. Then, I glanced over at Pacey whose heart was nearly beating out of his damn chest.
I took the microphone and stood to face the crowd. Pacey sat down on a chair next to his beautiful black harp.
“Thanks everyone for being here. I see we have quite a mixed crowd tonight,” I said.
The audience looked around and laughed.
“It’s an honor to play here tonight—with the man I love,” I said, looking back at Pacey and giving him a wink.
The crowd clapped and cheered.
“A year and a half ago, I heard Pacey play here for the first time and that was the night I fell in love with him. So thank you to the Symphony Orchestra for allowing us to use this space tonight. We wouldn’t want to play anywhere else besides here in our home city. Tonight, when we were backstage, Pacey was telling me how nervous he was, so I figured that it’d be fun to make him even more nervous.”
I glanced at Pacey whose cheeks were turning a rosy color. He looked confused, not knowing where I was going with my speech. This was never part of the routine, and I had kept it a secret from him as a surprise.
I dug into the back pocket of my jeans, which took a bit of effort because of how tight they were.
I pulled out a small black box.
Then, I turned to kneel in front of Pacey.
“Will you marry me, Pace?” I asked. “I love you so fucking much and I wouldn’t want to spend my life with anyone else in this world.”
I could see tears fill his eyes, and his eyes widened at the gold ring with black diamonds embedded into the band. I sold my home in Los Angeles to purchase the ring, and I didn’t think twice about how much it cost. Pacey was worth every karat in gold and black diamonds.
The crowd was completely silent, awaiting for Pacey’s response. He had both his hands over his mouth.
“Yes, of course I will. I hate you for doing this right here, right now. But of course I’ll marry you.”
I smiled and slipped the ring on his finger which fit perfectly. I wanted him to wear it that evening during our very first performance together.
The crowd’s silence turned into cheers and applause.
I had almost forgotten that there were hundreds of people behind us until I heard clapping. I got off my knee and kissed Pacey’s tender lips.
I turned to the crowd and held Pacey’s hand in the air, letting everyone see how proud I was to have scored such a great catch. I was so fucking proud that I got to call Pacey my man, my fucking fiancé.
In the audience, I could see that my mom was tearing up, I hadn’t ever seen her cry in my life. I wasn’t sure if it was because Mrs. Rivers was rubbing off on her, or because she was actually that overjoyed.
I walked back to the microphone and glanced back at Pacey who seemed less nervous than when we first got on stage.
The lights dimmed to just the two of us, and Pacey strummed the first chord on his harp. It had never failed to send shivers down my spine.
I closed my eyes waiting for my cue, then I started singing our first song.