“Do you now?” Kell quirked an eyebrow, sharing a look with hisbandmate.
“Uh-oh, pay attention, man,” Crispin teased. “The pressure’s onyou now.”
“No kidding,” Kell chuckled, watching Becky and Gwen take offinto the front room.
Stilllaughing, Gwen followed Becky into the turreted front room theyused as an art studio. There, she greeted both Keegan and Dorian.After hearing the news, they both congratulated her while Beckywent about packing her things for the tour. The driver and buswould arrive at dawn.
“I hope I haven’t forgotten anything.” Becky counted hersketchbooks, pencils, and watercolours.
“I know what you mean. I went over my list a few hundredtimes,” Gwen said. “I have my notebook, my laptop. I hope it’senough to keep me busy while on the bus.”
“Just remember to have some fun, too,” Dorian said, gatheringhis own sketchbook from his drawing table.
“What’s Heather bringing for entertainment, besides you,Dorian,” Gwen asked jokingly. At the frown on his face, she lookedquestioningly from Keegan to Becky. When they only shrugged, shewished she had never asked.
“I’m afraid, Heather’s not coming with us,” Dorian said with asigh.
“Oh, sorry, I thought…”
“She changed her mind at the last minute,” Beckyexplained.
“Yeah, no worries,” Dorian said with a smile that didn’t quitereach his eyes. “She decided to sign up for some summer classes.It’s fine, really.”
“Damn right,” Keegan said. “The two of us will have an awesometime as the only single guys in the band. Plenty of ladies wherewe’re going.”
“I suppose,” Dorian said with a reluctant smile.
When the guysleft the room, Gwen turned to Becky and recognized the concern onher face. “That’s too bad. I liked Heather,” Gwen said. “But Iguess classes are important too.”
“Yeah… I’m worried about Dorian now, though,” Becky confessedwith a measured smile. Giving her head a shake, she then waved herhand. “All these brothers.” She giggled. “One’s bound to worry menow and again.”
“I like the way you see them that way… brothers,” Gwen saidpensively. “You know, I’ll admit, I may have been a little jealousof the way Crispin spoke of you at first. But I see now, you allhave a special bond.”
“Well, to be completely honest, I may have had a tiny crush oneach of the Goths at one point,” Becky admitted with a ruefulsmile. “They’re all cute in their own way. But the more time Ispent with each of them, the more I started to see them as familymembers. But you know, even before I met them, from a distance, Isaw the good in them, and that goodness is what attracted me to theHouse of Goths in the first place.”
“You sure it wasn’t Kell?” Gwen teased.
“Haha, you got me there.” Becky blushed. “But seriously,besides that gorgeous hunky Goth, I love them all like brothers.”Coming to her, Becky tugged Gwen in for a hug. “Now you, I think ofas my sister.”
“Oh, Becky, that means the world to me.”
***
“How is the writing coming along?” Crispin asked, sliding intothe chair next to Gwen. They’d been on the road for a few hoursalready. While Kell and Becky ‘napped’ in the private bedroom atthe back of the bus, and Dorian and Keegan sat across the way,going over set lists, Gwen had found herself a quiet spot toattempt to start her book.
“Oh, I haven’t gotten very far.” She giggled, closing herlaptop, but not before he saw what she was doing, looking uptourist attractions in Rome. “You’ll be happy to know, ouritinerary’s coming along well.”
“Cheeky monkey…”
“Oh, Crispin, the book will have to wait. I can’t help myself!All I want to do is look up things to see and do on our upcomingtrip! I haven’t even begun to look up Ireland.”
“Hey, writing is writing. Be it fiction or travel guides, dowhat makes you happy.” Leaning in real close, he reached into hispocket, pulled out a little velvet box, and placed it on herlaptop. “This is for you.”
“What is it?” she asked, curious. He had already bought her anengagement ring. “I don’t recall you coming into the shop foranything else.”
“This I bought all by myself. Go on, open it.” Doing so, shesnapped the box open to find a small pewter pendant shaped like aclover inside. “It should hook onto your bracelet.”
“It’s a four-leafed clover!” she said with a smile as shepicked it up and studied it. On one side, a little map of the earthwas etched. On the other side were words and she read them aloud.“Find your soulmate, find yourself.” When she looked at Crispin, hehad the dreamiest expression on his handsome face.
“I hope it makes up for the one you lost.”
“Of course it does, Crispin. I love it!”
He held outhis hand for it and she placed the pendant in his palm. “All mylife I’ve searched for a place to belong. I’ve yearned for thatfeeling of belonging,” he explained with a thoughtful smile. “WhenI went off to England, my goal was to find myself. But as fatewould have it, I found you, Gwen, my soulmate.”
“Soulmates…” she repeated.
He nodded andkissed her sweetly before continuing. He turned the pendant overand pointed at the tiny etched map of the planet Earth. “With youat my side, the entire world is my home.”
“That’s beautiful, Crispin,” she said as he took her wrist andcarefully attached the pendant to her bracelet. The bracelet thathad brought them together. “I feel the very same way. When I’m withyou, I feel I can do anything. My anxieties are still there but Ican handle them better now. You calm me and excite me at the sametime. I love you, Crispin.”
“Well, aren’t we the perfect pair.” With a wink, he leaned inand kissed her. “I love you too, Gwen.” He then sat back and drapedhis arm around her. Glancing around the tour bus, he watched hisbandmates. He smiled when Kell and Becky finally emerged from theback.
“Awesome idea, this tour bus,” Kell said as he passed, pattinghis shoulder. “Thanks again, Crisp.”
“You’re very welcome,” he said, chuckling at the rosy glow onBecky’s face. “From now on the Kingston Quartet only travels instyle.” Crispin’s heart filled with joy at being able to give backto his friends since they had always been
