Second to None, page 24
That’s fair, I guess. I nod very seriously to show I’m good with that and start walking away. But then I hear Lee’s voice go all soft and teasing, like when grown-ups think you’ve left the room and can’t hear them anymore. They always forget I have excellent hearing.
“Guess my warm welcome will have to wait until tonight, huh?” Lee says.
“Worth the wait,” Cass replies in a voice so mushy I could pour it over my pancakes like syrup.
If Uncle Mason were here, he’d definitely point at them and laugh. He always says they’re embarrassing, but he’s smiling when he says it, so I know he’s joking. He thinks they’re brilliant, really.
I slip out of the room properly this time, and just before I close the door, I hear Lee giggling like he’s five.
Totally weird, grown-ups.
IV. CASS
London, Saturday, March 20th
I used to think being on stage was as alive as I’d ever get. The seconds before were like the countdown to a skydive, hatch open and wind clawing at my clothes, vertigo pulling at me. And then—an explosion of stage lights, the world flattened into a blinding wall of color and sounds, the roar of the crowd pressing against my ribs in one endless moment. Thousands of people, all here for me—a wave of pure energy to lift me to the skies.
I didn’t get nervous.
Today, I was. Because this was my opening show.
“It’s one thing being a poster boy they can pin to their walls, Lee.” I tugged on my gold-sequined vest, hanging open over my chest. Maybe I should have gone for something simpler after all. “But what if now they’ll actually listen and realize I’m just… fine. Like, technically sound, but far from magic. Not worth the fuss.”
“Cass. Babe.” Levi’s face did that thing where it went all soft, only we were in public so he tried to control it. “They’re still here for your body. You came out; you didn’t suddenly transform into a soggy potato.”
I frowned. “But—”
“No, okay. I’m joking.” He glanced around us, then took my elbow to pull me a little further to the side.
With only minutes to showtime, the backstage area was a beehive, my band already gathered in a little group that included my new guitar player who, with his second audition, had blown me away. Jace was huddled with Cosma, clearly more comfortable discussing her performance just earlier than he was interacting with all those strangers buzzing about. I knew how he felt about crowds, so the fact he’d come made me stupidly emotional. It was the kind of day when my coffee going lukewarm made me tear up, though. Get it together.
“Okay.” Levi leaned in, the dim light sapping his eyes of color, voice gone serious. “Listen to me, love. Yes, you’re easy on the eyes, and that’s a big draw for a lot of fans. But also, you’re good. You’re fucking amazing, and even Pitchfork loved the new album. By their standards, anyway.”
I inhaled, the air thick with excitement. “You really think so?”
“I know so.” His tone was so sure that something in me cracked a little.
“Thank you.”
“Just the truth.” He sent me a sweet smile, one of those he hid from the world, reserved for a chosen few. “And just so we’re clear? Yes, you’re hot. But it’s not even in the top ten of why I love you.”
My chest expanded on a breath that tasted like cotton candy. “No?”
“No.” His eyes crinkled at the corners. “Don’t get me wrong—you’re fit. Objectively, annoyingly fit. But it’s the way you listen, how you make people feel like they matter. The way you remember all the names of Emmy’s toys, and how you still look at me like I hung the stars.” He brushed his thumb along my bottom lip, eyes heavy. “It’s that you still get scared sometimes, but you don’t run. You show up. It’s all that and more—not the jawline.”
Jesus, and now I was blinking back a soppy swell of emotions. It wasn’t like I didn’t know, kind of, but… God.
“So you’ll still love me when my hair and abs are gone?” I asked, voice gone stupidly raspy.
“Yes.” No hesitation. “Now go out there and show them what you’ve got, babe. I’ll be right here, cheering you on.”
“I love you,” I said, so simple, but it thrummed in my bones and behind my ribs, like standing right next to the toll of a church bell.
“I know.” Another smile, then he gave me a gentle shove. “Now go. Bond with your band. Be amazing.”
I swallowed, nodded, jerked him in for a fast, hard kiss. Then I stepped back, opening myself to the expectant ebb and swell of the crowd, pure energy washing across my skin.
Showtime.
On a Personal Note…
Hello, lovely reader!
This story. This story. I fell head over heels in love with Levi and Cass, and there’s a special place in my heart that’s only theirs. I hope you love them even just a fraction of how much I do.
If yes—see, here’s the thing: it’s hard out there for us indie authors. Juggling a day job, real life, and writing books, all without a sparkly marketing team to lift us up—it’s exhausting at times, and the to-do list is epic.
That’s why every review, every rating, every recommendation? It helps spread the word because I cannot do it all on my own. If you’re one of the kind, generous readers who do that—you are amazing. Thank you.
(My website has ready-to-use graphics! Also, signing up for my newsletter gives you access to a silly but fun bonus scene—from the globe’s perspective because why not?)
Thank you for choosing to spend your precious time with Cass and Levi. I hope you smiled all the way through the epilogue. ❤️
Hugs,
Zarah
Let’s keep in touch:
Website & newsletter: zarahdetand.com
Facebook group: Zarah’s Zarlings
Instagram: @zarahdetand
And here’s where I say thank you.
To my amazing, amazing beta team. I am so lucky to have you—your enthusiasm and eye for detail, your smart questions, your suggestions, all of it. This story belongs to all of you, just a little bit: Barbara, Helen, Jana, Lisa, Rebecca, and my mum. Thank you.
—Zarah
P.S. I should mention that this is a self-published work of writing. While a lot of care went into catching mistakes, some may have slipped through the cracks. If you spot any, I’d love it if you let me know via my website.
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