Half Notes and Highlights (The Road to Rocktoberfest 2024)

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

A week later, Ethan was back in LA and in Tyler’s bed on a two-day break from the tour, and Tyler was finally ready to have a serious do-or-die conversation that would include the ultimate ultimatum. He had no idea what the outcome would be, but he couldn’t put it off any longer. He just wondered if he should wait until Ethan was ready to leave rather than springing it on him an hour after the guy arrived. That way, they could have at least one last amazing fling together if things went south. Fuck that. They’d have those amazing two days together either way. He was ready to either move forward with his dreams or walk away crushed. He might get his heart broken again, but he’d rather get it over with now than fall deeper and then get hurt even more later on. Either way, he wasn’t spoiling the little time they had together before Ethan had to rejoin the tour.

After amazing I-missed-you sex, Tyler pulled on his Hello Kitty lounge pants and sat up against the headboard, because he wasn’t about to have this conversation naked. “Can we talk, Ethan?”

Ethan moved to a sitting position and looked at Tyler with wide questioning eyes that bore apprehension. “You first named me after we just slept together. What did I do wrong?”

“You didn’t do anything wrong. At all.” Tyler forced a small smile that probably looked more sad than happy. “I need to tell you something. Something important.”

Ethan’s mouth bowed downward, and sadness covered his eyes. “You’re breaking up with me?”

“No. But I need to tell you how I feel. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking this week, and I realized how much you mean to me. How much I care about you.” He took a deep breath and braced himself for the fallout, whatever it was. “I love you. I didn’t plan on it. I didn’t expect to fall in love. I didn’t want to fall in love. But I did.”

Ethan’s face went blank, and Tyler’s heart just about stopped as he waited for Ethan to say something. Anything. But Ethan just sat there staring back at him, expressionless.

All of a sudden, Ethan grabbed Tyler’s face in his hands and kissed him. “I can’t believe you just said that.”

Ethan kissed him again, but still didn’t return the sentiment. He had no idea what it meant, so he just kissed Ethan back and savored the man while that damn “I love you” hung in the air unreciprocated.

Ethan gently pulled his lips away and rubbed the back of Tyler’s neck with one hand. “I’m not one for serious relationships. I said I wanted this to be casual from the beginning. It’s been so hard. I’ve been so torn. I can’t stop thinking about you. You’ve opened something in my heart that I never felt before.” He scooted closer. “I love you too.”

Tyler had been bracing himself for the exact opposite, so hearing the words he longed for turned everything inside him to butter. It was a wonder he didn’t slide right off the bed. His eyes filled with unexpected tears, and a quivering smile stretched across his lips. “You do? You love me? Wait. You mean you’re in love with me, right? Not that you love me like you love your mother, right?”

A happy laugh floated from Ethan’s lips. “Of course, I’m in love with you! It was impossible not to fall in love with you. You’re sweet and funny and lighthearted. You bring a smile to my face and brighten every room you enter.”

Tyler wrapped his arms around Ethan’s neck and kissed him, his entire being filled with hope and happiness. He’d never felt like this before. He never loved someone who loved him back. The giant bubble of happiness that made his heart beat outside his chest withered as his thoughts turned to Wolf, and he pulled away breaking the kiss.

“What is it?” Ethan asked, brows furrowed with confusion.

Tyler didn’t want to ask the question or say the words out loud and waited for Ethan to figure it out. But Ethan just continued to stare back at him without a clue. Exhaling, he finally said, “What about your bass player?”

Ethan’s brows pinched together, and he took a few seconds to answer. “Wolf is my best friend. We’ve been best friends since the first grade. He’ll always be in my life, but I’m not in love with him. I never have been.”

“Does he know that?”

“Yeah.” Ethan’s voice wavered with uncertainty.

“Are you sure about that?”

Ethan lowered his eyes, pressed his lips together, and remained quiet for several long seconds. “I think so. I guess I need to have a talk with him and straighten some things out.”

“Some things ?” Tyler asked. “What things? Specifically.” He needed to know that Ethan planned on terminating the friends-with-benefits part of his relationship with Wolf.

“Telling him I’m in love with you,” Ethan answered.

“What else?”

“And that me and him are just going to be friends from now on, and that’s it.”

“And that we’re exclusive now?” Tyler needed everything clearly stated because he wasn’t getting his heart broken over a technicality. He just wished Ethan would have specified these little tidbits first instead of needing to ask them.

“Yes. I’m going to tell him that me and you are in love and that we’re exclusive now, and me and him are only going to be friends from now on. Nothing more.”

That settled the tidal wave of anxiety in Tyler’s belly—mostly. “Are you sure about that? Is that what you want?”

“Of course, it’s what I want.” Ethan’s happy face turned pensive. “There’s just one problem. After that whole shoe-throwing incident, I’m worried about how the fans are going to react. I’m worried they’re going to say some nasty things about you. I don’t want that. You don’t deserve that.”

Tyler gave Ethan a smile. “Don’t you know that I don’t care what anyone has to say? I don’t get my feathers ruffled easily.” He placed the back of his hand under his chin and looked up toward the ceiling. “My skin may be flawless and supple, but it’s tough as nails.”

“That’s just another thing I love about you.”

“I’ve been dealing with bullies my whole life. I refuse to give them power. I don’t care about them. I never did. I care about you and me, as a couple, and moving forward with our life. The fans are gonna have to get used to seeing us together. When’s the next really big show so as many people as possible can see what a magnificent couple we are?”

“Black Rock City. We’re playing the Rocktoberfest Festival in two weeks. Can you take a few days off? It’s four days in the desert, and it’s a blast. We’re only playing the one show, so I’ll have a lot of down time.” Ethan ran his fingers through his hair. “Besides, I’ll need my personal hairstylist on hand. The heat does a number on my hair.”

Visions of Burning Man and nonstop fun danced in Tyler’s head. Four whole days together at a festival sounded awesome, and it would be the perfect setting for fans and everyone else to see them together. To see how happy they are.

“Can you make it?” Ethan asked when Tyler didn’t answer right away.

“Yes!”