Looking around, I saw more streamers, more balloons, confetti over everything, including the instruments, and a gigantic cake in the shape of a guitar resting on a table placed where Kellan usually stood for practice. Damn. Guess rehearsal was going to have to wait until later.

Denny and Abby were talking with Kiera, Rachel, and Jenny. Kiera was in the last stage of her pregnancy, and she was huge. Not that I would tell her that. She was sitting in a folding chair, but she waved when she saw us. Ryder was running a toy truck through the confetti next to Kiera, and Gibson immediately joined him. She stole his truck, but then she gave it to Onnika, so I didn’t scold her for it. It was sort of Robin Hoodish of her—stealing from the rich to give to the poor.

Liam was talking to Matt and Evan, so I headed their way. Liam was staying here at Chateau Kyle for the time being, since Kellan had a much bigger place than me, and it made meeting for rehearsals more convenient for Liam, who didn’t have a car yet. Spotting me as I approached, Liam stopped his conversation. He pulled me into a hug when I got close enough. “Isn’t this amazing?” he asked when we broke apart. “Abby did it as a surprise. I totally thought we were starting today.” He frowned. “Maybe I should have called you and had you come in tomorrow…” He looked really guilty, like he’d suddenly just realized this might be awkward for me.

I clapped him on the shoulder. “Don’t worry about it, bro. I’m glad to be here, you deserve this.” Liam wrapped his arm around my shoulders, and I couldn’t help but smile at the joy on his face. He’d finally gotten the dream job he’d always wanted, and even though it was my dream job, I was happy for him.

“You’re just in time for the toast,” Kellan told me, indicating a tray of glasses and a bottle of champagne. Oddly enough, there was a glass for me and Anna. Even though he’d acted surprised, Liam must have told Kellan we were coming.

Evan popped the cork, luckily without hitting anyone, and then began pouring the champagne into glasses. Matt started handing them out, and I thanked him when he gave me mine. With a warm smile, he nodded. While everyone crowded around Liam, I raised my glass to toast my brother. “To the newest D-Bag. May the music be mighty, may the women be plenty.”

Liam’s cheeks flushed with color, which made me laugh. Liam and I were a lot alike in some ways, but in others, we were completely different. “Cheers,” the guys said clinking glasses with me, and then with Liam.

Anna clinked glasses with everyone, but like Kiera, she set the glass down without drinking from it. That seemed to clue Kiera in that something was up with her sister. “Oh my gosh, are you pregnant, Anna?”

Anna laughed, then shrugged. “Guess the guys didn’t tell you, huh? Yeah, I’m knocked up again.”

Kiera glanced at Kellan, then smacked him in the thigh. Kellan laughed. “I didn’t want to spoil the surprise. We thought Anna should tell you. Besides, the way Griffin announced it…we weren’t really sure what she was.” He laughed again and I laughed with him.

Over her annoyance, Kiera squealed, along with Jenny and Rachel, and then all three wrapped Anna in a massive hug. When they were done, Denny and Abby took turns squeezing my wife. When Abby hugged her, she exclaimed, “I wish they’d told me, I would have added some rattles and pastel balloons to the mix.”

While Anna was attacked by even more people, and my back was pounded in congratulations, I figured it was as good a time as any to make my request. Turning to Matt, Evan, and Kellan, I cleared my throat. “Hey, I know it’s not really appropriate of me, and I’m probably going to open up a wound by doing this, but…I have a favor to ask.” I sighed, then polished off the champagne in my glass.

Matt and Evan exchanged a glance with Kellan, then Matt asked, “What favor?” he peered over my shoulder at Liam, like he was positive I was going to ask for them to kick him out and let me in. I wasn’t though. Liam had won. He’d earned the right to play with them, and I respected that.

Tuning out the silence that suddenly blanketed the room as everyone stopped to listen, I focused all of my energy on my former bandmates. “Well, Anna and I are expecting, as you know…and I’m going to start looking for work, but in the meantime…I’ve got a really big monkey on my back. I sort of overextended our credit, and I’m so far in the hole, I can’t see the sky anymore.” I put my hands up to the stop the objections I felt coming. “I’m not asking for a handout, but I’d appreciate a loan. I’ll make payments, I’ll pay you double what I need to borrow. Triple, if necessary. I just…I want to start over.”

From the heat on my face, I could tell my cheeks were redder than Liam’s. Asking for help like this, in front of everyone I’d wronged, was really hard. I wanted to crawl inside a deep, dark hole, or hang my head in shame, or chop off my nuts and hand them to the band. But I didn’t. I stood there and took the embarrassment with as much grace as I could muster. I’d done this. I’d fucked up everything. So I was the only one who could repair the damage.

The three guys looked at each other but didn’t speak. Liam put a hand on my back and his eyes drifted to the floor. I was sure he wanted to help, but he hadn’t made any money yet. That wouldn’t come until after the album was finished.

It was so silent, all I could hear was Onnika making truck noises and Ryder asking her for a turn while Gibson told him, “Not yet.” Matt was the first adult to break the stillness. “How much do you need?” he asked.

Crossing my fingers, I told him, “Sixty grand…to start.” Thanks to interest and penalties, my debt was increasing daily.

Evan sighed while Kellan frowned. Matt shook his head, then looked over at the guys. He sighed when he returned his eyes to me. “Look, Griff, we’d love to give you the money, but…this is really a bill you should pay on your own.”

I swallowed, then studied my shoes. Disappointment flooded over me so fast, it made my eyes sting. I really thought they’d help me. Kellan’s hand touched my shoulder and I looked up at him. “You should be able to do that easily enough once the album releases though. Can you stick it out for a couple more months?”

I furrowed my eyebrows, not understanding. “Why would you give me a cut of the new album?”

Evan glanced at Matt and Kellan, then smiled. “Because you deserve compensation for the work you put into it.”

“But…I’m not putting any work into it, so why…?” I still had no idea what they were talking about. Matt laughed at my confused expression.

“Griff, this party is for you. You worked so hard to win that contest. But you were humble, and you helped everyone else along the way. We’ve seen all the behind-the-scenes footage, and…you shocked us, cuz. Shocked us and impressed us, and we want you to come back.” He put his hand on my shoulder. “We want you to come home.”

I heard Anna gasp, then sniffle. They want me back? My confusion shifted to surprise, then excitement, then concern…then anger. “No, you can’t do that.” Everyone seemed shocked by my statement. I looked over to my brother as I clarified. “Liam won fair and square. You can’t kick him out like that.”

Liam’s face was ghostly white as he looked around the room in horror. I felt so bad for him, and as much as I wanted what they were offering, I couldn’t steal Liam’s dream from him. No, I wouldn’t steal his dream. I’d rather walk away. Again.

Matt shook his head. “That’s not what we’re saying.” Shifting his gaze to Liam, he clapped his arm. “You won because you’re crazy talented and the fans love you. You’re in.” His gaze shifted back to me. “But you proved you’ve always belonged with the D-Bags and you always will belong with us, so you’re in too. The D-Bags are expanding to five members.” His eyes shifted between Liam and me as a slow smile spread across his mouth.