Other than my V-card. He waited for me, but I was happy to give that up. It was indescribable. No matter how many adjectives Oak teaches me, there aren’t any that I can use that would articulate how he made me feel.
It hurt at first, but he waited, again, taking his time, whispering to me about how wonderful I felt and how it was like heaven for him. For me, too. I shiver thinking about it. I’m falling so hard for him. I know that I didn’t love W, because what I felt for him is like the teeny flame of a candle compared to the inferno Oak evokes in me.
But while he’s patient as it relates to those things, everything else in his life he wants immediately.
Oh, there’s a pair of sneakers that had a limited run of, like, ten? No problem, Oak, we’ll send a pair out for you. Do you want someone to come and have a custom insole made, as well?
I’ve had to be careful about showing any interest in anything. I was cruising Instagram and stumbled onto a travel photographer’s account. I probably spent two hours flipping through her pictures. The next day someone arrived at my doorstep with a camera and a note that said, “Vaughn, your friend Oakley asked what camera I used. I told him that as a starter, you might like this one instead. You have a real gem there.”
When I complained to Oak about it, he replied, “You’ll need something to do when you’re on tour with me.”
And there’s no point arguing with him. There are times when he simply refuses to listen and the camera is one of those times. As are the pristine set of white Vans, a cross-body bag I mentioned casually one time and a pair of gold sandals I admired in a store window.
I’m not the only one who’s gotten goodies. Shane and Spencer both got new sneakers and passes to an exclusive skate park, along with one-on-one lessons with some guy I didn’t recognize, but the twins did because for once in his life, it was Spencer who couldn’t speak when they met. Paisley got a beautiful Prada bag in scarlet-red.
I protested, but she said that he could easily afford all this stuff with the money that fell into his sofa cushions. I guess that’s true. Still, I watch myself around him. I don’t need more surprise gifts. Hopefully once the tour starts, he’ll be too busy with sound checks and rehearsals to remember to buy me things.
I still can’t believe he wants me to go with him. I made a huge fuss about it at first, but like I said, it’s pointless to argue with Oakley Ford. He’s leaving tomorrow morning for New York City, the first stop of the international tour. I’m flying out to meet him a few days later, because Paisley is away for work and I need to be at home for the twins.
Truthfully, I’m a bit nervous. I’ve never traveled without my family before, and I’m not sure what I’m even going to do on this tour. I’m not a groupie or a roadie or anyone connected with the music industry. For now the only item on my agenda is to take pictures of Oak with my new camera. After that, who knows?
Since Oak will turn twenty during the first week of his tour, we’re throwing him an early birthday party tonight, which is what his mom and I have been so hush-hush about the past few weeks.
“I don’t like surprises.” He tugs on the black eye mask I borrowed from Paisley.
“You don’t like the ones you’ve had in the past. You’ll like this one.”
“How do you know?”
I lean over and kiss him on his cheek. “Because it’s from me.”
“Ty, help a brother out. What’s going on?”
Ty snorts from the driver’s seat. “You’ve got to be kidding. I’m not crossing the Bennett sisters.”
He slides to a stop in front of the restaurant we booked for this event. Katrina’s funding most of it, but Paisley and I did all the decorations. Even the twins helped assemble the gift bags full of mix tapes and cassette players that Paisley and I found at garage sales and thrift stores. I’m following through on my threat to throw him a kid’s party—a normal one since most of his past parties involved lavish things like ice sculptures and famous singers.
Ty and I lead Oak to the back door.
“Five steps,” Ty instructs.
“I have a bad feeling about this,” Oak says. “My gut says to run away.”
“Are you sure it’s not saying your girlfriend is going to punch you in the gut if you don’t stop complaining?” I warn.
“No, but I’m hungry so I could be getting mixed messages.” He reaches out and grabs my hand to pull me beside him. “I’m going to buy you something outrageously expensive to punish you.”
I flick his ear. “Maybe that’s my whole goal. To get you to shower me with gifts and goodies.”
“Nah, you’re after my body. Which is very superficial of you, by the way, but I’m learning to deal.”
“Deal with this first,” I announce and then pull off his eye mask. “Surprise!”
“Surprise!” yell the forty-some people gathered in the private room. It’s a mix of my friends, his people and a few of his friends—or at least the ones that he’s indicated he’s somewhat close with.
Oak arrows straight for Kinney Banks, a solo artist he once opened for. “Dude, when did you get in?”
The two give each other hefty backslaps.
“Last night. Your girl reached out to me and I figured I couldn’t miss Oak’s twentieth birthday party.” Kinney lifts up a tack with a donkey’s tail on the end. “Because where else am I going to get to play pin the tail on the donkey?”
Oak turns to me with a huge smile. “My gut was wrong.” He lifts me up and spins me around. “You’re the best, baby.”
“I know.”
He sets me down but doesn’t let go. Together we make the rounds. King and his gorgeous wife came. The band members—sans Luke, who disappeared after the drunken kiss and hasn’t come back. Oak said that any guy who would take advantage of a drunk girl wasn’t one he wanted in the band. I’d protested, but he was adamant. Ty spoke up and said it was a liability because Oak had so many young fans around.
When we get to Katrina, she clutches her son for a long, emotional moment. Before he breaks away, she holds him briefly by the shoulders. “Look at you. Twenty. I can’t believe it.”
“You look great, Mom.”
She flushes with joy at his compliment.
“Carrie, Kiki, thanks for coming.” He gives them each a kiss on the cheek.
“We wouldn’t have missed it for the world,” Carrie says. She shoves a small wrapped box into his hand. “We didn’t know what to get and Vaughn isn’t much help.” She casts a dirty glance in my direction.
I merely shrug. It’s not easy to shop for someone like Oak.
“I’m sure it’s awesome.” He tears into it and pulls out a key. “What’s this?”
“We’re having an after-prom party. The same group as before and we’d like you to come,” Kiki explains. “We have entry rules. No cameras. No slobbering over the guests. Just a good time for all of us.”
Oak tucks the key in the back of his pocket. “I’m there. Time and place and I’m there.”
“Vaughn will let you know.”
I squeeze his hand as we move to the food table. “Still thinking it’s a bad surprise?”