“I know, Landon has given me all the statistics, but it scares me, and honestly, I’m not good at it. I took a flight not long ago, and that’s where I met Mac, actually.”

“I was sitting next to her on the plane,” he adds with a smile. “She was a wreck. No pun intended.”

“I was a crazy person,” I say, and shake my head. “I’m shocked that he didn’t run screaming in the other direction after that.”

“You were scared,” Mac replies, and kisses my cheek.

Mom is watching us with a wide smile while Dad watches with a thoughtful look on his handsome face.

“Well,” Dad says at last, “there are still freeways down to L.A.”

“Very true,” Mac says, and smiles down at me. “A road trip may be in our future.”

“That was so unexpected,” I say hours later when we’re driving away from the restaurant and back toward Portland. What was supposed to be a simple lunch turned into hours of conversation and laughter with my parents. “Best birthday present ever. Thank you.”

“That’s not all,” he says with a grin. “But you’re welcome.”

“You don’t have to give me anything else. Seriously, that was amazing. I missed them.”

“You know,” Mac says, and switches lanes, “I had an image in my head of your parents that wasn’t great. I assumed they were self-absorbed and neglected you. But it all makes sense now. They’re like Sheldon in The Big Bang Theory. They’re just so inside their heads, consumed with the academia of their lives, that they’re spacey when it comes to everything else.”

“That’s actually a good way to put it,” I reply. “They definitely love me, and never mean to hurt me. They’re just consumed with their jobs.”

“You look a lot like your mom,” Mac says with a smile. “Now I know what you’ll look like in thirty years.”

“And?”

“Not bad at all,” he says. He turns the radio back on and another Adele song begins to play and I sing along with the words. I’ve loved this song, “Hello,” since it came out. It’s beautiful and a little sad and hopeful, all at the same time.

“This is a great song,” I say.

“I wonder how it sounds live?” he asks.

“Probably very similar to this,” I reply.

“Hmm. Maybe we should find out for ourselves.”

For the second time today, I pivot in my seat and stare at him. “What?”

He grins. “That’s the last part of your present. We’re going to see Adele tonight in Portland.”

“Holy shit!” I dance in my seat, then lean over and kiss his face about a dozen times. “How did you get tickets? I heard her tour was sold out months ago.”

“I know people,” he says, and smiles. “And I’m glad you’re excited.”

“Holy shit, so excited. Are we going now?”

“I think so,” he says, checking the time. “We were with your parents much longer than I expected, so we might as well head that way. I have to get our tickets from Will Call anyway.”

“Awesome.”

“Are you curious to know where our seats are?”

“It doesn’t matter. You’re taking me to a sold-out Adele concert. I’ll sit in the lobby if I have to.”

“You’re sweet,” Mac says.

“I have moments,” I reply with a laugh. “But thanks.”

Before long, we’ve parked in the parking garage and are walking to the Will Call office.

“The garage is already almost full,” I say in surprise. “And there’s still an hour before the concert starts.”

“It’s Adele,” he replies. “You have to get here early to get parking when the show is sold out.”

“I guess so.”

Getting the tickets from Will Call is smooth and easy, and before I know it, we’re seated just to the right of the stage, near the floor, with an excellent view of the entire stage and the monitor above it.

“Holy fuck, Mac, these seats are insane. They must have cost you a fortune.”

“It doesn’t matter,” he says with a grin. “The look on your face right now is worth much more than what these tickets cost.”

“You say the darnedest things,” I reply, and lift my face to kiss him. “How long do we have?”

“About thirty minutes,” he replies.

“Okay, I’m going to run to the restroom now in case there’s a line. I don’t want to miss the show. It could take me a while.”

“I’ll be here,” he replies, and stands to let me out of the row. When I get to the bathroom, there is indeed a long line.

I’m at an Adele concert! I can’t freaking believe it. I have to text the girls.

I pull my phone out of my handbag, pull up our group text, and begin to rapidly type as I stand in line.

You guys! Mac had my parents fly in for my bday. We spent the afternoon with them. And you won’t even guess where we are now! We’re at the Ad

Suddenly two men flank me on either side and grab my arms, pulling me out of line and making me drop my phone.

“Hey! What the—”

“It’s okay, we just need to chat with you for a minute,” the one on my right says as they pull me around a corner and cage me in.

“Preston?” I ask in shock when I finally get a good look at the men.