would.”
She shrugged. “You know a lot more about the business side than I do.”
“Thanks. But I’m lucky. Been around this business my whole life.”
“Ah. Yeah, not me. Before I met Joe my life was…different.”
“I’m sure. But you seem to be making it work.”
She smiled. “We are. Somehow. I’m worried about the fall. When I start school full time I won’t see him for months. But, we love each other. It’ll be hard, but I have faith in us, you know?”
“Sure. It’s nice to hear that.”
“Talk to me in October, I might tell you a whole different story. But you’ll keep an eye on him for me, right?”
“Are you worried about groupies?”
“Not really. As hard as it was to accept at first, I know he loves me and only wants to be with me. It’s more that I want him to be happy, even away from me. And I don’t want him to be lonely. They’re always surrounded by adoring throngs, but that can be as isolating as being alone.”
I nodded. “I’m sure. And yes, of course. I’ll keep an eye on him. Assuming I’m still with the tour.”
She cocked her head to the side. “Why wouldn’t you be? From what I’ve seen you’re doing a great job.”
“I hope so. But this is my trial run. Right now Ryan could let me go as soon as we get back to the States.”
“You have a contract, right?”
“Yeah. But while I’ve agreed to be available for the whole tour, there’s an out if I don’t perform well.”
She patted me on the shoulder and plopped down onto a couch, opening a beer. “I wouldn’t worry. The guys seem to like you, the crew adores you, and you’re working hard. Hell, I couldn’t imagine Ryan letting Dex leave the tour with anyone else. He must really trust you.”
I blushed and looked away, but she noticed.
“What is it? Did something happen when you and Dex left?” Liss’s eyes were full of concern. A big part of me wanted to tell her. There was an ocean between me and my girlfriends, and I was bursting to talk about it. But I couldn’t.
“No. I mean, it was difficult for him. But he did fine.”
“Okay.” She seemed skeptical, but didn’t press the issue. “So are you done for the night?”
“I wish. Got a bunch of things to do and then I have to supervise the load-out. After that stuff got missed in London we’re being extra careful.”
“Isn’t tomorrow’s show here?”
“Yes, which is nice. Less stuff to move, but some things have to go with us.”
“Bummer. Well, Mia made some friends and they’re dragging us all to a bar after the show. Do you think you’ll be able to come along?”
“Sure. Text me the info and I’ll meet up with you.”
“Okay, great.”
“Well, I should get back to work. You need anything?”
“Nope. See you later.”
“Bye, Liss.”
She smiled, took a drink and pulled out her phone.
I left the room and went down to the club floor to rush through the rest of the things I needed to do, wondering about going out later. I mostly wanted to go back to the hotel, but people would notice if Dex bailed on the party and I didn’t want to raise any suspicions.
The decision ended up out of my hands. Everyone went to the pub. It was only a few blocks from the hotel. Smallish but welcoming, the place was packed. The band was greeted warmly, but there was no gushing or thousands of photos being taken. A small mercy.
At first I just sat on the edge of the group, sipping a soda. But as Dex drank shots with the guys, his glances over to me grew longer and more heated. I couldn’t say anything for fear of making it worse, so I ordered a glass of wine and let it calm me down a little.
Unfortunately, it calmed me so much that I was soon returning the heated glances and making myself insane. Eventually I excused myself and went outside for some fresh air. But within a minute he was there.
“You okay, love?”
I nodded. “Just needed some air.”
Dex looked around, but the few people on the street didn’t seem to be
She shrugged. “You know a lot more about the business side than I do.”
“Thanks. But I’m lucky. Been around this business my whole life.”
“Ah. Yeah, not me. Before I met Joe my life was…different.”
“I’m sure. But you seem to be making it work.”
She smiled. “We are. Somehow. I’m worried about the fall. When I start school full time I won’t see him for months. But, we love each other. It’ll be hard, but I have faith in us, you know?”
“Sure. It’s nice to hear that.”
“Talk to me in October, I might tell you a whole different story. But you’ll keep an eye on him for me, right?”
“Are you worried about groupies?”
“Not really. As hard as it was to accept at first, I know he loves me and only wants to be with me. It’s more that I want him to be happy, even away from me. And I don’t want him to be lonely. They’re always surrounded by adoring throngs, but that can be as isolating as being alone.”
I nodded. “I’m sure. And yes, of course. I’ll keep an eye on him. Assuming I’m still with the tour.”
She cocked her head to the side. “Why wouldn’t you be? From what I’ve seen you’re doing a great job.”
“I hope so. But this is my trial run. Right now Ryan could let me go as soon as we get back to the States.”
“You have a contract, right?”
“Yeah. But while I’ve agreed to be available for the whole tour, there’s an out if I don’t perform well.”
She patted me on the shoulder and plopped down onto a couch, opening a beer. “I wouldn’t worry. The guys seem to like you, the crew adores you, and you’re working hard. Hell, I couldn’t imagine Ryan letting Dex leave the tour with anyone else. He must really trust you.”
I blushed and looked away, but she noticed.
“What is it? Did something happen when you and Dex left?” Liss’s eyes were full of concern. A big part of me wanted to tell her. There was an ocean between me and my girlfriends, and I was bursting to talk about it. But I couldn’t.
“No. I mean, it was difficult for him. But he did fine.”
“Okay.” She seemed skeptical, but didn’t press the issue. “So are you done for the night?”
“I wish. Got a bunch of things to do and then I have to supervise the load-out. After that stuff got missed in London we’re being extra careful.”
“Isn’t tomorrow’s show here?”
“Yes, which is nice. Less stuff to move, but some things have to go with us.”
“Bummer. Well, Mia made some friends and they’re dragging us all to a bar after the show. Do you think you’ll be able to come along?”
“Sure. Text me the info and I’ll meet up with you.”
“Okay, great.”
“Well, I should get back to work. You need anything?”
“Nope. See you later.”
“Bye, Liss.”
She smiled, took a drink and pulled out her phone.
I left the room and went down to the club floor to rush through the rest of the things I needed to do, wondering about going out later. I mostly wanted to go back to the hotel, but people would notice if Dex bailed on the party and I didn’t want to raise any suspicions.
The decision ended up out of my hands. Everyone went to the pub. It was only a few blocks from the hotel. Smallish but welcoming, the place was packed. The band was greeted warmly, but there was no gushing or thousands of photos being taken. A small mercy.
At first I just sat on the edge of the group, sipping a soda. But as Dex drank shots with the guys, his glances over to me grew longer and more heated. I couldn’t say anything for fear of making it worse, so I ordered a glass of wine and let it calm me down a little.
Unfortunately, it calmed me so much that I was soon returning the heated glances and making myself insane. Eventually I excused myself and went outside for some fresh air. But within a minute he was there.
“You okay, love?”
I nodded. “Just needed some air.”
Dex looked around, but the few people on the street didn’t seem to be
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