exhausting at times.
But right now, it was endearing. And encouraging. And Cal needed some encouragement, because he felt as though he was stepping off a cliff.
* * *
T he buses , it turned out, were more like luxury RVs than buses. Blake led Cal aboard one, and Cal was immediately floored by the fixtures. It had a polished wooden floor, for hell’s sake.
Two brown leather couches ran down each wall past the driver’s compartment, a small kitchen springing up where they terminated. The kitchen had a small fridge, a microwave, and, more ridiculously, its own television. The entire interior was done up in tasteful shades of brown and dark red, down to the throw pillows.
It was a bus with throw pillows. Cal was having trouble taking it all in.
“You want that guitar stored down below?”
Cal glanced down the steps, where a roadie offered up a hand to him. He shook his head.
“Nah, gonna get some practice in.” Because Lord knew, he needed it.
“You, me, and the girls will be on this bus,” Blake explained. “Rhett, Carlo, and Jake are on the other one, along with Palmer and Patty.”
Cal’s face must have been blank enough to convey his lack of understanding, because Blake explained further.
“The managers you spoke to? Paul and Patricia Palmer. Those two.”
“Right. Of course.”
Cal tried to listen as Blake ran through their upcoming schedule, leading him further into the bus. The dazzling sensation never quite went away. Cal wondered how much of it was their luxurious accommodations and how much of it was simply being this close to Blake again.
13
Blake
T he buses started rolling toward Salt Lake City not long after Blake and Cal boarded. Blake took his time to show Cal all the bells and whistles before crashing on the unoccupied sofa in the front. Lily was curled up with a book on the other sofa. Erica, a notoriously late sleeper, had stumbled out of the hotel and straight into her bunk. Blake imagined they’d see her in a few hours.
“There’s snacks and stuff in the fridge and the pantry,” Blake said as Cal wandered back into the living area, minus his backpack and guitar.
“This thing has a pantry?”
“Yeah, that little handle by the fridge? Sliding wall pantry. It’s amazing.”
“No doubt.” Cal sank down onto the far end of Blake’s sofa. “But I just ate. Thanks though.”
It was cute, Cal being this star struck by all the luxury. Blake supposed if he was used to working in The Garage all day, the coach must feel like a different planet. The bar wasn’t quite a dump, but it looked even more worn-in than it had back when Cal’s father had run it.
Suddenly, Lily laughed.
“What?” Blake and Cal asked in unison.
Lily tilted her book down, a smile dimpling her freckled cheeks.
“Nothing,” she said. “It’s just... it sure is something to look up and see you on this bus, Cal.”
Cal let out a short laugh. It sounded amused, but Blake could tell there was a hint of bashfulness to it. One of the things about knowing Cal for so long was picking up on the little things he didn’t say or do that conveyed so much about how he was feeling. His body language, his different laughs.
Right now, with his shoulders tense and his back a little straighter than usual, Cal looked uncomfortable. But he probably didn’t appear uncomfortable to anyone but Blake.
“It’s weird to me, too.” Cal shot her a lopsided grin.
“I’m sure I’ll get used to it,” Lily fired back. “Traveling with Cal’s gotta be easier than traveling with Rhett.”
At that, Cal glanced over to Blake, eyebrows raising.
Blake didn’t want to get into all that, not now. So naturally, he changed the subject.
“You said it had been a while since you played much, Cal. Up for a bit of practice?”
Cal sat up just slightly. It was a subtle change, but Blake could sense the shift in his body language, from cautious to excited.
“Yeah, I probably need it.” Cal’s brow wrinkled. “We won’t
But right now, it was endearing. And encouraging. And Cal needed some encouragement, because he felt as though he was stepping off a cliff.
* * *
T he buses , it turned out, were more like luxury RVs than buses. Blake led Cal aboard one, and Cal was immediately floored by the fixtures. It had a polished wooden floor, for hell’s sake.
Two brown leather couches ran down each wall past the driver’s compartment, a small kitchen springing up where they terminated. The kitchen had a small fridge, a microwave, and, more ridiculously, its own television. The entire interior was done up in tasteful shades of brown and dark red, down to the throw pillows.
It was a bus with throw pillows. Cal was having trouble taking it all in.
“You want that guitar stored down below?”
Cal glanced down the steps, where a roadie offered up a hand to him. He shook his head.
“Nah, gonna get some practice in.” Because Lord knew, he needed it.
“You, me, and the girls will be on this bus,” Blake explained. “Rhett, Carlo, and Jake are on the other one, along with Palmer and Patty.”
Cal’s face must have been blank enough to convey his lack of understanding, because Blake explained further.
“The managers you spoke to? Paul and Patricia Palmer. Those two.”
“Right. Of course.”
Cal tried to listen as Blake ran through their upcoming schedule, leading him further into the bus. The dazzling sensation never quite went away. Cal wondered how much of it was their luxurious accommodations and how much of it was simply being this close to Blake again.
13
Blake
T he buses started rolling toward Salt Lake City not long after Blake and Cal boarded. Blake took his time to show Cal all the bells and whistles before crashing on the unoccupied sofa in the front. Lily was curled up with a book on the other sofa. Erica, a notoriously late sleeper, had stumbled out of the hotel and straight into her bunk. Blake imagined they’d see her in a few hours.
“There’s snacks and stuff in the fridge and the pantry,” Blake said as Cal wandered back into the living area, minus his backpack and guitar.
“This thing has a pantry?”
“Yeah, that little handle by the fridge? Sliding wall pantry. It’s amazing.”
“No doubt.” Cal sank down onto the far end of Blake’s sofa. “But I just ate. Thanks though.”
It was cute, Cal being this star struck by all the luxury. Blake supposed if he was used to working in The Garage all day, the coach must feel like a different planet. The bar wasn’t quite a dump, but it looked even more worn-in than it had back when Cal’s father had run it.
Suddenly, Lily laughed.
“What?” Blake and Cal asked in unison.
Lily tilted her book down, a smile dimpling her freckled cheeks.
“Nothing,” she said. “It’s just... it sure is something to look up and see you on this bus, Cal.”
Cal let out a short laugh. It sounded amused, but Blake could tell there was a hint of bashfulness to it. One of the things about knowing Cal for so long was picking up on the little things he didn’t say or do that conveyed so much about how he was feeling. His body language, his different laughs.
Right now, with his shoulders tense and his back a little straighter than usual, Cal looked uncomfortable. But he probably didn’t appear uncomfortable to anyone but Blake.
“It’s weird to me, too.” Cal shot her a lopsided grin.
“I’m sure I’ll get used to it,” Lily fired back. “Traveling with Cal’s gotta be easier than traveling with Rhett.”
At that, Cal glanced over to Blake, eyebrows raising.
Blake didn’t want to get into all that, not now. So naturally, he changed the subject.
“You said it had been a while since you played much, Cal. Up for a bit of practice?”
Cal sat up just slightly. It was a subtle change, but Blake could sense the shift in his body language, from cautious to excited.
“Yeah, I probably need it.” Cal’s brow wrinkled. “We won’t
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