As we get closer to show time, Max video chats with his wife and son to tell them good night. Kevin calls his wife to check in, telling her he’ll call her again after the show. Josh has been texting a girl he met at a fundraiser a few weeks ago, but I’m not sure how serious he is about her. Since his first marriage ended in divorce, he’s been as closed off as I have.
Selfishly, I hope he ends up with this one, if only so he’ll leave Tyler alone. I see the way he looks at her, how flirty they are sometimes, and I know I shouldn’t give a shit, but I do. I have no doubt that if I hadn’t staked my claim on her atthe beginning of this tour, he’d have made a move on her already.
And I also have no doubt that she would have fallen for him. They all do. Josh is, objectively, an attractive man. His bright green eyes, perfect smile, and curly hair are like catnip to women. Add in the fact that he’ll seduce the shit out of you with his voice, has an insane physique, never wears a goddamn shirt and…yeah.
He’s every woman’s dream.
“We should go out tonight,” Josh suggests as he adds some water to a cup of paint, mixes it together, then pours it onto the top of his shoulder. A layer of blood red paint runs slowly down his back and chest over the existing layer of black paint, and even I can’t deny it looks badass. “We haven’t gone out yet.”
“You sure Philly is the right place to go out in?” Max jokes. “I’d rather not get murdered.”
“Alright then, hotel party,” Josh says. “Have the girls get a couple cases on their way back.”
“I’d be down for that,” Kevin says.
“Eh, why not?” Max agrees.
Tyler, Kate, and Dani enter shortly after the decision is made, and Josh immediately tasks them with obtaining copious amounts of alcohol. Dani makes a list on her phone while Tyler leans over Max’s shoulder as he scrolls through the most recent photos of his son, and Kate stands in the corner of the room looking anywhere but at Josh. The poor girl has probably already had enough of his nonsense, and we’ve only been on the road two months.
“It’s time,” Caleb says, poking his head inside the greenroom. We all stand and head toward the door.
“Hey,” Tyler says, grabbing my wrist, holding me back as the others file out into the hallway. My eyes fall to the point of contact before meeting her gaze. “You alright? With tonight’s plans, I mean.”
I smile.
“You worried about me, Sunshine?” I ask.
“Well, yeah,” she says, like it’s the obvious answer. My heart tugs in my chest.
“Yes, Ty. I’ve been around alcohol a lot over the years. I’ll be fine.” She breathes what I can only describe as a sigh of relief, and I grin.
“Good, because I really didn’t want to have to chew them all a new one for being inconsiderate pricks.” I snort a laugh, and we stand there for a beat, staring into each other’s eyes, Tyler’s hand still holding onto my wrist.
“Ty,” I say.
“Yeah?” She asks, sounding a little breathless.
“The show.”
Her eyes go wide, and she drops my wrist.
“Shit, yeah,” she says, looking away and tucking her hair behind her ear. “Sorry.”
I walk around her and follow the winding halls to the stage, smiling like a fucking idiot the entire way. I will break through her walls before this tour ends.
Mark my words.
****
Tyler has been matching Josh shot for shot, anddamncan this girl hold her liquor. Josh has at least fifty pounds on her, but he’s gone. Completely shitfaced. While Tyler is still walking straight lines back and forth across the room.
“How the fuck?” Josh says, trying (and failing) to walk the same straight line Tyler just did, giggling like the drunk idiot he is. “How are you doing this?”
“Black magic,” Tyler says, playfully wiggling her fingers at Josh, who topples over onto the floor. We all laugh, and Tyler’s eyes meet mine from across the suite.
They’ve been doing that a lot tonight. Like she’s checking in on me without saying a word, and the idea that she cares about me at all has my heart beating erratically.
She crosses the room to where I’m sitting at the bar in the kitchen and leans against the counter next to me. I turn in my seat, positioning my legs on either side of hers, caging her in. I tighten my grip on my cup full of Coke, fighting the urge to put my hands on her hips and pull her closer.
