She chokes and coughs. “What? Seriously? With Sully? You don’t have anything packed. I checked your room earlier and—”
“Yes. I know…” I drag a hand down the side of my face. “But…umm…I have that handled.” I hope anyway because I need fresh underwear and a new outfit. A toothbrush wouldn’t hurt either.
“Okay. You’re being cryptic as hell.” She pauses and then gasps. “Emily thinks you’re being held against your will. Say a kind of cookie if that’s true.”
“Please tell Emily I appreciate the concern but I’m okay. Here of my own free will. If I wasn’t, would he let me call you?”
I hold the phone away as they squeal like a couple of gulls.
“Your hookup was that good? Damn, girl,” Alice laughs. “But why Vegas?”
“That’s where their last show is.”
“My BFF and roomie is a glorified groupie now!” I hear her high-fiving Emily and roll my eyes, swallowing my reply.
The term “groupie” digs under my skin, I hate that term, but that is what I’m doing. Having sex with a musician the same night you meet them and then flying off to see their next gig. God, how did I get myself tangled in this web?
A different voice takes over. Alice must’ve put me on speaker. “Girl, you rock! I met bands before, but you’ve gone beyond the veil. Tell us what it’s like when you come back,” Emily says excitedly.
Sully knocks on the limo’s back window, scaring the crap out of me. I open the door and step out, placing a mask of maturity over my fear. Hopefully, the band will see me as more than a fuck buddy or a devoted fan bordering on stalker.
“Gotta go. I’ll call later.”
“Take your time! I’ll get Chloe to cover your next shift.”
Shit. I spaced about working tomorrow.
“Thanks. I didn’t—”
“Enjoy yourAlmost Famousmovie moment!” Emily says.
Alice clicks her tongue and adds, “Be safe but have fun. Remember what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.” They laugh then the line clicks dead.
I shove my phone into my purse and give a small wave to the band as we walk up to join their little group.
Sully hooks his arm through mine. “Do you remember Veronica?”
Charlotte tilts her head, studying me. “You were one of the fans we met after the show last night.”
“Yes,” I say, swallowing my pounding heart. Hopefully, they can’t hear its thundering beat.
“The more the merrier!” Lars shouts in his thick Irish accent, smacking Sully on the back. Sully winces but smiles at his bandmate.
Ben kisses Charlotte’s cheek, holding her close to his chest. “Just in time, we’re ready to board.” He motions toward the plane’s stairs. “Ladies first.” Charlotte pinches his ass before grabbing my arm and pulling me up the stairs.
She places me beside her like I’m her favorite doll. “I love your hair color,” she says, admiring a strand of my hair in the sunlight.
“Thanks.” I fight the urge to hide behind a curtain of hair.
How many people board a plane with their favorite band? This is my chance to ask them anything. To get to know them on a level no one else does, not even those who interview bands for a living. My excitement lessens my anxiety a little.
“Do you usually take jets? Isn’t that—”
“Expensive?” Charlotte answers, nodding. “Extremely, but our sponsor came through since the man who owns this plane happens to be wrapping up his holiday in Las Vegas.” She gestures toward the white leather seats and the bar. “It’s lovely in here compared to our cramped tour bus. We’ve been on that bus for a little over two months driving across your beautiful country, taking in the sights and tasting interesting food.”
“You Americans like everything fried,” Ben interjects, snorting, sitting across from us. He kicks his legs onto the couch, lies down, and places an arm over his eyes.
Charlotte shushes her husband. “Don’t interrupt.” She stretches her legs, kicking off her heels. “Anyway, we had two interviews this morning. One for a rock magazine and another for a radio station.” She leans forward, shooting daggers at Sully, who drinks greedily from a water bottle and looks at the carpet with too much interest. “But Sully didn’t bother to show up for either interview.”
