Me: I could have gone my entire life without that information. Thanks for that.
Milo: ur welcom!
Me: I was being sarcastic. I didn’t want to know you fondled me by accident.
Milo: how am i suppose 2 detect sarcasm in a text message they should invent a sarcasm font
Me: I’m just excited she wants to do it again. Maybe with all three of us?
Milo: i thought u were smart enough to count there were 3 of us in the van 2day
Me: I very obviously meant the three of us: me, you, and Riot.
Milo: o
Milo: ok ya that wuld b sweet
Me: go 2 bed u loser
Milo: hey u texted lik me
Laughing to myself, I put my phone away and stared up at the bunk ceiling. So many things about this tour had surprised me so far. I’d had some mild anxiety about the whole thing. We’d been on the road before, but never for longer than two weeks. The six cities we’d done opening for Rainknife had been exhausting in a way I hadn’t expected. I was a man who liked his regular routine, his bed, and his schedule. Sleeping in a different city nearly every night wore me down.
That wasn’t very rock and roll of me, but that’s who I was at my core.
But this tour was great. We’d gotten into a nice groove. Drive, hang out, sound check, show. Repeat. The tour bus wasn’t huge, but it was big enough that we could all spread out and find somespace if we needed it. And there was always the bunks to retreat to if we really needed solitude.
Beyond that, I knew Roxie’s presence helped. She had a calming effect on all of us. She meshed well with everyone. I knew Violet was grateful to have another woman on the bus, even if neither of them were girly-girls in the traditional sense.
And, of course, the sex with Roxie was incredible. Every single time.
“Milo told me about your fun game,” Violet told me the next day when the two of us were alone at breakfast. The other three members of the band had wanted to stay back and sleep in, but Violet and I were early risers.
“How much did he tell you?” I asked around a mouthful of eggs.
Violet held her coffee mug with both hands and smiled. “All of it. You know he can’t hold anything back. You’re welcome, by the way. I’m the one who put the idea in our muse’s head.”
“When are you going to stop meddling in our love lives?” I teased.
She flashed me a big, white smile. “When you tell me to. But I’ve never steered you wrong before.”
“True.”
“She’s been a great addition to the tour. She fit right in from the very start.”
“I was thinking about that last night.”
She tapped her temple and pointed at me. “You and I always were on the same wavelength.”
“We could invite Dana along for the next tour,” I suggested. “Her job is full-time remote. It would be easy. Especially if we’re big enough by then to afford hotel rooms the whole way.”
I thought I was throwing Violet a bone, but she immediately shook her head. “Dana would never go for that. She’s a germaphobe when it comes to hotels. She brings slippers when she goes out of town because she’s convinced there’s semen in the carpet.”
“She’s, uh, probably not wrong. But wouldn’t she tolerate it to be with her wife?”
Violet picked at her French toast a bit, then put down her fork. “I don’t think I would want her to join us.”
I gave a start. “Oh. Really? I thought you two were doing great…”
