“Hmm.I wonder…”
“Me too.”
Suddenly the sushi didn’t taste as good, it was like all the happiness in the room had been sucked out. We sat on the couch, holding our wine glasses, and staring at the television.
I was wondering if it was a live report when the “Live” graphic flashed on the screen. The reporter was backstage and about to interview the band. Maybe we’d find out what was going on. As far as we knew they had another month of touring before they were due home.
The dressing room looked the same as almost every other venue they played in. I guess it didn’t matter what country they were all alike. But therewassomething different this time—a blonde chic hanging all over Flame. What the hell? I squinted at the TV. Maybe giving her the evil eye would stop her from pawing at my man.
“Hi, I’m with lead singer Chaos of the band Raining Chaos. As you can see the after the show party is in full swing. Yourperformance was brilliant tonight. The fans loved it.”
“Thank you. The welcome you’ve given us here in England has been great. We look forward to coming back on our next tour.”
“Do you know when that will be?”
“Our next album should be coming out by the end of this year. After its release we’ll post the tour dates on our website, raingingchaos.com.”
“You’ve been touring non-stop and we know you got married at Christmas. Has married life been difficult on the road?”
I was gnawing on the end of my chopstick and Teresa grabbed it out of my hand. I’d been hanging on Chaos’ every word, and even saw him pull Cynda in front of the reporter. But I couldn’t take my eyes off the bitch mauling Flame.Why wasn’t he tossing her ass?
“It’s been great. Like a long honeymoon with lots of music,” Cyn replied to the reporter. I reined in my jealousy long enough to pay attention to what she was saying. She looked great too. Happy. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d seen herso happy. Good for her. She’d been through hell the last few years between nursing her mother through the cancer, and then the rocky beginning of her relationship with Chaos.
“They look good don’t they?”
“Chaos and Cyn? Or are you drooling over Wrath?”
Teresa’s cheeks turned pink and she stuck out her tongue. “All of them, well except for the slut hanging on Flame. What’s up with that?”
“I’d love to know. I hope this isn’t a public break up.”
“Why would you think that? Did something happen the last time you talked to him?”
“No. Everything was fine, at least I thought so.” It was wasn’t it? I didn’t miss some innuendo he’d dropped, did I? We’d been chatting a lot and it was obvious how tired he’d been lately. So instead of a little phone sex I’d let him get to bed the last time we spoke. Maybe I shouldn’t…fuck that shit. I’m not going to second guess myself. He either wanted me or he didn’t. Nothing Icould do about it right now and driving myself crazy wasn’t going to help at all. I’d just have to wait ‘til we talked again.
“I’m sure it’s nothing. He probably doesn’t want to make a big deal while the cameras are on. You know how Joe is. He gets his manager voice on ‘don’t do anything to embarrass the band, remember this is our brand.’”
“True.” I laughed at her impression of Joe. He was a great guy and an even better manager, and had been her mother’s boyfriend since Christmas.
The interview ended and the local news came back with the weather forecast for sunny and mild for the weekend. Deciding I wasn’t going to sit around and mope until I heard from him, we planned on a day in Central Park. We’d work on our suntans so we wouldn’t look like two ghosts.
“Want to watch a movie? It’ll take your mind off the slut and Flame.”
“What movie?”
“’The Avengers’. C’mon with all those sexy guys, you know you’ll be drooling and Flame will be the last thing on your mind.”
Laughing as I agreed, nothing like a little man candy for a distraction. Who the hell wouldn’t want to drool over Chris Hemsworth and Robert Downey, Jr. “Go ahead, put it on and I’ll put the rest of the sushi in the fridge, unless you want more?”
“Nah, I’m good. Leave the wine though.”
It surprised me at first how well the two of us got along. We didn’t know each other very long and yet she read me so well. Cyn would always be my best friend, but Teresa was now a close second. We understood each other, maybe part of it was our upbringing—both of us raised by women, her mother and my grandmother. Either way I was glad to have her. These last four months would have been almost impossible to get through without her.
While putting the leftovers in plastic containers and the dishes in the dishwasher, my mind wandered back to Flame and the slut. Was it like Teresa said, he didn’t want to make a big deal on camera? Or was he tired of me? It would totally suck with everything else going on. But then it would be typical Murphy’s Law.
Chapter Two
Flame…
