“Against my better judgement, I decided to listen to him,” she said, her hands shaking because this was a big deal. But she could do hard things.
“Are these your songs?” Tanner asked, his expression brightening like she’d offered him something more than only a notebook with words.
She nodded. Shoved her hands in the pockets of her jeans so they’d stop shaking. “Maybe check them out? See if you think they’re good? They could be shit. But Dan said I need to work on my confidence. I got a whole lecture about it.” She shivered.
Dan had taken her on as a project, it seemed. He video called daily to check in and texted often, too.
“Did he bring out his PowerPoint on confidence?” Tanner asked. “He’s got one.”
“No.” She shook her head. “But he paced a lot while he lectured.”
“That sounds like Dan.” Tanner held the notebook in his grip like it was one of the most precious things anyone had ever shared with him.
“You’ve gotta go,” she said, lifting and pressing her lips quickly against his. The familiarity of the movement was a gift she never thought she’d be able to give. And yet? Here they were.
The succession of three knocks that sounded more like someone attempting to pound in through the door was Hans’s signature style.
“Come in,” Tanner hollered.
Hans stepped into the bus, lugging a rolling suitcase. “You moving in?”
“No.” He set the suitcase to the side. “I brought Sam a friend.”
“Do it,” a voice that sounded a helluva lot like Ashley said from outside the door.
All the nerves from before dissipated and Sam’s heart swelled.
“I’m not doing it.” Hans gritted his teeth.
“You have to,” Ashley said, again. “Or I’m staying out here.”
He should probably do whatever Ashley wanted him to do, because she was nothing if not persistent.
Hans pinched the bridge of his nose, said something under his breath about dealing with unreasonable people and then, surprise of surprises, Hans made jazz hands toward the door.
“Ashley!” he announced.
“Ahhhh,” Ashley ran on the bus like it was a stage and she was the star. She patted Hans on the arm, which was funny ’cause no one just patted the guy. He was definitely not a guy who seemed like he would enjoy a pat of any sort.
“What are you doing here?” With a bubble of laughter Sam moved to Ashley and wrapped her in a hug.
“I heard a mean lady was awful to my best friend, and then I heard my best friend is not leaving the tour bus. And then Hans here—” She jerked her thumb toward Hans. “Offered me a ticket with backstage passes, a diamond necklace, and all the free food I can eat, if I’ll just come get you to leave the bus.” Ashley grinned. “So I’m here.”
“A ticket and passes, yes,” Hans said. “The rest? No.” He turned to leave, paused as he stepped down. Stared Tanner right in the eye as he said, “She is now your problem.”
“I’m nobody’s problem but my own.” Ashley started a personal, unaccompanied tour of the bus. Opening cupboards and poking around in the fridge. “Though Sam knows I snore, so I told Hans I need my own bedroom. I mean, as much fun as it would be to have a sleepover sleeping between you two, I’m not into that.”
Sam caught Tanner’s gaze and gave a subtle head shake. This was Ashley. No filter and always 100 percent herself.
“She’s always like this when she gets excited or has too much orange juice. Give her a minute, she’ll chill,” Sam said.
“Hans assured me the couch pulls out?” Ashley asked.
“It does.” Tanner nodded.
As he and Sam continued to get more comfortable together, his ability to speak without starting over had improved. His cheeks didn’t even turn red most of the time.
“I asked if Hans pulls out too, and he did not find that as funny as I did,” Ashley said.
