"You wanted to talk to me?" Lucky said as she watched Dylan slide into the seat next toJordan.
"Yeah, about those guys," Jude said, nodding towards Ross and his friend. "Takeaseat."
"You saw that?" she asked, feelingembarrassed.
"I wanted to talk to you about them before something like that happened. They shouldn't be onthebus."
"And I'm sure you never brought groupies along on yourtourbus."
"It'sdifferent."
"How? Because I'm a girl? Are you saying that because I'm a girl I shouldn't have any fun? Maybe I should just stay at home and wait for Prince Charming while knitting asweater."
Lucky couldn't help but think about how her parents sheltered her. She knew things would have been different if she was a boy, and it made her moresensitive.
"No, that's not what I meant,"Judesaid.
"Thenwhat?"
"They're just bad news, okay? I've seen guys like that. They'reparasites."
"Well, they're myfriends."
"Didn't look like that,"hesaid.
"Well…I..."
She didn't know what to say, but she didn't like that he was trying to control what she did. In her mind, if she was a guy, Jude would've patted her on the back or given her a high five, notscoldedher.
"Just becareful,Liv."
He got up and disappeared through the back door into the bedroom. She almost followed him in, ready to argue some more, but she didn't know what she was fighting about. Having Ross and Mark on the bus was the last thing she wanted. Lucky had to get them off the bus. How Ross treated her before was reason enough, she just didn't know how todoit.
* * *
The sun was settingas the bus turned towards their hotel in Dallas. Surprised to see a bellhop standing outside in uniform, she wondered if they were at the rightplace.
"Stan, is this right?" Lucky whispered over Stan's shoulder as the bus hissed toastop.
"That's right. We get to sleep first class tonight. The label arranges for the best hotel in the city when a tour membercomeshome."
"Home?" She turned around and looked down the rows of seats as she tried to see if anyone looked more excited than usual. "Who's fromDallas?"
"Me, and I'm happy to be back. I think depending on the route, I might be from Chicago next time. Really nice hotels there." Stan winked at her as he opened thebusdoor.
Entering the hotel through the powered revolving door, Lucky couldn't believe how large and glamorous it was. She never traveled much before since her parents didn't have a lot of money, so she wasn't used to seeing this kind ofelegance.
The lobby was several stories high with glistening white marble floors, tall columns, and huge crystal chandeliers. In one corner, a black baby grand piano sat in the middle of a lounge with several thickly upholsteredchairs.
As Ross and Mark entered the hotel, Mark let out a low whistle. Kat bumped into Lucky as she came through therevolvingdoor.
"Oops, sorry Lucky, you're supposed to keep walking after you exit the doors," Kat saidsarcastically.
Lucky looked at her in surprise. She couldn't believe Kat would talk to her that way. Before she could say anything back, Kat had caught up to Ross and Mark as they headed tothebar.
"Fine, they're on the bus, but they're not staying here, are they?" Jordan asked, looping her arm through Lucky's to move her out oftheway.
"No, no way. I really don't know what they're doing here, but I didn't think about that when I let them come on the bus. The label isn't paying for them, and I sure as hell won't let them inourroom."
