“That’s not what – I can’t, no. I won’t use her like that.”
Ash strokes his beard in contemplation. “So you won’t mind if I try and share her bed after Lilli is done with this leg of the tour?”
I glare at him. Ash has always been a bigger guy than me, and even though I’ve been hitting the gym, he could probably still knock me on my ass.
“See that look in your eye?” He laughs again. “You’re ready to fight me over one comment; you are long gone. You’ve got feelings for her, and you should do something about it.”
I shake my head. “I wasn’t the one who ended things.”
Ash cocks his head, and I am about to explain more when Lilli’s hotel door opens, Connie and Lilli in the doorway.
“Connie is going to get me some things,” Lilli says. “I’m going to take a nap for the show tonight.”
“Sure thing,” Ash says, and I feel the blood rushing to my face. How much of our conversation did they hear?
“Ash, will you go with me?” Connie has turned her shoulders toward him, subtly but clearly cutting me out of the conversation. Fuck that.
I cross my arms and give Ash a face that clearly means back off. He gets the message, and that sinister smile crawls back across his face.
“Sorry,” Ash says, “I’m supposed to stay with Lilli. Eric can go with you.” Ash does a small shrug, as if to show that his hands are metaphorically tied.
Connie visibly prickles as she turns to me stiffly. “Okay.”
Two can play at this game. I look over her head and direct my question to Lilli. “What do you need?”
“Lilli needs cough drops, snacks, and other comfort items,” Connie responds, clearly annoyed. “Do you need a full inventory, or can you let me handle it?” She’s fiery, and it’s refreshing to see her like this. “You know what? Never mind.” She flips her hair back behind her. “I don’t need you to babysit me.” She looks at Lilli. “I’ll be right back.”
Ash and Lilli exchange a glance with raised eyebrows and pursed lips, and I immediately walk after her as soon as she starts to move.
“What?”
“I’m going with you, Stardust.”
Connie looks over at Ash. “You guys really can’t switch?”
Ash shakes his head, “Nah, I’m staying out of this.”
“I don’t need you to follow me like a lost dog.”
“It’s literally his job,” Lilli chimes in.
“Well…” She’s at a loss for words as her eyes search mine. “That’s dumb.”
“Come on, Connie. The sooner we go, the sooner it’s over.” She gives me an inscrutable look before she shrugs and walks over to the elevator.
It’s not that she’s fuming—no, it’s closer to a simmer. I’m doing my best not to find it hysterical.
“How did I manage to get stuck with you?” She’s asking herself, but I answer anyway, just to be a nuisance.
“Just lucky, I guess.”
She scoffs, but there’s no bite to her. I don’t know how I can recognize her performing even now.
“The real question is how did you manage to get stuck doing midday snack runs?”
“It must be my strong foraging skills passed down for generations,” she says in a sarcastic, dry, humorless tone, but there’s that little dimple on her face that tells me she’s playing. “Or, perhaps it’s my job on payroll as Lillian’s personal assistant, or my official title as best friend.”
We make our way outside, and silence engulfs us as we stand waiting for a traffic light to change and let us cross the street. The sun is setting as the dinner traffic zooms about, and I feel her looking at me, but I fight the urge to meet her gaze. I keep my eyes trained on the little red LED hand, willing it to flick off and turn on the white walking stick figure. In my peripheral, I see the slight shake of her head, her hair swaying, her strawberry shampoo lifting toward me on the air as she shifts her weight. Part of me wonders just how I could be so in tune to her movements after only two days, but another part of me hates it.
