“Isn’t Jennifer Lux performing in a different state right now?” I say, hoping to dissuade him from prying further.
“I can’t keep up with all that,” he says with the classic tired dad mentality. “It’s her thing. I just recognize the name.”
Obviously, he would recognize the name of the highest-grossing musician of our, well,mygeneration.
“Well,” he continues, “don’t forget to rate me. If you had a good trip, five stars helps a lot. Stay smart out there.”
“Yes, sir. Thanks again.” I close the door to his Toyota Camry and watch him drive away before I check my surroundings—about a dozen people are packing up things that look like sound equipment and cables. I unlock my phone and call my buddy, Ash.
“Hey man,” he greets me when he answers.
“I’m here; where do I go?” Just as I finish my sentence, I see him. Ash is a few inches taller than me; he looks like he either works under a car or swings an axe , his tattoos and beard confirming he’s the right big guy. “Never mind, I see you.”
“Good to see you, Eric.” Ash and I give each other a big bear hug as we meet in the middle of the lot.
“You too. Man, I really appreciate you calling me. I needed the work.”
“Of course. Your family is like family to me.” He takes a hit off his vape. “Just don’t tell your mom I’m still doing this.” He gestures to the vape pen. “She’d kick my ass.”
I let out a laugh—he’s right.
Just then, a short woman interrupts our reunion. “Ash, I’m not paying you to have a good time.” She stops in front of me, and she’s so close, I have to angle my head down to look at her. “Who’s this?”
I look at Ash, the question clearly directed at him.
“Eric Stone, the guy I called to fill in for Gary,” Ash explains.
“Background check?” the woman asks.
“Done and clear,” Ash responds.
“Hmm.” She crosses her arms and looks meover like I’m a piece of meat at a butcher’s mart and she’s a paying customer, wanting the best cut. “Well, welcome to the US leg of the Luxury Tour. My name is Tops, and my job is to make sure nothing goes wrong. Your job is to keep the opening act safe. You’ll be paired with Ash on that. You two are the personal guards: one for the singer—that’s you, Ash,” Ash nods, “and you’ll be on the personal assistant. They’re a close pair, so it should be easy enough.”
She looks at me with that measuring gaze again, and I nod. She makes me feel uneasy like she expects me to drag mud through a freshly mopped house. It’s like I’m in trouble before I even did anything. I roll my shoulders back; I won’t disappoint her or Ash. I have too much at risk.
Tops must be impressed by me not backing down from her gaze, because she gives Ash an approving nod. “This one seems good.”
“Have I ever let you down?” His smile tells me that no, he hasn’t.
Tops shakes her finger at him. “Don’t start. Anyway, this is the bus you two will be on with Lillian and Constance.”
I swear, my heart squeezes, the whole organ off-rhythm now. This has to be a coincidence, right?
3- Connie – Then
The southern California desert was windy. You might expect it—they show it all the time in those old western movies, a single tumbleweed blowing lazily by, the only movement in a tense situation. This wind, however, felt more like an incessant toddler, demanding attention because it knows no other form of communication. It whipped my hair around my face, strands sticking to my lip gloss like flies in a spider’s web. If there was a ranking of sensory icks , hair in lip gloss had to be number one.
I got in Lilli’s old Buick and pulled down the visor to look in the mirror. With a brown napkin from the glove box, I wiped the lip gloss off as thoroughly as possible.
“Okay, drive safe.” Lilli’s dad was saying his goodbyes and checking the oil in the car before we took off. “Don’t forget to change your clock when you cross over the state border.”
“Why?” Lilli questioned. “We never did that before.”
“The time change ,” her mom said casually, holding her little white puffball of a Pomeranian. “They don’t do daylight savings time in Arizona, so they’re an hour ahead.” My mouth was hanging open, and my heart felt like it got a kick start.
“Shit!” Lilli said. “We have to leave!”
Her mom gave herthe look.“Language, please.”
