I texted Mary.
ME
Are you too important to talk to us? Or can we join you somewhere.
MARY
Of course not. We’re at the bus. Do you want to come back here? It’s nowhere near as cool as where you are.
I turned to Jaz. “She’s at the tour bus. She wants to know if we want to join them?”
“We could. That sounds epic!”
ME
Tell me what to do. We’re at the VIP tent owned by whatever that blue gin brand is.
MARY
I’ll send a roadie to collect you. It’s a maze.
We waited. Within minutes, a man in a Skrillex shirt appeared—looking like he’d been out in the desert all day. He knew who we were and had a plan. That was all that mattered. And, as we made it to the tour bus, my stomach churned. People hung out like it was a college kegger.
“You looking for Mary?” Alicia asked.
I nodded. “Yeah. She said to come over.”
“Cool. Grab a beer from the cooler if you want. She’s in the bus. She just got out of the shower.”
Jaz partied with the roadies, and I continued into the busto find Mary in an old t-shirt and short-shorts, looking wiped. Though she looked tired, I found it inviting.
“You couldn’t even put on a bra?” I joked, playing off my concerns as humor.
“Are you complaining?” Mary leaned to kiss me. “I’m sorry. I had to dip in there because I was fucking gross. I didn’t know if I’d get to see you andtrust me, you wouldn’t have wanted to.”
I snickered. “I am no peach coming off the back of a horse in the sun, either.”
“You smelled a lot better than I think I did—minus the horse.”
“Horse isn’t bad.”
“So you say.” She pulled me by the hips, slipping her hands in the back of my jeans. “And… you haven’t run off yet.”
“I have a flight in the morning,” I answered. “Early. Jaz and I need to head out, but…. I’m free until about 5 AM. And I’m partying with a rockstar.”
She giggled. “Oh, if you say so, skatt.”
I searched her, trying to figure out if this was her post-performance bravado emerging or just a cover for how insecure she felt. Were we in the same boat?Hell, we were even in the same post code?
“What’s up?” Mary asked.
“Uh… that song is what’s up. Can we talk about it?”
“Yeah… I want to apologize. I… it’s complicated. Here, sit.”
We camped in a bunk.
“It’s like a little tent.”
