I really couldn’t wait to get on that bus. I was eager to get back to singing. That’s where I felt best, performing on stage. I was so ready to get back to music. I knew it would be a lot different with Gaby and Tenny aboard, but on the other hand, I wouldn’t even think about going back to the tour if Hunter, hadn’t figured it all out.
While I had been sitting around waiting, all the crazy killing time, I had been jotting down lyrics. Ted, Marko and I even jammed last night and worked on music for a new song. It’s a soulful tune filled with all the emotions we had been feeling since this all started. We hoped to play it for Hunter and see what he thought. Honestly, it was some of our best work, and I got this wonderful feeling that Time Heals was going to do well; very well.
I was surprised at all the support we had gotten from everyone in the industry. From the record label to the clubs, the support had been remarkable. I thought people would be pissed, but instead we had been given the time we needed to help my family. Flower arrangements arrived daily and, cards wishing us well poured in from business contacts and fans. I tucked them all away in my keepsake box. It meant the world to me that so many people had our backs. We even got a tour bus donated. The bus held six bunks and a bedroom in the back. We would be staying at hotels when we got to each town, but the bus would allow all of us to get some rest.
I planned to keep Gaby in the room with me. We had ordered all the supplies, and the bus driver, a tour manager named Lip, was all set to go. He was going to shop for everything we needed on his way to picking us up. This included food for the band and diapers and a small crib. I wondered, with a giggle, if he ever had an order like that before. He was also in charge of hiring a couple of roadies to hit it with us. It was Hunter’s solution to lifting some of the load off our shoulders. The tour had become so stressful that this was his solution to taking some of the pressure off us all.
I became obsessed with finding out who hit my family. I wanted to know the circumstances around the ‘accident.’ If it truly was an accident, cool, I could let it go. But if the dude was drinking and driving, there was gonna be hell to pay. I just wouldn’t be able to let it go. I’d have to hunt him down and make him face the consequences.
I really just wanted to scream.
Chapter 42
MSK
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Chapter 43
Callie
We took Mama and Dad home today. Steve, their care worker, seemed really qualified. I thought we were leaving them in strong, capable hands.
“Mama, I’ll call you later,” I whispered and gave her a soft hug while she lay at home in the hospital bed. Their two beds sat side by side and they were holding hands. I folded her gently into my arms and held her to me one last time. “Call me if you need anything.” I was going to worry about them no matter what.
“Daddy, be good, okay?” I gave him a small smile and kissed his cheek. It was a difficult recovery, and I hated leaving him, in this moment. “Stay on that healthy diet!” I whispered. We’d hired a personal chef to get them eating correctly. He had already started complaining about the no-taste food, but I wanted him to be committed to getting healthy.
With Gaby in my arms, I watched as Hunter said his goodbyes.
Finally, we were all on the bus and Lip, our new tour manager, yelled out, “Buckle UP!”
Lip was a well-seasoned tour manager. We needed someone like him to drive this huge bus. He’d keep us organized and on time, as well. He'd been on the road for most of his adult life. He started out as a roadie and had now been a manager for over twenty years. He was around 5’10”, with balding grey hair and a hardened, rough look to him. His face was a roadmap of stress and concern. I could tell he cared about his job. It made me wonder if he even had a personal life outside of the music biz. I didn’t want that to happen to me. I didn't want to look like the road rode me, like Lip.
He was in great shape for a man in his late 40’s. He still helped unload equipment, and I thought that had kept him strong as fuck.
Lip was short for Phillip, and I thought he totally looked like a Lip, even though I didn’t know what that meant. He took over as soon as he showed up. He had a clipboard that he held tightly to his chest. He seemed like an excellent choice. He was remarkably familiar with this particular vehicle. Though my Doves never did anything fucked up, we still needed to stay on a timetable. Now that Lip was here, I hoped Hunter would finally relax now. LIp definitely took some of the massive responsibility off his shoulders. We sure lucked out and I was grateful Lip was available to come with us.
We had added two new roadies too. Lip handled those hires for us, so we didn’t have to go through all that hassle. He hired two crew members, Maggy and David, a husband-and-wife team, who were going to follow us in their own vehicle and stay at motels during our stops. They would be in charge of unloading equipment and setting up at the clubs. It was such a relief not to have to deal with that shit. I’d meet them at the next stop.
Tenny was a pretty, little thing with a ready smile. She had gotten Gaby all organized, that’s for damn sure. We had everything we needed to keep him happy. I watched as the engine lulled him to sleep. He laid on the bed and I slipped down next to him. Hunter came in and closed the pocket door that separated us from the rest of the bus.
“Everything cool, babe?” he asked, looking us over.
“Yes, this is gonna work.” I said with a grin. “So, go through the tour dates with me. I need to get my head back in the game.” The room had a basic brown and beige color scheme. I loved that I had my own private space to hang with my boys. There was a queen-sized bed and a dresser and closet for our clothes. The windows allowed me to watch the world spin by.
Hunter pulled out his notebook. Inside was every contract, maps, and directions to every single stop. It was old school for sure, but I got it. I think having something tangible to hold onto made him feel like he was in control. [ES26]He started at our next stop, going over all the details from how long it would take to get there to what the space looked like. “We’ll be at the ‘Kitty Bar’ tomorrow night. Our set starts at 8pm and it is one ninety-minute set.” He smiled, “Babe, I think this is gonna be a cool club. I want to hear you play the song you wrote while sitting by your parents’ hospital beds, okay? What’s the title of that one?” He kissed me on the forehead.
‘Bus Stop,’ I whispered so, asnot to wake up Gaby. He could have been talking about ‘Time Heals,’ but I thought he liked ‘Bus Stop’ better. Gaby looked adorable, lying there on his tummy. He had his tiny fingers wrapped around my pointer. We had grown close over the past weeks. I knew it was gonna be hard to send him home when it was time. A relief, but hard, I thought, giggling to myself. “Or are you talking about ‘Time Heals’?”
“Oh yeah, now I remember,” Hunter chuckled quietly. “’Time Heals’ is huge, let’s try them both, okay?”
“It’s good, right?” I looked into Hunter’s eyes and saw only love there. “And don’t forget about ‘Love Lost’.” We wrote that one just before the nightmare had begun.
“Absolutely. Another awesome tune.” Hunter dropped a kiss on top of my head. We hadn’t had a lot of alone time, and now with Gaby sharing a room with me, I doubted we’d have much more. It was okay, but I'd miss being close to him. I started fantasizing about what he looked like with his shirt off, and I instantly swooned. He was a gorgeous man with his shiny black hair swept away from that chiseled face. I was so attracted to him, I hoped we found a way. I could use some knocking boots. I giggled to myself at that.
“Hunter? How are we going to stay close with Gaby?” I asked, worrying my lip. Already I was thinking nasty, dirty thoughts, wishing we were alone for a few hours to savor each other’s bodies. It felt like eons had passed since we’d had sex and I missed it. I missed Hunter.
“That’s what Tenny’s for, girl. We’ll find time, believe me. I’ve missed you.” He gave me a goofy, c
rooked grin, and I knew exactly what he meant. I wanted to rip his shirt right off his cut body and lick those abs and that deep V.
“Yeah?” I raised my eyebrows up to my hairline. “Whatcha wanna do, hottie?” I loved teasing him, he got all shy and it made me giggle.
Hunter sat down on the edge of the bed and slid his hand down my back, from my neck to my ass. His hand glided up and down, up and down. Just this small touch got my juices flowing. Oh my.
“I’ll show you soon,” he whispered as he lowered his lips to mine and kissed me, the passion rising instantly. At first it was simply our mouths touching softly, fusing our lips together while our tongues swirled around each other. But then he deepened the kiss, and I was gone, so turned on, as his tongue swept my mouth. This man could kiss, each kiss turned me on more and more. My mind shot to his hot, sculpted body, naked, making me want to get dirty with him right this very second. I slid my hands under his t-shirt and up his back. Then I slipped them into his pants and grabbed his hard ass.
“Damn, I can hardly wait.” I grinned, our lips touching.
“Soon, babe. I’ll see if Tenny can watch Gaby tonight, okay?” Just one kiss and Hunter had me swooning. For one glorious moment, I forgot all about Gaby.
“We’ve got to stop,” I pulled back and locked eyes with Hunter. “If we don't stop now, I won’t be able to stop at just kissing.” I chastised both of us, but Hunter agreed by pulling away.
“You got a date.” He said, his voice gruff as I gave him a cheesy, happy smile.
“Okay, you’re right. I’ll make sure we have time.” He got up off the bed and went in search of Tenny while I stayed with Gaby.
Now that things had settled down, it was going to be awesome to get back to making music. This bus was freaking sick!
I couldn’t wait for our next show.
But first, Hunter. I grinned.
Yes, I needed some Hunter.
Chapter 44
Hunter
“Tenny, there you are.” I approached her with a small smile.
“Been here all along. How’s Gaby? Is he settling in, okay? Do you need me for anything? Anything at all.” She was so sweet, and I thanked my lucky stars that she applied for the job. I’d called all four of her references, and everyone said the same thing, that she was honest and reliable. That they too, would hire her to take care of their baby brothers.
My only problem? I didn’t know any of them personally. It’s hard to rely on the word of strangers. The random family saying glowing things about someone was just not as comforting as the family I knew, saying the same thing. I planned to keep my eye on her.
“Hey, Lip, can you keep an eye out for Gaby at first? I mean, we don’t really know Tenny and won’t be able to watch her if I'm backstage with Callie. I just want to make sure she’s living up to all the positive reviews. You know what I mean?” This was the hardest part about leaving the baby with his nanny for the first time. She needed to garner our trust before I was completely relaxed about it. I trusted Lip because I knew Joni really well, and if she trusted him then I would too.
“Sure dude, I get it. I don’t want to be the babysitter of our babysitter, but I get it. Trust is a fragile thing, my friend.” Lip turned and looked me straight in the eye. I really liked this dude, I thought he was going to truly help. He seemed like an upstanding man with morals I respected, and lots of people I knew, trusted him. That’s the kind of reference I wished I had for Tenny, damnit. But I knew that after a week or two I’d begin to trust her too.
“So, our next stop, the Red Vine, should be cool, yeah? Have you been to any of our club stops? I’m so glad we decided to add those two crew members to help with the equipment. Thanks for the great idea. How well do you know David and Maggy?” The larger the room, the larger the sound system. Their help would be an awesome relief from the drudgery of touring. Lip wanted to mix the sound during the show. He was a package deal, and I was grateful he was able to take our offer. Thank God, Joni wasn’t touring this year. She saved the day like Superwoman swooping into our lives.
“I’ve worked with Maggy and David for years, and I can vouch for them. They do a great job and stay out of the way when they’re not working. I don’t want you to worry about a thing when it comes to the shows. You’ve got me now.” Lip gave me a wide, easy smile, and I was so relieved. He took a breath and then said, “I’ve been to a few of these places, but not this one in particular. It’s a good thing we’re getting there a day early. Gives me a chance to check it out and organize the new hires,” Lip said in ernest. He took his job seriously, and I really didn’t have a thing to worry about. We started out looking for a driver and ended up with the best road manager money could buy. He was worth his weight in gold.
I walked back to the ‘kitchen table’ where Marko[SO27] and Ted were hanging out. They’d been amazing support for Callie, well, for all of us. ”Hey,” I looked between the two. Although I thought they were probably happy to get back out there, away from the hospital, I needed to check in with them, briefly.
“You two cool? We're going to get a good start today. We’ll stop at a hotel for the night. Need anything before I go back?” I looked between the two brothers, with eyebrows arched. This was so simple when we’d first started just a few short weeks ago. Now look at us. I hated how we got here, but now it felt like a real fucking tour.
“How’s Gaby settling in? As long as he’s cool, we’re cool,” Ted said with a grimace. We’d all been worried about Gaby, and how he’d take life out here. I was learning babies were resilient as long as their basic needs were met.
“He’s fine, dude. He’s sleeping right now. I don’t want you all to worry about him, but do me a favor and keep an eye out? Just for the first week. We don’t know Tenny. Got me?” They both nodded. “Okay, see you in a bit.” Then I hurried to the back of the bus and into the room where my beautiful Callie was lying next to her brother.
This tour had grown exponentially. Word spread to the clubs ahead of us how well Callie had been doing. ‘Rock Star’ was playing on local radio station at every stop. It was climbing the charts just like I knew it would.
Earlier, I saw an envelope pushed up against the steps of the bus as I looked around. Just a white corner peeked out. I bent down and grabbed it and took it back to the room, sticking it in my pocket as I went. It was probably trash, but as soon as I walked in, Gaby started to cry, and I forgot all about it.
“Can you walk him back and forth? He needs to be rocked,” Callie whispered.
I snatched him off the bed, “Of course, babe.” Gaby laid his head on my shoulder, and his crying slowed as we started moving to the front and back again.
While I was on baby stroll watch, that’s what I called it in my head, I started thinking back to everything that had happened in the last couple of weeks. I was stoked to be on our way again. This was where I thrived: on the road. It was where I was happiest. Callie looked relaxed for the first time in a long time. Her face was bright and happy, and she smiled so much more now that we were moving again.
“Hey, I want to take a quick shower. That okay? I can give Gaby to Tenny if you don’t want to...”
I cut her off. “Babe, of course. Go ahead. If I need help, I know where to go.”
I watched as Callie started stripping in front of me. My dick grew hard, watching her creamy skin come into view. “You are so beautiful,” I murmured. I wished I could grab her and fuck her hard. Later, I whispered softly.
The bus sped down the highway. While Callie took a shower, I rocked Gaby and chilled him out. I walked him back up to the front of the bus again. My mind strayed to Callie and her sexy, naked body back in the bathroom. Tenny was sitting at the table with the Doves, and I made a quick decision. I handed over the baby who was all smiles and giggled now as she blew on his tummy. Everything was calm. This was why she was here, right?
I sprinted back to the room and heard the shower go on. I stripped my clothes off as I walked inside to surprise Cal
lie. I just wanted to grab her right this second! I pulled the curtain open just as she stepped out of her panties. She looked so sexy as she turned to look at me with a bright smile. “Hey honey,” she said breathlessly, and I grabbed her up in my arms. AS I kissed her deeply, I ripped off my clothes. Then I pulled her towards the hot water beating down on us. As we stood under the shower head, the water poured over her gorgeous body, cascading down her breasts, making them glisten in the low light. I couldn't stop now. I put my tongue on her back and followed it down to her ass, my hands stroking her perfect, perky breasts.
“I love you,” I murmured into her skin. I stood back up and started kissing her passionately. I held her face between my hands and looked deeply into her eyes. “You’re mine.” Callie smiled sweetly as I continued to stroke her beautiful body.
“I love you too, honey,” Callie whispered, and then our lips fused together, and I plunged my tongue into her mouth. As it swept around, battling with hers, I slid my hand down to play with her clit.
“I want you to come for me Callie girl,” I whispered and just like that she came so hard on my hand, I had to hold her up so she wouldn’t stumble and fall to the slippery floor. Her groans echoed loudly, and I pulled her against me and felt her curvy body slide over mine.
“I’m going to fuck you, hard,” I whispered and took her lips again. I dragged her to the bed dripping wet and jumped on top of her. My dick stood at full attention. I moaned as I slammed into her, filling her completely. I pounded her, holding myself up just enough so she wasn’t crushed by the weight of my body. Suddenly, I was going off like a rocket, coming so hard it stole my breath from me.
Oh, I loved this woman. She was everything I needed.
Chapter 45
Callie
Rock Star Page 16