by J. M. Nevins
Giselle looked at Kit, her eyes widening. “Are you serious?”
She giggled. “Yep. Sully had a great idea. Expect an additional five hundred a week, G. It’s perfect timing. I’ve wanted to do it for a while. You more than deserve it. I’ll make it retroactive for three months.” Sully nodded and put his arm around Kit. She continued. “We’re glad you’re coming on tour with us. We’re grateful to have you on our team.”
He nodded. “We are. We know you’ll kick ass.”
She smiled and squealed with delight. “Thanks, you two! I don’t think I’ve ever worked for such cool people before. I won’t let you down. And, I’m gonna get out of your hair so you two can enjoy a nice, quiet evening.” She winked at Sully. “I’ll see you both in the morning. Limo’s coming to get me first and then we’ll be here at six-fifteen. Your asses better be ready.”
They nodded, and Kit smiled. “We will be. Thanks again, G. Have a good night.” She looked at Sully. “Do you have that list for me yet?”
He chuckled. “No. I thought Ariana was going to the store. You’re going? I got a little distracted by this.” He held up the magazine.
She pointed to him. “Yes, I’m going to the store. Keeps me humble. Write out that list, give me the keys to your Ferrari, and you can stare at it the whole time I’m gone. Deal?”
He smiled. “You’re so bossy! You wanna drive my Ferrari? This is a new development. I’ve had it about nine months, and you’ve never made that request before.”
She shrugged her shoulders. “I wanted to see if I liked it.”
He folded his arms in front of his chest and teased her. “Somehow I remember someone that once had a beautiful, red, convertible 911 Carrera that she wouldn’t let me drive. I never did get a chance to drive it.” He shifted his eyes up mimicking a pensive state and stroked his chin. “Hmm, wonder who that was?”
She grinned. “Ok, so maybe I should have let you drive it, but Sull we were just becoming friends then. I didn’t trust you yet. I had just met you! I was kind of afraid you’d crash it.”
He shifted his gaze back to her, raised his eyebrows and grinned. “You thought I’d crash your car when you’re the one in this relationship that drives like a bat out of hell and whose car has had countless visits to the body shop?”
She giggled and then pleaded. “C’mon, they were just little fender benders. Nothing major. I promise I’ll be careful with it. Just let me drive it. Don’t make me beg.”
He surveyed her carefully. “Give me the real reason you wanna drive it because this I wanna see if I like it bullshit isn’t flying.”
She laughed and shook her head. “Ok, ok. I figured if I got your blessing to drive it now, I wouldn’t have to feel guilty secretly driving it around town when you’re on tour.” Her face spread into a wide, charming smile that she hoped would compel him to grant her wish.
He shook his head and laughed. “Oh, that’s a good one.” He returned moments later with a handwritten list and his car keys, handing them over to her. He gave her a look of warning and wagged his finger at her. “Don’t wrap it around a pole please, dear.”
She giggled and winked. “I’m good with a sports car. I know exactly how they handle. You can trust me, babe.”
He chuckled and nodded. “Yeah, and that’s exactly what I’m afraid of.”
Sully and Kit watched Giselle as she took her seat on the private jet chartered for the tour. She seemed surprisingly comfortable. Sully leaned over and chuckled. “She’s going to walk off this plane toward the end of the tour looking like a completely different person.”
Kit giggled. “I know. Hopefully, the road won’t eat her alive.”
He shook his head and grinned smugly. “Naw. She’s tough. She works for you; she can handle anything.”
Kit’s jaw dropped, stunned by words and smiled, playfully shoving him. “I’m not that bad.”
He snickered, continuing to play with her. “Not that bad for a slave driver, no.”
She punched him in the shoulder. “Hey!”
Jimmy pulled his newspaper down and looked at them both, pretending to be serious. “He’s right. You are quite the accomplished slave driver.” He couldn’t hold his serious façade anymore and burst out laughing.
Sully smiled at her. “Aw, babe, you know we’re just joking.”
She chuckled. “I like polishing lumps of coal and the only way you can get them to shine is to put serious pressure on them.” She winked.
Sully rolled his eyes. “Uh-huh, I get it. Diamonds. Haha, you’re a funny girl.”
Seconds later they were interrupted by the sounds of the song, ‘Benny and the Jets’ flowing through the cabin and moments after, a very familiar voice came over the intercom system of the jet.
“Good morning from the flight deck, rock stars, I’m your captain, Ben Russo. I anticipate a smooth flight touching down at JFK briefly to refuel then continuing onto Rome, Italy. We’ve got a total flight time of thirteen hours, so sit back, have a few shots and enjoy the ride.”
Everyone on the plane, went nuts hooting and cheering upon hearing that Captain Ben was their pilot once again. Remo started chanting “Captain Ben, Captain Ben,” and everyone else followed suit until he hopped on the intercom once again.
“Thank you, ladies and gents. I’ll be here all night.” They laughed.
Kit strolled over to Sean, who was sitting at the back of the plane leisurely drinking a cocktail, a pre-tour luxury. She smiled. “You were able to get him again? That’s so great!”
Sean nodded and grinned. “I called the minute I knew we were going back out on the road. I got into a bidding war with Poison’s tour manager. We’re paying a pretty penny for Captain Ben. I ended up paying double his normal rate just to secure him for the entire tour. He belongs to us now.”
Kit giggled. “So, he loves us is what you’re saying, right? Did you throw in strippers, an eight ball of blow and a good bottle of scotch to sweeten the pot too?”
Sean laughed loudly. “Aw, Kit, I love when you come on the road with us. You turn into one of the guys.”
She winked. “I’m glad we were able to get Ben. He’s a cool guy. Awfully cute too.” A schoolgirl’s giggle escaped from her before she could suppress it.
Sean raised his eyebrows, and his English accent drawled. “Ooh, Kitty has a thing for Captain Ben. Oh yeah. That certainly brings a little intrigue and randiness to the Triple Tango tour. I love it!”
She giggled again. “Yeah, I’m sure Sully would appreciate a love triangle featuring Captain Ben and him.”
“Yeah. You could bring a whole new meaning to the Triple Tango tour.” Sean burst out laughing.
Kit mirrored his outburst and doubled over, holding her stomach muscles that were now aching with all the laughter. She had forgotten how much she loved working with Sean. He was damned good at what he did, but also had an amazing gift for making people laugh and diffusing tense situations. He had kept the band from killing each other on several occasions because of it.
He was a huge asset to Gypsy Tango’s team and their tour success. She reached out and messed up his dishwater blond hair that was disappearing at a more rapid pace than she remembered. “I love going on tour with you, Sean-Bon.”
He grinned and smoothed his wispy hair. “And I love going on tour with you too, Kit-Kat.”
Their conversation was interrupted by Sully’s booming voice. He was on the intercom while their flight attendant watched, laughing. “Guys! Hey, guys.” Everyone turned to face him. When he realized he had everyone’s attention, he continued. “I wanted to make it known that we have a tour virgin in our midst on this flight by the name of Giselle. G, stand up, please. Reveal yourself, sweetie.”
They all started laughing and clapped. Bryan whistled loudly. Sully grinned. He abandoned the intercom, moving into the aisle in the middle of the plane now that he easily held everyone’s attention. He looked down at her. “G, all tour virgins have to be sacrificed and that requires an initia
tion. Those are the rules when you roll with GT on tour.”
Kit looked at Giselle and then at all of them. “Go easy on her, guys. Don’t go as crazy with her as you did with Spence.”
Giselle shot Kit a defiant look. “Oh hey, gatinha. I can hold my own. My daddy is Brazilian, and my momma is an Americana, who was once a professionally trained Latin dancer. I was born outside of Rio. If there’s anything this girl can do it’s drinking and dancing. I was born to party and samba. Bring it!”
Sully laughed and clapped his hands. “Pick your poison, G. What’ll it be?”
She smiled. “Cachaça, baby.”
He giggled. “Um, God bless you? It sounded like you just sneezed. What the fuck is that?”
She sighed, tossed her shoulder-length dark brown hair back and shook her head. “Amateurs.” She met his eyes. “I figured you big partying rock stars would have already had a few caipirinhas under your belts at this point. The ignorance on this plane astounds me, really.”
Sully stared at her in amazement, a slow smile spreading across his face. “Oh, hey, don’t you go throwing big Portuguese words at us now, Brazilian girl. I don’t think we have that… ka… cha… What? Kamchatka?” His eyes suddenly lit up. “Do you mean that nasty vodka, G?”
Giselle laughed and yelled “Cachaça, Sully! No, not Kamchatka, you dork! That’s vodka and not at all what I’m talkin’ about.” She surveyed all of them. “Ok, you fools, tequila will do as a substitute but I only shoot Patrón, so you better have the good shit on this plane.”
He nodded. “Now, I do know that poison.” He looked at Bryan, who was sitting closest to the bar. “Let’s get her hooked up, Bry.” He winked at Giselle.
Kit walked over to Giselle, who was sitting at the front of the plane. She grinned. “G, you don’t have to do this. You could do a shot or two and call it done.”
Giselle chuckled, her hazel eyes dancing with intrigue. “No way! This will be fun, Kit. I know my limits, and I come from a long line of partiers in my family. You won’t see me hung over the toilet on the flight or barfing into a bag.”
She surveyed her closely and then grinned. “Ok, if you say so. All I know is that they practically destroyed my brother at the beginning of the last tour. He had to be carried off the jet and into the limo.”
Giselle laughed thinking about what a funny site it would have been to see Spencer so wasted. He was always so composed when she saw him. She giggled. “And that’s what happens to preppy, ginger, corporate white boys like him when they try to party with rock stars like these fools. They can’t handle that shit. I won’t be that girl, Kit. I assure you, I can handle it. I’ve been to carnival in both Rio and Salvador twice. I’ve got four brothers. I’m the baby of the family. Those guys will be lucky if they can keep up with me.” She winked and flashed a wicked smile.
Kit laughed and put her hands up. “Say no more.” She held out her hand welcoming her over to the table to take the seat next to Sully where she was previously sitting. Bryan had poured four shots and placed the bottle in the middle. Tony stood up and motioned for Kit to take his seat across from Giselle and diagonally from Sully. She sat down and sighed. Let the tour games begin.
CHAPTER 15
“There she is… it’s Mini-Kit!” Bryan yelled out, and the band started laughing as they walked down the hallway in the hotel headed to soundcheck.
Giselle spun around and playfully glared at them. She pointed her finger at them. “That’s Ms. Mini-Kit to you!”
They all erupted into laughter. Kit walked hand in hand with Sully at the back of the pack. She grinned. “I’m happy to see they’ve taken well to her.”
Sully chuckled and nodded his head slowly. “She’s a hard-ass and has all that Brazilian fire. That’s why they like her. She keeps us all in line! She knows how to navigate this massive ship. She’s a chip off the ol’ Kit block.”
Kit chuckled. “Well, enjoy her while you can. She goes back home when I do.”
“You should leave her out here on the road with Sean and Danny. She’s better than Gin and Bets put together but don’t tell them that.”
Kit shook her head. “No way. I’d be a mess at home without her. She keeps me sane. She’s the best assistant I’ve ever had. She thinks like me.”
Sully nodded. “True. She seems to be holding up well. Bryan has a huge crush on her.”
Kit’s eyes widened, and she smiled. “Really? I had no idea. When did this start?”
“Day one, baby. He’s always liked her. He’s in awe of her. Pretty cute. Does she have a boyfriend?”
Kit chuckled. “Are you kidding? She works for me.” She joked. “She doesn’t have time for a boyfriend.” She giggled. “As far as I know, she’s single. I thought Bryan had a girlfriend?” Kit focused her attention on Bryan up ahead, who seemed to be making Sully’s comment appear credible. He was buzzing around Giselle like she was a pot of honey.
Sully shook his head. “No. They broke up during the last tour. She couldn’t handle the life.”
Kit nodded. “Understandable. It’s not for everyone.”
Sully grinned thoughtfully. “I think Giselle could handle it. Maybe we should try to play matchmaker.” His steel blue eyes lit up.
Kit kissed him and touched his cheek affectionately. “You’re just a big romantic when it come right down to it. You want everyone to be in love.”
He snickered and put his finger to his lips, grinning. “Sshh. Don’t fuck up my bad boy, rock star image, wifey.”
She giggled and smiled. “Don’t worry, baby, your secret is safe with me.”
“Seriously, babe, I think they might be cute together. He’s a good guy. Has never been too crazy.”
Kit nodded. “True. He’s always been nice. I’ve never had any problems with Bryan. He’s very level-headed, unlike the rest of you.”
Sully stared, his mouth gaped open, yet still smiling. “Are you saying that I’m not? Wow, Kitty-Kat that hurts.”
She giggled and kissed him on the cheek. “You’ll get over it.”
He squeezed her hand. “I love having you here on the road with me. I really do.”
She nodded in agreement. “I like being here too, babe.”
His eyes pleaded with her. “Then don’t leave next month.”
They were about to hop into a limo with Jimmy when she stopped. She looked at him as he continued walking and called out to him. “Sull, we’ll have to talk about that later. You know I need to get back.”
He grinned at her without saying another word and got into the limousine. He was confident he would find a way to convince her otherwise.
At times like these, Kit truly appreciated the back entrance of the arena they were playing that evening. It allowed the limousines to drive in underground. It was unseasonably cold and snowy in Helsinki, Finland. Not only did the exclusive entrance protect them from the elements, but from the fans that were ten times crazier on this tour.
Kit stood back watching again as the band headed up through the intricate underground mazes below the arena. Sully and Jimmy were talking. Tony and Remo were laughing about something. Bryan was trying to entertain Giselle by making funny gestures while she yelled at someone on her large mobile phone.
She plugged one ear with her finger and loudly retorted, “I’ve been so fucking busy I haven’t had time to see any fucking fjords. What do you think I do all day, sightsee? Yeah right, I’m here to play around all day. Right. Let’s get down to it. Why do we have delays and whose ass do I have to kick?”
Kit giggled watching her and seeing a little bit of herself at that moment. She was grateful they had a new technological advantage on this tour—several mobile phones. Giselle had one that they coined “the bat phone.”
She was relieved that Giselle was handling most of the fires that arose, and there were always plenty. It gave her time to focus on more important things like how she was going to break the news to Sully that she had agreed to produce the debut album for Jade Riff in Seattle
. She had also elected to take a more active role with her duties at Diamond and help her mother-in-law get the Los Angeles office for their foundation set up.
Sean sidled up to her. “Observing the monkeys in their natural habitat?”
She laughed. “Yes, as a matter of fact, I am. I’m pretty impressed at how smoothly this tour has been running, Sean. I guess, at this point, you’re an old pro.”
He nodded. “Yeah. I forgot how much I enjoyed being out on the road. For these guys, I wouldn’t miss it. This time is a little different. It’s like driving a high-maintenance sports car with six gears when you’re used to driving a sporty hatchback with the four or five standard gears you’ve always known. A little tricky.”
Kit pulled out a cigarette and Sean lit it for her. “What’s the biggest difference? The fans?”
They started walking again, and he continued. “That’s a big element, yeah. Trying to juggle their press schedule, their appearances and get them to the show on time. They’re at the peak of their popularity right now, and everyone wants to see them, hear them, touch them.”
Kit exhaled the smoke from her cigarette evenly to calm her nerves. Although things were running smoothly on the surface, something in her was waiting for the other shoe to drop. The landscape had changed dramatically for them on this tour.
She met Sean’s friendly brown eyes. “Triple Tango has been sitting at number one on the Billboard 200 for two weeks now and I don’t see it declining anytime soon. I got a call last week that we’ve gone triple platinum already. The album hasn’t even been out for two months. This is unprecedented. We’re dealing with a whole new level of fame here.”