We stare at each other for a long time. The silence is comfortable, like we’ve known each other our whole lives.
I can’t remember the last time I felt like this.
“Do you have any plans for the day?” I ask, as I rake my hands through my hair.
She shrugs, causing her gorgeous tits to bounce. “Just rehearsals. Some yoga. Swimming. Same as always.”
“Do you mind if I come back when I get a chance? Maybe I can take you to watch us rehearse at the studio?”
She smiles broadly. “Yeah – come back later. I’d like that.”
I go over to the bed and sink on top of her, kissing her with everything I’ve got. When I finally let up, she’s breathless.
“Get out of here before we both end up in trouble,” she giggles.
I pull back and stand up. “I’m already in trouble, Mackenzie. You have no idea.” I toss her a wink, feeling like I’m walking on clouds as I stroll out of her bedroom.
Chapter 20
Everson
“The debauchery is endless in this house!” Claudie grunts in frustration as she yanks a used condom out of the kitchen sink and tosses it into the garbage bin. My sister’s dark hair is pulled into a sensible ponytail, low at the nape of her neck. The sleeves of her white cotton blouse are rolled up to her elbows.
There’s a huge recycling bin full of empty soda and beer cans sitting in the middle of the floor. The broom and mop lean against the stove next to a pail of soapy water. The place reeks of bleach and pine-scented cleaner.
“Hey – what are you doing?” I ask as I grab a beer can off of the counter and throw it into the recycle bin.
“I would ask what the fuck happened here last night, except that I’m not sure I want to know the specifics. It was a fucking dump when I walked in.” Her frown is deep but she doesn’t look up as she grabs a sponge and attacks the soapy kitchen counter.
I scoop up a heap of dirty paper plates and toss them into recycling. “Nobody asked you to clean this, Claudie. I would have called the cleaning service this afternoon.”
She ignores me and carries on scrubbing. “Did you know that there was some poor girl passed out in the mud heap formerly known as your flower garden?”
“Fuck – is she okay?” I ask, scrubbing my palm against my forehead.
Claudie glances up at me, rolling her eyes. “She was fine. I kicked the bottom of her shoe and she sprung up like a jack in the box.” She tosses the spongy pad into the sink and faces me. “I don’t know why you let things get so out of control over here. You’re 29 years old. When will you grow up, lad?” My sister looks at me again and quirks a brow. “And where the hell were you?”
“Out…” I say, deliberately remaining vague. I feel pretty damn smug as I prop my hip up against the breakfast island.
“Out?” Then she perks up, excitement all over her face. “Wait – the cute girl next door?”
Fuck. I can’t keep anything from my sister. She knows me so well.
I nod slightly, my grin stretching from ear to ear.
Claudie squeals, clapping her hands together excitedly. “Oh my god. I’m so excited. The two of you would make the cutest babies.”
I roll my eyes. “Just don’t say that to her, yeh?” I warn my sister. “I don’t want you scaring her away.”
Claudie scrutinizes my face, a twinkle creeping into her eye. “You really like this girl?”
I nod again.
“That’s good. That’s good.” She nods her head approvingly. “She’s light years ahead of the drunken whores you parade around this house.”
“You don’t think I know that?” I say sounding slightly irritated.
She holds her palms up in surrender. “All I’m trying to say is that I’m ecstatic that you’ve found someone to care about again…especially after Tasha.”
My nostrils flare and my fists ball up. “Don’t mention that witch’s name, please.”
“I’m sorry,” Claudie says sheepishly, tucking her chin into her chest.
Just then, Joaquin, Razor and Kid saunter through the front door, looking hungover as they grumble their ‘hellos’.
“Ah, the three filthy, sloppy musketeers who fuck groupies all night and toss the condom in the kitchen sink,” Claudie snarls.
Kid slides his sunglasses over his eyes while massaging his temples. “Too early, Claudie. Too early.”
“Whatever,” Claudie mutters as she yanks the decanter out of the coffee maker and fills up five mugs. “You skives, drink some coffee and get your heads out of your arses, then time for a band meeting. The record label isn’t being very flexible. We have a call scheduled with Michael Moretti, the entertainment lawyer in five minutes to discuss our options.”
My band mates guzzle down their caffeine with whatever food they manage to find in the fridge before we all move into the studio for our conference call. Kid and Joaquin plop down on the couch while Razor and I take a seat in the folding chairs. Claudie sits cross-legged in the middle of the floor with her cellphone in her lap while dialing Michael’s phone number and putting the phone on speaker.
“Moretti speaking,” Michael answers on the third ring.
“Hello Michael. This is Claudia Coal. I’m here with the band. You’re on speakerphone.”
“Oh, great,” he says. “Look, I reviewed the band’s recording contract and it’s air-tight. Not a single loophole in sight.”
“So, you’re saying that you can’t get us out of the contract?” Kid asks, his face falling.
“I’m saying that it’s not as straight-forward as I was hoping.”
Claudie sighs, worry pleating her forehead.
“They want us to scrap the entire new album, though. And start over from scratch,” Razor grunts. “We worked really hard on that.”
“I’m really sorry about that,” Michael says sympathetically, “but your contract is iron-clad. Don’t worry, though. I’m the best damn entertainment lawyer in the country. I’ll find a creative way to get you out of your contract. Just give me a little time.”
I laugh bitterly. Time is the thing we’re most in need of these days.
Chapter 21
Mackenzie
I reach across the counter and pull a slice of gooey, cheesy Hawaiian pizza from the box.
“Uh. God,” I moan as I take a bite. “Where’d you order this from again?”
Everson grins as he slides onto the barstool opposite me and pops the lid off of his beer bottle. “That little place across from the gas station,” he takes a swallow of his drink, his fingers dancing across the ridges of his bare chest. “You like?”
For a second, I’m sure that he’s referring to his beautiful half-naked body. A smug expression takes over his face when he picks up on my confusion.
“The pizza, dirty girl. Do you like the pizza?” He nods his chin in the direction of the open pizza box on the counter.
I nod towards his body, looking him up and down. “I like. A whole lot.” I wink at him as I take a huge bite. He reads my innuendo and that causes him to chuckle.
I spent the morning working on my routine. Then, I made my way into town for my dance class. By the time I got back, Everson showed up and invited me to watch the band rehearse. It was awesome. My own little private concert.
Just after midnight, he kicked everyone out and now we finally have the place to ourselves.
He looks at me, the side of his mouth inching up.
“What?” I ask, feeling self-conscious. “Do I have sauce on my face?”
He chuckles as he reaches for a piece of pizza. “Nah – it’s not that.”
“What is it, then?”
“Look, I don’t want you to take this the wrong way –“
“No need to preface it. What were you gonna say?” I lean forward, resting my elbows on the countertop.
“It’s cute. The way you eat. I love that you’re not afraid of food. You’re not afraid to get messy.”
“Well, you’re the first person to
ever say that. Everyone else seems to think that I’m a pig.” I laugh.
“You’re perfect. The perfect little pig.” He taps my nose with this finger.
We make small talk as we work our way through the box of pizza. When we’re done, we grab a few beers and move into the living room. We sit on the sill of the picture window, looking out to the ocean. The banter is light but there’s an undeniable sexual energy pulsing through the place.
Everson disappears out of the room and returns with his guitar tucked under his arm. I smile as he sits next to me and strums gently on the guitar.
“I like that,” I say quietly as the melody fills the silence. He doesn’t look up. He just keeps strumming away, lost in the music. “Is it for your new album?”
He nods without skipping a beat. “I want to play you something,” he says, slightly tentative.
I perk up. The lead singer of the biggest rock band in the country is about to serenade me. I’m the luckiest girl around.
A harmonic riff fills the air as Everson’s fingers dance across the strings. I feel the depth of it throughout my being. I find myself on my feet. I move into a simple arabesque then spring into a pas de chat followed by a set of bouree steps. I don’t think. I let my body guide me.
He rises to his feet as he strums the final chords of the song, the guitar hanging from the strap around his neck. My spin ends abruptly right in front of him. I reach out and run my fingers down his stubbly face. He grasps my hand, bringing the back of it to his lips.
“You’re so beautiful when you dance.” The heat of his stare steals my breath away.
“I wish you weren’t leaving tomorrow,” I blurt out, then I regret it. I don’t want to sound needy.
He doesn’t hesitate when he says, “Come with me.”
“What?”
“Come to Phoenix with me.”
“Are you serious?”
“Dead serious. I’m into you, Babes. I like hanging out with you. I don’t want our summer fling to be over just because I’m going on tour.”
My heart is doing flips in my chest.
“Come on, Babes. Live a little. Say ‘yes’.”
Every synapse in my brain is telling me that this is crazy. But I can’t say that I mind.
“Yes.”
Chapter 22
Mackenzie
“This is crazy, right Jules?” I say as I pace the floor of my bedroom. “I barely even know the guy. I can’t just drop everything and go to Phoenix with him.”
“I hate to break it to you, Mac-Mac, but you aren’t exactly doing anything groundbreaking out there in L.A. All you do is rehearse and go to the beach. It’s not like you’re trying to solve world hunger…or find a cure for halitosis.”
“I should be focusing,” I say as I stop to glare at her through my computer sitting in the middle of the bed. She’s using the CheekyChat app and her avatar is a sexy rabbit. “I came out here to focus on my dancing. Not to follow some musician around like a groupie.”
My phone buzzes on the nightstand. Incoming call from my mother. A much-needed reminder that my attention should be focused on my dancing right now. Not on some insanely-attractive rock star. Thanks, mom, I think to myself as I silence the call.
Julia hocks. “Dude – you make it seem like you guys are about to elope or something. It’s just one goddamned concert.”
“In Phoenix,” I remind her.
“Yes, in Phoenix. Why is that a big deal?”
“I should call him and cancel,” I mutter to myself.
“Why the heck are you so freaked out about this?” Julia laughs.
I hesitate to say this. “I like him…alot.”
She pauses, her eyes going wide. “You’re in love.”
“No, no. Not love,” I say quickly. “I don’t know him well enough to be in love with him…That would be crazy, right?...Right?”
She exhales loudly. “L’amour ne s’explique pas, mon amie.” Love doesn’t explain itself, my friend.
I chuckle. “Has Paris turned you into a beret-wearing, baguette-eating hopeless romantic?”
“Something like that, I guess.” She pushes a sigh. “Stop trying to be a good girl, Mac. It doesn’t suit you. It’s inauthentic and it’s no good for your blood pressure. Come on, let that bad girl free. I miss her. It’s like I moved to Paris and you turned into a stiff.”
“You seem to be forgetting that I majorly fucked up my life. I lost focus. Started partying my ass off and totally missed the boat on my application to Joffrey.”
“That was a fluke,” she assures me. “You’re the best dancer I know.”
I think back to Everson’s invitation to go to Phoenix with him. “This is all crazy,” I groan. “Crazy. He’s a rock star, Julia. Beautiful women throw themselves at him everyday. Do you honestly think that he and I could have something real?”
She sighs dramatically. “Don’t be pissed just because he gets mad groupie love. Even Prince Charming had to work his way through a throng of groupies before he could find his Cinderella. Don’t turn down your invitation to the ball, Mac-Mac.”
“Sweet analogy, Jules, but c’mon…” I say skeptically.
“Mackenzie, go with him. He’s the hottest musician on the planet. He could have any girl he wants. And he wants you. Stop overthinking this. It’s just one concert stop. Go with him. Go make some memories.”
Chapter 23
Mackenzie
Everson chats with a few of the roadies hanging around in the parking lot as he slides his duffle bag and my overnight bag into the cargo bin under the belly of the bus. Then, he’s got one hand wrapped around the neck of his guitar and the other clasped around my wrist. He turns and flashes me a smile as we climb onto the tour bus.
“Ohmygod! I’m so happy you’re here!” Claudie accosts me with a giant hug, swaying me from side to side. “This bus is testosterone city and I’m so happy to have another female on board.” I can hear the rest of the band goofing around somewhere at the back of the bus before I even see them.
I laugh, returning her hug. “I’m only around for one stop,” I remind her. “Didn’t Everson tell you?”
The band performs in Phoenix tomorrow night. Everson explained to me that we left L.A. a bit in advance so that they can set-up and do sound-check and all the other stuff that bands have to do before they perform for a stadium of 20 000 fans. We’ll be spending the night at a hotel so that everyone gets a good night’s sleep to start fresh tomorrow.
Claudie’s face drops a bit as she skirts around me and sticks her head out the door. “Oh, he told me.” Then her voice drops as she mutters to herself, “but you’ll want to stay. Trust me.”
“What was that?” I ask tilting my head towards her.
She gives me a broad smile. “Nothing. Let’s just enjoy our time while you’re around.”
“Yeah – I’m super excited,” I say despite the knot in my stomach. I’m still not 100% confident in my decision to accompany Everson to Phoenix. I mean, I barely know him and I don’t know the rest of the band at all. They’ve been doing their best to put me at ease, but I guess my guard is still up. That’s normal, I suppose.
Everson gives me a quick tour of the bus. The fully-stocked kitchenette, the crammed bunk area, the stunning entertainment lounge. Everything is sleek, modern and brand-spanking-new but seriously crowded.
The other guys are playing video games in the entertainment section while Everson helps me get set up in the guest bunk.
Before long, we’re out on the open road, traveling towards Phoenix. I perch up on the stool in the kitchenette while Claudie makes us ham and cheese sandwiches, animatedly telling me stories about the band’s last tour. The girl is hilarious and extremely spirited.
Everson sits in the lounge at the front of the bus, giant headphones on, scribbling away in a notepad. I assume that he’s working on one of the songs the band will be recording on the days when they aren’t performing. Every now and then, he glances at me, his eyes sliding
over my face before his pen starts moving furiously against the paper.
When Claudie excuses her self to make a phone call, I traipse over to where he’s sitting and slide into his lap. “What are you writing?” I ask, giving him a curious look.
“Lyrics,” he says vaguely, flipping the notepad shut.
Now, I’m really interested. I probe some more. “About…?”
Groupie Love (A Rock Star Romance) (Love in Shades) Page 9