“What is it that you feel?” Willow asks quietly.
I turn onto my back and stare at the ceiling. “I don’t know. It’s intense. All-consuming. Devastating. Crazy. Scary, Willow. I’m fucking scared. ‘Cause I’m ready to throw everything to the wind and just be with him.”
The confession rattles me. It’s a thought that I’ve been bouncing around in my head ever since I mounted that tour bus, but now that I’ve actually said it out loud, I feel more vulnerable than ever.
“Is that such a bad thing?” Willow asks innocently. “Consider just for a moment that what he’s asking you to do is totally logical and okay. I mean, I wasn’t there but I saw videos of your performance last night and people on social media think that it was beautiful. Wait – let me send you some screen-shots.” I watch as Willow taps a few keys on her keyboard before screen-shots appear on my screen. They’re all positive. “Nobody’s questioning whether you’re a professional or what school you went to or if you have a degree. And you know that social media can be a tough crowd. Maybe touring the country with Everson, dancing at his concerts, isn’t such a bad idea.”
“It’s just that, I like him…a lot. So much that I think that I may be falling in love with him. And he’s a musician – musicians don’t have a reputation for being the most reliable people. I’m scared to mix business with pleasure. It’s my career that we’re talking about here. My future,” My voice grows quiet and shaky “…And what if he leaves me.”
Willow’s avatar smiles at me. “What does your gut tell you to do, honey?”
I close my eyes for a beat and listen to the voice deep inside of me.
Chapter 28
Everson
I hold my breath as I push open the hotel room door.
The bed is neatly made. The towels are hanging on the rack in the bathroom. Clean glasses sit atop the minibar.
Mackenzie’s bag is gone.
I drop into the cozy armchair near the window.
Fuck!
I was hoping against hope that I’d convinced her to stay, that she’d see the value in what I offered her. But she’s gone.
With my elbows on my knees, I bury my face in my hands.
I don’t know what to make of the fact that this girl that I’ve only known for a few weeks has the power to make me feel absolutely unsteady. And she didn’t even care enough to say goodbye, or even leave a note –
The door swings open and hits the wall with a bang. “Shit – you’re back!” Mackenzie says as she ambles across the room, a large, greasy paper bag in one hand and a tray with two large iced coffees in the other. “I was hoping I’d get back before you. Wanted to surprise you.”
I stare at her, my jaw slack, not quite sure what to say. I was sure that she had boarded a bus back to L.A.
She turns and looks at me curiously. “Wait – you didn’t think I left, did you?”
I scrub my hand across the scruff on my chin. “I came back and you weren’t here…”
She throws her head back and laughs. She puts the food down on the small round table in the corner of the room. “Everson – I would never leave without speaking to you first. I owe you that much.”
I blow a sigh of relief and unclench my fists.
“I went out for a walk to clear my head,” she says innocently. “Then, I stumbled into the diner that makes the bacon pb&j grilled cheese. Got you one,” she nods towards the greasy paper bag. “They’re actually pretty good.”
I get up out of the chair and go to her. I wrap my arms around her, leaning my chin on the top of her head. “I felt like shit when I thought you’d left,” I murmur into her hair, the smell of her shampoo invading my lungs.
She hugs me tightly pressing her face into my chest. “I’m here, Everson. I want to be here with you.” We hold each other for a while then she pulls away to look at me. “And Everson?”
“Yes, Babes?”
“I accept your employment offer.”
I pull her back to me and burying my shit-eating grin in her beautiful mane.
Chapter 29
Mackenzie
The past two weeks have been some of the most unforgettable of my life. I’ve been traveling from city to city with the man I’m crazy for, performing every night while he serenades me in front of thousands of his fans and we’ve been making love every chance we get.
We’ve fallen into a routine that we’re comfortable with. I’m happy and carefree and out here in Chicago, I’ve almost forgotten about the disappointment and broken dreams that sent me running from New York.
Tonight started like every other night – a quick bite with Everson and the band, then soundcheck before the opening act hit the stage. Then, White Hot Coals rocks the house and the whole thing ends with me dancing to Everson’s serenade of Pretty, Wild Thing.
Now that tonight’s show is over, Everson and the band are set to spend forty-five minutes meeting and greeting VIP ticket holders. I usually use that time to grab a shower and find something to eat.
But somewhere along the line, things go seriously out of whack tonight.
Once we get backstage after our performance, Everson pulls me into a bear hug and gives me a swoon-worthy kiss. “You were beautiful out there tonight, Babes,” he whispers into my ear.
“And you were a rock god,” I say. “So fucking hot.”
“You think I was hot?” He wears mock-surprise on his face.
“So fucking hot,” I echo against his lips. “You’re gonna get it tonight.” I lick my lips suggestively.
“Oh shit,” he growls in a sexy baritone. “I can’t wait.”
Kid sticks his head around the corner. “Coal – hurry up, you fucking wanker! The fans are waiting!” He heads towards the lounge where the VIPs are lounging anxiously.
“I’m coming, man,” Everson shouts after him. Then, he turns back to me, lowering his voice to a sensual whisper. “Let me go off sign a few autographs and I’m all yours until the sun comes up.”
“I love the sound of that,” I say.
He places an affectionate kiss on my forehead before he runs off to meet the rest of the band.
I wave after him and watch till he’s disappeared into the crowd of roadies and backstage crew.
I feel incredibly happy right now. Coming on tour with the White Hot Coals turned out to be the right decision for me. Being here now, with Everson, wasn’t part of the original plan. This is a detour that I hadn’t expected but now that I’m here, in a strange way, I’m glad that things turned out the way they did.
Getting into Joffrey is the furthest thing from my mind now because I managed to arrive at my destination – earning a living from my dancing – by travelling down a completely unexpected route. I smile to myself.
But then, the wind gets stolen right out of my sails.
“Mackenzie. Sophia. Moretti.”
My blood runs cold as I slowly spin around to meet my mother’s livid glare.
Chapter 30
Everson
I’m in the middle of signing posters for a group of sobbing, star-struck teenagers when Tasha sidles up beside me. “We need to talk, Everson. Meet me in your dressing room.”
I throw her a fleeting glance over my shoulder. “Kind of busy, Tasha.” My skin crawls every time that woman comes near me.
She folds her arms across her chest and stomps her foot peevishly. “Now, Everson.”
I groan as I hand the pen and autographed poster back to a short, brown-haired girl who looks like she’s about to have a fainting spell. I glare at Tasha before I lead the way down the brightly-lit hallway.
She follows me inside my dressing room and locks the door behind her. She stalks slowly towards me. With each step, she undoes one of the buttons at the front of her dark blue silk blouse.
I fight the urge to roll my eyes. “What are you doing, Tasha?” I ask calmly, keeping my voice even.
She slides her blouse off of her body, to reveal a lacy black bra and a gold body chain. Who the fuck wea
rs body chains? She strikes a pose and her eyes tell me she’s sure I’d never be able to resist her. After a beat, she speaks. “I went about this all wrong, baby,” she purrs. “I used threats and ultimatums. I shouldn’t have done that. You see, I’ve missed you. It’s been driving me insane. I want you back.” She unhooks her bra and tosses it to the floor.
Her confession causes my stomach to roil. Oh god. Now is not the time for this craziness. I just want to get out of here, go back to the bus and curl up against Mackenzie as we cross state lines into Indiana.
Tasha takes a step closer to me, her index finger drawing a trail down her stomach and hooping in one of the loops at the waist of her skirt. “I forgot that this,” she gestures to her body, “is far more persuasive than any threat.”
I want to laugh.
This woman is laughable.
She actually thinks that she’s about to seduce me.
What did I ever see in this lady-jerk?
I slide my smartphone out of my pocket and attach it to the charger plugged into the wall before setting it down on the dressing table. “Tasha, you need to get dressed because you’ve obviously miscalculated the way I feel about you.”
She sighs. “Everson, let’s not play these games. Let’s just get to the good part.” In one rapid movement, she slides her skirt and panties down to the ground.
I take a brusque step backwards and she practically lunges at me.
“Don’t you remember how it was with us, Everson? Don’t you want to have that connection again? That spark?”
Uh…no.
My hands leap to her bare shoulders and I hold her off at arm’s length. “Tasha – how is it that you always seem to forget that You. Cheated. On. Me. I’m not interested in having a personal relationship with you.”
She pouts. “This is about that skinny-ass, dancer, isn’t it? What? You think she’s special? You think she means something to you?” Tasha laughs bitterly. “Everson – what you and me had, you can never replace that!”
“Wouldn’t want to.” My words are calm and easy.
Tasha stands there, in the middle of my dressing room, wearing nothing but her condescending attitude and her tall, tall heels. She’s going on and on about how I’ll soon regret taking her love for granted. I pretty much zone out as I rummage around in the minibar looking for an energy drink.
When I’m done gulping back my beverage and I’ve had enough of hearing her spew her garbage, I turn to her. “Look – I’m about to take a shower and when I come out, you’d better not be here.”
I don’t wait for her to respond. I step into the washroom and shut the door behind me.
Chapter 31
Mackenzie
I stomp towards a table in the concession area, trailing behind my mother like a petulant child. Once the initial shock of seeing her here, in Chicago, wears off, I’m just pissed. Plain and simple. Why the hell is she here?
The sound of my chair grating against the large, dark tiles is muffled by the buzz of the sweaty, hyped-up concert-goers moving towards the main exit.
The show is over. It’s time to go home.
My mother’s burgundy-glossed lips are drawn into a straight, thin line. Her chestnut hair is pulled into an impeccable chignon at the base of her neck. She wears a coral pantsuit, tailored to perfection and accessorized with a string of pearls roped tightly around her long, graceful neck. She sticks out like a sore thumb here and I want to scream at her, tell her to go home. She doesn’t belong here.
She sits elegantly in the chair across from me and she’s careful not to let the long sleeves of her jacket brush against the wet, sticky table in front of her.
“Why are you here, mother?” I say. There’s an edge to my voice even though I’m doing my best to keep my temper reined in.
My mother’s tone is brusque. “If you think that your father will continue to bankroll this lifestyle that you’ve adopted, you’ve got a harsh dose of reality coming to you, young lady.”
“Why are you here?” I repeat, my steely gaze locked on hers.
She ignores my question. “Aren’t you tired of humiliating this family, Mackenzie? You’re traipsing around from city to city, with your tongue down this musician’s throat on stage for all the world to see, making a fool of yourself, making a mockery of your family’s name when you’re supposed to be in California cooling your heels before school starts in the fall. What the hell are you doing?”
Well, she’s on a roll.
She’s disappointed in me. I get it. She didn’t have to come all the way down here to tell me that.
She spits venom at me. “Don’t you realize that you’re just his flavor of the week? How long do you think before it’s some other girl on that stage, wrapped around him like that?”
“Everson isn’t like that!” I say defensively, trying to stifle the fact that her words actually echo the insecurities that have been bubbling around inside of me.
“What? Did he tell you he loves you? Did he tell you’re special?” She’s egging me on. She knows all the cords to strike to play on my anxieties.
“I’m an adult. I don’t have to listen to this,” I say as I push away from the table and rise to my feet.
She sits there, beautiful and perfect and vitriolic all at once. “Being 21 does not an adult make, Mackenzie. You’re coming back to New York with me tonight,” she announces, finality in her voice.
Like hell I am. I turn away from her, not once looking back.
“Don’t you walk away from me, young lady,” she warns.
That’s the last thing I hear her say before I blend into the crowd.
I move feverishly through the mass of bodies, bumping shoulders and stepping on toes, eager to get back to the safety of Everson’s dressing room. My mother, she’s wrong about Everson and me. He’s more than just some musician and I’m more than just his flavor of the week. What we have is real.
I know that Everson’s probably still signing autographs and meeting with his fans but all I need to do is wrap myself in his beat-up leather jacket, let his scent envelop me and I’ll begin to feel better.
I get backstage and James, the head of security, lets me through. He assures me that he saw Everson enter his dressing room a few minutes earlier. I hurry down the long hallway to the dressing room all the way at the end. When I twist the doorknob, it’s locked. I knock and wait for a moment, but there’s no answer.
Just as I turn to go see if I can convince James to unlock the room for me, the door swings open. A tall, plastic-looking blond sticks her head into the hallway. A pair of glacial blue eyes meet mine.
“Yes?” she says sweetly as she steps into the hallway, making sure to close the door quietly behind her.
I stand there slack-jawed staring at her for a long moment. What the…?
“Can I help you?” she asks, making a big deal of buttoning up her blouse and finger-combing her disheveled hair.
I’m completely flustered, struggling for words. Struggling for breath. “Is Ev-Everson, is he in there?”
A vile grin spreads across her thin, glossy lips. It irks me out. “Yes, Everson’s in there. But he’s indisposed at the moment.” She wipes the corners of her lips with the pads of her fingers and I get the message loud and clear.
I run a shaky hand through my hair and swallow past the lump in my throat.
The evil blond is still smiling as I turn and take unsteady steps away from the dressing room. “Hey,” she calls after me. I glance at her over my shoulder. “You probably shouldn’t come back anytime soon. He tends to sleep like a baby when I’m through with him.”
Chapter 32
Everson
“Do you mind passing the ketchup, mate?”
I stab my fork again and again into the lifeless scrambled eggs sitting on my plate. I’m not sure that I’ve had more than two bites but it’s cold and it’s bland and I don’t have a fucking appetite anyway.
I haven’t had an appetite since she left. And I’ve barely sl
ept.
Since she’s been gone, I’ve spent my days performing at each of our tour stops, recording tracks for our new album, pasting on a fake smile for our fans at our media events…and missing Mackenzie Moretti.
I love her.
I couldn’t possibly miss her this much if I didn’t love her, right?
Groupie Love (A Rock Star Romance) (Love in Shades) Page 11