Page 50 of Rock Strong

“Nah.” She pointed in the general direction of the buses. “It’s been a long day. Think I’ll go shower and call it a night. Really, I’m fine.” She smiled, and I hugged her again.

“I’ll check in with you later.” I headed out of the dressing room and down the hall, closer to the din of festivities coming from the VIP and surrounding rooms. Smiling, I worked the boots, feeling like Sandy from Grease about to meet Danny Zuko, imagining the gawks I’d get as soon as I reached the band. No doubt Tucker would say something crass. Corbin would probably stare me down like he did at Robbie’s house that night, and Wes would sweetly compliment me. And Liam? Not to sound like him, but Liam would crap his pants.

The partying noises grew closer. My nerves jittered more by the moment. I approached the towering, familiar form standing by the door. “Good evening, Nathan.”

“Good evening, Miss Chan. You’re looking lovely this evening.”

“Thank you. Is it okay for me to go inside?” I asked, peeking through the space between the double doors, hearing familiar voices within. “Liam did say we’d meet after the show.”

For a split second, he was hesitant. “I’m actually not sure. Sorry to do this…” He checked his clipboard while I waited, tapping my purse, for approval. “Well, you are on the list as staff, miss. And as Mr. Collier’s guest.” He smiled, reached for the door, and pulled it wide open for me.

“Thank you. Have a good night.”

“You, too, Miss Chan.” He beamed his friendly big-boy smile.

From the millisecond I walked in, everybody’s faces snapped toward me. There was Robbie, Wes, Wes’s friend from grade school, and all the roadies, and the eyes of every man in the room ogled and widened to three times their size. Tucker paused his frolicking with a topless woman when he saw me. I watched his hand slip into his pocket.

“Hey, Abby.”

“Hi, Abby.”

The greetings came from all around. “Helloooo, Miss Abigail…” a tech crew guy said, smiling, running a hand through his hair.

Their reactions empowered me. Never had I felt like one of those glossy, poolside vixens from Robbie’s house back in LA, but tonight, I was a contender.

I turned my attention back to Tucker, but he’d moved, and it was hard to find him in the crowd. He was texting.

A tall lankiness slid into my path. “Hey, darlin’,” Wes said with a smile.

“Hi, Wes, have you seen Liam?” I asked.

“I have, I have.” He nodded, drink in hand. “But he uh…wasn’t feeling well last time I saw him. Maybe you should text him.”

My eyebrows knotted together. “So he’s not here?” A leaded feeling plagued my rib cage, made it hard to breathe. I didn’t grow up with brothers, but I was keenly aware of the unspoken rules whereby male buddies covered up for each other in the face of female crises.

“’Fraid not.” He laced his arm around my shoulders and ushered me to the side of the room. “He might be on the bus, but I wouldn’t go there. He’s feeling sick, just wants to sleep, you know? Let him know where you are…tell him you’re looking for him.” Something showed in his face, as though he hated the fact that he was lying to me.

Maybe he was telling the truth, but things didn’t feel right.

Then, Tucker, sloppy and shirtless, whooshed next to me. “Hey, Abby.”

“Wow, you called me by my name. Maybe I finally have your respect?”

“You’ve always had my respect.” He smiled sheepishly, and in that one instant, I liked him a whole lot better than before. “I just joke around too much. Listen…” Tucker’s green eyes scanned the room then came back to me, trying intently to make me understand. I felt naïve. I felt like an innocent child. “Liam’s kind of…you know…figuring out what he needs right now.”

“What he needs?” I asked for lack of a better response. I was just stunned. Scared now.

“What he wants, Abby…out of life.”

“Out of life.” I stared ahead. Robbie, managers, agents, and roadies all milled about, drinks in hands, some ignoring the multitude of women walking around, some groping them in the seedy dark corners of the room. Was this the life I wanted to be a part of?

“You only just started seeing each other.” Tucker’s voice echoed in my ear. “He needs his space today.” His eyes tried impressing his warning on me, that I should go away, that I didn’t belong here. It didn’t matter that I’d dressed to impress Liam, and fine, maybe all of them. The hard fact was, I didn’t, and never would, fit in with them.

“Needs some space. I understand.” There was nothing else to say, and everyone in the room seemed to know what we were talking about, here in the corner, Tucker prattling at me like a boxing coach to his protégée, getting me ready to go. At the far end of the room, a closed door called to me.

Suddenly, Nathan was back, charging toward us with a tentative smile, hand outstretched as if to placate a frightened deer. “Miss Chan, can you come with me? There’s some nice drinks and snacks in the other room waiting for you and Miss Bourré.”

I knew it. I knew he shouldn’t have let me in here. It was a mistake. I could tell from the moment I walked in, as though silent “Danger! Danger!” sirens were blaring in the minds of all of Liam’s friends. “I don’t want any fucking snacks,” I heard myself say.

---