Page 33 of Under the Ink

“I wouldn’t say no to dinner. But I just wanted to take a look around. I’ve never been to Arizona, so I’m exploring. And this hotel, this street. They’re awe-inspiring.”

“That’s cool.” Although he wasn’t sure thathefelt that way about it, he didn’t plan to argue. “But it’s fucking hot here already. Makes you wonder what July’ll feel like.”

“True. But if you came when it was pleasant here, it would be freezing everywhere else. I don’t think you’d wanna tour in the winter, would you?”

“We have before. You’re right, though. Much nicer in the summer. We don’t do outdoor venues when it’s super cold. Jesus. I can’t even imagine playing Minneapolis outdoors in January.”

“Or even Colorado.”

“Yeah. I’m thinking tomorrow’s gonna suck on stage. It’s gotta be in the high nineties right now.” With the sun going down, what the fuck was midday like? The heat felt like an actual palpable entity weighing on his body—but it wasn’t like they were moving here. Two days and they’d be gone.

“That’s why you walk fast. Keep a little breeze going.”

“Oh, isthatwhy?” Sage asked, looking at her as she slowed, approaching the intersection. “I thought you were trying to get away from me.”

The way she looked at him, her lips curled in the corner, made him wonder if she was going to give him a serious answer. Even when she replied, he couldn’t bet for sure if her words were filled with sarcasm. “Was it that obvious?”

When the light turned green, she took a step off the curb, but Sage held back. “Hey, I—”

“I was just kidding. You can come with.”

“Okay.” Sage nodded and, when he caught up with her, he took in her green eyes as if seeing them for the first time.

Jesus Christ on a busy street. She was absolutely beautiful under the lights of this scorching city. Finally finding his voice again, he added, “I appreciate the offer. I don’t know what everyone else is doing.”

“I suspect they’re in bed out cold. How can you guys sleep on that bus? I think I could sleep better on a bed of nails.”

“You get used to it.” The way her eyes opened wide as she shook her head, all while moving down the sidewalk, was absolutely adorable. “You do. I promise.”

“Or is it that you’re so drunk you could sleep anywhere?”

“I guess that’s fair. It doesn’t hurt.” No matter the type of walls this gal put up, she was easy to talk to—and funny, even though it didn’t seem like she was playing a comedienne on purpose. “So you like Phoenix?”

“Better than Winchester.”

She was walking so damn fast, he couldn’t see her face, so he wasn’t sure if she was being a smart ass or totally serious. “Hey, wanna grab a bite? My treat.”

Glancing at him, she slowed down her pace but still kept moving. “If you’re buying, yeah, sure.”

Ah.A way to a man’s heart might be through his stomach, but maybe the same could be said for a woman. It was worth a shot—and it wasn’t like he couldn’t afford it. “What kind of food do you like?”

“I’m not too picky.”

“I’ve heard that shit before—usually from the most finicky eaters on the planet.”

“No, seriously. As long as you’re not making me eat some nasty hamburger concoction, we’re good.”

“Wait a second,” Sage said, feeling playful. “You tellin’ me you don’t like a good burger?”

“I didn’t saythat. I’m saying I don’t like crap like meatloaf or bell peppers stuffed with ground beef.Disgusting.”

“Fair enough.” Their pace slowed significantly, but Sage barely noticed.

“Oh…I also hate liver with a passion.”

“Agreed. I never understood why people decided that eating an organ devoted to detoxification was a good idea.”

“I get the feeling that as long as something didn’t kill primitive man, they were all about shoving it down their throats.”

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