Page 2 of Stuck With My Rockstar Boss
Yes. This tour will be great. It has to be. It’s been twenty years of the band. Twenty years of getting to make music. We’ve been doing it since we were kids. Most musicians barely get a taste of the successes we’ve had. But all the crap that comes with touring taints it; rabid fans, the partying, the drugs, interviews, music journalists (fuck music journalists), all the time away from home.
Everybody thinks I’m living the dream. But it feels like my fucking nightmare.
2
Mika
Working with Soul Sounds is always a blast. I adore the guys and their music is honestly the dream to work on for anyone in my position. They’re not drama queens and they care about everyone on the gig from the roadies to the lighting technicians. As a backup singer for them, they really give a shit about me.
A lot of that comes down to Lucas. Lead singers are notoriously tyrannical. Look at Axl Rose or Robert Plant… the beautiful, longhaired freaks that made rock’n’roll dangerous and sexy and terrible. Lucas isn’t like that. Offstage, he’s approachable. Usually goofy and fun, easy to talk to. And onstage… he’s a fucking maniac in the best way. Like a conduit for the cosmic power of music. He tears around the stage, teases the crowd, makes them beg for him.
Lucas cares about the music and wants everyone else to care as much as he does. And that means it has to be ours too.
Rehearsals for the Soul Sounds Twentieth Anniversary tour are more reserved than they were the last time. While the rest of the guys are up to their normal antics, Lucas is different. He’s focused and introspective, his green eyes looking darker than I remember. Although, the last time I had seen him, his eyes were clouded with terror. On breaks, he keeps to himself, usually disappearing off to the bathroom or engaging in conversation with Ken. It’s a little disappointing. Last tour, I thought we kind of had a connection. Not… romantic, of course, although I have to admit, I understand why Rolling Stone touted Lucas as “sex on steroids”. He’s objectively attractive. Cut and tight, with blond hair and a voice that reaches inside you and won’t let go.
Even if I wanted to have a romantic connection with him, it’s forbidden. It’s part of my contract. “The label prefers it this way,” Ken had explained to me. “Mixing business with pleasure makes the guys sloppy. You know how guys are.”
I held my tongue then, but complained about it to my mom later. Why does everyone always act like men can’t control themselves? Why do we allow that shit?
Anyway, Soul Sounds is off limits and that’s just fine. Because I’m not here for them. I’m here to travel and enjoy myself. The music is great too, but I like the pace of being in a new town every few days. I’ve seen so much of the country and the world by being a backup singer and there’s still so much left. I wouldn’t be able to travel like this otherwise; would never be able to afford it. This tour hits all the major cities in the US and then some. We start in New Orleans and do a big loop until we land back in Houston for a humongous hometown concert.
I get on with the new backup singers, Crystal and Lee. Crystal is tall and tan, with rings of caramel-colored locks and Lee has gorgeous dark skin and rows of box braids. They’re both younger than me, this each being their biggest touring gig they’ve had to date. Ken mentioned I’ll be the ringleader and I’m excited. We’re going to have a good time.
After rehearsals, which are mostly uneventful, the girls and I are flown out to New Orleans to meet the band for the first concert.
The venue is an old historic building preserved from the nineteen-twenties. During soundcheck, I have a hard time not staring at all the beautiful, gilded décor and the droplet chandelier hanging over the audience.
“Okay, ladies,” one of the sound techs calls to us over the god mic. “You’re released until call time.”
The three of us wander off the stage. “You want to go grab some gumbo? I’m starving,” Crystal says.
“You think they have vegan?” Lee asks.
“Not the good places, but that’s fine,” Crystal sighs.
“Y’all go ahead, I’m gonna take it easy,” I reply. “Just be back on time and careful on the spice level, okay? It’ll dry you out.”
Crystal grins. “We should start calling you Mama Mika.”
“Girl, I’m 2 years older than you,” I tut with a smile.
“Whatever, Mama,” Lee says. “We’ll bring you back a beignet.”
I laugh and wave them off toward the stage door. I prefer to stay in venues until showtime. If I go out and start exploring, it’ll be hard for me to stop. Plus, this venue is so awesome, I’m sure there’s lots of different nooks and crannies to explore. I leave backstage and make my way into the scarlet-carpeted lobby. It’s so quiet compared to the din inside, no one around. I wander around, admiring the vaulted ceilings and aged décor, a century old. Wow…
I lose track of time, wander in circles for a while, until I’m retracing my steps. Might as well head backstage and get ready. I turn down a hall to head back to the talent entrance but am distracted by the sound of someone’s breathing. I frown and turn around. No one is behind me. No one in front of me either… I take a few steps forward and spot an alcove in the wall where someone is sitting. I recognize the shoes, a pair of brown leather sneakers.
“Lucas?”
The breathing stops; it doesn’t steady. Just holds. “Mika?”
“Hey, you okay?” I ask, taking a few steps forward.
Lucas is rising up from the bench suddenly and rubs his palms down the front of his shirt. “Yeah, I’m fine! Totally, just taking a break before – “
“Totally,” I say with a smile. It’s clear I’ve interrupted something, but I’m not sure what.
His lips fold into a tight line and his eyes fall to the ground in front of me.
