Page 15 of The Roadie
KIRA: If it’s meant to be, it’ll work itself out.
She silenced her phone and stuffed it into her pocket with a weighted sigh.Goodbye, Brett.
Kira’s excitement steadily mounted as she stared at Immortal Angel’s tour bus. It was a behemoth. Two stories high, with private bedrooms and bathrooms. It was a home on wheels. For the next twenty-nine days it would take nine adults and three kids across the country. She glanced at the row of people she’d be sharing all of her time with over the coming weeks. Angel, Tommy and Jessi, their kids Lucas and Tessa and the kids’ nanny, Damien and Alyssa, Jimmy and Audra, Jimmy’s son Mason, and Mason’s Aunt Mary.
Audra wrapped an arm around Kira and gave her a squeeze. “This is gonna be great.”
“I can’t believe I’m going on tour with Immortal Angel.” Kira blinked a few times. As a teenager, she had fantasized about the future success of Immortal Angel and their international fame, but she never imagined she’d be riding on a tour bus with them across the country. “I wish we could go back in time and tell ourselves how awesome our lives are going to turn out.”
Audra shook her head to convey her disbelief. “I never would have believed that I was going to end up marrying Jimmy Wilder, Immortal Angel’s notorious playboy drummer. Yet, here he is. The love of my life. Devoted husband and father.”
Kira raised her hand high above her head. “And here I am, the single one.” It was meant as a lighthearted joke, but it made Audra frown.
“Let’s see if we can do something about that.” Audra looped her arm through Kira’s. “Let’s check out the road crew.”
Kira sighed, not appreciating the reminder. “Stop trying to fix me up with roadies. I’m trying to forget about one, remember?”
Audra shrugged. “Suit yourself. I’ll be right back. I need to make sure Mason packed his electronic drum kit, or we’ll be heading back home before we even leave the state.”
Kira folded her arms across her chest and watched her sister walk away.
“Hey, babe.”
The raspy voice behind Kira made her suck in a deep breath. It couldn’t be him, but she knew it was. She turned to face Brett, her heart hammering in her chest. He threw his arms around her, lifted her off the ground and squeezed her so tightly it forced the breath from her lungs. She returned the embrace, happy laughter floating from her mouth and harmonizing with his. As soon as her feet hit the floor, he kissed her. Their smiling lips met with a heated exchange, his scruffy beard leaving a familiar burn on her cheek and upper lip. “What are you doing here?” she asked, hanging onto his shoulders and gazing into eyes that made her legs wobbly.
“I got a call about a job.”
“In New York?” Her heart sank. “I’m leaving to go on tour with Immortal Angel. Right now. I’ll be gone for a month.”
“Me too.”
She stared at him with confusion for a few seconds while she comprehended what he was implying. “Are you kidding? You’re joining Immortal Angel’s tour?”
“Yep.” He pointed to one of the three tour buses that would take the equipment, the road crew and the production unit across the country. “I’ll be following you every step of the way.”
She hugged him and let out a barrage of excited laughter. “I can’t believe it! But . . . how?”
“I got a call from Immortal Angel’s tour manager asking if I was available.”
Kira spun around to find her sister, who was standing near Immortal Angel’s tour bus with Jimmy and Mason.
“You’re welcome!” Audra called to her.
“Is it OK?” Brett asked. “I wanted to clear it with you first, but Audra assured me it would be, and she wanted it to be a surprise.” He bit his bottom lip. “I didn’t know if you’d want to see me again. You haven’t answered my calls or texts.”
“I know, and I’m sorry. I just thought that there was no way for us to form any kind of relationship. I don’t know if this is a good idea or not, or what’s going to happen when the tour is over. The only thing I know for sure is that I’m ecstatic you’re here. Like I said, if it’s meant to be, it’ll work itself out.” Maybe she was blinded by infatuation or it was just wishful thinking or some sort of crazy fantasy, but something gave her hope that their relationship could work. Time is the only thing that would tell if they had any kind of future together. But they had right now, and that was enough.
Brett looked over her shoulder at the larger-than-life tour bus. It was massive. He’d seen it in photos and on TV, but nothing prepared him for the life-size beast that Immortal Angel traveled in. “I’ve heard about this thing, but I thought everyone was exaggerating.”
“Wait until you see the inside.” Kira’s beautiful face lost some of its enthusiasm as she glanced back at the buses that carried the equipment and road crew. “I don’t want you to travel in a separate bus. We spend half our time on the road. You’re riding with me.”
The idea made Brett’s spirits soar. She wanted him with her. He wasn’t really sure up until this moment that he was welcome in her life, considering the way they left things off in Chicago. The call from Audra had surprised him, and he was hesitant about accepting the job, but she assured him that Kira still cared about him and would love to have him join the tour. Now, judging by her reaction, he had no question about how she felt. “I’d love to ride with you, Kira, but I think I need to clear it with the road manager first.”
Another laugh floated from Kira’s lips. “OK. Let me know if he gives you a problem. I can straighten it out.”
Of course, he knew the name Abelman outranked anyone on his team, but he didn’t want to leave his co-workers in the dust. He was the new guy on tour, and he didn’t want special privileges. “I don’t want to piss off the other roadies. That’s all.”
She wrapped her arms around him, and the scent of vanilla and cherry blossoms filled his nostrils with beauty. He inhaled deeply, remembering the scent of this woman and how it drove him crazy by tickling his senses. It ignited the memory of her skin and flesh and the way she tasted and felt under his touch.
