Page 65 of Naughty Dreams
“That's not important,” DJ said. “We’ll manage. He's what’s important. I let it go on too long. We let it go on too long. If we’re brothers, we act like it. Right?”
Steve and Pete nodded. He saw some of his own relief mirrored in their faces. One day he would tell him how much it meant to him, seeing that, and having their support for the decision without a second’s hesitation. He shifted his gaze to Moss. “Just do what you can, and pull in Pete. He’ll be able to tell who can halfway manage it, and we’ll work like demons to come up with an arrangement that doesn’t expose the gaps too much.”
“Okay.” Moss nodded. “I’ll get on it. But the Atlanta Mission thing, should I cancel it?”
“No, just text me the details. I can handle it on my own. You work on this.”
“All right. I’ll head up to Charlotte. One of the guys I’m thinking of is up there, but it’ll take some face-to-face discussion.”
“No problem. Take the limo. I’ll ride with Roy in one of the SUVs.”
His stomach hurt like a bitch, but it was done. No going back. DJ looked at Steve and Pete. “Sorry. The flight’s bound to be awkward.”
“Not nearly as much as when Pete and Nancy were still together, and she decided mid-flight to Australia that Pete should ask her to marry him. She squalled and cried crocodiletears the whole rest of the trip. We really should have tranq’ed her.”
“Tranq’ed who?” Lonnie had emerged from the VIP lounge. She held up a handful of lime and cream hard candies. “Talked the lounge staff into giving us a bunch of these. Steve loves them,” she told DJ. “I also talked up Survival. Everyone is going to download the album that just went platinum.”
“Watch out, Moss, she’ll have your job,” Steve said lightly, sliding an arm around her.
“I may give it to her.” Moss was already scrolling through his phone as manically as Tal on a bad trip.
Lonnie’s gaze passed over the somber faces. “What’s wrong? What’s happened?”
Steve squeezed her shoulders, but before he could tell her, Pete interrupted. “You’re making me lose my bet. I told Steve you’d bail on us halfway through the tour, because you’d figure out following this loser around is a waste of your much bigger brain.”
“Well, I would have, but he gave me an incentive.” With a beaming smile, she removed her left hand from her pocket to show an engagement ring, a marquis diamond surrounded by garnets.
“Whoa, holy shit.” DJ welcomed the shot of much-needed better emotions. As he stepped forward to hug Lonnie and Steve, he could tell the others felt the same. Even Moss stepped down from the panic ledge. “That’s fantastic, man. Congratulations.
“You kept this way the hell under our radar,” Pete accused the guitarist.
Steve shrugged. “She deserved to know about it before anyone else.”
“I hear you, man.” Pete embraced Steve next. “You’ve gotten the best break of your life. And considering the fabulous life we lead,” he winked at Lonnie, “That says something.”
“She’s way out of your league, so stay rich and famous,” Moss advised. “That’s your only leverage.”
“Can’t hardly get her to let me pay for a meal,” Steve said drily. “She’s determined to show she’s not interested in me as a meal ticket.” He bounced his eyebrows. “So it must be something else I do for her.”
“Comic relief?” Pete queried after embracing Lonnie.
“Stop it.” Lonnie swatted him, but her smile was at full wattage, especially when Steve drew her back to his side.
“You’re the best decision I ever made,” he told her.
“Mine was letting my friend drag me to that party at the Met. I never would have found you on the stairwell.”
“Cowering from horny art matrons,” Pete said solemnly.
Lonnie looked around. “Where’s Tal? I want to tell him.”
As DJ explained, her mouth tightened, but she squeezed DJ’s hand. “You did the right thing,” she said staunchly. “He’s probably feeling out of sorts and self-conscious right now. I’ll go show him the ring and let him tease me about it. It will help him feel better.”
“Tell him he’s going to be a groomsman,” Steve said. “He loves to wear a tux.”
“You got it.”
She moved toward the plane with her quick, light step, a skinny girl with straight hair, gold and blue striped leggings, and the determination of a bulldog.
