My Once and Future Love (29 page)

They were rehearsing for the tour again
today, so he chose a tee and jeans and his favorite boots, then
tossed the kit on the bed, remembering to do his hair. The bathroom
mirror was still steamed up, so he wiped it clear with a second
towel and smiled at his reflection. No need to shave ‘til gig
night.

“Thirty minutes!” Beth shouted through the
bedroom door.

“
Alright!
”
See? Did well not to
marry her, mate—an unrelenting nag.

Dodged a bullet, there.

Hair mussed in the did-I-do-it-on-purpose way
he preferred, he dried off, spritzed a bit of cologne, and dressed.
Downstairs, breakfast was spread out for him and he took his sweet
time enjoying every bite.

Beth checked her watch every two minutes and
tapped her foot. She had yet to learn that this world ran on his
timetable and it was going to be fun annoying her until it sunk
in.

The limo honked outside just as Jacob wiped
his mouth with the cloth napkin, belly full with Maria’s delectable
meal. She handed him a travel mug of more coffee.

“Thank you, love.”

She smiled, clearing the dishes, and he stood
from the table. Beth let out a sigh and started for the door.

“You’re a rascal, Mr. Lindsey,” Maria
said.

“Nicest thing someone’s called me all week.”
Setting his sunglasses in place on his nose, he walked to the door
in no great hurry, making Beth hold it open for him.

The foot was tapping the tile again. He
grinned and headed for the car, greeting Marty the chauffeur. The
star always got in and out of the limo first, unless he wanted to
wave goodbye. Jacob loved the ride of the Town Cars…some of his
best sleep in the past year had come from the smooth motion of
limousines. With Beth inside sitting across from him, Marty drove
toward the gate and onto the street.

“Why do you need a limo just to go to the
rehearsal space?”

“Company dime, company car. ‘Sides, it’s
safer.”

“Safer?”

“Paparazzi. So many limos in L.A., they don’t
know who is inside unless they follow it from the point of
origin.”

“Were they following us yesterday?”

He shrugged. “Probably. Don’t look so
alarmed. They’ll completely ignore you.”

“Why? I walk next to you.”

“Because you’re nobody, Beth, and your look
screams assistant.”

She bristled. “I just dress like a
professional
.”

“Exactly, pet. Employees are invisible,
except for enormous bodyguards. Any messages for me today?”

“Nothing you need to handle personally.”

“Brilliant. All that tedium is such a
distraction. Should’ve hired someone like you sooner.”

She rolled her eyes, but didn’t converse any
further. He turned on the radio and stretched his arms across the
back of the seat. She clearly thought her position was unnecessary
and he should be handling it on his own. He chuckled inwardly. The
girl had no idea how hectic his life could be.

Dress rehearsals were set up in a building
big enough for the whole stage and light and sound rigging.
Experienced roadies put up the stage in new locations every night
in just a few hours. The design was simple for his band—just the
rigging with a screen hanging behind the drum kit displaying their
videos. Each song had a routine for the lights, and they had the
best sound men available, so these last few days were about the
band hammering out the order of the set.

“A lot of cables runnin’ about, so watch
where you step, yeah?” he told Beth.

“Where should I be?”

“Within earshot and out of the way. Keep me
in water bottles.”

“Okay…where do I get those?”

“I dunno. Should be an ice chest around
somewhere.” He hopped up on stage and greeted Bob with a slap on
the back.

Really, did he have to guide her to
everything?

“Your new assistant looks a little lost,” Bob
teased.

“She’ll catch on.”

“By Sunday?”

“It’s a matter of pride to her to excel. I
could make her life hell and she won’t admit defeat.”

A brow arched on his friend’s face. “That the
plan?”

“Nah.” Jacob flipped through the
songbook.

“But she doesn’t know that, does she?”

“Bob…you think I’d be that mean? I’m
hurt.”

“Bullshit.” He grinned. “I think you enjoy
gettin’ under a woman’s skin, that’s what I think, and I know
you’re not telling me all of the history between you.”

“Now who has conspiracy theories.”

“One of you will tell me, man. I got plenty
of time to wear you down.”

Jacob laughed. “You’re welcome to try, mate.
Welcome to try.”

****

That first week was a blur, and I fought off
information overload. Now I knew what Maria meant about eating when
I could.

It was Sunday now and I had a little time for
myself for a little prudent shopping to flesh out my wardrobe for
the trip. He warned me we’d be going to places with snow, but I was
limited to one large suitcase. With six people sleeping on the bus,
it was going to be crowded.

We were leaving at night for some insane
reason. I triple-checked my gear and prayed I hadn’t forgotten
anything, butterflies dancing the rumba in my belly.

Me, with five men my general age. In close
quarters. For
three months
. I fought off my body’s fourth
attempt at a panic attack.

“Beth! Shake a leg!”

“Coming!” I tossed my laptop backpack over my
shoulder, grabbed the handle of my suitcase, and walked out of the
guest house. Jacob shut the door behind me, locking it.

“Ready?”

“No.”

He grinned. “Too bad. Car’s waiting out
front.”

“Yeah.”

He surprised me by taking my suitcase, and
led the way. “Been out of Cali in a while?”

“Nope.”

“We’ll have to initiate you.”

“Don’t think I like the sound of that.”

“Trust me.”

Famous last words…

We were the last of the band to arrive. They
greeted us all at once; a trait I’d learned was their thing. The
bus was accompanied by a caravan of big freight trucks, probably
with all the technical equipment. Jacob took his guitar out of the
limo and let a minion get the rest of the luggage. So far, I hadn’t
seen him let anyone touch that guitar.

No one paying attention to me, I entered the
bus alone. Wow. I’d heard these things were luxurious, but this was
like a narrow house on wheels. Shiny.

“Can I help you, miss?”

I turned. A man in a uniform stood near the
door.

“I’m just looking around. Haven’t been on one
of these before.”

“Ah. Well, this is a customized unit.
Normally, this model has twelve bunks, but more space was
requested. There’s a kitchen, toilet, shower, and the living room
in back converts to a bed.”

“Oh. Thanks.”

“Here she is,” Bob said. He came up the steps
and inside.

“Just getting to know the place.”

The rest of the band followed Bob. Jacob
squeezed past them to come to my side. He guided me to the
back.

“I want you to take this room at night so
you’ll have privacy.”

“I don’t need special treatment--”

“Beth, put aside the feminist argument for a
second and listen. You’re going to want the back bunk. My mates…I
love ‘em, but they’re not used to livin’ with girls.”

“What does that mean?”

He sighed. “That they’re a little rough
around the edges. Especially Aaron. Kid’s wicked talented, but he’s
only nineteen. Mikey has the worst gas you can imagine at night,
Dylan’s not particularly friendly to strangers, and Bob’s a hard-on
lookin’ for a place to happen. You’ve done a bloody great job your
first week and I don’t want us to run you off.”

“Fine…but I’m agreeing under protest.”

“Noted.” He grinned. “Stash your gear and
come forward to take a seat.”

“Okay.”

I put my backpack in an overhead compartment
and rejoined the group. They each had a beer bottle in hand. Jacob
handed me one.

“I don’t drink, remember?” God, he
should
, of all people.

“We’re toasting the kick-off of the tour, so
clink your bottle with the rest.”

I smiled and humored him. Lesson the first:
touring musicians don’t care about open-carry laws, and neither did
their driver. All he told them to do was sit down.

I watched their dynamic and listened. I
didn’t expect to be one of the gang, being new and a girl, but I
hoped they’d at least see me as a benign presence.

Chapter Three

When Aaron and Mikey started a debate on the
best rock band of the ‘80s, Bob sat next to me.

“What’s your story, honey?”

“Jacob warned me about you,” I said
quietly.

He grinned, hazel eyes sparkling. “Did he? I
could say Jake’s no angel, either, but you probably know that.”

Understatement of the decade. “I don’t read
tabloids.”

“I do. I like to know what they’re saying
about us.”

“Doesn’t it piss you off?”

“Nah. If it was really personal, like family
or some shit, maybe, but who cares if they say I banged a girl in a
janitor’s closet?” He took a long swallow from his bottle. “So.
Jake said you’re old chums.”

“From high school.”

He whistled. “You two ever hook up?”

I wondered what Jacob really told him. “We
were neighbors, and I was his math tutor.”

“You’re got stories, though.”

“Bob, I’m not sharing anything he doesn’t ask
me to.” Not that I wanted them knowing about my private life,
either.

He smiled and said, “Good.”

“You were testing me.”

He nodded once. “He’s been my best friend for
three years. No one can fuck with a guy’s life like a chick, no
offense.”

“None taken. I think.” Would they all put me
through Twenty Questions?

Jacob came to the table. “Bob, I told you,
man. Beth’s like a hound. Never known someone more dependable.”

Old Reliable, that’s me. The way he put it
nagged at my insecurities. Dependable, reliable, and faithful
translated into
boring and un-dateable
. I bet the girl that
answered his phone with the sexy voice that night never got cheated
on. I’d only been with one person since Jacob, and Nathan didn’t
know the real me.

Once I figured out the boys were going to be
night-owls, I asked Jacob if he needed me for anything (he didn’t),
and called it a night. I was the early riser and it’d be my job to
make coffee and start breakfast.

One touch of a button turned the room into a
full-size bed. Not fair when my boss was stuck in a bunk, but oh,
well. If anyone asked, I’d say of course he had the big bed. He was
the star.

I hoped to fall asleep soon, but my body
wasn’t having it. The boys were kinda loud, this wasn’t my bed, the
feeling of moving didn’t sit right, and my ex was right outside the
door. I put the pillow on top of my head and hoped I’d get used to
this soon, because right now, I wanted to go home.

****

My bladder woke me at seven. I peeked out my
door, heard snoring, and made a beeline for the bathroom. Really
didn’t want to get caught in my PJ’s. Once that was done, I turned
on the coffeemaker and slipped back to my room to get dressed. My
phone buzzed with a text from the road manager asking for our ETA.
With my jeans buttoned and a t-shirt on, I crept forward to talk to
the driver.

“Good morning,” I whispered.

“Mornin’, miss. What can I do for you?”

“I was wondering when we might be arriving at
the venue.”

“One o’clock, maybe. Noon, if we don’t run
into traffic once we hit city limits.”

“Thanks.” I sent the text reply and stowed
the phone in my back pocket.

The coffee woke Bob first. He nodded to me on
his way to the bathroom. From what I could gather, he was the
closest in age to Jacob, with Aaron the youngest. I already
expected to have to wake him today. When Dylan stirred next, I got
up from my breakfast and turned my bedroom back into the living
room.

I came back out to run face-first into
Jacob’s chest. “Sorry.” Oh, God…he still smelled like
Obsession
.

He shrugged. “How’d you sleep?”

“It’s a strange bed, but I’m okay. You?”

“I can sleep on a rock, remember?”

Vividly. “A lot can change in five
years.”

“Not everything.” There was a strange light
in his eyes that made me shiver.

“I guess.” My lust for things Jacob-shaped
certainly hadn’t gone away. “Well, I left my plate, so…”

“Of course.” He pressed his body flat against
the wall to let me by.

Lesson the second: the guys didn’t care if
they ate breakfast in their underwear in front of me. Jacob wore
sweatpants and Dylan had a t-shirt on, but the other three were
only in boxers. Guess I should be grateful no one slept in the
nude.

They had showers at the venues, so at least
we wouldn’t have to deal with that awkwardness. I didn’t care where
I had to go--I wasn’t going to bathe in earshot of six men.

“Beth…
Beth
.”

“Huh?” Caught with my mind wandering
again.

“How much longer are we stuck on this thing?”
Jacob asked.

“’Til noon, maybe.”

They groaned.

“Watch TV or something,” I said. “This thing
came with entertainment.”

They split between watching a DVD and playing
Playstation 3, Jacob taking his guitar to the back. I followed and
checked my laptop for e-mails.

“Working on something new?” I asked.

“Kinda. There’s pressure, you know, after a
debut. Everybody asks when the next album will come as soon as the
first is on the shelves.”

“Sorry.”

“Eh, goes with the territory. But they won’t
push unless we take a year to start recording demos again.”

I looked up from my screen. “You like all
this?”

He nodded right away. “Hell yeah. Livin’ the
dream.”