going all the way down
the sides of the bus. It's really pretty awesome looking.
“I love it,“ I tell Cage. “This tour is going
to be amazing.“
“You going to puke when you get up there on
stage?“ Kennedy asks.
I give him an exasperated look. “Did you have
to go there? Really?“
He chuckles. “Reality check, Luce. The fans
will be there but remember they're there because they're your
fans.“
“Uh, not so much,“ I tell him. “They're your fans. Falling Down fans.“
“Nah. Your songs are doing great on the
charts and your album is moving up fast. You got this,“ Ben tells
me with a wink.
“Thanks Benny.“
He sighs. “Luce.“
“Yes?“ I sing-song, batting my eyelashes. Ben
just shakes his head and laughs.
“Yeah, Benny,“ Sera mimics with a grin.
Ben sends her a look but it's not one of
exasperation. It's one filled with heat and promise.
Well, well, well . A budding romance,
perhaps? I raise a brow to Jesse and he shrugs.
Xander pulls out his iPod and Kennedy
swears.
I look at him in confusion; Ethan, Ben, and
Jesse all groan.
“What?“ I ask Jesse.
Just as Jesse opens his mouth, Xander starts
singing and I pause with my mouth hanging open. I stare in
disbelief, not because he doesn't have a great voice, because he
does, but because he not only sings the song, he also starts
grooving and dancing as he plays Candy Crush on his phone, totally
oblivious to the fact that everyone else on the bus is staring at
him. Xander isn't singing metal. Xander isn't singing rock. Oh no.
Xander starts singing, Hips Don't Lie by Shakira.
I look at Jesse who just shakes his head.
Meggie and Sera have their mouths hanging open like me, while Trace
just shakes his head and Jace starts singing along.
“Dear God,“ Cage says. “We're only an hour in
and he's already started.“ He shakes his head.
Kennedy nods grimly. “And so it begins.“
“Remember, sex is like a
Chinese dinner.
It ain’t over ‘til you both get your cookie.“
—ALEC BALDWIN
WE ALL SETTLE in. There are multiple conversations
going on at once but I don't engage. I can only think of the look I
saw Xander giving Lucy. I know that look. I give her that look.
It's not just a look of admiration. It's a look of longing and
affection. I don't think he's in love with her, but I think he's
pretty fucking close. Who can blame him really? Lucy's fucking
fantastic. Kind, caring, sweet, sexy as hell with a body that won't
quit. But she's my wife . I know he'd never try anything with
her, but I can't help the possessiveness that goes through me when
I remember the look.
Lucy's talking and laughing with Sera, Cage,
and Damian. Damian. That fucker. He acts all fucking innocent when
he's talking to Lucy, but the minute she turns her back, he throws
me a look that says, “I'm going to fuck with your world.“ He wants
my wife. Hell, he wanted her the day Trace and Meggie hooked up
with Blush at Nichols Records. I knew it then and I know it now. Him I don't trust. I've known him for a couple years now and
he's always rubbed me the wrong way. I don't know what it is about
him, but I just get a bad vibe from him.
Xander's sitting to my right humming some
Black Eyed Peas song, when he suddenly jumps up and starts dancing
in the middle of the bus singing SexyBack by Justin
Timberlake. He scared the fuck out of everyone with his outburst
and now they're just staring. He reaches a hand out to Meggie who
takes it and starts dancing with him. Lucy and Sera join in and
Xander hooks his iPod up to the sound system.
“Aww, fuck me,“ Kennedy whines. “Now he's got
chicks who'll encourage this shit too. There's no stopping him
now.“
Xander belts out a line from the song and
wiggles his ass in Kennedy's face. Kennedy lifts a foot to Xander's
ass and pushes him across the sitting area. The dude doesn't stop
singing. He just laughs and keeps right on going. I can only shake
my head.
Cage rubs his face with his hands then looks
at me.