Of course, Jimmy would be attracted to Chelsi. He’s the biggest walking red flag in the band. The guy who has a different girl on his arm every night after the show. Supposedly, he’s crystal clear about his intentions of having a good time for one night only when he meets these women, and it doesn’t seem to deter them. But I refuse to let Chelsi end up as another notch on Jimmy’s bedpost…or the tour bus chalkboard. However the hell this man keeps score of the number of women he beds.
I shake my head and give Jimmy the stink eye, attempting to silently tell him to back off. “This is my best friend, Chelsi. She’s my roommate in Chicago.”
“Second-best friend,” Jake calls, getting up from his chair and walking over to me. His arms wrap tight around my waist, pulling me in close and crashing his mouth against mine. There might be dozens of people around us, but all I can think about is him. The feel of his lips on mine. The way his tongue expertly strokes into my mouth. The soft moans emerging from my body and the heat growing in my core.
“For the love. Get a room, you two!” Chelsi shouts, waving her hand at us and rolling her eyes. “Are they always like this?”
“Yeah,” Jimmy answers, introducing himself to Chelsi.
The TV makes it nearly impossible to hear their conversation, but I can imagine how it’s going based on his body language. How he held onto her longer than needed after they shook hands. The way he’s blocking everyone else’s view of her—almost like he’s staking a claim and letting the rest of the band and crew know she’s off-limits. It wouldn’t surprise me if he peed in a circle around her.
Everything Jimmy is doing puts my best-friend radar on red alert. “Should we do something about Jimmy and Chelsi?” Iwhisper into Jake’s ear. Chelsi’s a grown-ass woman capable of making her own decisions, but Jimmy is… Well, he’s Jimmy.
Jake glances in their direction and shakes his head in disbelief. “Nah. Chelsi is too smart to fall for his nonsense. You should be more worried about Shane and Zac. The two of them will be tripping over themselves to get her attention. She’s definitely their type.”
What’s not to love about Chelsi? She’s vivacious, smart, witty, gorgeous, and unlike anyone else you’ll ever meet. Unapologetically herself. It will take a very special man to win her heart. And I’m confident that man isnotin Jake’s band.
Jake drapes his arm around my shoulder. “Hey, Alex. Have you met Kate’s second-best friend, Chelsi?”
“I heard that, Jake!” Chelsi shouts, stopping her conversation with Jimmy and joining Jake, Alex, and me by the food tables. “Don’t get the wrong idea that dating Kate somehow makes you higher up on the best-friend list. I hold the number-one spotpermanently.”
I shake my head, questioning whether the two most important people in my life will ever stop arguing over which one of them is at the top of my best-friend list. Can’t a gal have two best friends? If push comes to shove, and I had to pick, the answer would be obvious. Although Chelsi can make a kick-ass charcuterie board and ply me with copious amounts of wine, Jake gives me unlimited orgasms. We all know which one wins in that situation.
“Nice to meet you, Chelsi.” Alex holds out his hand to her with a stern look on his face—the only one he has, I swear.
Unlike Jimmy and every other guy in the vicinity, Alex doesn’t check her out. Not a single note of interest, making me wonder what type of woman would get his attention, if that’s even possible. He’s all work and no fun, from what I’ve seen over the past few weekends. Rarely hangs out with the rest of theband and crew, always focused on what’s next on his list. Exactly the type of person you want as your tour manager.
Within minutes, the rest of the band surrounds Chelsi, introducing themselves and poking fun at each other, trying to get her to laugh. Competing for her attention, just like I thought they would.
“Why don’t we sneak back to the bus for a few minutes while everyone is getting to know Chelsi?” Jake murmurs, his lips brushing against my ear. “I’m sure no one will miss us for the twenty minutes or so that I’m going to need.”
I nod silently, taking Jake’s hand as we inconspicuously head toward his bus.
As soon as Jake opens the door and steps inside, Chelsi calls out, “Have fun! I’ll make sure to knock when I want to come in later.”
I shake my head, heading up the steps and quickly shutting the door when I enter the bus. Locking it, just in case.
“Your boyfriend might become my new best friend,” Chelsi says, lying on the couch on Jake’s bus. “A deep tissue massage was exactly what I needed. The only thing that could make this weekend better would be an evening of hot sex. A man who gives me never-ending orgasms. The dream scenario.”
“Glad you enjoyed the massage I booked for you and Kate. Can’t help you with the latter request,” Jake replies, sitting next to me at the table while he messes with a demo on his computer. “Although I believe Kate is pretty well taken care of on that end.”
“Jake!” I lightly smack his arm as a blush creeps up my face.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Kate’s sex life is amazing. Tell me something I don’t know,” Chelsi groans. “Where have all thedecent men gone? Is what’s left in your mid-thirties a sea of assholes or men who live with their parents? And I’m not talking about living with their parents to save money: I’m talking about the ones who have no ambition to do anything with their lives and spend hours upon hours playing Fortnite or Halo on a couch in their basement. And don’t get me started on the guys who are on their third divorce. One divorce, I can handle. Two, I can consider, but I draw the line at three.” She sits up, pulling her legs to her chest and looking earnestly at the two of us. “Where ismylong-lost childhood best friend who is going to fall madly in love with me? At what point do I just give up and decide to become a crazy old cat lady?”
“You’ve got a while before that becomes your reality. Plus, you’re allergic to cats,” I add.
Two knocks on the door interrupt our conversation. Jake glances at me, arching his eyebrows to see whether I know who might be at the door. I mouth back, “No idea.” If I were a betting gal, I’d place my money on Jimmy. He struck out with Chelsi last night and went to bed alone, but I wouldn’t put it past him to make another run at her tonight.
“Come in,” Jake shouts.
Looking like the Southern princess she is, Anna strides onto the bus. Her hair is perfectly curled, untouched by the ungodly humidity outside, whereas mine is frizzed out to the high heavens due to the short walk from the bus to the green room, where the massages were located. Do women born in the South have genetics that make them immune to frizz and sweat? Because I swear Annaneversweats, she merely glistens like a goddess.
Anna joins us at the table, sliding onto the bench across from us and opening her laptop. “Thought we might go over a few things before the show. Give you both a quick update on howthe media circus is going.” Her bright blue eyes sparkle as she cheerfully grins.
Perhaps she has some good news. Maybe everyone is starting to lose interest in us.
“Sounds great,” Jake answers, closing his own laptop to give Anna his full attention. The exact opposite of what Jason would do in this situation.
