“Never. I’ll get you a debit card on my account so you’ll always have access to whatever you need. I’m an open book, Wynter. I’m not worried about shampoo or shoes or anything else.”
She giggles. “Obviously, you have no idea how much shoes cost.”
“I mean, if you’re going to buy multiple pairs of thousand-dollar shoes, we should probably discuss that, but I’m not going to buy thousand-dollar anything without talking to you either.”
“Okay.”
“Does that stress you out?”
“The idea of not having my own money stresses me out a little but I’ll get used to it.”
“The only thing we have to worry about is health insurance. I never mentioned it to Sasha, but I will.”
“Yeah, that could be a big deal. The premiums alone could cost us way too much money every month.”
“Unless we got married. Then I could add you to mine.”
I feel her freeze. It takes twenty seconds or so for her to relax again, and I wait it out, trying to gauge how she feels about that idea.
“I want romance,” she says slowly. “I’m open to marriage but not as a way to get health insurance. I want the proposal, all the fun parts of falling in love and getting engaged.”
I kiss the top of her head. “Then that’s what you’ll get.”
And I already have an idea of how I’m going to do it.
Unfortunately, all of our plans are contingent upon Tommy and the band forgiving me for making an ass of myself.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Ross
I get to the venue in Baton Rouge at four thirty. The band probably isn’t here yet but there wasn’t time to go to the hotel first and then come here so I just came straight here. And despite this being my job for a decade, I feel awkward and out of place. Like most people, I don’t like having to apologize, even when I know I was in the wrong. I also don’t know how much the crew knows.
“About time you got back!” Pete gives me the stink eye as soon as I round the corner. “I’m doing double duty as Z’s tech and tour manager—and fucking everything that could have gone wrong in the last week, has.”
I chuckle. “Well, I’m back now.”
I hope.
“Good.” He thrusts a walkie-talkie into my hand. “Now I’ll have back-up.”
I pause. “Dude, I don’t know if I still have a job. Not for sure.”
He waves a hand. “You’re fine. Trust me. They missed you.”
Before I can respond, I see the bus pull up to the back gate. The crew is still loading in so there’s a lot of activity and I don’t think anyone can see me yet.
I’ve never been this nervous. At least, not with these guys.
But now they’re heading in my direction and I know the exact moment when Z spots me. He doesn’t miss a beat and walks right over to me. There’s a somber expression on his face and I mentally brace myself.
Then, to my surprise, he yanks me into a bear hug. “About fucking time you got your head out of your ass,” he mumbles.
I hug him back. “Thanks, man.”
He grins and heads for the dressing room.
Kellan, Devyn, and Kingston all say hello, with Tommy pulling up the rear.
