Over Calix’s shoulder, I caught the grin spreading across Toby’s face.
“Your sticks are already on the bus. I put them on your bunk earlier so they wouldn’t get lost,” I told him before winking at Calix and skipping over to where Ruby and the rest of Red String Riot stood waiting to wave us off.
“You have so got this. Are you excited? You’re officially with the band!” Ruby grinned, pulling me into a fierce hug.
“I am notwiththe band, thank you; I’m their manager. You make me sound like a groupie or something.”
“Ha ha,” she deadpanned. “For real though, girl, you’re going to kill it. Don’t let those boys give you any shit. Also, just keep an eye out for the supporting band, okay? Keep to your guys.”
“I wish you guys were supporting the whole tour,” I pouted, glancing at the last bus in the lineup.
Significantly smaller than the bus the boys and I would be riding in, it was clear there was a hierarchy in these things. Compared to the artfully graffitied monstrosity that declared to the world it was transporting Goats and Vandals, their bus was subdued. An afterthought. In the front window was a piece of paper that had Blood Dirt spelled out in bold black letters. Nothing else about the black vehicle hinted at being a tour bus.
My thoughts skipped off their tracks as I noticed Toby leaning against the black siding of the vehicle I had been inspecting, chatting with a waif of a woman in ten-inch boots. Lainey, I thought. Lainey….Something. Blood Dirt’s bassist. I couldn’t remember her surname.
“She’s trouble,” Ruby muttered, following my gaze.
Toby dipped his head closer to Lainey, his hand skimming down the inside of her arm until he cradled her hand in his. I gritted my teeth, an unfamiliar emotion welling in my stomach, but before I could examine it further, he pulled back. Sharing a nod with Lainey, he tucked his hands into his pockets and strolled back toward our bus.
“We’ll be with you before you know it, I promise. One more thing.” Something about the change in Ruby’s tone set me on edge. This wasn’t ‘fun-loving rock goddess’ Ruby, it was ‘make sure business gets done’ Ruby. This was the Ruby who could hurt people with very few words if she wanted to.
She held out a small, yellow plastic case.
“What’s this?”
“Something I really hope you don’t have to use. It’s called Narcan. There are instructions inside the box. Make sure you read them sooner rather than later. If your boy overdoes it on opiates, that’ll wake him up and probably save his life.”
“What?” My voice hit a pitch so shrill I expected the local dog population to start howling in solidarity. I couldn’t administer drugs.
“Look, worst-case scenario, get Otis to help you out. I need you to take this, though, because I will never forgive him if we miss out on this supporting act opportunity because he overdosed before we joined you guys.”
I gave Ruby my best mom look.
“Fine, I’d miss the idiot if he managed to knock himself off. Look after him, okay?”
With a sigh, I tucked the box into my purse and gave Ruby one last hug.
“I’ll see you in Bismarck in three months.”
Ruby squeezed me back just as hard.
“It’ll fly. Let Otis help you and call me when you have cell service. I want to be up to date on everything before we join you. Do you hear me? Everything.”
“Love you, Rubs.”
“Love you, Tate.”
Chapter
Nine
Harvey
Opening.Fucking. Night.
Hell yeah.
The stink of sweat was strong backstage; the crowd deafening as they screamed Blood Dirt off the stage with the frenzy of predators closing in for the kill. The curtains rippled, and for a moment I was blinded by the stage lights as someone slid past me, chest to chest. Lainey. Her body looked banging in the tight corset she wore onstage, and it occurred to me that she might be just the kind of trouble that could help use up the energy of my opening night high.
