Page 28 of Animal Beats

Inside the private room, I hang up the dress and take a long breath. If only I didn’t have financial responsibilities and could purchase such a frivolous item. I shake my head. I love my sister—she’s worth it.

Nese calls from the waiting area. “Hurry up!”

I stop woolgathering, strip, and slip the dress over my head. I zip it up most of the way, then complete the look with the shoes. Which are about two sizes too big. Leaving them on the floor, I open the door. “The shoes don’t fit.”

She waves. “I’ll find another pair. The dress is divine. Turn around.”

I allow myself to indulge in the experience. Which is free. I face away from her.

“Stop!” Nese rushes forward and finishes zipping it up. “There. Perfect. It was made for you. Now spin.”

I follow her instructions, wishing I could make her happy and add it to my wardrobe. Guess my dress will have to be someone else’s. Noise over at the registers catches my attention. “Let me take it off. UC’s finishing up.” I offer her my back, which she unzips.

In the dressing room, I change into my own, tired clothes. I purchased most of my entire wardrobe from local thrift stores before the tour took me away from my work-from-home clothing of leggings and oversized t-shirts. This singular dress costs two times more than everything in my luggage.

“I’ll let them know we have one more thing.”

“I wish. I told you before I can’t buy this, Nese.” Might as well be honest. “It’s too expensive.” I return the dress to its hanger and give it one last, longing look. Maybe in another life. On impulse, I grab my camera and click. I’ll put it on my vision board. Someday.

In the waiting area, the band assembles around Nese. Time to return to being Río’s babysitter. I pause. He’s been pretty easygoing actually. Aside from the first night when he went out to a club, he hasn’t tried to pull anything. Is he changing his ways … or is he overdue? This notion propels me out of the dressing room fast.

The drummer’s never quiet for long.

9

RÍO

Hayden emerges from a dressing room, holding her camera. She takes a group shot where I ham it up, playing imaginary drums on Coop’s back. She tells us she’s going to post them on our socials. “Your fans will eat this up.”

Never one to let such an easy opening sail by, I stick out my tongue. “I’m down with that!”

Tris—of all people—shoves my shoulder. “Give it a rest. I don’t want to get kicked out of Spain, too.”

I raise my hands as if in surrender. “I know nothing!” We all crack up.

“Hey,” Luke says. “I heard about this great restaurant around the corner. Who wants to try it out?”

The newlyweds exchange glances. Bennett says, “We’ll pass. Jenna arranged for a massage back in the room.” He wiggles his eyebrows. “A couple’s massage, if you get my drift.”

Our manager lifts his palm. “No more details. We get enough from Río.”

My hand flies across my heart. “I’m wounded. I’ve been an exemplary rock star since Rome. Two whole days ago.”

“Shit. That’s like a new record,” Coop notes. “He’s due.”

Our bassist chimes in, “That’s why Hayden’s here. Keeping him in line.”

F-that. I follow my own beat. “You do you. I don’t comment on your choices.” Time to get out of here. “Go to the stupid restaurant by yourselves. See you at soundcheck.”

As is usual, I leave my bags of new clothes to be delivered to the hotel’s front desk and exit the shop. On the street, I take a deep breath of Barcelona air and look around. Some sort of archaeological site calls to me and I set off in its direction.

“Río!”

I hear my name being called from behind me. Babysitter. Not needing another reminder of what a fuckup I am, I keep walking until I reach a crosswalk. Hands beating against my thighs, I wait for the light to turn. Which doesn’t happen soon enough, because Hayden catches up to me. Wisely, she steers clear, merely shadows me as I step into the almost-empty site—guess the buildings aboveground carry more weight with tourists—which proclaims to give a glimpse into earlier civilizations.

I walk around one level, noticing another one below. Barcelona’s been rebuilt several times, or at least there are various levels of civilizations on top of each other. My annoyance at being supervised melts as I read about all the prior lives here.

Since she’s literally shadowing me, I point to some ancient pottery. “Hard to imagine people used this as silverware hundreds of years ago.”