Page 216 of Fame & Chaos

Indi

Dee answers the door with her usual bright smile and bubbly energy, which somehow makes everyone around her feel instantly welcome.

“Come on in, guys, everyone’s already here. I made scones…” She pauses dramatically and gasps. “Oh my God, I sound exactly like my mother.” She bursts out giggling while Caleb and I walk inside. I laugh softly as she winks at me before we head down toward the music room, the heart and soul of this enormous house.

There’s always music somewhere inside these walls. Even when nobody’s playing, you can still feel it lingering in the air.

“Oh good, Caleb, you’re here,” Colt says the second we walk in. “Hey, Indi, it’s great seeing you again.”

“Hey,” I reply with a smile.

Caleb leans down and kisses my temple before heading over to sit beside Chad, while I move across the room with Dee and settle onto the white couch beside her.

“So as you all know, we leave for the world tour in two days,” Colt begins. “Well, technically we don’t leave immediately, seeing as the first stop is Wembley, but still, the tour officially starts…”

As Colt continues talking, my attention slowly drifts. Looking around the room, I take in all the people surrounding me. Legendary musicians, famous performers, rock royalty.

Including my boyfriend.

Sometimes it still hits me out of nowhere how bizarre my life is now compared to where I came from. Growing up, none of this existed for me. Not the music industry, not Oxfordshire manors, not world tours or platinum albums.

And yet here I am. Sitting in a room full of globally famous musicians while dating one of them.

It feels surreal sometimes.

Someone squeezes my hand gently, and I glance over to find Dee smirking knowingly at me.

“It’s all a bit overwhelming, isn’t it?” she whispers.

I laugh quietly and nod. “They’re all so talented, and I’m just…” I hesitate awkwardly. “A nurse.”

Dee immediately nudges my shoulder. “Just a nurse?” she repeats incredulously. “Indi, sweetheart, you literally save lives. That’s pretty heroic if you ask me.”

I smile softly. “That’s just training, though. What they do…” I glance around the room again. “It’s exciting. It’s talent.”

Dee’s expression softens like she understands exactly what I mean. “I know that feeling,” she admits quietly. “When I first got together with Colt, this whole world was completely foreign to me too. I didn’t know anything about rock music or touring or any of this lifestyle.”

She laughs softly under her breath. “It’s one hell of a ride, but trust me, it’s worth it.”

My eyes drift instinctively toward Caleb. He’s sitting with Chad, smiling brightly while arguing about something under his breath, completely relaxed and happy.

My chest tightens painfully, knowing he’s leaving in two days.

“How do you handle the touring?” I whisper.

Dee studies me for a second before standing up and tugging me gently to my feet. “Come on.”

I frown slightly but follow her out of the music room and down the hallway toward the kitchen.

“We can talk better out here,” she says. “Plus, I need coffee. You want one?” I nod instantly. “I hate whispering,” she mutters dramatically while reaching for the coffee machine. “Makes me feel like I’m conspiring to commit murder.”

I laugh quietly while leaning against the island bench.

“So…” she says while preparing mugs, “… touring.” I nod. “Well… honestly? When Colt and I first got together, I went on tour with him.” She huffs out a laugh. “That was absolute chaos.” My stomach tightens. “The jealousy, misunderstandings, the groupies, the drugs, the drinking…” She shakes her head. “It was hectic and pretty depressing at times.” My eyes widen, and she notices straight away. “But,” she says quickly while pointing at me with a spoon. “This tour isn’t going to be like that.” I relax slightly. “12GAUGE-Slayed aren’t reckless twenty-somethings anymore. They’re adults with families now.” She smiles softly. “Most of them are parents. They’re not interested in destroying hotel rooms and snorting drugs off groupies anymore.”

That image alone nearly makes me choke.

Dee laughs at my horrified expression. “The kids will all be there too,” she continues. “Trust me, nobody’s going to be acting like idiots with their children running around backstage. There’ll be rules, structure, security… and they won’t get away with much anyway because the parents see everything.”