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“Where’s that lunch?”
I laughed and tugged him back out of the studio. Campbell was all back to himself, but I knew LA was going to be very interesting.
Part V
Gold-Plated
29
Blaire
“You didn’t have to drive us,” I told Hollin as he lugged my two giant suitcases to his truck.
“I know, but Campbell said he was going to store the Rover and then hire a driver to take y’all.” He shot Campbell a look. “Pretentious shit.”
“Hey, I was just trying to make it easier on everyone.”
“What? You think I don’t want to drive the Rover while you’re gone?”
Campbell rolled his eyes. “Have at it.”
“Well, I appreciate it, Hollin.” I bowed under the weight of my backpack, full of recording equipment and all my work stuff.
Campbell reached out for it. “Let me get that.”
“Thanks,” I said with a smile.
My boho bag fell to the crook of my elbow, and I hitched it back up. I had half a dozen other bags inside of it, my iPad, and a spicy romance novel I’d borrowed from Piper. Still, I was sure that I was forgetting something.
“I didn’t bring enough hats,” I told Campbell, tugging on the Blaire Blush baseball cap on my head.
“Never enough hats.” He opened the back door to let me inside.
“Look, don’t make fun of me,” I said, sticking my tongue out at him as I slid into the back. “I like the hats.”
“Then, we’ll buy you more in LA.” He stole a kiss from me before closing the door and jumping into the passenger seat next to his brother.
“We?” I asked with raised eyebrows.
Campbell turned around, shooting an arched eyebrow right back. “What? You think I’m bringing you to LA, and I’m not planning to spoil you?”
“There was no talk of spoiling.”
“What’s the point of having all this money if I can’t spend it on you?”
“Well, I don’t know. But I don’t expect you to spend any of it on me.”
“I know.” He winked at me and turned back to the front.
“All right, kids. We’re set,” Hollin said as he pulled out of the driveway.
The boys bantered and fought over the radio station—Hollin opting for country and Campbell wanting anything but—until we pulled up to the private airport terminal.
I hopped out of the back, lugging my bag when another car pulled up alongside us. Nora waved from the driver’s side. She hopped out onto her characteristic four-inch heels and threw her arms around her brother.
“I’m going to miss you.”
He laughed and hugged her tight. “Shrimp, it won’t be forever.”
“I know. Not as long as last time or the time before that, okay?” She gestured to me. “You have to bring Blaire to Morgan’s wedding.”
“We will be there for your big Wright wedding at the vineyard.”
Nora smiled and nodded. “Good. It’s the biggest wedding I’ve ever done. Even at my internship. Do you know how many friends the Wrights have?”
“I have some idea if that pool party was any indication,” I said.
She shook her head. “This is going to make that look like nothing.”
“But she’s going to kill it,” Weston said, coming around to the other side with nothing but a duffel bag and a guitar.
“Is that all you have?” I asked in dismay.
He shrugged. “I’m used to packing light. Figure we’ll just be in the studio all week anyway.”
“I overpacked,” I whispered to Campbell.
He cracked up. “Maybe a little.”
“Have a great time,” Nora said. “And bring West back with you, too. I don’t want to have to find another roommate.”
West grinned down at her. It was not a friendly roommate look in the slightest. It was one that said he was this close to kissing her, if she’d only let him. “I’ll be back, Nor. Before you know it.”
She swallowed hard and nodded. “Better be.”
Hollin grumbled from the trunk about my luggage, breaking the spell. We all hurried back to help him get everything out. Campbell said his good-byes, and then we walked into the private terminal. I handed all my luggage off and then walked through our own TSA check. Then, we were escorted directly onto our own private jet.
“Holy shit,” West whispered behind me.
“No kidding.”
I’d flown private exactly once, and that was when we’d taken the Wright plane into Dallas for the Cosmere concert. That had been a plane full of my friends. This was just for Cosmere.
“The record label sent it for all of us,” Campbell said.
The rest of the band was already on board with drinks in their hands. I dropped my bag and took a proffered glass of champagne. West held his hand up, declining the drink.
We settled into our seats with Campbell at my side. My phone dinged right before takeoff.
Have so much fun and come back soon!
Oh, Honey. She was really going to miss me.
Taking off now! Talk in a few hours.
And then we took off as smoothly as anything I’d ever been on. The flight was full of laughter and, of course, music. Everyone had an instrument with them. Even Santi had drumsticks and banged on anything he could find. I joined in with them at the chorus of “Rooftop Nights,” which I knew entirely by heart now.
