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Lauren gave him a smack on the backside. “You look totally hot in that.”
“Hey, hey, hey. I’m right here,” Augie said.
“Well, then, you’d better not look.” Lauren’s reply was tart and sassy.
Inside the stretch Escalade, hidden by the deeply tinted windows, Lauren settled next to Danny on the pristine leather seats. Augie sprawled in the seat opposite them. They picked up Stevie and Gabby on the way, and once they were in the car, Augie popped the champagne. Lauren raised her glass as the limo pulled out into traffic.
“Here’s to a rockin’ night out,” she said. They all echoed the sentiment and clinked glasses.
The vehicle rolled to a stop for a red light. A group of people on the sidewalk bobbed their heads and stared, trying to get a glimpse of who was inside. All those prying eyes made Danny edgy and uncomfortable.
“How do you get used to the people staring at you?” he asked.
“You learn to live with it,” Stevie said. Danny didn’t believe him.
The driver’s voice drifted over the intercom. There were a few cars ahead of them, but he’d have them all to the main door in a few minutes.
“What are the Vegas odds on how late DJ is?” Augie asked.
Stevie’s prediction of fifteen minutes elicited an unladylike snort from Gabby. “Fifteen? That’ll be the day. Thirty at least. You all know he’s the girl of the group. Takes him forever to get ready.”
The limo erupted with laughter. It was a common joke among the band that only DJ could put so much effort into looking like he’d made no effort at all. Danny leaned over and glanced out the window again. There was a knot of about two dozen reporters and photographers standing to one side of the hotel entrance. His stomach turned over, churning the champagne. He wished he’d eaten more.
The driver came around to open the door for them. Stevie got out first and reached back to help Gabby. She was wearing a short dress that showed off her very long legs and some of the reporters shouted questions to Stevie. Augie followed and some random woman in the crowd screamed, “Augie, I love you!” He blew her a kiss and got, “I want to have your babies!” in response.
Danny was next and held his hand out for Lauren. Camera flashes exploded as soon as her first boot emerged. Danny’s head spun—the evening was just getting started and it already felt out of control. Lauren smiled for the photographers. Cries of “Lauren, over here!” rang out and she turned back and forth for a moment, letting them get their fill. Then she slid her arm through Danny’s—eliciting another volley of photographs—and they walked into the hotel.
“And that,” Stevie said, clapping Danny on the shoulder, “was your first press walk. Well done, mate!”
Bruno was waiting for them. Dressed in an off-the-wall suit, including a lavender jacket with throwback Eighties shoulder pads and pants with a blue-violet and lime green paisley print, Bruno certainly stood out in a crowd—and that was a statement considering the unusual ensembles on some of his guests. He had sunglasses à la Elton John tucked on top of his slicked hair. When he saw Lauren and the others, he threw his arms open wide.
“Darlings! Look at you! You look fabulous!” He greeted and hugged his way through the group, and then stopped. “What? No DJ? No Ox?”
“On their way,” Lauren said.
“Well, then I will see all of you later for a group photo op! Enjoy the party!” He turned and was swallowed up by the crowd. All Danny could do was stare and blink in Bruno’s wake.
Inside the ballroom, there were two bars and a long buffet table smothered with food. He was happy to see that, in addition to the requisite cheese and fruit trays, there were at least a few appetizers—like cheeseburger sliders—that he recognized. There was also a separate table with a chocolate fountain surrounded by bowls of fruit, marshmallows, pretzels, and a dozen other things to be dipped and eaten.
“Something to drink?” Augie asked.
“Just a beer,” Lauren said.
“Same for me,” said Danny. “Thanks.”
While Augie was getting the beer, there was some commotion across the room. Three young men with spiky bleached hair were laughing and joking, being a tad too loud and flamboyant.
“Who are they?” Danny asked.
“Those are the guys in Roughhouse,” Lauren said. “They’re one of Bruno’s new bands. Their first single just came out. A little too punk for my taste, but they’ve got a lot of potential.”
“I remember being young and stupid,” Augie said as he rejoined them.
“Remember?” There was laughter in Lauren’s voice. She took the beer he offered her.
“Dude,” Augie said, feigning offense.
“They make me glad I don’t have daughters.” Danny watched them with a critical eye. Those three were pretty much every father’s worst nightmare. His attention was pulled away when Augie saw Ox across the room.
