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I tapped my screen to bring up flights from Winnipeg back to the East Coast. With multiple layovers of course. Not long ones, but long enough to make me think driving would be easier, if there was a car to spare. Which there wasn't. Everything was packed tighter than fish in a can.
I sighed and booked the next flight. "Any messages for the guys when I get back?" I asked.
"None I can say out loud," Roman said with a wry smile. "I wish I could go back with you but someone has to keep everything else in check."
"I'm sure Ripley will be happy to help you," I said.
He looked surprised but she looked pleased at the endorsement.
"I am happy to help," she said smoothly. "If I'm not practicing, that is." She had to keep her voice as tuned as any of the guy’s instruments.
"The best thing you can do is avoid talking to any journalists," I said. "Let me talk to the guys and put together an official statement and plan. Then we can attack this thing head on."
Roman nodded. "Keep me in the loop. And if you're going to kick some asses, leave me one or two. They could have at least given us some warning. But no, they have to go turning the world on its head and surprising us." He made a face.
I responded with a faint smile. "They're nothing if not spontaneous."
They were supposed to go home for one wedding. Instead, they ended up making headlines. At least it seemed to be for all the right reasons.
I hoped.
"That they are," he agreed. "At least life is never boring."
I snorted a laugh. "It's definitely not that." I glanced at the time on my phone. "I better grab my suitcase and see if someone can drive me to the airport." The tour consisted of several vans as well as the rig truck and tour buses. No doubt someone wouldn't mind taking me there. Especially they got paid a bit extra to do it. Money was always a good incentive for people to help.
"See you in Vancouver in a couple of days," Roman said.
"Right." I was halfway to my feet and sat down again. "I better book that flight too." I did that quickly, grateful the label was paying for all this travel. Crossing Canada with the cars, was supposed to save them money on my airfares, but that was blown right out of the water now.
Oh well, the label could yell at the guys if they wanted to. They wouldn't though, the Rock Dragons made them too much money. Enough they could get away with pretty much everything and anything these days. At least they weren't assholes. Most of the time.
"Poor Hales," Ripley said sympathetically. "You won't know if you're coming or going for the next couple of days."
"That's nothing new," I said dryly. "I never know if I'm coming or going anyway."
That wasn't entirely true. I knew I wasn't coming. I was what might be referred to as painfully single. To be fair, I was also painfully busy with work. I wasn't home very often and when I was, I was usually up to my eyeballs in emails, text messages and phone calls. The last time a guy asked me out, I completely forgot about the date until hours later. He didn't ask again.
"I think knowing that is overrated," Roman remarked. "I've just learned to roll with whatever happens and try to keep things from getting too out of control."
"We'd all be very lost without you," Ripley said generously.
"What she said," I agreed. "You're the glue that holds this together."
"Sticky?" Roman suggested, faint smile on the corner of his mouth.
Ripley opened her mouth like she was going to say something, or make an offer, but she closed it again. If she had a crush, maybe it was too soon for her to be that open about it, at least in front of me. That was fine by me. I didn't need to know the details. That would be like hearing about your brother and sister sleeping together.
No thanks.
"I think we're trying to say you're competent," I said.
Ripley nodded.
"Thanks," he said awkwardly, "I always strive to be competent."
"It's better than being called useless," Ripley said lightly.
He laughed. "When you put it that way, I'll take it."
