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Calvin’s on the phone with our tour manager discussing our potential world tour. I’m undecided on it. My Viking roots are calling to me and a world tour would mean less time to develop the concept. It would also mean we’re even farther from Aurora.
She’s exiting the elevator, pointing past me as I enter the lobby.
“The tour bus? Really?”
Her friends give her a hug, whisper something, and she waves for them to leave.
“Hello, Aurora. It’s good to see you too.” I don’t mean it as sarcastic as it comes out.
“Why are you in the tour bus?”
“We’re on tour. It’s the only way we’ll have time alone with you.”
“What is that supposed to mean? We fit in the SUV last night. Where is it?”
“One of the stagehands is driving it. We have a show an hour away.”
“I’m not getting on the tour bus.”
“Why not?” I try to take her hand, but she shrugs away.
“Because I have things to do.”
“We need to talk about last night.”
“I’ll spare your vocal cords the lecture. You didn’t like my behavior. Thank you for taking care of me. You’re such great big brothers. I’ll get a ride back to my car.” She’s fucking sassing me.
I love it and hate it all at the same time. I crave her closeness. I crave her enthusiasm. I crave being able to sort out my very confusing feelings for her.
Shoving all of that aside, I strategize how to get her on the bus.
“We should have asked if you could spend a few days with us instead of just showing up in the bus.”
“I have an audition, and I have a job.”
“Do you have work today?”
Her bravado vanishes. “No.”
“I’ll help you run lines. And I promise, we aren’t going to lecture you about last night. We have a proposition for you based on something you said. And if you object, we’ll get you back for your audition.”
“Promise?”
“I’d never lie to you.”
With hesitation, she makes her way to the bus. She sits in the seat closest to the door and I take one opposite her. I drum my thumbs on the arm of my chair. It’s my nerves. I don’t know how we’re going to explain this. That we want her.
Now that she’s sober, it could go over like a lead balloon.
“What’s that you’re humming?” she asks.
I didn’t realize I had been. Was I actually loud enough to be heard over the road noise of the bus? I get too lost in my head sometimes. Most of the time.
“It’s a Viking chant I’m working on.”
Big D pipes in. “Yeah, doing his broody, melancholic Viking shit. It all sounds like either a death march or a war chant.”
Calvin is quick to add, “It’s something he’s doing on the side. The band is still going strong. Making bank.”
