“Whatever. Get out of here and please remember to text me. I’m going to be dying until you tell me how it goes.”
Reese gave Staci a last look, grabbed her duffle bag and purse, and walked purposefully toward the two big tour buses. This was going to be fine. She was a professional.
Before she even reached the bus, the doors opened and a pretty blonde stepped off the bus in bare feet. She was gorgeous in torn jeans and a fitted black T-shirt, showing off tattoos totally covering one arm. Immediately Reese felt overdressed in her black pants and fitted gray button-down shirt. She had debated about what to pack, waffling between being professional and more casual and edgy. Everything she had now seemed totally wrong for a rock tour. Maybe they could stop at a Ross. Or a Goodwill. Anywhere that she could trade in her casual professional wardrobe for jeans and less fussy tops.
As the woman got closer, Reese saw that just the tips of her hair were a bright pink. Sterling’s girlfriend? Part of the band?
“You must be Reese,” the woman said, offering her hand. Reese shook it firmly, trying to shove back her nerves. “I’m Morgan.”
“Morgan, right. Sorry. My boss made it sound like you were a dude.”
Morgan laughed. “I get that a lot. At least until people meet me.”
“Obviously. You don’t look like a dude. Sorry. I have a tendency to ramble.”
Morgan gave Reese a once-over, her expression curious. “I was expecting a guy as well. Daniel?”
“Yeah, last-minute change. His wife is pregnant and on bed rest, so he couldn’t travel. My boss said he talked to you?”
“Maybe he emailed me or left a voicemail. My inbox and my voice mailbox are graveyards. I’m a text kind of a girl. Not a big deal. You’re here and we’re about to leave in a few hours. Let’s get you set up on the bus and then we can talk about plans for Sterling. Sound good?”
“Yep.” Reese shouldered her laptop bag, purse, and small duffle bag, following Morgan back to the bus. “Do we all sleep on one bus?”
Morgan turned her head slightly as she answered. The bus engine was loud as they climbed the steps. “You and I will be on here with Sterling and the consistent band members. The other bus will have some of the sound guys, support musicians, and the gear.”
I’m going to be sleeping on a bus with Sterling James!
Reese’s inner fangirl let out a shriek, but on the outside, she held it together. Her nervousness at seeing him again after the incident tempered her excitement as well. “Sounds good. Whoa. This bus is insane.”
Morgan laughed again. “You’ll get over it by day two. You don’t get motion sickness or anything, right?”
“Not that I know of. Seriously, though. This bus is nicer than my apartment.”
The main room of the bus had what looked like reclaimed wood floors and dark leather seating with metal accents. Masculine and industrial. A few dark blue throw pillows made the lounge look a little softer. A huge flat screen took up one side, but every inch of space had a purpose. There was seating underneath the TV as well with a table that looked like polished concrete. The tiny kitchen area had an espresso maker, small sink, and stainless-steel fridge. Gray curtains kept the area dark.
“This is the main lounge that everyone can use. Oh, and our driver is up there,” Morgan said, already moving toward the back of the bus.
Reese stepped back toward the driver’s seat they had already passed. She hadn’t even noticed the bearded man doing a crossword puzzle when she got on. She stuck out her hand. “I’m Reese. Thanks for driving. What’s your name?”
He looked surprised, but set down his puzzle and turned to shake her hand. “Brett,” he said. He lowered his voice. “You’re the first one to ask my name. If you need anything, you just let me know.”
Reese smiled as he gave her a friendly wink and went back to his crossword. Morgan was waiting by a door at the end of the living area. She pointed toward a small door. “There’s a bathroom in there. Sorry to immediately dive into personal stuff, but basically use the bathroom only for peeing. Not showering or anything else. You got me?”
“Wow, okay. I won’t ask why.”
“It’s just the nature of toilets and holding tanks. That’s about all you’ll want to know without getting gross. We’ll stop a lot and stay in hotels along the way as well. If you have to stop, just ask the driver.”
“Brett.”
“Hm?”
“Our driver’s name is Brett.”
Morgan smiled. “Okay, so ask Brett if you need to stop. Your body will adjust to the schedule. And that’s all I’m going to say about that.”
She was suddenly glad that she had a stomach of iron. Reese kept having to push back her desire to text Staci every five seconds with details. The next section of the bus was a narrow area with three bunks on either side. Curtains were pulled in front of most of them. Morgan pulled back the curtain on the lowest one on the right side. “This is an extra bunk. You can set your stuff here for now. We’ll figure out beds in a bit. The guys aren’t here yet. I’ll let them get first pick of bunks. Unless you’re scared of heights?”
“Actually, I’m not a huge fan.”
“Just take the other bottom bunk, then,” Morgan said. “I’m sure the guys won’t care. Anything you don’t want to sleep with can go in the extra bunk.”
Reese put her purse and laptop behind the curtain on the bottom bunk on the left. It was a coffin-like space, but would probably be cozy for sleeping. She didn’t mind small spaces—just heights. The bedspread was a dark gray and she could see outlets and a charging station, plus some dim lighting.
Morgan eyed Reese’s small duffle. “I meant to ask—you didn’t bring a larger suitcase with more clothes?”
“I was told to pack light.”
“That’s really light. We have a tour assistant who handles laundry whenever we’re at a stop. If you need more things, we can do a shopping run when we get to Atlanta. You can get a pretty cheap rolling suitcase or something and we’ll keep it under the bus. Your duffle will be great for overnight, but you’ll likely want more clothes so the assistant isn’t having to constantly wash them.”
Reese felt so unprepared for the reality of this suddenly. As she followed Morgan back through what would be Sterling’s bedroom and his private lounge in back, nerves had her stomach clenching. His queen bed fit snugly against the wall where her bunk was. For the next two months, Reese would be sleeping with her head on the other side of a thin wall from Sterling James.
The guy who clearly still thought she was some rabid fan. Reese was thankful she got to meet Morgan before having to face him. Maybe Morgan would help vouch for Reese and would tell Sterling that she seemed normal and stable.
All the explanations she had come up with in her head for why she had behaved that way sounded ridiculous. Clearly, she would tell him the truth, but how much? Reese didn’t want to seem like a total dork who couldn’t handle one glass of wine. And she definitely didn’t want to admit to him that she had planned out their wedding when she was fourteen.
Morgan finished showing her the lounge in the back that was basically for Sterling and anyone he invited, since you had to pass through his bedroom to get there. “I want to check that everyone’s on track to get here so we can leave. Once we get moving, you and I can meet back here and start strategizing. The table is bigger and it’s more private.”
“You had me at ‘strategizing.’” Strategy always sounded good. It’s one of the reasons that Reese loved her job. If she could get past her infantile crush on Sterling and convince him she was a mature professional and not a fangirl who snuck her way onto his tour, things would be peachy.
Morgan pointed back toward the doorway. “Let’s head back out.”
Reese opened the sliding door and stepped right through, almost running into Sterling. Not now. She knew she would have to face him, but didn’t feel ready. She sucked in a breath and his face flashed with recognition. Jumping back, he lowered his eyebrows,
glaring at Reese.
“You! How did she get on here? Where’s security? Morgan, what’s going on?”
Morgan stuttered behind her. “Um, I don’t—wait, what’s wrong?”
Reese held out a calming hand to touch Sterling’s arm. He flinched back and she dropped her head, sighing. This hadn’t gone much better when she imagined it in her head. But he hadn’t physically thrown her off the tour bus yet, so maybe that was progress?
“I can explain. Could I just get a minute?” Reese looked to Morgan, whose eyes were narrowed.
“James?” Morgan asked.
In the small part of her brain that wasn’t freaking out, Reese made a mental note that Morgan called Sterling by his last name. Did he prefer that? She shoved the thought away. If she didn’t get to stay, it wouldn’t matter anyway.
“No way. She goes. Now.”
Sterling stepped sideways, making room for Reese to move past him and off the bus. She froze, staring up at him. Even angry, his chiseled face and dark eyes were hard for Reese to look at without her heart trying to shove its way out of her chest. That feeling coupled with her anxiety about this exact moment had her wondering if it was possible for a heart to burst from working too hard. Hers felt pretty close right now.
Morgan stepped up next to Reese, looking between them. “Look, I know you were against hiring a social media person, but you haven’t even given her a chance.”
Sterling’s mouth dropped and he shook a finger at Reese. Even his fingers were attractive. “That’s our new social media manager? Seriously?”
“I’m sorry,” Reese said. “If you’d let me, I think I could clear things up a bit.”
“Security will clear them right up,” Sterling practically shouted.
Reese was not going to cry. She wouldn’t. In her head she had a very serious conversation with her eyeballs about how they need to man up and put the tears away.
“What things need clearing up? I don’t understand,” Morgan said. “We hired her.”
“I don’t know who she really is, but I’m positive she’s not a social media manager.”
Morgan frowned and looked at Reese. “I did expect someone named Daniel.”
Reese sighed. “Call my boss. His name is Kevin. This was a last-minute change and trust me—” She looked at Sterling when she said this. “—completely unplanned.”
Morgan looked between them. “I don’t think you really need security for this, Sterling. I’ll call Kevin at Azul and check on things. I’ve been with Reese the last twenty minutes and I think I’d know if she was some kind of threat. This will give you two a minute to work out whatever this is. Does that work, James?”
He looked hesitant but nodded. Morgan closed the sliding door leading into Sterling’s bedroom, giving Reese a scorching look over her shoulder. She better not lose her job over this. I mean, the goal was to branch out and go solo or have a small team starting with her and Staci, but they weren’t ready. Not yet.
Sterling held up two fingers. “You’ve got two minutes to explain what’s going on. I’m not happy with what I hear, you’re out. I don’t care what Morgan says or what your boss says.”
Reese tried to channel her most professional face. “I understand. I’ll start with now and work backwards. Okay?”
He nodded but his stony expression didn’t change. Instead he leaned against the built-in wardrobe next to his bed, his muscles flexing against his fitted black shirt.
FOCUS.
Reese looked away from his incredible biceps and focused her gaze on his also incredible eyes. This was going to be more difficult than she thought. She cleared her throat.
“Originally, my co-worker Daniel was supposed to be your social media manager. But his wife just found out she’s on bed rest for the remainder of her pregnancy. He needed to stay, so my boss asked me to fill in. I said yes before I knew it was you.” She held up three fingers. “I don’t know if this is even the right gesture, but scout’s honor. I did not plan to be here.”
Still no change in expression. Reese sighed and looked at the floor.
“As for the other night, I have to chalk that up to alcohol. This is embarrassing but I don’t drink. Like, ever. Even making it through four years at a party school and out hearing music on Sixth Street, I didn’t drink. Anyway, I’m rambling. I do that sometimes. I was a little nervous about the meet and greet. So, I had a glass of wine beforehand. Which was, apparently, one glass too many. You had the pleasure of meeting tipsy Reese, who will hopefully never be making an appearance again. In my life.”
“How’d you get in? I checked the list. No one named Reese was on it.”
She shifted on her feet, not wanting to explain how she had found out about the meet-and-greet and managed to get an image of the passes used to make up fake ones for her and Staci. She had told herself at the time that it wasn’t exactly lying or cheating. She never thought it would really be a big deal.
“Um, do you really want to know?”
“Probably not. But if it’s a security issue, then maybe I should.”
“How about I talk to security about how to prevent any more enterprising people like myself from getting into those events?”
“That would be good. So, is that all?”
Reese nodded. “That about covers it. Other than me apologizing profusely and telling you that this very professional—if a bit rambling—woman in front of you will be an amazing asset to your team. I’m smart and I can help you. I’d also love to not lose my job.”
Sterling seemed to consider. Whether because she was so caught up in his attractiveness or because he was simply hard to read, Reese had no guesses as to what he was thinking.
“What about all that other stuff you said at the meet-and-greet? Marrying me?”
Reese knew her face was turning kind of horrible splotchy red. Other girls looked cute blushing. She always looked like she was breaking out in a rash. Or hives. She could see Sterling’s gaze flickering over her cheeks and neck. She fanned herself with her hands.
“About that. I’m a fan. Have been since you started. I may have planned out our wedding when I was fourteen. But I was fourteen. I have no idea why that came out of my mouth when I met you. It was like a sudden flashback. Again, I blame the wine. Plus, I never thought I’d see you again. If I knew I would be working for you, I wouldn’t have even come to that stupid thing. Not that you’re stupid or that events are stupid—never mind.”
Sterling seemed unfazed by her flustered talk. Reese needed to find a way to dam up the flow of words that kept pouring out every time she opened her mouth.
“Are you good at your job?” Sterling asked.
“The best. Daniel would have sucked if he had come. He doesn’t even like your music. I heard him on more than one occasion call it ‘ear-splitting’ and ‘derivative.’”
Sterling flinched. Reese covered her mouth with her hand. Worst plea for a job ever.
“No more talk about marrying me?” Sterling said.
Reese must have been imagining the way his mouth turned up at the corner. “No more marriage talk.”
Sterling uncrossed his arms and stepped toward her. How did he somehow pull off both hot and menacing at the same time? And why was he standing so close? The hair on her arms stood up. She could smell the musk from his cologne. When he spoke, his breath teased her cheek and she shivered where she stood.
“Good. Because I’m not marriage material. And you aren’t my type.”
It took a moment for the words to sink in because Reese had fallen headlong into his eyes the moment he stepped near. This close, she could see that they weren’t a flat brown, but almost an olive green toward the center and—Wait, I’m not his type?
He stood still, his face just inches from hers, as if waiting to see that she understood. Reese again threatened her eyeballs to stay dry. She could not let him see the way his words fractured her. They shouldn’t have. I mean, it’s not like she realistically thought he would want her. Especially
not after their first meeting. But something about hearing those words out loud, from his amazing and sensual mouth …
Sterling turned and strode away, pushing past Morgan as she came back through the door. She looked quizzically at Reese. “Hey! Where are you going? I talked to Kevin at Azul and she’s legit.”
“We’re all good,” Sterling called.
Reese heard the bus door slam. She backed up into the private lounge and sank onto the leather sofa, covering her eyes with her hands.
Morgan stepped back into the room. “Want to fill me in on whatever just happened?”
Reese groaned. “Uh, not really. But sure. I mean, I couldn’t humiliate myself any more. I met Sterling the other night at his meet-and-greet. I, um, had a bit of a fan girl moment. I only drank one glass of wine. But that’s apparently over the limit for me. I may have completely humiliated myself and given the impression that I’m a verified stalker.”
Morgan laughed. Reese found herself giggling. “Oh man. Well, I guess if that’s your worst moment, it’s not so bad. And we don’t allow drinking on the tour, so you should be fine. His dad was an alcoholic, so James hates drinking. Sterling, I mean.”
Reese was slightly reeling from that very sensitive piece of information Morgan dropped on her. “Why do you call him by his last name? Just out of curiosity. I mean, is that something he likes?”
“James is actually his first name. James Sterling. When he got signed, they flipped it. Sterling James sounds more like a rocker. I sometimes slip up and call him James, but he prefers Sterling now.”
“Oh,” was all Reese could manage. She remembered that Kevin had said that Morgan was a new manager. She was obviously missing a piece. “Thanks for laughing about this and not firing me.”
Morgan smiled. “Kevin said you were the best when I called. Actually, he said he was glad Daniel’s wife was on bed rest because you were a better fit for the job. Is he always that, um, what’s the word …”
“Awful? Unfeeling? Yes. All of the above. He’s a good boss, but I think he might be a robot underneath.”
Managing The Rock Star (Not So Bad Boys Book 1) Page 3
