by D. Kelly
“Warren mentioned there’s a fitness bus. Is there a specific time you get to use it?” I’ve got to work out my sexual frustrations somehow.
“Nah, not really. We all like to exercise at different times, so if one of us wants to get on, we just radio the bus and tell them to pull over for a minute while we swap. It’s also got the biggest bathroom out of all the buses, which is kind of nice after a hard workout.”
“Cool. What kind of equipment is on there?” He’s so cute with his bed head and lopsided grin. Noah follows me back to the sitting area and Sawyer is nowhere in sight. He must have gone back to his room after Noah chewed him out.
“The usual … a treadmill, elliptical, weights, bike, rowing machine, pull-up bar, and some yoga stuff Anna and my sisters use. I usually go after practice if you want to come with me.”
Working out with him will only increase my sexual frustration, but his offer is so sweet I can’t say no.
“Yeah, sure. Thanks.”
“So how do you feel about the photoshoot tomorrow?”
“Ugh, don’t remind me. I’m not fond of having my picture taken, and SOS is insisting it be put on the book now.”
“You’re beautiful. You should have your picture taken, and often. Besides, it will be fun. They’re doing it with all our promo shots, so you’re not the only one who has to go through it. We’ll be miserable together.”
Isn’t it sad I can’t tell if Noah is being nice, flirting, or both? I haven’t dated in so long, I’m completely out of touch with men and their ways.
“True. At least I won’t have to suffer alone.”
“Alone is one word we don’t use often on tour. Wherever you go, there’s always someone underfoot.”
It’s not like I’m not fully aware of what he’s saying, but I don’t want to raise suspicion, so I nod in agreement and leave it at that.
“Okay … well, I’m going to get in the shower. I’ll see you in a bit?”
“I’ll be here, but I’ll try not to be underfoot,” I reply with a wink, but he’s suddenly Mr. Serious.
“You could never be underfoot, Mel. Just the opposite, in fact.” He turns and walks away quickly, leaving me in a shocked silence. I’m not wondering anymore. Noah Weston obviously likes me, and I have no idea what I’m going to do about it.
A few hours later, the buses stop and we all get off and have lunch. When it’s time to get going again, everyone piles onto our bus so they can practice. Darren and Wyatt bring over an acoustic guitar and a set of bongos, and both Sawyer and Noah pull acoustic guitars out of their rooms.
I know enough about guitars to know the different colors of the wood create acoustical variations. Their guitars are gorgeous and easily cost ten thousand dollars or more.
“What are you thinking?” Noah asks as he sits next to me making some minor adjustments to his strings.
“I’m actually thinking what beautiful guitars those are, but there’s no way you’re going to use those at the venue, right? You have to have an electrical acoustic to play for a crowd that big.”
“You know a good amount about instruments. Have you been doing your homework?”
“Something like that.” I’m not going to tell him my dad owned more guitars than any normal person had the right to.
“Yes, these are our guitars. They’re our babies, we’ve played on these for years. They’re the closest thing we have to kids,” he adds with a laugh. “When we first made it big, these were our major purchases. They’re all we ever use to practice with on the bus. The equipment truck transports all the equipment for the shows. All of our equipment is good, but these are special.”
Leaning in closer, I whisper in his ear, “So what’s with the bongos? I really don’t get why you have those.”
Goose bumps rise across his neck, and it’s obvious I’ve affected him. Noah doesn’t lose the moment, though, as he throws his arm over my shoulder and whispers back, “They’re fun and a lot easier to practice beats on in the bus. Darren knows his shit. As long as he’s getting the beats down, we don’t care what he plays.”
His eyes are locked onto mine, and all I see is a pure heart reflected back at me through them. With Noah, what you see is what you get. He’s the kind of man you dream of, and if I wasn’t on this tour, he’d be the kind of guy I could fall in love with.
“Alright, let’s get this going,” Sawyer calls out and sits down across from me.
“Ready to listen with an open mind, Princess?” he teases and tugs his lip ring into his mouth. I swear he did that on purpose to remind me of our kiss. What’s worse is it worked.
“I’m ready, but I’m not going to fangirl all over you.”
“You say that now, but you haven’t heard us yet,” Wyatt teases with an easy smile.
“Well, you know, if anything, I might fangirl over Darren. I mean, he does have those awesome bongos.”
“You can bang my bongo anytime you’d like, Mel.”
I know he’s joking, but it makes me feel sleazy since he and Belle are doing … well, whatever it is they’re doing.
“Such a sweet offer, but I think Belle likes banging your bongo enough for the both of us.”
He actually blushes slightly and laughs. “Well, the feeling is mutual because I like the way she bangs my bongo, too.”
“Jesus, just because there’s a chick on the bus doesn’t mean we have to come up with euphemisms for everything, does it? Grow some balls and call it what it is. You like the way she—”
Noah cuts Sawyer off, “Freaks you.”
“The way she makes you cream,” Wyatt throws out.
“How she takes you deeper and deeper,” I add, and Sawyer is trying hard not to laugh.
“Stop. You guys are stupid. You like the way she fucks you! Damn, can we move on now? This is what I get for trying to talk sex with a bunch of musicians. And you …” Sawyer says, pointing to me, “you know your music, which intrigues the hell out of me. You might just fit in after all.”
Is it wrong that his compliment flushes my body with need? I hate this. I don’t want to be attracted to Sawyer he’s … He’s like the sin I don’t ever want to repeat.
They start strumming a few chords, and I lean back against the couch, pulling my knees up to use as a makeshift desk in case I want to take some notes.
They sing their new song a few times. Noah was right; it’s sad, but it’s also beautiful. Their harmony is on point, and I’m blown away. If they kept doing this kind of music, they could tour another ten years and no one would tire of them.
Their lyrics trickle down to the end as their singing becomes even softer.
Your love is an illusion
Not given without strings
You can’t be mine forever
Not while wearing his wedding ring
You’re just an illusion
From a place deep in my mind
Where your love surrounds me
And withstands the test of time
“I think we’ve finally got it, you guys. That was great!” Noah exclaims, jumping up and high-fiving them all.
“Wow, I’m impressed, guys. I would have never known you had it in you to sing like that.”
“Thanks, Mel. It’s the title track to the album. It took Sawyer forever to write it, but he wanted it to be perfect, and he succeeded.”
Noah beams like a proud brother should as he sings Sawyer’s praises.
“You mean that was the song you wrote just after we met? Warren told me you had a breakthrough.”
“Shouldn’t surprise you, Princess. I mean, come on, from one writer to another, don’t you ever get inspired at the most random of times and end up with your best work in just a few hours or days? It’s the same for songwriting. Once you’re inspired, it’s all that matters.”
“I guess that’s true. So how do you decide?”
“Decide what?” Noah asks, inching closer to me.
“Co
rrect me if I’m wrong, but when you’re inspired, you write. And since you’re artists and spend a lot of time traveling, I would assume you get inspired a lot. So how do you decide which songs are good?”
“They’re all good,” Sawyer states simply.
“Okay … how do you decide which ones are good enough to go on your album and which ones sit in a vault of your undiscovered work fifty years down the road?”
“Sometimes, Sawyer comes up with a concept and we all decide we like it. Then we put our heads together and make it a song. Other times, Sawyer writes music and we do a blind vote to see if it’s something we want to work with.” Darren’s explanation sounds simple enough, but they’re artists, so there has to be more to it.
“And that’s it? You just agree or you don’t do it?”
“Pretty much, unless it’s personal and one of us feels strongly about it, then we’ll reassess,” Wyatt adds with a shrug.
I’m jotting down notes here and there, enjoying the fact they’re opening up to me fairly easily. Then I remind myself this is something they wanted, so it’s not like they’re being forced into it.
“Can I ask one more question, and then I’ll be quiet so you can get back to practice?”
“Sure, Mel, ask away,” Wyatt replies.
“Why Just an Illusion? What is the significance of it that you titled your tour, album, and title track all the same?”
Sawyer won’t meet my eyes, and Darren and Wyatt turn to Noah, deferring to him.
“Our cousin Jordan had one of the most fucked up childhoods you could ever imagine. By the time he was seven, he was living with us. Growing up, he, Sawyer, and I were beyond tight.”
He pauses and sets down his guitar with a sigh.
“Anyway, after all the shit that went down with him, he had this uncle on his dad’s side of the family who kept in constant contact with him. He was a real cool dude, but he passed away a few years ago. He owned a bar, and the name of the bar is Just an Illusion.”
Now we’re getting somewhere.
“When he passed away, we bought the bar and gave it to Jordan.”
“Sold,” Sawyer corrects him.
“Yeah, I guess we technically sold it to him. He refused to accept it as a gift, so he makes monthly payments on it. So when we first started out, it’s where we got our start. We worked our way up to places like the Whisky and the Troubadour, but Just an Illusion was always our home, and our favorite place to play.”
“So essentially, you’re paying homage to your roots,” I add for my own clarification.
“Pretty much. The big, private party in California in November is at the bar. Kind of a welcome back and a farewell all at once.”
“Exactly. Now you know the big secret and we need to practice.” Sawyer cuts us off, obviously uncomfortable with the topic.
For the next few hours, I sit and listen to them play. As much as it pains me to admit it, I think they’ve definitely got a new fan. All of the acoustic stuff is incredible.
Belle’s Colorado Update
Slammers!
It’s your girl Belle and I’ve got the 411 on last night’s AMAZING BAD concert. It was off the hook! I’d been prepared for a different kind of BAD, and let me tell you, the Bastards did not disappoint! The teenage girl deep within me broke free and the grown-up, professional version of myself was nowhere to be found. I think I fangirled harder than I ever have before.
On a positive note, I found out there’s a show in California that is going to be filmed and uploaded for free so you all can watch this tour again and again. It’s BAD’s way of giving back to all of you who have supported them throughout the years. Especially for those of you who aren’t able to get one of the elusive tickets. Speaking of tickets, you will no longer be able to purchase more than two tickets per person for the shows. Originally, the limit was four, but due to the ridiculous amount of scalping going on at outrageous prices, BAD and their label have decided to put an even bigger cap on sales.
I can’t wait to get back on the bus in a few weeks; a few days is not enough time to spend with my girl Mel! I miss her like crazy, but you all should know I got a sneak peek at her notes and this book is going to be HOT!
That’s all for now.
Don’t forget, live today like there’s no tomorrow!
Xs and Os,
Belle
Getting To Know You
I’ve been on the bus for about three weeks now with the guys. We had our photo shoot which I was stressing over for nothing. It was a blast to watch the guys taking their photos; they’re seasoned pros and know how to make it entertaining, for sure. Once it was my turn, every time the photographer went to snap my photo, Noah got behind him and did something to make me laugh. The pictures were some of the best I’ve ever taken in my life.
A few days later, they kicked off the tour in Colorado, and to say it was epic is an understatement. All five shows were completely sold out, the meet and greets were each filled to capacity, and the parking lots were overflowing with tailgaters who were content to listen to the music from afar when they couldn’t get seats. The photos from the parking lots are some of the best I’ve taken, and they’re really going to add another layer of depth to the story. This band is loved more than I could have ever imagined.
After Colorado, we went to New Mexico for another five days, and we just stopped in Arizona. Tonight and tomorrow, we’re actually in a hotel so we can have some space, relax, and do our laundry. Well, technically, the hotel does our laundry, but it will be nice to have my own room for a couple of days.
Warren sent me a text a few minutes ago telling me he has me all checked in and needs to speak with me for a few minutes in my room.
“Hey, Mel, wait up!” Noah calls, running to catch up to me as I enter the hotel. I pause for a second until he’s by my side.
“What room are you in?” he asks, bumping my shoulder a bit. The two of us have really started bonding the past few weeks. I think we’re going to be friends long past the tour.
“2034. What room are you in?”
“2036. We have the whole floor, and there’s security at all of the entrances and exits to the floor, so you’ll need to keep your all-access pass with you.”
“Warren already told me, but thanks for the reminder. I’m so excited to have some actual space to stretch out.”
He looks at me with a frown. “Mel, if you want space just say the word. My room is yours whenever.”
I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to his sweet nature, but I love him for it. He’s one of the few people I’ve ever met who doesn’t have an agenda. He’s genuinely a nice guy who likes doing things for people.
“It’s okay. I mean real space. Your room is nice, don’t get me wrong, but it’s all of what … an eight-by-five-foot space?”
“About that,” he answers with a grin.
“I’m looking forward to the thousand-foot suite I’m about to step into.”
“Totally get it. We all usually keep it pretty low-key and enjoy our time apart, but sometimes it gets boring, so if you want to hang out just text me or knock on the wall or something.”
“Thanks, I’ll do that. And you, too. I mean, you know, if you’re bored or want to hang out or something.”
God, I’m an idiot sometimes.
“Thanks. Well, maybe I’ll see you later,” he says, leaving me at the open door to my room as he waves hello to Warren.
Warren actually hasn’t been with us much. He came to the first show in Colorado and then had to fly back for some business, but from what I understand, he’s here with us at least until we get back to California for Thanksgiving break.
“Amelia, how are you doing?”
I drop my backpack and purse down on the chair and sit next to him at the table.
“I’m doing well, how about you?”
“Couldn’t be better. I won’t take up much of your time, I just wanted to discuss schedules
a bit. It’s been decided that Thanksgiving will be at the Malibu house this year. It’s large enough, and since everyone’s family is local, it’s an easy enough place to have a few days of down time.”
“What does that mean for me?”
“Excellent question. You’ll be staying there as well, and since it is the holidays and Belle is your family, she is going to stay there, too.”
My answering smile alerts him to my happiness.
“I thought that might make you happy. We want you to enjoy the holidays, so even though you’re working by observing, you are also under strict orders to enjoy yourself.”
“I think I can do that.”
“Great, now on to more business. Sunday, when we get back on the bus, I want you to start a rotation and keep it up until the end of the year.”
“What kind of rotation are you looking at?”
“I think it would be in all of your best interests to get to know each other better. Monday through Thursday, I want you to spend at least two uninterrupted hours a day with one of the guys.”
“Alone?”
He can’t be serious.
“Yes, alone. We’ll juggle the buses if we have to so you have one bus for two hours with whatever band member is assigned that day. I’ve emailed you the schedule, that way the guys see it’s coming from me and stick to it.”
So much for safety in numbers. Two hours a day alone on a bus with Sawyer or Noah is going to be difficult to juggle, but I can do it.
“Alright, anything else?”
“Yes, I … uh … Well, I wanted to talk to you about sex.”
“Sex?” I bust out laughing. “Warren, I’ve known about the birds and the bees for a long time. I’m pretty sure I’ve got sex down.”
His cheeks turn crimson as he laughs with me.
“Amelia, I just wanted to say there are no rules in place with you and certain band members. I know them and there would be no point. However, I wanted to put it out there that if you should get involved with any of them, you need to be mindful of the consequences. You’ll still be on the tour. If it should turn sour, it could make for an uncomfortable situation, as you well know.”
