It wasn’t until later that evening, as Chloe stood off to the side of the stage and waited for her cue, that the haze finally lifted. She wasn’t sure if it was the pulsing lights that reminded her of the club in LA where she met Walker or the hypnotic sound of Reid’s voice that lifted her memories to the surface, but it happened. She remembered. Walker met Reid in rehab. He’d joked about their common love of cocaine and how it landed both of them in trouble. Serious trouble. Legal trouble.
Chloe pulled in a deep breath and positioned her bow when it was time to step on stage. She smiled, laughed, and worked the crowd with Reid just like the night before. Her stomach fluttered with excitement, and adrenaline coursed through her veins. It was exactly the same, but somehow different. This time, Chloe didn’t shy away when Reid prompted her to address the crowd; she didn’t hesitate to step into the spotlight. She was a musician, an artist. If their onstage chemistry excited the audience, then she’d give them what they wanted. She would put on the show they expected and leave it all behind as soon as the lights dimmed. That was what a professional did. It was what she would do.
Reid raked his hand through his hair and stepped onto the tour bus. He stood silently at the entrance, taking a moment to concentrate on what he needed to do now, and not what he’d done the first night. He looked over the people who would be with him nearly every day for the next year, chuckling when his gaze landed on Chloe. Tucked in the corner of the L-shaped bench at the kitchen table, she bobbed her head and scribbled in a notebook, a pile of Starburst wrappers littering the table.
“We’ll be buried in those wrappers by the end of the tour if we don’t intervene,” Drew said, pulling Reid’s attention away from Chloe.
Reid nodded. “We should start a pool. Keep all the wrappers in a jar, and when the tour’s over, guess how many are inside. Whoever wins gets $500.”
“But are we going to include the ones she eats at the venues and hotels, or just the bus?” Inky asked in disbelief.
“Tour bus only,” Greer suggested. “If we keep all of them, we’ll get cited for excessive trash or some shit.”
“I can hear you assholes,” Chloe snarked, never lifting her eyes from her notebook.
Reid laughed. “Sorry, Chloe.”
She rolled her eyes and grinned. “Yeah, yeah.” After closing her notebook, she pulled out her earbuds and turned her attention to Reid. “Are we ready to roll out?”
“Yup. I’d say we should be on the road in about ten minutes.” Reid straightened his shoulders and cleared his throat to make sure he had everyone’s attention. It was time to make sure they knew the rules. It was time to remind himself of the rules. “There are a couple of things I’d like to go over before we head out. Now, unless you’ve been under a rock, everyone knows the last year has been pretty rough for me. Some of you obviously know more than others, but the point is, because of the last twelve months, there are certain things I can’t tolerate. Drinking is fine. While I’d prefer no one smoke weed on the bus, I’ll let it slide. However, if any of you are caught with something stronger than an over-the-counter stimulant on this bus, you’re done. What you do during off-days and in your hotel rooms is your business, but don’t come around me. I consider all of you friends; I’d like to keep it that way, so don’t test me on this. Got it?”
Murmurs of agreement echoed around the space. Reid couldn’t force himself to look at Chloe. She’d never asked questions about what happened, which was odd, but also a relief. However, he had no doubt she was at least aware of the media’s version of his life falling apart less than a year ago. His stomach churned as the familiar feeling of shame crawled across his skin. The air felt heavy and hot. Suffocating. He licked his lips and pulled the brim of his hat lower to shield his face. The longer the silence stretched out, the more awkward the moment became and the harder it was for Reid to pull himself together.
“I have something I’d like to say.”
Reid startled at the sound of Chloe’s voice. When he looked in her direction, his brows pulled together in confusion at the mischief written all over her face. Still unsure of his voice, he cleared his throat and motioned for her to speak.
“Since we’re discussing the tour bus dos and don’ts, I’d like to remind everyone of the number two rule.”
Reid chuckled along with the others as the tension leaked from his shoulders. He knew what Chloe was doing, and he could kiss her for it. Finding his voice, he stood a little straighter and finally met her gaze. While her expression was still playful, he noticed a softness in her eyes. It was compassion. Understanding. It was everything he needed without saying a word.
“And what’s that?” he asked.
Chloe rolled her eyes and let out a dramatic sigh. “Under no circumstances is anyone allowed to shit on the bus. It’s a sacred rule that, if broken, is punishable by those affected, however they deem appropriate.”
“Here, here,” Inky laughed.