offended they would bet a hundred dollars on me, but then I remember that they’re boys. And sometimes boys do stupid things, so I shake my head in my amusement and decide to let it go.
Zack has the decency to look slightly chagrined, probably more so at being caught than the actual bet.
“So…want to see my home away from home?” He steps back and opens the door and with a wide sweeping arm, gestures for me to enter the bus.
I actually gasp. There’s a stairway. On a bus.
I turn to him, looking completely flabbergasted. “Your tour bus has two stories?” I’m amazed, absolutely amazed. It’s a tour bus, and I have no idea why this place suddenly seems like the most exciting place I’ve ever been. But I’m pretty sure I’ve never, ever, heard of a bus having two floors. It’s insane!
Zack just waves me through to the living room, which looks like, an actual freaking living room. Four couches line the walls with a television larger than the one I have at home on one wall. The floors are wood, covered with an area rug. I don’t think it was possible, but my mouth opens even more. “With so many guys, and us being on the road so much, I wanted a space big enough where we weren’t completely stepping over one another all the time. So I custom ordered this bus last year.”
“It’s gorgeous,” I respond breathlessly. I follow him through the rest of the main floor. The living room opens into a full-size kitchen. We pass the kitchen, and Zack opens a folding door. I peak inside and see a smaller lounge area.
“I thought this could be your room. It’s normally a quieter lounge area, but the only other sleeping areas are the bunks upstairs, or my room. The couch pulls out to a bed, and there’s sheets and everything in the closet. I’d offer you mine, but then you’d be sleeping close to six guys and I thought that’d make you nervous.” He nods right outside the door by the kitchen. “There’s a bathroom down here. I told everyone else they have to shower upstairs.”
A part of me wants to take his room because I suddenly wonder what his pillows smell like. And then I realize that’s sort of gross, and completely uncharacteristic of me. Or it used to be. Zack has me feeling so many strange things from what I normally think and feel I have no way of knowing what’s up or right anymore. I’m especially confused when he stands so close to me I can practically feel him, like he is now. But I’m impressed he did this for me, because once again, his intuition was totally correct. I wondered if I’d have to sleep on a bunk bed, so the fact he’s giving me my own space is really, really sweet.
“This will be perfect. Thank you.” He sets my luggage down and we stand there, looking at each other like a couple of middle school kids at a school dance. I know that’s at least how I feel. I have the sweaty palms and butterfly nerves to prove it, too. Zack takes a few steps towards and I swear the closer he gets it, the warmer the air becomes.
“I’ll let you get settled.” I nod because I can’t speak. My throat is suddenly parched and I’m too nervous to say anything at all. I watch his every move as he turns to walk out and leave me alone. At the last second he stops and turns towards me, leaning against the door frame. He places his hands in his pockets and I can tell he’s trying to look casual, but there’s tension in his shoulders that tells me differently. I think he may be just as nervous as me right now.
“I’m really glad you’re here Nicole. Thanks for saying yes.” He winks at me and walks away leaving me to just stare.
I have no idea how long I stand frozen in the middle of my new small room, but I’m still standing there, when I feel the bus start moving. I flip through the last few days in my mind and wonder how, I went from being open to maybe dating someday, to ending up with front row seats and backstage passes to a rock concert, and now, on their tour bus for a month.
Whatever happens in the next month is going to change my life drastically. I can feel it in