backstage passes when you’re on your first world tour.”
“Right,” I muttered dismissively but feeling the panic and thril slice through me again.
“Right,” Hector replied firmly.
The door opened and I was saved from further discourse with Hot Hector by my loud band storming in, led by Mace.
It took Mace a mil isecond to notice Hector and I in a close squeeze in the kitchen and it took another mil isecond for his temper to flare.
“What the f**k?” he asked.
“I was making coffee,” I explained immediately, sounding stupid.
“Thank God. Coffee!” Leo exclaimed, making a beeline toward the kitchen.
“Be cool, hombre. We were just havin’ a chat,” Hector put in, exiting the kitchen as Leo entered.
“I hope that f**kin’ coffee’s strong,” Hugo grumbled.
“A chat?” Mace asked.
“Yeah, nothin’ to get excited about,” Hector replied but I watched and Mace didn’t look like he believed Hector.
“Is there gonna be enough coffee for everyone?” Buzz asked.
“It’s not even finished brewing yet!” Pong shouted like the coffee was going to take three years to brew and that was the only sustenance he was al owed.
Juno shifted her big dog body out of the smal space as the male, human, Blue Moon Gypsy bodies pressed toward the coffeepot. I took my opportunity and fol owed her.
I was done.
D-o-n-e, done.
I stomped straight to the bed, Juno leading the way, and when we made it there, she jumped up on the bed and I looked at her.
“Why me?” I asked my dog.
Juno woofed.
“Why can’t I be a lesbian?” I continued.
Juno sat down, her tail sweeping the bedclothes in a wide arc, her tongue lol ing out the side of her mouth, her inability to speak English hindering our counseling session.
“Why couldn’t I form an al -girl band like The Go-Gos?” I went on.
“The Go-Gos! Surfer-girl music? Shee-it. You crazy?” Hugo cal ed from behind me.
I turned so my back was to the bed and flopped down, threw my arm over my eyes and tried to pretend I was on a beach. A deserted beach. A deserted beach thousands of miles away from civilization.
Juno got down on her bel y and snuffled my neck with her big, wet nose.
Wel , okay, a deserted beach thousands of miles away from civilization but with Juno with me.
I dug my fingers in the fur of her head, scratching behind her ears.
Juno licked my face.
I felt something on either side of my knees, which were bent at the edge of the bed. Then the bed depressed and I took my hand from Juno’s fur and lifted my arm from my face.