Love Song (Stage Dive #4.7) - Kylie Scott Page 0,25

Anne peered over at Adam from behind a bottle of soda. She was off the hard stuff due to breastfeeding, her infant son currently blowing bubbles with his father. Not so surprisingly, there was dribble on both of their chins. Jimmy reached over with a rag to tend to the baby’s chin. The drummer and father however was left to his own devices.

Twin girls and one boy child, all around three or four years of age, were off watching some Disney film in one of the spare bedrooms—along with popcorn and a nanny to keep an eye on things. Ah to be rich and famous and have help with your small children. Not that I necessarily wanted kids. I didn’t know about that either.

“This your first time on tour?” asked Lena.

Awkward. “Oh. Um. Yeah. I’m not sure I’m going yet.”

Evelyn grinned. “But he asked you to go?”

“As tour hairdresser.”

“Europe is cool,” said Anne. “The summer festivals he’ll be playing at are really fun.”

Lena nodded. “Kind of a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

“Don’t push her,” chided Evelyn. “It’s a big decision. And touring is hectic and exhausting, even if a bit exhilarating.”

“My apologies.” Lena did a half-bow from her sitting position on the couch with a flourish of the hand. “We love to see true love triumph.”

“How do you know it’s true love?” I asked, taking another sip of wine.

A small wicked smile curled her lips. “Because if someone wrote songs like that about me, I sure as fuck wouldn’t still be sneaking hot looks at them unless they were embedded in my heart so deep, I didn’t have a chance of getting them out.”

“She has a point.” Anne nodded.

“That damn album.” I slumped back against the chair. “I mean, I’m glad he’s been successful. He’s super-talented. He deserves it. But I feel like it enters the room before me half the damn time, you know?”

Ev snorted. “The whole world knows the ins and outs of my relationship. Trust me, girlfriend. I hear you.”

“I thought that song about Dave giving you head on the last album was just lovely,” giggled Lizzy.

Ev wasted no time in lobbing a cushion at Lizzy’s head. “Shut up.”

“And it went to number three on the charts,” said Anne.

“Should have been number one with a bullet. A small compact but highly effective travel-size bullet.” Lena smacked her matte red lips together. “You kids and your sex toy euphemisms in the lyrics. So sly.”

“I don’t know why we’re friends,” said Ev with laughter in her eyes.

Lena joined in on the giggling.

“If I stay, I should just learn to suck it up. That’s the lesson I’m getting here.” I swirled my wine in the pretty glassware.

“Rock stars,” grumbled Ev. “What the fuck can you do?”

“They’re the poets of the modern generation and no topic is off-limits.” Lizzy sighed. “The important thing is to not lose sight of yourself amongst all of the grime and glamor.”

Willie Nelson played softly over the hidden speakers.

“Relationships can be all-encompassing. Claustrophobic even. Traveling together and working together just ups that.” Anne popped a cherry tomato from the charcuterie board into her mouth. “You need to have your own life and interests and defend them vigorously.”

“No, you don’t!” Mal popped up behind the couch, sliding his hands down over his wife’s shoulders. “I am your whole world.”

“Who has the baby?” asked Anne.

“Ah, Adam. Yes. I left him with junior.”

“You know Tommy freaks him out.”

“Yeah. It’s hilarious.”

She clicked her tongue.

And sure enough, Adam was indeed frowning down at the small bundle of joy held tentatively in his arms. Adam and I as parents… What a strange idea. Tommy waved his little arms in the air while my ex watched as if the baby were about to explode or something at any moment. Not sure I’d ever seen such naked fear in his eyes. Ben the bass player sat nearby, keeping an eye on things while Dave and Jimmy both played guitars softly.

“Ben’s watching him,” said Mal with a smile. “Relax, pumpkin. For I am a good and noble father.”

Anne smiled back at him. “I know. I just worry.”

“Of course, you do.” Lizzy passed her another tomato. “You two went to a lot of trouble to make him. But everything’s fine, Anne. Relax.”

What I liked was the warmth these people shared. The connection they all had.

“We haven’t even told you how impossible it is to be around them when they’re in the middle of recording,” said Ev. “It’s like their minds are permanently elsewhere. All of their thinking space is