jumped thought trains. I can’t believe I’m about to board a plane and fly to LA with Phil fucking Deveraux and my best friends and all of NOLA’s Junk. And Lewis Lee, too! Two months ago, I would’ve never thought that this would be my reality.
Holy shit. We were part of a metal band’s entourage.
It was weird, considering yesterday I was in a normal relationship with a regular guy. But not today. Today, I was dating the front man of one of the greatest heavy metal bands of our generation.
My earlier onset of irritation with having to work had dissipated somewhat, and I’d found a comfortable frame of mind to simply continue as I had before I’d had a boyfriend. It also helped that Phil and the guys were working hard to get their studio up and running in the Warehouse District, so they had to go to work themselves on a daily basis.
Phil had taken it upon himself to drive me to and pick me up from work every day, which maximized our time together. He had also insisted on being able to have lunch with me at least three days a week. He had gotten to know my coworkers a little better, too—Gavin, in particular, and Rita. That meeting had been…interesting.
Phil had just walked into the clinic to take me out for lunch last Wednesday. Lucy had let him know I was back in my office. The door partially cracked, he had rapped his knuckles on it, pushing it open.
“Hey, Baby,” he said as he ducked his head in. “Oh, Lucy said it was cool to come back and get you.”
“Come on in,” I told him, smiling, my world lighting up like the Fourth of July with Technicolor fireworks.
Rita, adventurer of all things carnal, was practically drooling at the drop-dead gorgeous sight of him. Her eyes grew wide behind her fashionable horn-rimmed glasses, and her dark red lips parted.
“Oh. Wow,” she breathed.
“Rita, this is my boyfriend, Phil.”
Her head snapped around to face me once more. “Your boyfriend? When did you get a boyfriend? And where did you get that one?”
Some people might have been insulted by her tone, but this was Rita, and she always sounded insulting, even when she didn’t mean to be. But Phil didn’t know that. His face twisted up into a scowl, and he opened his mouth. I could sense he was about to unleash a litany of rudeness at my boss and benefactor.
“Phil, this is my boss, Rita Holmes.”
That shut his face but did nothing for the scowl.
Rita marched her skinny ass up to him, with her hand extended, and shook his whole arm with the power of a small dragon. “How wonderful to meet you.”
“Uh, likewise,” he grunted. “Kenna and I met years ago.”
“Really? She’s been hiding you this whole time?”
“No, I’ve been away,” he replied in a surly tone.
Rita turned back to me. “Well, enjoy your…lunch,” she said, her mouth curling into a lascivious grin.
I found it hard not to laugh but settled for a cheeky smile instead. “Thanks.”
Phil moved into the room so that Rita could make her way out.
Giving me a thumbs-up, she mouthed, Wow, one last time, and disappeared down the hall.
Phil didn’t like Rita and didn’t see why I would want to work for such a “hedonistic virago”—his exact words.
Educated caveman.
I thought it was a bit of a double standard to call Rita a hedonistic anything, considering his colorful and seedy past. I still hadn’t gotten around to telling him about the contract I’d signed with The Center because I had the feeling that he’d fly off the handle—or worse, try to pay back the tuition.
A huge hot palm grasped my denim-clad thigh and squeezed gently, bringing me back to the present.
“You excited?” asked Phil, his voice low and sweet.
“I am,” I replied, turning my face up to his. “I can’t wait to see you guys on stage again.”
His eyes darkened just a little, and he leaned down to plant a soft kiss on my lips. “You’re too cute,” he murmured, brushing his mouth over my Third Eye.
A woman’s voice sounded over the PA and announced our flight was ready for boarding. We all stood and grabbed our gear, except for Sheri and Tim. They were busy making sure the band’s expensive equipment that hadn’t gone with the roadies earlier in the week was safely put into cargo hold.
Taking my hand, Phil steered me out of the lounge, and we made our way to our gate. We