Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

EMILY

I shook my head. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize I'd walked into the men's room."

He had a long beard and wore a hood. His blue eyes were piercing, and he seemed to have high cheekbones and a handsome face through all that facial hair.

He looked at me skeptically. "Why are you here?"

"I thought it was the ladies' room. I-"

"Yeah, I got that. I don't mean why you're in the bathroom. I meant the building. No one's allowed in this place."

"I was let in by…Dan Elias for a job interview."

" Doug Elias, you mean?"

"Uh, yeah."

"Interview for what?" The man turned to the sink and proceeded to wash his hands as I explained.

"To assist on Delirious Jones's upcoming tour. But I don't think that's going to be happening. Pretty sure I flubbed the interview, because I was unprepared." As in, I had no idea I was applying for a job today.

And why am I still standing here talking to this guy?

"I see."

"Do you work here?" I asked.

He stared at me like I had ten heads. "Yeah. I work with the band."

"Can you tell me what it's like working for them? Would I be getting myself into some deep shit by taking this position? I don't think I'm gonna get it, but in the event they call me back, I'd like to know if I'm getting in over my head."

"What do you consider deep shit?"

"I've just never been part of a scene like this."

He chuckled. "You mean like…sex, drugs, and rock and roll?"

"Right."

"Well…" He crossed his arms. "There are a few things I should warn you about."

"Okay."

"You should know, there are orgies almost every night."

My eyes widened. "There are?"

He nodded. "Then there's the BDSM bus."

"BDSM…bus?"

"Yup. Whatever you do, make sure they don't assign you to that. Unless you like your nipples clamped and your ass whipped on the regular."

I chewed my lip. "Um…"

"And do you do magic mushrooms?" He pointed at me. "If so, you'll fit right in." The smirk on his face finally gave him away.

"You're bullshitting me?"

"I am." He chuckled. "There are no orgies, and as much as a BDSM bus sounds kind of fun, it doesn't exist."

"What about the drugs?"

"There are always some drugs around. But the guys in the band don't do them. Just a little weed here and there. Why are you so concerned? No one would force you to do anything you didn't want to. If you see something you don't like, just look the other way. In any case, if you're working the tour, trust me, you'll be too busy to notice."

"I guess that's a good thing." I swallowed.

"Why did you apply for the position?" He cocked his head. "You seem apprehensive about it. You shouldn't do anything you don't really want to do."

That's a great question. "Things have been tough in my personal life the past few years, and I need a change."

That was my second truthful statement of the day.

"I'm sorry to hear that," he said. "You want to talk about it?"

"Not in a men's room with a complete stranger. That would be a bit weird."

He shrugged. "You weren't the one with your ass hanging out a second ago. Talk about weird."

"Well, that's one point in my corner today." I looked away as a few seconds of awkward silence passed. "Is the band nice?"

After a moment, he nodded. "They're okay. The lead singer, Tristan, has good days and bad. He's not as talented as people give him credit for. He mainly got lucky to be where he is. He's struggling with some stuff this year, actually, and it's showing."

Hmm... "That's too bad."

"What do you think of their music?" he asked.

I shrugged. "I've heard of them, of course. But I'm not a fan or anything. I don't really know their music."

He grinned. "Seriously? Why the hell would you want this job, then?"

"I sort of…fell into the opportunity. I'll go home tonight and google more of their stuff so I can be prepared if by some miracle I get the position."

"Well, if you want to check out their songs, look at their earlier stuff-from five or six years ago. Between you and me, the more recent material sucks in comparison, even if it's the most popular."

"I'll do that. Thanks for the tip."

"You're welcome."

I pointed over my shoulder at the door. "Well, I'd better get out of here and find the right bathroom."

"What's your name?" he asked.

"Emily."

Then the door opened, and another man entered. He looked between us. "What the fuck are you up to in here, Tristan? We're waiting on you."

Tristan?

He'd said he worked for the band.

Oh gosh.

I suppose being the freaking lead singer qualified as work. I hadn't recognized him. My cheeks burned all over again, and a rush of adrenaline shot through me.

Tristan winked at me. "Nice talking to you, Emily. Good luck with the job."

Both men left together, leaving me with my jaw hanging open.

***

That evening, I'd barely gotten back to my home in Henderson, Nevada, when my cell phone rang. It was a number I didn't recognize. "Hello?"

"Is this Emily?"

"Yes."

"This is Doug Elias from the interview today."

"Oh…" My heart skipped a beat. "Hi."

"I'd like to offer you the position, if you want it."

What? "Wow. Um…okay. I wasn't expecting that. You gave me the impression it was a long shot."

"Yeah, well, apparently, you ran into Tristan in the bathroom, I'm told? God knows how that happened. But am I right?"

"Yes." I licked my lips.

"He liked your…trepidation. Said it proved you cared. He also liked the fact that you didn't know who the hell he was. He said that was refreshing. So, even though I personally wouldn't have chosen you-no offense-it's his preference that I offer you the job."

Holy shit. My throat felt ready to close. I forced out the words. "I…don't know what to say."

"I can give you a day or so to think about it. Maybe take the time to go online and become familiar with the band? Just get back to me by tomorrow night. I can't wait much longer than that, since we leave in two weeks."

My eyes widened. "Two weeks? Wow."

"Yeah. Take that into consideration, too."

"How long is the tour? I never asked."

"It's four months. Again, this job only encompasses the North American leg. You wouldn't be working in Europe. So it's a temporary position."

Four months.

I can handle four months, right?

Am I actually considering this?

"Okay, well, I appreciate the opportunity. I promise to get back to you tomorrow with an answer."

"Call me back at this number."

"Will do."

I hung up in a daze. What the hell did I get myself into?

After taking a long, hot shower to clear my head, I was no closer to a decision.

I decided to call Leah. We'd grown up together in Shady Hills, Missouri, and she still lived there. Leah was the only person from home I still talked to regularly besides my mother.

Since no one knew the real reason I'd ventured out to the desert today, when I started my story I told Leah a white lie about hoping to meet the band after getting a tip about a hidden recording studio out there from our mutual friend Ryder.

"I can't believe you lied to that manager guy," she said. "But what's the harm if he believed you, right? I mean, you have been looking for a job. Maybe this is fate. Besides, it's only four months. Do you know how fast that will fly by?"

"Are you saying you think I should take it? Go on the road with them?"

"You have nothing better going on, right? Seriously, this is the best way to kill some time while you're trying to figure your life out."

"If I don't get killed first."

"You'll be fine. You'll be surrounded by people. Nothing is going to happen to you. Think of it as an adventure. Do you know how many people would die for this job?"

"I feel kind of guilty that I don't appreciate it more. It should go to someone who does."

"Like this girl, Stacia, I work with," Leah agreed. "She has a tattoo of Tristan's face on her side. But that's not even the crazy thing. When he was in Missouri once, she found out he'd gone to a local salon for a trim. A woman who worked there knew how much Stacia loved him, and she swept up his hair and gave it to her. Stacia keeps it in a jar! Let that sink in."

"Stacia sounds nuts."

Actually, I might've been the nuts one. I was considering taking a job I'd been offered because of a gigantic lie.

As Leah chatted away about the girl she worked with and her nutty jar of Tristan's hair, I decided to throw caution to the wind. It would either be the biggest mistake I'd ever made, or the opportunity of a lifetime. But deep down, I knew I had to take it-for the same reason I'd found myself in the desert earlier.

I interrupted her. "Leah?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm gonna do it. I'm gonna go on tour with Delirious Jones."