Chapter 29
ELLIE
“I cannot wait to be home. Laundry is a fucking hassle on the road,” I complain to my sister, Hayden.
Growing up she hated when everyone teased her about her “boy name.” She doesn’t mind now.
Like her big sis, she gives no fucks. Plus, my parents gave me the honor of naming her and she loves me.
That’s right, at the ripe age of three, I was awarded the privilege.
And since I’d wanted a brother, that’s what she got.
“I’m sure it is. I’d happily trade finals for a visit to the laundry mat after amazing concerts.
” Hayden is at her desk, leaned over fashion magazines, as per usual.
Her long blonde hair is splayed over her eyes as she studies the content furiously.
My sister is completely obsessed with fashion and about to graduate from Parsons School of Design.
It’s why I have impeccable style. We have similar bodies, and I’ve borrowed her clothes more often than not.
Slapping my leather jacket over them for my own touch.
“I wish you were here, too.” I rush around the room, throwing clothes into my laundry bag.
There’s a laundromat two blocks away, so I’m taking advantage.
It’s been too long since I’ve worn underwear.
I’d rather buy new ones than wash them, to be honest, but I’m also running out of clean work outfits.
I’d buy those new, too, if I had room to store everything.
I’ve been on the crew bus for over a week. It’s not bad. Smells a bit, because no one is a psycho like Tanner, who demands everyone take turns cleaning. It used to annoy me, but now I see why he did it, and I miss it.
“Ellie bug!” my mom coos, snagging my attention. My parents pop on the screen, both leaning over my sister’s hunched shoulders to get into the frame.
A smile beams across my lips. “Hi!” My parents and I keep in touch regularly—we’re all very close—and we visit each other often. Always have since I left for college, but sometimes I’m still hit with that familiar homesick ache in the pit of my stomach.
I love my life and Rhode Island is my home now, but I miss them. Their unwavering support paved the way for me to end up here. On tour with one of my favorite bands. They never pushed me in any one direction, always giving me the freedom to choose my own path.
“How’s everything going?” my dad asks.
I snag the last article of clothing I need and shove it into my bag. “Awful. It’s laundry day.” My lip curls with dread.
“You’re living on a bus with four hot as sin rock stars. Stop complaining,” my sister quips, lovingly.
I stick my tongue out at her and she cackles. Technically, I'm living out of hotel rooms and I haven’t told anyone that I’m no longer on the hot rock star bus.
Penn apparently told Liv and she was more distraught than I was when it happened. She sent me a string of snarky text messages that she really wanted to send to Travis, but couldn’t because she’s too sweet.
All the guys have asked me to come back, but I’m not ready to tuck my tail just yet.
“Ok, I must go now. Love you all!” I blow my family a kiss before ending the call
“Now what the shit is this?” I mumble to myself, staring at the outdated yellow machines, the musty smell making my nose twitch.
This is not how it looked online. Whoever is in charge of their marketing is a freaking liar.
I scope out the walls, searching for directions on how to work this thing.
I know how to do laundry, but I do not know what the hell this machine is.
It doesn’t look like any washer I’ve ever seen.
I hold out my debit card, but there’s no place for the chip.
Not even a place to swipe. I slide it back into the pocket of my leggings and huff.
The door chimes, sending my attention that way.
An unsuspecting man walks in with a small backpack.
He heads to one of the machines and pulls a baggie of quarters from his book bag.
I sneak closer, watching. He adds the quarters into the slot and starts hitting buttons before dumping his clothes in.
Quarters? Who uses those anymore? I haven’t carried change on me… ever.
Once he’s done, he takes a seat by the window and starts scrolling on his phone. I wander around, scanning the place for an atm, but there isn’t one. What the hell?
“Need some help?” the man asks.
“Huh? Oh, I was just looking for an ATM.”
He chuckles. “Sorry, they don’t have one of those here. It’s pretty old-fashioned,” he says with an easy smile. He’s cute. Dark hair, trimmed beard, and light brown eyes.
“Right.” My hands go to my hips as I debate my next move. Seems like I need to find an ATM and get some quarters, or go another day without underwear.
“Here.” He digs into his bag again, producing a hefty number of coins.
My hands fly up, almost in defense. “Oh, no. I can’t take that.”
He shakes his head, holding out a fistful of quarters. “It’s no problem. Take them.”
I don’t like owing anyone favors, especially a man, a strange man.
As if he knows where my thoughts are going, he stands, moving to the machine closest to where my bag is resting on the floor.
Tossing the quarters wordlessly, he gets the machine going and opens the lid for me.
“There. Don’t let it go to waste. It’s bad for the environment. ”
I smile. “Thank you. That’s very nice of you.” I dump all my clothes in at once. Typically, I’d separate everything, but I’m not going to take any more of his money. This will do.
He takes his seat, going back to his phone.
I sit a few chairs away and pull out my own to check the band’s socials.
I haven’t told them yet, but it’s projected that tonight's show will be sold out. 80 percent of tickets were sold during presale, another 10 percent after, leaving only a select few to be sold at the door. Damn, I’m proud of them.
As I open the Instagram draft I was working on last night, my volume is up, and blares loudly through the quiet space. “Oops,” I say, sending the guy an apologetic smile.
“Is that Loose Threads?”
“Yes!” I reply a little too enthusiastically, then lower my voice. “It is. You like them?”
“Hell yeah. They’re playing in town tonight. My buddy and I have tickets.”
“Really?!” I ask, then an idea pops into my head. “Would you like an upgrade?”
His forehead wrinkles in confusion. “What do you mean?”
“I work for them. I could get you guys a quick meet and greet after the show. You know, for the free quarters.” I normally don’t throw my weight around with the guys, but he did a nice thing for me. Good karma and all.
“Are you for real?” he asks, eyes going wide.
“I am.” I type a quick message to Calvin with my demand. He’s going to love this. I snicker to myself, pissing him off brings me joy.
“Hell yeah! Wow. Thank you.”
“What’s your name?”
“Jordan,” he replies, stretching a hand in my direction.
I take his hand. “I’m Ellie.”
“Lovely to meet you, Ellie, and not just because of the upgrade.” He smiles again, and I realize how attractive he is. Clean-cut, but still handsome.
“Nice to meet you.” I slide my hand away, reaching for my phone again.
“If you give me your number, I’ll text you the details later.
” He adds his number to my phone, and I send him a text so he can save my info.
We spend the rest of the time chatting about all things music while we wait for our clothes.
Once my things are dry, I toss them in the bag. I wave bye to Jordan, promising to text him later and get into my waiting Uber.
When I’m back in my room, I finish sorting my clothes.
I feel like dressing up a little more tonight.
I made a new friend, and even though I likely won’t see him again after tonight, maybe he’ll be up for a drink after.
I’m not against a little random makeout sesh.
Or more, if it gets to that. Anything to keep my mind off the lead singer that I work for.
“Thank God, where have you been? I’m dying out here. This is not part of my job,” Calvin cries as soon as I step into the guy’s greenroom.
“Are you kidding?” I deadpan. His job as manager is literally to do anything and everything for them. I guarantee Tanner wouldn’t ask him to do something that wasn’t in his contract. He doesn’t skimp on details.
“No, I’m not kidding. I have more pressing shit I need to be doing right now. What took you so long?”
I take a calming breath. I cannot murder him here. There are too many witnesses. “Are you forgetting I don’t have to be at every show? I came to help, so how about you say thank you instead of questioning me as if I’m late and you’re my boss.”
“That mouth gets you in a lot of trouble, doesn’t it?” He smirks.
I hate it. Makes him ugly.
“Dude, shut the fuck up and say thank you,” Travis bites out from the corner.
I throw a glare at him. He’s still on my shit list; I don’t need or want his interference. “Just forget it and tell me what you need,” I say.
Calvin proceeds to give me the rundown of why he called me so frantic.
A nasty round of food poisoning hit the merch vendors.
Only one of them showed up, and as I predicted, the venue tonight is sold out.
I only received the news when I was walking in here and I haven’t even shared it with the guys yet.
I wanted to do it as soon as I got here and beat Calvin to it.
He doesn’t deserve to be the one to tell them.
I’m the one who busts my ass making sure they’re plastered all over social media, spreading them far and wide.
My phone buzzing from my pocket multiple times stops me as I’m unpacking box after box of band shirts.
Emily is the only one who was spared from the sickness plaguing the others, and we’ve been moving as fast as we can, but with the last-minute notice, I don’t know how we’re going to get all this done in time.
There was supposed to be a mobile stand outside hours ago, but we have no one to run it.
I take my phone out in case it’s the guys needing something.
Jordan-fan boy:
Hey Ellie, wanted to see if you’d like to meet up for a drink before the show.
I smile and then frown. I’d already forgotten about Jordan.
Ellie:
I’m sorry, I’d love to, but I’m already at the venue. We had an emergency with vendors so I’m working the merch stand.
Jordan-fan boy:
Is there anything I can do to help?
I start to type no, but then glance outside at the line.
Ellie:
Honestly, if you’re offering that would be amazing!
Jordan-fan boy:
I’ll head that way now.
Ellie:
Thank you! Text when you’re outside and I’ll meet you.
I tuck my phone away and resume working, and a few minutes later, Jordan lets me know he’s here.
“Thank you so much for this!” I rush around the crowd to get to him.
“No problem. This is my friend, Josh,” Jordan says as they follow me around the venue to the back door.
“Nice to meet you, Josh, thanks so much for coming.”
“Of course. What a cool job. How did you land this?” Josh asks.
My smile is effortless, thinking how far I’ve come with the guys. “Honestly, it was pure luck. The lead guitarist had a thing for my friend, and the rest is history, I guess.”
“Oh, wow, so you like, know them, know them,” Jordan says.
I laugh. “I suppose.” Although, I know one a lot better than the others.
I introduce them to Emily and divvy up the tasks. The guys are much taller, so I put them to work hanging up all the flags and shirts, while Emily and I lay patches, stickers, and buttons on the table.
“Twenty minutes until the doors open, how’s it going?” I peer up from the iPad and spot Calvin standing on the other side of the table, making no move to help.
“It’s going,” I snip, annoyed. “We’ll be ready.”
He nods, and then his eyes float behind me. “Who are those guys?”
“Those are my friends, Jordan and Josh. They have a meet and greet with the band after, don’t let them forget.” Since I’m not going to be able to step away anytime soon, I’m going to have to leave it to him to remind them.
“Did you clear it with them like I asked?”
“Yes.”
Sort of. I only cleared it with Liam, but he doesn’t need to know that.
When the doors open, all hell breaks loose like I predicted. People rush straight to us. Jordan and Josh thankfully stay until TripleKill comes out, and for all their help, I let them choose a shirt on me.
Once the line dies down, I slip backstage and take a few shots of the venue and the guys as they get ready, then post them on their socials. I still have no idea if Calvin told them they sold out tonight. I don’t want to interrupt their routines, so I’ll talk to them after. I quietly dip out.
I’m forced to listen from the front, but it sounds like everything’s going smoothly with no hiccups or missed lyrics. Once the night finally wraps up, I head back to the greenroom to make sure the guys hang around for the meet and greet.
“Fabulous job guys,” I say. Liam is the only one who acknowledges me with his cute, dimpled smile. “I have two fans outside waiting to meet you when you’re ready.” That gets their attention. I glance back at Liam, who winces.
“Sorry, Ellie, I forgot to tell them.”
“It’s fine. It won’t take long, but I need you to do this. These guys helped run the merch table today and without their help, I would’ve been dying out there.”
“Of course, we’ll do it,” Penn says, and they all agree.
“Where’d you find these dudes?” Travis asks, sliding next to me. I step back, and he frowns. “Still pissed at me?”
“No. I just need to grab them. Their names are Jordan and Josh, by the way,” I say loud enough for all the guys to hear. I walk out the door, but Travis follows, grabbing my arm.
“Wait, I want to talk to you.”
I tug my arm free and continue down the hall. “Later,” I call over my shoulder with absolutely no plans of following through. I’ve managed to avoid talking to him about anything other than work for almost two weeks. I think I can keep it up the rest of this tour.
Maybe.