Chapter 13
13
The next morning I am greeted with a pounding headache. Rolling away from the light sneaking in through the shades, I groan at how criminal it is that my legs and feet are this sore considering I wasn’t even in heels.
“Stop being so loud,” Lainey grumbles beside me.
Using the little strength I have, I roll over and face the orchestrator of the night that has been feeling like death. Lainey looks rough this morning. After falling asleep in the car on the way home from the bar, we managed to make it inside the bus and into the bed. We may have taken our boots off, but not much else was done.
I’m pleased to see that I changed into an oversized tee. But based on how dry my mouth is, I don’t think I brushed my teeth or washed off my makeup. Not that I was wearing much. Lainey, on the other hand, could pass for a zombie bride in her white dress, disheveled hair, and makeup smeared all over her face .
“You look hot, but isn’t Tim Burton missing you?” I rasp.
“Shut up, Casper.”
“Rude! Casper is a boy. And a blob.” Picking up my pillow, I smack her in the face with it.
“It’s too early for violence,” she whines.
“I have a sneaking suspicion it’s not that early and the guys let us sleep in.”
“Early is a state of mind. I’m going to go wash my face and brush my teeth. You can shower first. I’m not going to be able to stand up for more than two minutes without coffee.”
“Sounds good,” I reply, plopping back on the bed as I wait my turn.
While she takes care of business, I reflect on last night. I wasn’t drunk enough to black out. I remember that way Jack interrupted my dance with Garrett vividly. I’d like to attribute the sensation in my stomach to the hangover, but I think it may be butterflies.
Jack seemed as jealous as I was seeing him flirt with Julie, and it gave me a thrill to know I could affect him that way. He is one of the most chill men I’ve ever met. Knowing I can get under his skin even a small amount is heady. Even if he doesn’t want a relationship, he still wants me at least a little.
My thoughts continue to swirl as I shower. By the time I emerge from the bathroom, I don’t have an explanation for what happened between Jack and me, but I do have some color back in my face. Casper wasn’t a far off description of my appearance.
I hear Lainey slip in while I’m changing. She makes quick work of the shower and by the time I’m sitting on the bed enjoying the coffee she left me, she is back in the room. She glances in my direction several times as she dresses and combs her long brown waves.
After the tenth time, I can’t take it anymore. “What?”
“What what ?” she asks.
“Why do you keep staring at me as if you’re going to tell me my dog died?”
“You haven’t had a dog since Bleaker died in seventh grade.”
“I know, and this is what your face looked like then. Spill it!”
“Okay, but you have to promise to not get mad.”
“Not off to a great start. What did you do?”
“I didn’t do anything. Not anything bad anyway.” God, she is the queen of semantics. I am never going to get it out of her if we go down this road.
“Oh my God. Just tell me.”
With a face of resignation, she paces the room in front of me before sitting down on the edge of the bed. “Do you remember the fellowship program Professor Stovall convinced me to apply to with Marcia Tabers?”
“The one Kelly Klieman got?” She nods. Marcia Tabers is the ‘It’ stylist right now. She got her break in the couture houses in Italy before moving to New York and then LA to work with the hottest stars. One of Professor Stovall’s former TAs worked her way up from assistant to fellowship program coordinator. She encouraged anyone interested in being a stylist to apply.
I was surprised Kelly was chosen over Lainey. Their grades were similar, but Lainey’s portfolio was far better. I wondered if Kelly’s East Coast pedigree played a role, but never had proof other than intuition.
“What about it?”
“Turns out Kelly can’t hang and quit after a week because she missed her boyfriend.”
“And that would make me mad, why?”
“Because they called me yesterday and offered it to me.”
Jumping up, I pull her into a tight embrace. “Laines, that is amazing news! You’re going to kill that position.”
“Thank you,” she sighs. “I think so, too. It’s the opportunity of a lifetime to even see her styles, let alone be involved in the process.”
“I still don’t understand why you think I’d be upset about that.”
“Because it’s in LA.” Shit. I forgot about that. Even though Alexis and Macy graduated before us, they stayed in town. The four of us haven’t been separated for more than a few weeks since freshman year. This tour was going to be the longest we’d gone without seeing each other, but at least we paired off. I’ll be sad to see Lainey go when the tour is over. Unless . . .
Studying my friend, I watch her chew on her lip and fiddle with the ends of her hair, a telltale sign she’s uncomfortable. It dawns on me then that the fellowship has already started. If Kelly bailed, they would need someone ASAP to fill her spot.
“When?” I whisper.
“I’m taking a flight out as soon as we get to Tulsa.”
That is in two days. Not only is my bestie leaving me, but she’s doing it in forty-eight hours. That gives me no time to figure out my next move.
What am I going to do? I know I have a role on this tour, but the main reason I was invited was Lainey. If she’s not here, do I have a place here? Do I want one without her?
“Should I go home?”
“Of course not!” she asserts. “The guys love having you here and Shonda has said what a godsend you are.”
“Are you sure? I don’t want to make them uncomfortable. It’s one thing when you’re here. It’s another to have their sister’s best friend freeloading when you aren’t here as a buffer.”
“You don’t need a buffer. It’s my brothers. You’ve been around them more than half your life. It will be fine.”
She may be right about me being around them for most of my life, but she isn’t right about not needing a buffer. If the energy that cropped up between me and Jack yesterday was any indication, we very much need a buffer. Not for the first time, I am hit with guilt for never telling her about my crush on him. She wouldn’t have loved to hear about it, but I think she could respect it. Probably. Maybe. I need to know what Jack thinks about all this and if I’m the only one who noticed our increased tension.
“What did the guys say?”
“I haven’t told them yet,” she confesses.
“Lainey!”
She lets out a big exhale before pursing her lips. “I know. I know. I’m going to tell them, but I wanted you to know first to make sure you were okay with it. If you needed me to, I would stay. They could find someone else.”
“Absolutely not! This is a great opportunity. I am so proud.”
“Thank you,” she says sincerely.
She grimaces when we hear the sound of laughter through the bedroom door. “I guess it’s time to face the music.”
“It will be great. They’re going to be excited for you, babe.”
“I know. I hate letting them down and they were excited to have this last tour together before we split off for a while.”
“They’ll get over it. If anyone is going to be upset, it’ll be Trent. I wouldn’t be surprised if he tries to sneak into your carryon.”
That idea brings a smile back to her face. “I’m sure he’ll survive.”
“Wish me luck telling the Bossy Bros.”
“You don’t need it,” I quip, slapping her ample ass. “Go get ‘em, Tiger!”
Once she exits the room, I sit back on the bed. I can’t believe Lainey is leaving with nine weeks left on the tour. Can I handle this alone for two months?
I’m not worried about the work. Even though it isn’t my lifelong dream, I have been enjoying it. I just hate that I’m not any closer to a plan. Pulling out my laptop, I decide now is as good a time as any for my weekly job applications. If Lainey is moving forward, then I need to, too. Scary is it might be, I can’t get left behind.