23. Jez
CHAPTER 23
Jez
I jerk my head off the pillow when the bus lurches to a halt. I wipe the back of my hand against my mouth in case of drool and realize no one can see me, though it takes a couple seconds to remember where I am. I hear nothing from the other side of the door so maybe the guys are all asleep, too.
I ease open the door the tiniest crack but can’t see or hear anyone, except Caylee’s voice outside the vehicle, talking, I think, to the driver. The guys must’ve been ready and immediately hopped off, which gives me the privacy needed to slip into the bathroom and freshen up. Huh. I wonder if that was on purpose? If it was, it was bloody considerate.
I brush my teeth, slap on some more deodorant and moisturizer, then grab my shoulder bag and head off the bus.
“How’d you do? Get some rest?”
Caylee’s indeed standing there speaking with the driver and two other crew people as I clamber off the bus. The driver then comes over to secure the door. We’re parked up just behind the hotel, and there are three minibuses nearby. My band climb off one and wave at me.
“Hey, Jez, we’re going for lunch if you want to join us?” Murray calls out as he walks closer.
But Caylee turns to me. “Ah, sorry, can’t do that. Ash said there’s a press event that’s just come up. You need to be there in an hour. Makeup’s not needed, it’s a radio interview, Radio Verve. It’s live, and you’ll need to get ready pretty quickly. Why don’t you go get ready on the bus and I’ll bring some food back from the hotel bar? We’ll be driven to the studio in one of the minibuses. Sound good?”
My heart sinks. I knew stuff like this would pop up—Ash warned me, and Viv did, too. But I’m barely awake. And there’s no sign of Fable. They disappeared quick. A shiver runs through me. No doubt they’re off to discuss what Thomas and Holden have been up to in my hotel rooms.
I grit my teeth and a familiar panicky heart-flop dries my mouth out in an instant. Kai will soon know. And God only knows what he’ll say during tonight’s show now. Or what he’ll say to me.
I know Ash won’t let him get away with much but he can’t cut Kai’s mic dead in the middle of a set. He can’t run out there with tape to cover up his mouth.
Basically, Kai Hartley can’t be controlled. But then, neither can I.