Chapter 8
eight
Josh
We arrived in Richmond sometime before I woke up this morning. Kate came over bright-and-fucking-early to make sure I was up and ready for the podcast interview I had at nine. Once that was over, I sat myself down at the table in the kitchen to review some music Eric sent over last night.
The lyrics are hands down the best writing I’ve ever seen from him. Normally, I offer a few suggestions, maybe a line or two I recommend we rework, but I wouldn’t change a damn thing about this. The words are raw and honest and real.
God damn is that man gone. Like, lost-in-the-sauce, head-over-heels, write-a-whole-album-about-her gone.
The poor bastard.
When Tyler showed up at the start of the tour, I could tell how guarded she was, but her walls are slowly coming down and honestly, I’m happy for Eric.
He’s one of the best humans I’ve ever known, and he deserves to be happy.
She might be sticking to her guns and keeping things professional by abiding by the contract they signed, but it’s obvious she’s into him, and it’s only a matter of time before that contract is ash in the wind.
Since I’m alone in this RV for the foreseeable future, I decide to plug my mic into my laptop and mess around with a few different melodies before narrowing it down to the two I like best and recording a full demo of each.
I save them off to the shared folder we all have access to and send a text to the group chat to let the guys know it’s out there.
Just as I’m about to set my phone back down, I get a text from Kate.
Kate: Dani and I are running low on snacks, so we’re going to run to the convenience store a few blocks over. Need anything?
Josh: I would kill for some milk.
Kate: Milk?
Josh: Yes?
Kate: Like…to drink?
Josh: What else do you do with milk?
Kate: You’re a psychopath.
Josh: Says the woman with a color coded, cross-referenced spreadsheet for food inventory.
Twenty minutes later, I’m lounging on the couch scrolling social media when Kate climbs up the stairs and walks into the kitchen.
“Here’s your milk, you weirdo,” she says, setting a gallon jug on the counter. “And since I’m still holding on to the hope that you’re not completely unhinged, I grabbed some Oreos to go with it because that’s the only logical reason anyone should crave milk.”
“Double Stuf?”
“No,” she scoffs, pulling the package out of her bag. “Mega Stuf.”
“Goddamn, I think I love you.” I rise from the couch, tear the container open, and shove one into my mouth. Without breaking eye contact, I open the milk and chase the cookie, drinking straight out of the jug.
“So sexy,” she deadpans, and I laugh so hard that milk and bits of chewed-up Oreo shoot straight out of my nose. I spin around, desperately trying to spit the disaster out into the sink while I choke on laughter.
“Fuck,” I rasp, feeling like I might die. “It burns!” She steps behind me and starts pounding on my back like I’m a toddler who just learned how to chew.
“Do I need to renew my CPR certifications?” she asks. “I wasn’t expecting to have to save your life when I took this job.”
I wave her off and savor the next breath I take because it doesn’t include Oreo crumbs.
“How’d the podcast go?” she asks.
“Great,” I say, my voice hoarse. I clear my throat and take another small swig from the milk jug before tucking it away in the fridge. “It went great, thanks to you and the note about her new puppy. When I asked about it, she lit up and went to go get him. We talked about dogs for twenty minutes.”
She smiles like it’s no big deal. Like she didn’t hand me a golden ticket to a genuinely good conversation instead of another surface-level exchange I’d probably have forgotten by this afternoon.
I love the way she slips me little details about people that make them feel seen. It’s changed everything—interviews, meetings, even quick interactions backstage with the road crew. I connect and people light up.
And it’s all because of her. The woman who keeps it all running without taking any of the credit.
I’m not used to having someone in my corner like this. Someone who makes me better without making it feel like work.
“Hey, Josh?” she says.
“Yeah?”
“I hate to ask, but since you crashed with us last week, I could argue that you owe me a favor.”
“Anything you need,” I say.
“Dani’s girlfriend is coming out with us this weekend, and I’d really like to give them some privacy. Would it be cool if I stayed here for a few days?”
“Yeah, of course. I’ll swap out the sheets, and you can take the bedroom.”
“That’s not—”
“Stop,” I cut in, already sensing where this conversation is going.
“You’re about to say it’s not necessary, that you’ll take one of the bunks.
I’m going to tell you that you’re absolutely out of your mind if you think I’m letting you suffer in one of those coffin-like beds while I’m on the other side of the door sprawled out on a cozy, Queen-sized mattress.
Then you’ll try some other argument, and I’ll shut that one down too.
So, let’s save ourselves the back and forth—take the damn bedroom or spend the next few nights listening to whatever noises Dani and Emma make behind closed doors. Your call.”
I watch as the corner of her mouth turns up into a smile and she rolls her big, green eyes.
“Fine.”
My ears are still ringing as I duck into the greenroom, sweat dripping down my body, adrenaline coursing through my veins.
Shows like that one tonight don’t just get under your skin—they settle into your soul.
That crowd was wild. Almost as crazy as Nashville.
Loud as hell and relentless in the best way.
They gave us everything, and we gave it right back.
I grab the bottle of water Kate tosses me from across the room, chest still heaving, and scrub a hand through my hair.
My whole body is buzzing like I’ve had ten shots of espresso and a near-death experience.
I fucking live for this kind of energy. It’s what makes this crazy, unpredictable life worth it.
Eric and Max are already checking social media posts while I stand here, grinning like an idiot because damn, that was fun. Maybe it’s the endorphins talking, but I feel like I could do it all over again right now.
I glance at Kate as she approaches me, wondering if she felt any of it from where she was standing at the back of the floor with the girls. I’d give anything to share this high with her. I want her to feel what I’m feeling right now.
“I’m going to head out and grab my stuff from the RV if you’re good?” she asks, handing me a towel.
“I’m good, I’ll see you in a few.”
She nods and walks through the door, and I suddenly feel bad I’m so amped up tonight. It’s the first night she’s crashing with me, and it’s going to take me a while to come down.
I clean myself up the best I can with the towel and pull my t-shirt back on before following the guys out to the lot and climbing up into the RV, where I find Kate already changed and laying in the bottom bunk outside my room.
“Pardon my French but what the actual fuck do you think you’re doing?” I say, leaning back against the wall across from her and crossing my arms over my chest. She shrugs, keeping her eyes glued to her phone.
“Up,” I say, voice low.
She doesn’t move. Doesn’t even blink.
“I wasn’t really asking, but if you’d rather I make you…”
A flicker of something flares in her eyes when she looks at me—challenge? Intrigue?—but she doesn’t move, and I chuckle.
“Alright,” I say, pushing off the wall. “Just remember you brought this on yourself.”
I throw the covers on the floor and grab her ankles, dragging her to the edge of the bunk.
She squeals and starts thrashing, trying to break free.
Keeping my hold on her ankles, I lean down into the bunk and press my body on top of hers before moving my hands to her hips and dragging her out.
When I’m sure she’s cleared the bed above her, I toss her over my shoulder like a sack of potatoes and carry her back to the bedroom, the sound of her laughter echoing down the hall behind us.
As I reach the edge of the bed, I toss her down, watching as she bounces lightly against the mattress. Half of her hair spills out beneath her while the other half falls across her face. She laughs again, brushing the strands aside, and looks up at me with those stunning green eyes.
“Stay,” I say, pointing at her. I turn and step into the bathroom to collect my things.
“What are you doing?” she asks.
“Taking my stuff into the guest bath in the hall so I can clean up and let you get some sleep.”
“That’s not necessary,” she says.
I back up and lean my head through the doorway.
“What?” I ask.
“Just shower in there. It’d be stupid for you to move all your stuff into the other bathroom.”
“You sure?”
“I mean, yeah?” she says. “Unless you plan on becoming an HR nightmare and walking around here naked.” I feel the RV start to move, so I grab hold of the doorframe to keep from falling over.
“We don’t have an HR department,” I say with a wink. She rolls her eyes and laughs. “I just need five minutes to get the rest of this paint off, and I’ll be out of your hair.”
I close the door and take the quickest shower of my life, and when I’m done, I can tell the lights are off in the bedroom. Assuming she’s already fallen asleep, I start to creep out of the bathroom, startling when I step out to find the TV on and Kate still wide awake.
I glance at the screen and see that she has Ten Things I Hate About You cued up and ready to go.
“In case your wind-down routine still requires a romantic comedy,” she says, grinning at me from the mountain of pillows she’s propped up on.
“Let me go grab a drink first,” I say.
“No need,” she says, waving me off. She leans down and grabs something off the floor beside the bed, and I shake my head and laugh as she holds up the gallon of milk.