CHAPTER NINE
ROYCE
It isn’t easy, but eventually I manage to find a local pizza place willing to throw some corn and tuna onto one of their pies.
Then, to see the effort through to the end, I actually take a bite of Hudson’s weird-ass concoction myself.
“And?” He’s waiting and watching for my reaction. I expected to have to force it down, but much to my own shock...I like it.
“This is...not bad. Not bad at all.” I take a second bite. “So, you never told me how you came up with this combination anyway.”
“You’re serious. You really like it?”
Right around now I notice he hasn’t had any yet. “Yeah. Why? Were you just fucking with me? Have you never actually had corn and tuna on your pizza?”
He laughs, then reaches for his own slice, leaning in to run his lips over mine before he sits back again. “Of course, I’ve had it before. More times than I can count. My mother got me hooked on it way back in the day. Some German chick she used to hang with always made it this way. Don’t ask me how she came up with the idea to combine the three. I’m just glad she did. ”
I sigh internally. No need to jump to conclusions, Royce. Just because Ava has a mean streak doesn’t mean the whole world is out to get you.
“So, what’s on the agenda for the rest of the day?” Hudson watches me, and I can’t help but wonder if he’s taken notice of the mental spazzfest I’ve undergone in the last thirty seconds.
“Not sure. Hang on.” I reach for my phone and scroll down to the last text from Francis. She sends out daily messages containing our schedule for the day. Considering Ava is usually up my ass from morning to night, I don’t tend to ever open them. Guess I’ll have to start.
“Okay. Alright, radio show, did that this morning. Phone interview, did that. Lunch. And then, here we go, we’ve got a meet and greet with fans set up for five this afternoon. Nothing after that until soundcheck and then of course, the show tonight.”
Hudson is bent over my shoulder, reading along with me. “Who’s Francis?”
“Ava’s assistant. Why?”
He pulls out his own phone. “I’ve been getting messages and calls from her all week. I thought she had the wrong number.”
“So, you never answered her?”
He shakes his head, scanning the messages on his phone. “Guess that explains all the f-bombs.”
I grin. “No, that’s just Francis. She talks like that even when she’s not pissed. Although, you’re probably not her favorite person right now.”
“Hey, look at that. I got a schedule, too. ”
“Oh good. Then you can keep track of where we’re supposed to be.”
He smirks. “I wouldn’t count on me to get us anywhere.”
“Why’s that?”
He begins to move toward me again, his hand reaching up around the curve of my neck, bringing me to him. “Because the band’s schedule is the furthest thing from my mind right now.”
All it takes is one kiss from that man and I’m prepared to blow off the rest of the day just to spend it engaging in what is definitely the hottest make out session of my entire life.
Ten minutes later, the door flies open, and everyone comes crashing into the suite at once, leaving Hudson and I to scramble off the couch and into more upright positions.
“Well, well, well. Helloooo Hudson.” Angel’s talking to him, but staring straight in my direction, his most ridiculing smirk coming right at me.
“Hey, Angel.” Hudson does his best not to act flustered, but considering he’s no longer wearing his shirt and is struggling to locate it, it’s a weak performance at best.
“No need to ask what you boys have been up to,” Ava says dryly as she strolls past the living room area, heading toward the kitchen with several take-out bags in hand.
“Anyone else think it’s time we have a vote on what is, and is not, permitted on the common area furniture?” Blaise, of course. The only one who isn’t getting in on the action is Derek, and I’m pretty sure the only reason he isn’t, is because he’s deep in conversation on his phone with someone else already.
“Yeah, we can vote. Just remember, the end result will affect us all, and don’t think we don’t know what you and Ava do out here when you think everyone else is sleeping.” I catch Hudson glancing back at the couch, a noticeable trace of disgust lingering around the corners of his mouth. I can relate.
“And we’re moving on to other topics.” Ava’s back. “For starters, can anyone help Hudson find his shirt?”
Holy fucking shit. Is every amazing moment in my life always going to be followed up with immediate humiliation?
“Is this it?” Angel pulls the black bundle of cotton from the floor lamp near the TV and Hudson doesn’t waste any time reaching for it. “Thanks.”
“Great, now that all that hotness is covered up again - nice tat by the way - let’s have ourselves a little meeting so we can all get on the same page with what Hudson will be doing while he’s with us. Royce, I’m going to need you to listen extra carefully since you seem to have the wrong ideas about why I hired him.” She winks. Crazy bitch.
Blaise and Angel come to sit down, Blaise making a dramatic loop around the couch to the get to the recliner.
“I had my naked ass on that. Hudson was straddling me. There were cocks and balls everywhere.” Then I remember the expression on Hudson’s face when Angel first greeted him, and we were busted, and I instantly regret talking so much shit. I’m about to set things straight when I hear him, “It’s true. Cocks. Balls. They were all over the place.”
Blaise seems to be fighting his gag reflexes temporarily, but I just grin, reaching my hand back and twining my fingers with Hudson’s. This is different. And I totally dig it.
Hudson and I lower ourselves down onto the couch again, my hand still placed firmly in his, like it belongs there or something .
Ava perches herself on the armrest next to me, placing her feet in my lap while Angel stretches out on the love seat since Derek is MIA for the time being.
I nod toward the door he disappeared through. “I see Derek’s getting plenty of use out of his new phone. I thought we agreed not to give Sammy that number.”
“He caved.” Ava stares down at her hands like she’s checking out her manicure. Except she never gets one, so that isn’t it.
Blaise snorts. “That’s such bullshit. It was you. You gave her the number.”
She throws her hands up in a desperate defense. “I had to! Bitch was driving me crazy! She just kept calling me. All. The. Fucking. Time.”
Angel shakes his head, clicking his tongue at her. “Sad, Ava. Really sad.”
“Oh, whatever. I was going to give her Francis’s number, but then I thought, none of us can afford for her to quit, so I had to hand the crazy back to Derek. He married her. This is his for better or worse.” Except we all know she doesn’t mean it. It’s his for worse alright, but even without the vows, we’re just as married to her as he is, so it’s our ‘for worse’ as well.
“So...not to interrupt, because I’m glad we’re no longer talking about my body parts and what I am and am not allowed to do with them in the common area, but I was actually really curious to hear more about what you want me to do while I’m here,” Hudson says, hand raised like he’s in school. It’s fucking adorable. And hilarious at the same time, because no one is ever that polite, and Ava’s resulting expression is priceless.
“Thank you, Hudson. I’m so glad someone around here has the attention span to recall the things I say.” That isn’t really anyone’s problem. It’s more a lack of interest in hearing them in the first place.
Our little band meeting goes on for almost an hour, during which Derek finally joins us and even participates with a boost in enthusiasm that’s unusual as of late. By the end, we’re all pretty clear on how things will be going down. Hudson will tag along on every gig, every interview, every everything. Then, during our downtime, it’s up to his discretion to determine what is worthy of lens attention and what isn’t. As far as the rest of us are concerned, Ava basically tells us to suck it up and just deal with having a camera pointed at us twenty-four/seven for the next two months. Easy for her to say, she’s been very specific about this book being about the band only. According to her, no one will want to know about the manager. Even if she is boinking the lead singer. A shit ton of TMZ coverage would suggest otherwise, but she’s more comfortable with denial since it’s more in tune with her desires to not be in pictures. Ever.
By the time things are all settled and agreed upon, Darrel is pounding on the door to pick us up for our meet and greet. And I make my first mistake when I drop Hudson’s hand from mine the second Darrel enters.
HUDSON
I feel Royce’s hand release mine the moment the door opens. Maybe it’s coincidence. Maybe he was just startled by the loud knocking. Or maybe...maybe it’s something more. Obviously, he’s out in front of his friends, but I know that publicly it’s not common knowledge that the man isn’t straight. Quite the contrary actually. Most of my female friends would vie for his attention given the chance. If it hadn’t been for the way he smiled at me that first morning we met, and Ava’s comments, I wouldn’t have guessed any different. But I sort of just assumed staying in the closet publicly is more of an omission than an outright facade. Are there really people in his immediate circle who don’t know he’s gay?
It’s automatic and completely undesired, but my mind instantly travels back to Paul. I can’t do that again. I won’t hide who I am or keep my feelings for someone a secret. It just isn’t in me to be that way. And I have no intentions of changing that. Not even for Royce.