Chapter 18
Before our next tour stop was our talk show tour in New York. John Frey's was the first stop, and Katie was meeting me in the city to give me all the prep I needed. Originally the interview was just going to be with The Band, but since Tom and I were breaking the internet any time we breathed air in the same room, I was a hot request for this circuit of late night shows.
The door of my hotel room was a revolving door the day of. Katie was there at 5 AM with coffee, of course, swiftly kicking a nearly nude Tom out to go prep with the guys. He kissed me goodbye and murmured sweet words about seeing me later for the show, hair still all rumpled and looking like he was going to pass out for another few hours. Lucky man.
Then my new stylist, Harry, was there next at 7, after Katie made sure my pre-coffee brain had retained my talk show training, assuming nerves and pre-coffee me were probably close enough. Harry waltzed into the room in hideously bright jeans, reminding me of 2011, but somehow he pulled them off perfectly. Lord knows how.
"Hi gorgeous,"
Harry's warm smile had me relaxing in an instant of meeting him. After presenting me with his vision for tonight's look, in consultation with Tom's stylist Louis of course, Harry's assistant Rebecca started bringing in racks of clothes, a measuring tape magically appearing in Harry's hands as I was quickly pinched and prodded in every area, everything from the circumference of my thigh to my neck being measured.
Then I was being cycled in and out of every outfit for the coming weeks' press runs, Harry detailing each piece with pins and pencil. Luckily I was fairly used to the invasive outfit changes backstage at the shows by now, so his unabashed prodding, clothing and measuring felt close to routine. Not fully, but close.
Nails came in next as Harry and Rebecca packed up the clothes for quick tailoring in the coming seven hours.
My lovely nail tech, Maddy, was shy and cute, clearly a tad intimidated by me, which surprised me. I guess I was still very new to the fame. There was no discussion of colors; she followed Harry's instructions to the T: classic red nails with a bit of added length and black flames painted on the middle fingers for that rock star flair.
Once my nails were set and photographed for her Instagram, filming a cute little TikTok first too just because she seemed sweet, Maddy was off and Katie and I were left to our usual devices of big sister/bestie/mentor/manager relationship, sending TikToks back and forth with Katie piping up with occasional instruction she had already reviewed, making sure I had taken it to heart. She seemed more nervous than I was at this point, but I had zero doubt she trusted me.
Tom and Luke came to my room for lunch, hotel fries and chicken tenders satiating the burning hunger I hadn't realized I had developed.
"Babe, your nails are so hot,"
Luke winked but clearly the message was sincere.
"You just want to see them wrapped around your cock,"
Tom murmured low enough Katie couldn't hear him across the small room. My blush tattled on him though, the flirty intent being obvious even if thank god the content was not.
"How many talk shows have y'all done before?"
I asked them, wondering what to expect.
"Quite a few, especially last tour,"
Tom answered.
"The fact you didn't follow their careers until now is criminal, babe,"
Katie added.
I rolled my eyes, turning my attention back to the guys as they told me their various stories of the late night shows and hosts: the time Luke almost shit his pants while they were live on Colbert because of bad street food he'd eaten, how Mickey messed up the lyrics the first late night musical performance they did.
"You need to stalk me more,"
Tom kissed my cheek in affection.
"I do too stalk you,"
I jokingly affirmed.
Once our lunches were completed, Tom and Luke were flitted out of the room to make space for makeup and hair. I didn't need to be told Mickey and Hunter were getting ready together.
"Love you,"
Tom and I mirrored to each other, a quick peck as he left.
Makeup and hair went by in a daze, my nerves starting to pick up as the clock got nearer to the time.
"You've got this, hun,"
Katie's calming words washed over me as I stared at my fully glammed reflection in the mirror.
And then Harry was back with the perfectly altered clothes. They fit like they were made for me, each stitch perfectly conformed to my frame. My boobs looked better than they ever had before in a lacy corset with straps out on the edge of my shoulders. The black top was contrasted in material by the authentic leather black pants wrapped around my legs, which looked comically long with the black heeled leather boots meeting the pants on my calves. With my blonde hair curled and framing my red lips, I truly looked like a bombshell rock star.
"God, Aria, you're perfect,"
Katie took me in fully, her smile truly embodying the older sister vibe.
"Sit down, walk around, make sure you feel comfortable,"
Harry instructed after I continued to stand there frozen like a statue as they took me in. The leather pants magically conformed to me perfectly when I sat, keeping their perfect wrap as if spray painted on. The heels, though tall, were a solid block heel and I felt sturdy in them. I did a little dance and twirl, a move from tour as Katie's beaming smile turned into a loving laugh.
"You're a god, Harry,"
she commented.
"Yes I am,"
he agreed, their eyes still soaking in my curves and hips wrapped in leather so perfectly, it really was like art.
And before I knew it, it was time to get in the car to the studio. I was wrapped in a massive double-breasted wool coat, covering everything but my lower calves and heeled boots.
"Whoa,"
I heard Hunter's British tilt before I had even seen the guys in the hall.
"Aria,"
Tom's accent and love washing over me as I turned to meet his gaze, now almost level with mine in the heels. He was still slightly taller, but so much closer than either of us were used to.
"Hi,"
I smiled as he eyed my lips, clearly wanting to kiss me senseless but not wanting to ruin my lipstick that was so perfectly applied.
He sweetly opted for a light kiss on my cheek, affection and calm radiating from him. God, it felt good to be under Tom's rays of attention. The hustle and bustle of the day suddenly felt silly and unimportant under Tom's gaze, calm confidence washing over me.
Luke winked at me, pulling my attention his way. Part of me wanted to reach up and kiss him hello as well, but the environment made that obviously a no.
Wood and Katie stood chatting in the doorway to the hotel room as the three of us stood around the room like awkward teenagers waiting to go to prom or something.
"Y'all are handsome,"
I took in their outfits, both in slacks and a shirt. But their slacks were bright red and Luke's shirt was entirely unbuttoned to show off his adornment of necklaces. Tom was wearing his usual signet ring and a pair of leather boots contrasted the slacks, but he generally looked far more normie than Luke's massive frame.
"Thank you," from Tom.
"What do you smell like?"
Luke inquired almost rudely but eternally charming from the rabble-rouser.
"It's my perfume,"
I responded in fake annoyance.
"Hmm,"
his brows furrowed as he seemed to be lightly sniffing the air around my head.
"Guess I'm used to you smelling like sex and sweat,"
he said in a low enough register only Tom and I could hear.
My fist quickly connected with his arm.
"Owww,"
he groaned, putting on a fussy show of the pain my punch had caused him.
"Oh, shut up, Luke. No throwing her off her game with inappropriate comments,"
Tom chided playfully, not actually meaning it.
"No fighting, children,"
Wood called from the doorway.
"Let's go, y'all,"
Katie directed, like our camp counselors or something. It was comforting in these moments to know Katie had absolutely everything handled.
We all piled into the too-cramped SUV wearing too much leather and all being way too tall for it to be a comfortable fit. I guess nice and cozy in limited space was really our vibe this tour.
Nerves started to creep up on me on the drive again. I started picking at the skin on my right thumb with my right pointer fingernail, my classic nervous tic, and stared down as the minutes to the studio ticked by. After a few moments of my nervous picking, oblivious to anyone's attention, Mickey shocked me out of my dissociative stupor and grabbed my hand, pulling it into his two beautiful hands, holding it firmly yet tenderly from his seat across from me.
His piercing green eyes met mine.
Of course Mick would know my nervous tells.
"You've got this, shortcake,"
he smiled kindly, a knowing look in his eyes as if our time apart had never occurred, as if there weren't years unspoken between us.
I could feel everyone's eyes on us, including Katie's and Wood's, but I was too wrapped up in Mickey to care. His eyes always had this magnetism that could take me from the world, from everyone and everything else. His warm hands with painted black, short, well-kept nails engulfed my smaller one, and he kept it there silently until we got there.
Tom's comforting hand eventually landed on my lower back too, the grounding touch of both men keeping me in the moment rather than in my head.
"Alright,"
Wood nodded seriously, looking between me, Mickey and Tom, all of us separating our minor affection to climb out into the clearly high-security parking lot of the studio. I guess that made sense, they did have presidents on the shows in this building.
Tom's hand quickly joined mine, ready to support me on my sky-high heels even though they were solid, thank God. We got shown to our waiting rooms, outfitted with our requested snacks and items. It was crazy to see all the behind-the-scenes things that happened.
"Alright, John will be back soon to say hi and you're on in about 45 minutes,"
the producer announced to the room before leaving us.
Katie squeezed my hand and smiled at me.
"How are you feeling?"
"Good,"
I smiled.
"A little nervous,"
I admitted.
"Shots?"
Hunter called over from a bar cart I hadn't even noticed, bottles of what appeared to be expensive tequila on the top.
My grin cracked wide in the mischievous affirmative, my eyes quickly flitting to Katie for approval.
"A small one,"
she instructed Hunter with a knowing glare.
"No problem, love,"
his cheeky accent making Katie lightly blush, Hunter's flirtation doing the devil's work as usual.
We quickly passed around shots, the sharp sting of alcohol just what I needed to ground past my nerves. My eyes met Mickey's while Tom wrapped an arm around my waist, more sexually feeling than he'd usually do in public. This was going to be fun.
"So,"
John Frey asked as we settled in our seats across his table, a couch and two raised chairs behind. Tom, Luke and I on the couch. Smart they didn't sit me next to Hunter. I didn't trust him not to pinch me or provoke me.
The audience continued to cheer, my massive smile mirrored on the dozens of screens throughout the large studio space.
"So,"
Mickey smiled, on the chair closest to John and the fairly official head of The Band.
"I want to start with your tour—you're seven shows in, how is it going?"
"It's been amazing, the fans have been so incredible,"
Mickey answered, a charismatic sincerity that always graced his words.
"Obviously y'all have been joined this time by your opening act and absolute rock star in her own right, Aria."
I grinned widely as he continued, a bit of warmth spreading to my cheeks.
"Now Aria, fans have obviously fallen in love with your music since your meteoric rise to the spotlight in the spring. How have you been enjoying touring with The Band?"
"It's been so awesome. I love the guys and everyone who's on tour with us: our dancers, backup vocals, the crew. Everyone has been so kind showing me the ropes," I gushed.
"Now of course the public can not only not get enough of your music, Aria, but they cannot get enough of your love for one particular person you're on tour with, Tom Severson."
My eyes popped over to Tom and his wide proud grin. How he spoke about me in public always made me blush, as if showing me off.
"Tom, how has this been for you? How has it been having your girlfriend on tour with you?"
"I'm so lucky, mate,"
Tom's Australian accent and warm demeanor making even John melt.
"All I want to do besides make music is spend time with Aria, so getting to do both has been such a dream. I am going to savor every moment of this tour."
"It really is a once-in-a-lifetime experience,"
I caught Tom's gaze as I answered, his look of intent making me feel hot under all this leather.
"So how did you two meet? What's the story?"
John inquired.
Thank God Katie had prepared us for this one. The actual images in my mind of us in the darkened club, him taking me home and doing unspeakable things to me all night. I tried to push the thought out of my head to keep from blushing as my mouth moved of its own accord, preparation providing ease to my practiced answer.
"We were lucky enough to meet through mutual friends,"
I answered, only a half lie.
"One of my backup dancers introduced us and the rest was history."
I grinned wider as Tom took my hand, placing both our hands in my lap. The heat of his skin had the perfect grounding effect, twisting with the warm leather of my pants to make me feel all cozy despite the setting.
"So cute,"
John responded.
"I really lucked out,"
Tom added with a charming smile.
I blushed and grinned as he kissed my cheek chastely. For rock stars this was all very professional and cutesy, but honestly that's what felt safest. On a concert stage, or in my lyrics I could be real. I could dress how I want, express myself with clothes. But showing any true glimpse into my relationship felt absolutely impossible to me. Yeah, I could show my tits on stage, but everyone knew I had them. Not really big news. But people knowing I'd had sex with a man made my fight-or-flight kick in.
"Now, please indulge me,"
John started with a glint in his eyes.
"I have to ask if you other three men are single. It seems that every woman in America is praying to become a lucky gal with one of you, including my wife!"
John's sarcastic tone made me giggle as the other three guys faux shifted uncomfortably in their seats.
I couldn't remember if they had prepped the guys for this.
"You first, Luke,"
Tom joked, teasing his friend.
"Very single,"
Luke replied, cocky grin on his face. Even though that was obviously true, and I knew that, hearing him say it made my stomach drop a little bit even if I kept an amused smile on my face for the cameras.
"Hunter?"
John turned to the blonde Brit next.
"Taken, love,"
the posh Brit answered coolly.
"Oooooo,"
the audience cooed in dramatic excitement.
"Well this is big news,"
John paused.
"Going to tell us any more about the lucky lady?"
Hunter simply cocked an eyebrow and smirked.
"Then what about you, Mickey?"
"Well I'm sorry to evade, but that information is simply top secret classified information,"
Mickey charmed and schmoozed, his cocky smile a telling sign of his knowing he's getting away with something. He's fine with you knowing that too—it's hot to not know.
"Ugh, well there we have it, folks,"
John quickly turned to more mundane and scripted questions, but I couldn't stop turning the guys' answers around in my head. Hunter saying he wasn't single? Did he mean Mickey? He must have. And Luke saying he was single? I mean, that was true. I still wanted to punch him in the face for saying it.
Before I knew it we were off the stage and being shuttled back to the hotel, my head resting lightly on Tom's shoulder as I nearly fell asleep, the exhaustion hitting me as soon as we stepped off the stage.
"You did so well, baby,"
Tom lovingly murmured into my hair as he kissed the top of my head.
"Love you,"
I sighed and gripped his weighty biceps to rest on the brief drive.
We finally tumbled back to our hotel rooms, Tom and I showering together and having fast and sleepy sex under the stream of water before passing out in the AC hotel room. The big fluffy blankets felt like heaven after what felt like decades of only thin sheets and night sweating. Tom looked like a sleeping angel in the fluff of hotel white.
With the soft white walls and fluffy bedding, the hotel felt like we were in our own little heavenly haze. We woke up together in the middle of the night at some point, drinking water, peeing and having sleepy sex under the cloudy covers in the cold room before falling back asleep, entirely unaware of what time it was or the outside world.
Tour wasn't even halfway through and I already understood why artists said it was so difficult. It was such a toll on the body. I was sore from unknown causes, and just absolutely physically exhausted, as though I had run a marathon. When we were doing our work we had to be so "on,"
with absolutely everyone watching. When I could finally turn it off, it was as though I had to completely shut down for a while.
"Rise and shine,"
Luke's voice slowly pulled me out of my haze of sleep, Tom just starting to shift behind me, wrapped around my form and hand on my breast. A deep grumbling moan came from Tom, no doubt not enjoying the wake-up call.
"Let's go, lover boy, wake up,"
Luke said again. I finally registered that Luke was in our hotel room. How the fuck did he get in? I was so used to his presence on the bus, it felt shockingly natural for him to just be at the bottom of my bed in the morning.
"Luke,"
I grumbled.
"Y'all, it's 11 AM, we gotta go."
"UGHHHH,"
we said in unison. We must have slept past our alarm. Or forgotten to set one.
Whoops.
Hauling my ass out of the fluffy cloud bedding into the cold room felt like the hardest thing I had done on this tour yet. But I did it. The room was still hazy and dark, the curtains still drawn and Luke kind enough not to turn on the lights.
To my great joy, a very large latte sat next to Tom's short americano on the desk.
"Luke, you're a god,"
I croaked out, kissing his cheek before grabbing both, taking Tom's to his still very asleep position in bed.
It was only then I realized I was totally naked still. It hadn't even crossed my mind not to be naked in front of Luke. I mean, I guess it was all good to be naked in front of him. But still, it was such a casual yet profound act of intimacy and comfort, it took me by surprise. I mulled this emotional and sleepy development as I sipped my coffee, Luke now hauling Tom out of bed himself.
"Clothes, y'all,"
Luke instructed humorously. Our naked bodies, skin glowing in the low light with Luke fully dressed, coat and backpack on.
Knock knock.
"Y'all hurry up,"
Mickey barked from the other side of the door. He must not have a key, I mused.
But we finally got our asses in gear, rapidly throwing on clothes and shoving any loose items in our bags.
We were greeted by a classically grumpy Mickey as we left the room to head to the bus.
"Morning, sunshine,"
Luke prodded him as usual.
A near growl came out of Mickey in response. It was so funny to see his moods at this point. I had learned early in our friendship in college he was all bark, no bite. He acts all surly and mad but is really just an overtired puppy dog. It was kind of cute.
Plus, at this point, I knew Hunter could always put him back in his place if need be. I guess that was a great joy of the British brute.
The overwhelming press of the heat hit me as soon as we exited the hotel. The sliding doors felt like they were opening to the depths of hell.
Of course the bus was even hotter and crazy stuffy. Hunter had already cracked the windows and was smoking next to one of them. But still, even through the pounding heat that made me feel like I couldn't catch a full breath, everything suddenly felt light again. All five of us, an immediate levity hit the room, even with Mickey's bad attitude and Tom's sleepy state.
Joints started to get passed around with lighters, as we nursed our coffees and just existed in our own little worlds, together. I put in my headphones sprawled out next to Tom, Luke picking up my legs to sit under them again.