Lost Avalon: A Finding Nolan Novel (5 page)

             
“I’ll be flying out of wherever you take me. Please, I’m not picky. Anywhere with airplanes will do.”

             
The guy nodded and returned his attention to the dash. Next thing I knew, we were traveling with the flow of traffic and putting more and more distance between myself and what had been my whole world for the last seven years.

             
I had no idea what I would do now. Or even where I would go. Home I guess. Although, where was that really? I’d bought a house right before we went on tour, but it had been going through major renovations this whole time and was more than likely still a working construction zone. I had planned to crash at Blaise’s until it was finished, but that wasn’t really an option now.

             
There was always my mother’s place. But she still lived in the same house on that same street…I wasn’t sure I was ready to go and face those ghosts of my past either.

             
By the time I reached the airport I was no closer to figuring things out than I had been when I stormed out of the tour bus with everything I owned. Still, I paid the cabby, left him a generous tip for pretending he hadn’t heard me sobbing to myself in the backseat and then marched onward into the terminal.

             
Maybe I’d just take off. Go see the world. Why not? I had the money to. I could hear Blaise in the back of my mind balking at me for running away, but suddenly it was a lot easier to tell him to shut up.

             
So, I wandered to the ticket counters and waited for something to jump out at me.

             
Alaska.
Too cold. Definitely a pass.

             
Ireland.
I could go for some luck. Maybe. Wait…wasn’t it Ireland where they always had sheep blocking the roads in the movies? Maybe better not. Sheep aren’t my thing.

             
Mexico
. Beaches, but way too trendy. No.             

Tahiti.
Sandy white beaches and clear blue waters with an overwater bungalow? Yes please!

             
Without giving it a second thought, I went and got in line along with the other happy people. Obviously they were happy. Look at where they were going. I could even feel my own smile creeping in. It felt good. Felt new. Not surprisingly so. I couldn’t remember the last time I had made an entirely selfish decision. I would have to remember to do it more often.

             
Finally it was my turn.

             
“Destination and photo ID please.” The woman behind the counter was so stuck in going through the motions she hadn’t even looked up. She’d simply held up her hand and waited for me to hand over my paperwork. She didn’t appear to be nearly as happy as everyone else, but then she probably wasn’t going to get to go to Tahiti, or any other tropical island for that matter.

             
“Um, I actually don’t have a ticket yet. But I’d like to purchase one please.”

             
At last she lifted her head. Considering every five year old could now book a trip around the world via the internet, she probably hadn’t sold a ticket to a customer directly in a long time.

             
“Okay. When and where would you like to go?” Her finger tips were already in place just hovering over the keyboard ready to attack.

             
“Um,
whenever
you have something available and
wherever
it’s nice. Oh, I do want to be able to stay in one of those little huts like in the picture though, so, wherever they have those, please.” I was pointing at the banner behind her. I felt silly, but then that banner had been a deciding factor so I did want to make sure that I wound up standing in it by the time I got to where I was going.

             
The woman studied me for a moment and then. “Runaway bride?”

             
“I’m sorry?”

             
“It’s just, the only time I get young women up here making your kind of requests it’s usually right after they left some poor schmuck standing at the altar.”

             
I was surprised to hear myself laugh out loud. “No, no altar. Although I did leave a poor schmuck if that helps.”

             
She smiled kindly. “I have a flight to Bora Bora. Doesn’t leave for nearly seven hours though.”

             
“That’s perfect. I’ll take it. Thank you.” I slid my credit card across the counter along with my passport.

             
She took both. “Will you be wanting a return flight?”

             
“No thanks.”

             
“I didn’t think so.” She winked at me and got busy typing up my information.

             
A short while later I had my ticket in hand and was passing through the security check. One near strip search later and I was on the other side making my way toward the departure gate.

Since I had plenty of time to kill, I bought a coffee and set myself up in my own little nook using a corner where the wall and the floor to ceiling window came together.

              Comfortably propped up against what little luggage I had, I sat on the floor and pulled my laptop out of its pillow case, resting it on my legs. It felt strange. Before I would have had a gazillion different things to keep me busy. Now, I was left with aimlessly searching the internet. When I got bored with that, I pulled up Amazon and started browsing their vast selection of eBooks. After One-clicking on at least ten of them, I went to dig out my phone. I had downloaded the Kindle app on it once upon a time and never used it. Now seemed like the perfect time to try it out. Except I didn’t have my phone anymore.

             
“Shit.” I had already forgotten that I’d smashed it earlier. For all I knew it was still lying on the floor exactly where it had landed after hitting the wall.

             
It was just as well. At least this way Blaise wouldn’t be able to get through if he tried to call me. Better yet, I wouldn’t know if he didn’t.

             
With no other alternatives, I downloaded the same app to my computer and began reading there. I was about three chapters in on what might very well have been the best book in the world, if only I had been able to concentrate on it long enough to absorb any of the story, when my compute softly jingled at me and the little blue Skype bubble popped up on my screen.

             
It was Royce. And that was weird.

             
I hit answer before I could remind myself that I was pissed off at him, too.

             
“Hello?”

             
“Ava, where are you guys?” I could tell from the video that he was back on the bus.

             
“I take it Blaise hasn’t talked to you boys yet?” Of course not.

             
“Talked to us about what? No one has seen him since we left the stage. How come you guys never showed for the after party?” Royce turned around to pick something up. “And what’s up with this?” He was holding up my busted phone.

             
“It had an altercation with the wall and didn’t fare so well. What do you mean Blaise didn’t show for the after party?” I was starting to get a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach.

             
“Wait. Is he not with you?” Royce was slowly catching up to what was really going on. “Is that an airplane in the window behind you? What the fuck is going on, Ava?”

             
I looked over my shoulder. What the hell was up with these windows? Shouldn’t the glare from the light have rendered the planes on the other side of the glass hidden in the dark of night? Nope. Not considering they had a spotlight bright as daylight shining on the one straight behind me.

             
“Look, I’ll explain later. Right now we need to find Blaise. Where are Derek and Angel?”

             
Royce was on the move. When he stepped outside he finally answered, “Derek is sleeping, but Angel’s still up. He’s sitting in the back watching TV.” He glanced out into the night, then back at the screen. “How bad is this Ava?”

             
“Don’t know yet. Call you when I find out. Don’t let the bus leave until I figure out what’s going on.”

             
I snapped my screen shut, shoved the laptop back into the pillow case and collected the rest of my stuff. Then, like a fool, I began running through the terminal until I made it back outside and into another cab.

             
“The Glass Room, please,” I called to the cabby before I was even fully inside the vehicle. He didn’t waste any time. The second my door slammed shut, he was on the move already.

             
The drive seemed to take for fucking ever. Every second that I sat there I berated myself for all the stupid ways I had handled the situation. Starting with my phone. God, I’d never wanted to get a drunk call from Blaise more than I did in that first moment I couldn’t get one. It didn’t matter now. None of it did. And really, as much as I seemed to enjoy claiming all responsibility for Blaise’s actions, I was just an innocent bystander watching a train wreck I had no way of stopping. Even if part of me felt like I had set it into motion, the reality was, it had been stuck on this track for the last decade already.

             
When the car finally stopped in front of the night club, I threw my wallet at the driver and ran inside leaving all of my stuff behind with my money and ID.  The bar had closed over an hour ago, but there was bound to be someone left inside.

             
I banged on the doors for several minutes and then, “What the hell?”

             
“I’m sorry, but I’m looking for someone. It’s important. Blaise Nolan, did he come in here tonight?”

             
The guy in the doorway stared me up and down for a minute. “Listen honey, we don’t make a habit of disclosing our guest list to people. Our clientele just wouldn’t appreciate it.”

             
He went to close the door again but I slid my foot in before he could. “You don’t understand. I’m his manager. I was here with the whole band last night.” Then realizing that I was getting nowhere I switched gears, ”Fine, never mind. What about Melanie, is she here tonight?” It was the scary red head. If Blaise was unraveling, he’d be going for maximum destructing and she’d be right up his alley.

             
“You know Mel?”

             
“Yeah. She around or what?” I was really getting tired of being in limbo. He either needed to let me in or direct me to the next place.

             
“Took off earlier. But her roommate’s here. Hold on.” He turned his head inside and called out, “Perry. There’s someone here looking for Mel.”

             
Perry was a leggy blonde who was probably just slightly less scary than Melanie. And I didn’t scare easy. But the size of her fake breasts about to jump out at me from her mini sized shirt was enough to make me want to run and hide.

             
“How do you know Mel?” She wasn’t exactly friendly either. Of course it probably would have helped if I had been equipped with a big dick.

             
“I know she was hanging out with Blaise Nolan last night. Pretty sure he’s with her right now and I need to find him.”

             
Perry gave me a dirty look. “Why? Maybe you should mind your own damn business. What, you his girlfriend or something, because I got bad news for you sweetie, he’s been a
very
bad boy.” She seemed to really enjoy taunting me, except it wasn’t working.

             
“I’m not his fucking girlfriend you dumb bitch, I’m his manager. And if he isn’t on his goddamn tour bus in the next sixty minutes, it’s taking off without him. He won’t be too happy when he finds out I came here to get him and you told me to get lost.” I spun on my heel and went to storm off.

             
“Wait." She took several steps after me. “I can’t leave yet or I’d take you there myself, but let me get you the address.”

             
Two minutes later I was back in the cab handing Bertie, my driver – we were starting to bond at this point – the cocktail napkin Perry had used to write her address on. Thankfully, her apartment building was just a few roads down and so it wasn’t long before I was hammering on another front door.

             
“Who the fuck are you?” Scary Red.

             
“I’m here for Blaise. Where is he?”

             
“What are you, his wife?” She was blocking the door with her arm.

             
“Worse. I’m his manager. Now get out of my way.” I pummeled my way straight through her and into the apartment. It stunk of cigarettes and weed and the air freshener they were using to try and cover it up was only making matters worse.