Strings (17 page)

Blam, blam, blam!

Oh yeah, motherfuckers. Take that.

I stalk down the tight aisle toward Killer
Dixon, slapping my strings in answer to their musical summons like
a cat in heat, looking for some action. All three men smile at me
heading their way.

Rax offers a seductive melody.

I reciprocate with a supporting line.

Shades tosses out a series of complicated
runs on his bass.

I lick my lips and answer with a similar but
more evolved ruckus.

Toombs backs up Rax with an on-the-go rhythm
and watches with detached interest.

Sonic booms duel between Shades and me, and
Rax is caught in the middle. Kinda reminds me of last night.

In three more seconds, it’s a balls-out jam
session of improvisation, rocking new strains, and bold calls and
responses.

I blend into that magic, fall into the arms
of the music, and let it cover me. Time and space disappear. Flow
consumes me. I lose track of my body, and my fingers take me where
they want to go.

They lead me to Shades. Always back to
Shades.

I open my eyes—when did I close them?—and
he’s in front of me. The necks of our basses almost touch, our
strings only inches apart.

Just like the invisible ones drawing us
closer and closer each passing day.

How did this happen? How did I get so lost
in him?

My fingers dance over the frets as I pluck,
and suddenly my music—and the magic—crashes to a deafening
halt.

I pause. Turn around. Kate holds up my
unplugged cord and slams it on the floor. She stomps to her bunk
and slashes the curtain shut. The guys stop playing, and the spell
breaks. Along with my heart.

Shit. Caught naked again, and not in the
good way. Avoiding male gazes, I blink away the gathering tears and
return to Jinx with my head lowered.

She hugs me and whispers into my hair, “That
was awesome, Letty.”

“
Thanks.” I stow my bass.
Can’t do this anymore. On the way to my bunk, I sneak a peek at
Jillian. She has a tear in her eye too.

Womanballs in
Bikinis

After hiding in my bedicle—a new word I
invented for my bed/cubicle—and listening to Killer Dixon
practicing all day, I venture out to see where we are. The bus is
parked behind tonight’s venue. And holy fuck, this place is
huge.

“
Letty,” Jillian says.
“Glad you could join us.”

Back to being her usual hard-ass self so
soon? I shouldn’t be surprised. I’ll bet her uterus is made of
rusted iron.

I glance around. It’s just her. Jinx and
Kate are talking in back. “Where’s everyone else?”

“
I sent them to the
grocery. Since we’re cutting expenses, we’re gonna have to stop
eating fast food and start cooking.”

I laugh. “You sent a bunch
of
guys
grocery
shopping? You didn’t give them any money, did you? They’ll just
come back with beer and call it a protein substitute.”

Jillian shakes her head. “They have a list.
I was very direct with my instructions.”

I shrug. “Okay.”

“
Looks like our social
network strategy is working,” Jillian continues. “The event
organizer tells me they’re fifty tickets shy of selling out
tonight, and about a hundred away for tomorrow.”

“
And that
means…?”

“
You’re on standby for
bikini detail.”

“
Well, good thing I don’t
have one.”

Jillian grins. “I told the boys if they
brought back everything on my grocery list, they could go shopping
at the surf shop.”

“
There aren’t any surf
shops in Jacksonville.” Shit, at least I hope there
aren’t.

“
There’s one right around
the corner.”

“
How is
that
fair?
They
get to pick
out
our
bathing
suits?” Not that I mind Shades seeing me in one, but hundreds of
fans?

Actually…

I smile. This could be fun.

“
Okay, fine. Bikini.
Whatever. What are the guys wearing tonight?”

Jillian arches a brow.
“What would you
like
for them to wear?”

I toss out a laugh. “Well…since we’re on a
tight budget, we can’t spend much. Is there a thrift store
nearby?”

“
I like where this is
going,” Jillian says with a wicked grin.

Me too.

I grab Jinx (of course, Kate refuses to have
anything to do with our plan), and the three of us walk a couple of
blocks to the thrift store for supplies. A hundred bucks—thank
Jesus for Jillian’s generous credit card donation—and two hours
later, we return to the bus with huge smiles.

“
It’s about time you got
back,” Rax says. “Kate’s so excited to see what we bought you,
she’s been masturbating in her bed all day.”

“
Fuck you, dickhole.”
Kate’s shrill scream billows her bunk curtain.

Jinx cringes.

Wow, screechy-stabby much? I’m starting to
wonder about Kate’s mental state. She seems to unravel a little
more every day. I make a mental note to sneak through her shit
later to be sure she doesn’t have any weapons hidden in her
trundle.

I drop my bags to the floor and hitch my
hands to my hips. “Do your worst.” Bad choice of words, I’m sure,
but I gotta at least pretend to have some womanballs about
this.

Shades and Toombs gather behind Rax as he
unveils his purchases. Shades winks at me.

Oh boy.

“
This, my
juicy
little Letty, is
yours.”

I wince at the reference
to last night.
Nice,
cocksucker.

Rax pulls out a red, white, and blue
starred-and-striped two-piece thong bikini. Without looking at the
size on the tag, I’m certain it’s for a ten-year-old. A really
slutty one.

With one finger so as not to attract too
many germs from the surely diseased thing, I hook the stringed
whore-wear and dangle it before my eyes. “This is the most
disgusting piece of shit I’ve ever seen.”

Rax nods eagerly. “I know, right?” He whips
out a color-coordinated pom pom on a stick and shakes it into my
other hand. “For your bass.”

I tilt my head and let out a long breath.
It’s just for tonight. Okay, maybe tomorrow night too.

“
I guess this means I
gotta annihilate my bushes.” I glance down. “Fuck you very much,
Rax.”

“
My pleasure, little
squirt.” He ruffles my hair.

I slap his hand away. Motherfucker. That’s
okay. My comeuppance is on its way.

Shades turns his head as if to hide the
smile I already saw. Oh, he’s getting his too.

Kate rolls out of bed and approaches with
fists balled under her arms.

Rax turns to Jinx. “And for you, wildcat…”
He holds up a leopard print monokini and a matching pair of cat
ears.

Oh Christ.

Jinx flips Toombs a pointed stare, accepts
the flimsy fabric, and says, “Thanks.” She wanders to her bunk,
keeping her gaze locked on Toombs until she gets there. Jinx the
Minx. Damn, girl.

The dude cracks a smile—like, a genuine one.
I think it might be his first time. Jinx popped Toombs’s smile
cherry!

“
And finally, for our
lovely princess, Kate…” Rax unveils a frou-frou, cotton
candy-looking piece of nastiness made out of those super soft
feathers. I assume it’s a two-piece, but I can’t tell for all the
allergy-inducing fluffery. “I know how much she loves
pink.”

I purse my lips. Wow.

Out of nowhere, Kate storms to Rax, snatches
the outfit, and stuffs it in his laughing mouth. “You fucking wear
it, ball bag!”

“
Whoa!” I grab her from
behind and try to drag her away, but the banshee snarls and claws
and howls like a rabid squirrel on crack. What the fuck got into
her?

Shades and Toombs grapple with Rax, who’s
now equally enraged. Fire burns hot in his face.

Jillian rushes toward us, waving her hands.
“Everybody chill the hell out!”

Kate elbows me in the ribs—great, some
bruises to show off with my new get-up—and kicks at Rax. His
bandmates on either side, holding him back, Rax huffs and puffs
like he’s ready to blow the bus down.

Jillian gets up in Kate’s personal space and
points a quivering finger in her face. “Bitch, I’ve just about had
it with you.” Her voice is low and even. “This is your last chance
to pull your shit together. One more outburst, and either you walk,
or I do. I don’t get paid enough to babysit your immature ass.
What’s it gonna be?”

I’ve never seen Jillian so angry. Her
expression flaunts crazed intensity that rivals Kate’s. She’s
reached the red zone on her Kate-o-meter.

I step between them. “Kate, if you don’t
want to wear the outfit, don’t. It’s not that big of a deal.”

“
I’m
not
putting that shit on.” Her words
come out more like a hollow growl than a recognizable
sentence.

Laying my hands on her heaving shoulders, I
say, “Calm down, okay? It was just a joke.” Now I’m seriously
worried for her mental state. Kate’s a wounded animal, and Rax is
the one who hurt her. Repeatedly.

“
Come on. Let’s get some
air.” I lead her toward the steps.

Once we’re outside, she says, “That fucker
is doing everything he can to provoke me.”

“
You’re right. He is. But
you don’t have to let him get under your skin. Look at yourself.
You nearly instigated a riot in there. Rax may be a douche grenade,
but I don’t think he’d ever hurt you. You gotta pull yourself
together and give up this grudge. Dwelling on it is making you
psycho.”

“
I’m
psycho?” She jabs an index finger into her chest. “He stole
my song, Letty. How would you feel if he’d done that to you? Music
is my
life
. He’s
trying to deprive me of my happiness.” Tears fill her bloodshot
eyes.

With a tentative hand, I smooth her hair and
hug her. “Music isn’t everything,” I say into her neck.

She pulls away. “It is to me.”

I want to comfort her. To say the right
words that’ll make her see how crazy she sounds, but she’s too far
gone at this moment to understand. “Okay, Kate. Let’s not argue
anymore. We have a show to get ready for. Wear a pair of jeans and
a T-shirt if you’d rather. No pressure.”

She sets her jaw and nods. I return to the
bus, pick up my dropped bags from the thrift store, and hand them
half-heartedly to each of the guys. When I get to Shades, I flash
him a weak smile. He brushes my hand. I need to talk to him.
Alone.

I look through the window at Kate pacing
furiously across the blacktop, and I feel the strings between her
and me loosen as the ones binding me to Shades tighten.

I have a bad feeling the tension is heading
for a snap.

* * * *

“
Yo, yo, yo!
Jacksonville!” I holler into the mic before a packed house. Holy
mother of Cthulu, this is the biggest gig I’ve ever played. Two
thousand people. It’s a good thing I don’t get stage fright. “How
are y’all motherfuckers doin’ this fine December night?”

Screams, stomping feet, and whistles
answer.

“
We’re Cherry Buzz Float,
and we’re here to blow your minds, light a fire under your asses,
and take you back to a time when the women knew how to rock just as
hard as the men. You know what I’m talking about?”

Shouts and cheers.

“
I’m talking about the
magical ’70s.” I shrug out of my jacket to reveal the way-too-small
bikini top with big white stars over my nipples.

The crowd roars, and I gotta admit, I’m a
little wet in the thonger that they seem to like what they see.
Such an attention whore I am.

“
Now, who wants to get
musically fucked by three chicks armed with sexually charged
instruments of mass distraction?”

Pandemonium.

Lady gusher.

“
Let’s go!” I scream with
my best Janis Joplin voice and kick into “Take It Like a
Man.”

As I sing and slap my strings, I embrace the
warmth of the fans surrounding me. The music takes control, and off
I go, into my zone. The stage buffs away the scars from the earlier
drama.

Tonight as I play, I feel Shades with me.
When I glance to the side stage, he’s there, watching, smiling, and
clapping with the fans.

I want to make music and happy endings with
Shades. Just like this. Jamming with him and the guys on the bus
was amazing and fresh and new. I want to live that feeling every
day of my life. That oneness with the dude I care about.

Yeah, I do care about him. A lot more than I
should.

As I hit my favorite bass
groove, I shoot him a saucy grin, and he returns it. God, I so
wanna do him after this show. But even more, I want to talk to him.
I want to
know
him.

The crowd vibrates with contagious energy.
At the end of the first tune, I grow a pair of balls and go all
out.

“
Thank you, guys. Whoa, is
it hot in here, or what?” I fan myself and lift my skirt, flapping
nice and slow. The guys at my feet go nuts. I face Jinx, who
casually undoes her sensible white button-down and tosses the shirt
aside, revealing her leopard print monokini. She looks hot as hell,
like she’s ready to rip out the throats of every guy in the place
after she has her way with them. Wow. Maybe Jinx is coming out of
her shell.