“Are you sure?” Searching his face, I could tell he was serious.
“Ah, yeah, I’m fine, but you might want to catch up with Lizzie though.” He pointed ahead.
“Do you have your cell on you?”
He patted his back pocket. “Yep.”
“Okay,” I agreed and kissed his alien forehead. I turned around to chase after Lizzie who had sniffed out Hampton on the right side of stage. Hampton helped pull Lizzie up over a black gated fence in front of the stage.
“Wonderful.” I headed towards the gate determined to climb it by myself. That was until Hampton wrapped his strong arms around my waist and quickly pulled me over. A couple of excited fans went for the fence, too, but they were immediately stopped by a line of guards.
Hampton turned on a flashlight and led the way down a dark, narrow pathway not accessible to the crowd. Hawkins was waiting there with an entourage of bodyguards. “Just wanted to make sure that you didn’t skip out on me,” he said, all macho like, but I sensed something else in his tone. Was he concerned? The place looked like it advertised for crazy mayhem. He turned on some kind of silent cue and we followed in behind him.
The trail was filled with little pebbles and lined with low chains that looped from one small post to another on either side. Looking down, I watched the flashlight bob from side to side in Hampton’s hand in front of us. The last thing I needed to do was trip.
“Umph!” I collided hard into someone and stumbled back. Holding my hands out, I tried to brace myself as I fell to the ground. Wincing, I rubbed my thigh to brush off the embedded pebbles.
“Are you okay?” A gruff voice asked, full of concern. In the next second I was blinded by another flashlight. Grimacing from the light, I raised my hand to see what or who I had run into.
“Geez, don’t put the light up in her face,” the guy lightly reprimanded the bodyguard beside him. Awkwardly, I tried to stand when a set of solid hands helped center me.
“Yeah, I’m just a little scuffed up,” I mumbled while taking inventory of myself.
“Joie, you should watch where you’re going,” Lizzie scolded me. The initial pain vanished as anger flooded through my veins.
I looked over at Lizzie in outrage and then followed her gaze back up to the guy who came to my rescue. “Oh, holy shit,” I sputtered out as I continued to stare up at him. Through the darkness, I could finally make out the expression across the face of the tall, built man. He arched an eyebrow at me as the expression in his eyes changed from concern to amusement.
“Yeah, she’s fine.” Hawkins continued to watch me openly gawk.
“That’s Dave Matthews,” I said, like he wasn’t standing right there in front of me.
“Are you okay?”
“Dave Matthews is asking if I’m okay.” I turned to Hawkins. “Dave Matthews!”
“I guess she must have bumped her head…hard.” Hawkins rolled his eyes then added, “Good show tonight.”
“Hey, you too.” Dave and Hawkins exchanged some kind of guy hug.
“I’m a huge fan of your music,” I blurted out. Well, my brother was the true diehard fan, but I had grown up with their music playing constantly in our house. I held my hand out for his.
He shook my hand and smiled. “We do appreciate our fans.”
It sounded like something Hawkins would say politely to the crazies. Dave Matthews waved before they ushered him away from us.
Looking towards Lizzie I said, “That was Dave Matthews.”
“And I’ve never been more humiliated in my life,” Lizzie groaned.
Ignoring Lizzie I continued, “Kyle’s going to flip when he hears.”
I looked over at Hawkins’ confused and somewhat annoyed expression. “What?”
“You don’t act that way around me,” he said suspiciously. “All star struck.”
“You’re
good
,” I rambled while my brain adjusted to meeting the famous musician. “It’s just that they are
really
good. I mean Carter is a legend.”
“Carter?”
“Carter Beauford, the drummer?”
“Yeah, I know who he is.” He half laughed. “I just didn’t know that you were on a first name basis with
Carter
.”
“Whatever.” I beamed. “Dave Matthews just shook my hand.”
“I think you mentioned that,” Hawkins muttered.
“I think that
you’re
great.” Lizzie flashed her megawatt smile.
“Thanks,” Hawkins said flatly and glared ahead.
Hampton led us through a small patch of trees until I finally saw a line of shiny tour buses. A row of expensive vehicles were lined in front of the tour buses. In the distance, a black Escalade flashed its headlights and Hampton pointed his hand out towards the SUV.
“There’s your ride,” Hampton instructed Lizzie and me. Hawkins left us and followed behind Harrison without even saying goodbye.
Hurrying, I caught up to Lizzie who was already halfway across the fenced in parking lot. Looking down, I noticed my knotted t-shirt. Oh, my god! Why, was it that I always dressed like a ho when I met a famous rock star for the first time? And who knew what Hawkins had thought about the awful getup. I worked on unknotting the t-shirt, while Lizzie opened the door and got inside the black Escalade. I followed, jumping in and shutting the door behind me. Trying to smooth out the now wrinkled shirt, I realized that it was hopeless.
“Hello, ladies,” Cyrus said with a gust of cigarette breath over his shoulder.
“Hey, you,” Lizzie flirted.
Once again I didn’t need to be there for the conversation so I ignored him as I fastened myself in and he pulled the Escalade out of the parking lot. We hit a patch of muddy road and the Escalade shook us up and down. Once on the main road, I noticed that we were following signs for the airport. A sickening cold shiver raced up my back. We followed the twisting, winding road up to a security gate near the flight lanes of the airport. I froze when I saw in the distance a large, white jet since I was deathly afraid of flying.
“Now this is what I’m talking about,” Lizzie gushed.
My hand was shaking when I propped open the door on my side. Getting out, everything was in slow motion like a bad dream. Vaguely, I overheard Cyrus explain that he needed to stay with the SUV. Trying to control my breathing, I focused my attention on the back of Lizzie in front of me. I was trying to look at anything but the large white jet that loomed on the horizon. The fear was growing bigger within my chest the closer I came to it. My eyes darted over to a slow stream of fans that were colorfully painted and barely clothed heading towards the jet as well. What a night, I sighed to myself as we walked the rest of the distance. I followed Lizzie as she tripped and giggled up the steps to the jet. Grabbing onto the railing, I felt like a small, terrified child holding onto a parent’s leg for dear life. Literally, I was thinking take one step and then the next as I slowly made my way up the stairs.
“I can’t believe we’re going to be having a party in the sky with the band,” the excited group of fans behind me commented.
“Neither can I,” I muttered to myself like a crazy person trying to sooth themselves. One of the girls behind me huffed at my pace as I slowly forced myself up the rest of the steps. Reaching the opening of the jet, a sickening feeling entered the pit of my stomach. A hostess greeted me with a wide, brilliant smile. “Welcome aboard.”
Glancing down the steps behind me at the ground, I wondered if it was too late to turn around. The party of impatient girls rushed past me into the plane. Suddenly, I was pushed back on the heels of my feet. For a second the world came to a stop and I saw myself falling back down the steps when a hand tightly grabbed onto my arm.
“Steady there.” Hawkins looked alarmed when I quickly wrapped my other arm around him. For a second we were in a tight embrace and I didn’t give a shit.
“Umm.” He cleared his throat and held out a free hand to stop Harrison from pulling me off of him.
“She’s afraid of flying,” Lizzie confessed like it was a dirty secret.
“Really?” Hawkins bit at her. “I thought she just wanted a hug.”
My grasp loosened at the mention of this. God, this was beyond embarrassing. Hawkins kept his steady hands around my shoulders. He held me back to examine me more closely.
“If you’re going to gloat, you might want to wait until I can focus properly.”
“Actually, I was going say that I’ve been waiting to see you more uncomfortable around me sooner.” A sexy smile crossed his face. ”I just didn’t know that it would feel this disappointing.”
“Ha, ha.”
“You don’t look too good,” he said with genuine concern.
“I know, I know, I look like shit,” I murmured, figuring my face was as white as a ghost. Beads of perspiration were already forming along my brow.
“Okay.” Hawkins wrapped an arm around me. “Let’s get you to a seat.”
All six foot three of his tall, muscular body pulled me along. My legs were wobbly, but I kept moving until he released me with a loud thud into a nearby seat. He winced. “Sorry, I didn’t expect for you to drop like a ton of bricks.”
“Hey, easy on the ton part,” I whispered as he secured me in with a seat belt.
“You can barely walk, but those lips are still going a mile a minute.” He hunched down to look up at me. “Why am I not surprised?” he sighed taking the window seat next to me.
Suddenly I felt us start to move and grabbed hold of the chair arms with clenched hands.
“I don’t know about this.” Hawkins turned to Harrison sitting across the aisle.
“I’m fine,” I snapped.
He narrowed his eyes while looking over at me and then sighed, “If you say so.”
“We have Dramamine,” a stewardess offered.
“Yes, that should work,” Hawkins agreed. “Thank you.”
Before I knew it, two little pills in a small white cup were pushed under my face with a bottle of water. Downing the medicine with one swig, I breathed, “Thank you.”
“You don’t have to babysit me,” I said while shutting my eyes as the plane accelerated down the runway.
“I know I don’t have to,” he murmured.
“I think I’m going to faint,” I confessed while hearing what sounded like static in my ears.
“Bend over,” Hawkins instructed as the plane began to pull up. “It helps.”
Leaning over, the blood raced back to my brain as the plane quickly lifted off the ground. Hawkins ran a soothing hand along my back. A warmth washed over me that I knew had nothing to do with the queasiness I felt as we started our ascent up into the sky. Leaning back in my seat, I decided that the pressure of the plane pushing against me made me feel even more disoriented than when my head had been between my legs. Hawkins pulled the blind down over the window beside him. Once we had leveled in the sky I overheard the pilot instruct that it was okay to unfasten our seatbelts.
Music suddenly filled the plane. Seriously? Stealing a glance behind me, I saw people dancing in the next section. The airplane itself looked like Air Force One. The last room in the back was some kind of open bar. The clinking of champagne glasses could be heard as everyone got their groove on to the music booming around us. It would have been impressive if it weren’t for the fact that I was in a tin can, located hundreds of miles above the ground. Suddenly, the plane shook from turbulence and I snapped my head back around while gripping the arms of the chair again.
“I wish that I would have known…” Hawkins began to say.
“That I don’t like backstage, hotels, buses, and jets? Because I’m pretty sure that I made at least three of those things very clear.”
“Is this you more focused?” He arched an eyebrow while smiling over at me.
“Ah, huh,” gulping my breath while trying to stay focused. “Shoot away.”
“You just look so pathetic,” he murmured. “It wouldn’t even feel fun or fair to pick on you right now.”
“Come on, we can do this. I’m not a wimp.”
“Oh, yeah, you’re a real rebel, alright,” he retorted.
“You should take advantage of this opportunity.” I swallowed hard. “Who knows when you’ll win another verbal fight with me again?”
He laughed when suddenly a group of girls came around the side of my seat. “Hawkins! Why don’t you come dance with us?”
“Thanks, but no, ladies.” Hawkins gave a polite smile.
“Oh, come on, J.T.,” the girl pouted.
“Oh yes, J.T., you should go dance with them,” I insisted, half annoyed but also letting him know he was off the hook. He didn’t have to stay beside me throughout the entire uncomfortable flight.
“There is no way I’m going to leave you here,” he said harshly. Harrison stood up and started to escort the girls away.
“Have it your way then.” I gave up and closed my eyes while suddenly feeling the effects of the medicine. My hands slowly eased from the tense grip I had on the chair arms. “The medicine is starting to work.”
“Oh, good, I might get some peace and quiet,” he exhaled with a small smile across his face. Though he was being a smart ass, I noticed him slowly relax, too.
“Where are we going anyway?”
“We’re supposed to be chasing the sunset.” He narrowed his eyes while stealing a glance out the window in front of us.
“Huh, that’s cool.” My stiff body relaxed back into the chair.
“Oh, yeah.” He laughed. “You’re really impressed.”
“Well, it’s not all about me.”
Hawkins suddenly became preoccupied with looking out the window again.
“Oh, no.” I suddenly felt drunk. “I think we might have a problem.”
“Are you okay?” Hawkins perked up in his seat.
“Yeah,” I said, waving it off, but my eyes were getting really heavy.
“Joie?” He sounded alarmed, but also foggy at the same time.
“J.T.?” I slurred.
“Joie?”
“I think I’m tired, J.T.” I liked the way his name sounded. Why did I never call him by his first name? “J.T., J.T., J.T., I like it. J.T.”