17
and the way people stopped to check on them. “Wow, this stuff
18
is . . .”
19
“It’s odd. But then you just sort of, I don’t know, deal with it
20
I suppose. I have a handler. The one who gave us the drinks just
21
now. He’s a lovely man, makes sure I keep hydrated, that I get
22
fed and don’t get left on the outside of all this security. Miles and 23
Adrian have one too. It’s . . . well, I’m not used to it, but it’s 24
the way this world goes. I’m trying.” Gillian sighed. “I seem to
25
be saying that a lot. It makes Adrian happy to be out here. He’d
26
be miserable if we weren’t with him. So we’re here. It’s good for
27
Miles. And it’s good for me to have this understanding of what
28S
Adrian does. Of how much goes into his career. Plus, it’s rather
29N
fun. Most of the time. The groupies are not fun, though.”
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Groupies
. She cringed.
01
“There’s a lot of security. Adrian’s quite cross when they get
02
in to where his dressing room is, so it’s a rarity. But they seem
03
to always be at the periphery. And they have absolutely no
04
qualms about coming on to him right in front of me, or in front
05
of Miles.”
06
“Ew.”
07
Gillian laughed. “Succinctly put. Those Hurley boys do love
08
the ladies. Not Damien though,” Gillian added.
09
“In New York, outside a restaurant, two of them approached
10
him. Just sort of stepped in front of me, edging me out. Like I
11
wasn’t even there. I was pretty astonished.”
12
“People are usually nice. They get so excited to see Adrian,
13
and who am I to get mad when they’re such big fans. He’s fl at-
14
tered. They’re the reason he’s out here. But those few . . . well, 15
it makes it tough sometimes.”
16
“Everyone at home is on my case because they think I’m
17
blinded to this world by stars in my eyes. Like I’m so naive I
18
can’t be with him without falling in love and getting crushed
19
because he’s not a forever type of guy.”
20
Gillian sighed. “I’ve spoken to Jules a little about it. I’ve got-
21
ten to know him. Damien, I mean. He’s a good lad. Parties a
22
little hard at times, but not so much that he can’t stand. He loves 23
his family. He’s quite talented. And he
is
truly sweet on you.”
24
“I’m not expecting anything long term out of this. I wish
25
they’d believe me and realize I’m not a moron.”
26
“You know they don’t think that. This is not your world. Or
27
mine, for that matter. It’s fast and brutal, and if you scratch the S28
surface there’s loads of heartbreak. They see the bad and worry
N29
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Lauren Dane
01
that it’ll affect you. You’re ours, part of Delicious; we adore you 02
and would neuter anyone who harmed you. But at this point I
03
have a unique perspective, I think. Being back here, watching
04
this world from this side of the stage gives me insight I didn’t
05
have before. Yes, it can be wild and crazy. But at the same time,
06
you get to know these boys and how they are. Being on the road
07
means they’re in hotel after hotel, plane after plane, or on the
08
bus. They’re close, the Hurleys. He’s not a rogue or a rake or
09
anything like that. Though he was before. He’s intelligent. Well
10
spoken. Respectful of what Adrian and I have. He’s good with
11
Miles. I met his parents yesterday, and his oldest brother. They’re 12
lovely people. His mother”—Gillian paused to laugh—“is quite
13
a bit like yours. She’s bossy and irreverent and totally capable
14
of managing four boys who you know must have been fright-
15
fully wild as children. You’ve spent your life taking care of us.
16
Being a shoulder and a sounding board. Delicious wants you to
17
be happy, and they worry about this life. But I’m living this life
18
right now and it’s not as bad as one might believe.” She squeezed
19
Mary’s hands.
20
Some food arrived and in her head, Mary thought she could
21
do better, though it was tasty. Gillian’s support was important
22
and it made her feel a lot better to know that at least someone
23
understood.
24
It was enough for the time being.
25
26
27
28S
29N
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01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
10
09
10
11
12
13
14
15
H
16
e woke her gently once he turned the engine off. “We’re
17
at your place, Curly. Wake up.”
18
She’d talked and talked on the drive back but once
19
they got to North Bend she’d begun to slow down. He knew
20
she’d been up since four the previous morning to do a job before
21
she’d come to the Gorge, so he was fi ne to let her sleep.
22
In lieu of taking a helicopter back, he’d had his car brought
23
out to the Gorge and they’d driven back after the show had
24
ended. The rest of his gear would go back to his house, but he
25
had a suitcase and his wheels and Mary Whaley in the passen-
26
ger seat, and all felt right with the world.
27
She stretched, opening her eyes. “Oh man. I’ve been asleep
S28
awhile. I’m sorry.”
N29
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Lauren Dane
01
He came around to open her door. “You needed it.”
02
He grabbed his bag and followed her to the door and then
03
inside. It smelled like her and he paused. He’d only been there
04
briefl y, once before when he’d given her a ride home the morn-
05
ing after the wedding.
06
Pictures took up most of the wall space. He wandered, look-
07
ing. Her as a child with her brothers. “Is this you and Jules?”
08
She came over, smiling. “Yes. From fi fth grade. She still looks
09
pretty much exactly like that.”
10
“Is it weird that she ended up with your brother?”
11
“They’ve been meant for each other for a very long time. I’m
12
thrilled for them both. He needed her. She’s ruthlessly organized,
13
a calming element in his chaos.”
14
“I like the way you talk about your friends.”
15
“I’m extremely fortunate to have the people in my life that I
16
do. Are you hungry?”
17
“Do you have any work today?”
18
“Nope. I’m off all day long.”
19
“Mmm. Good. So yes to breakfast, because you need to be
20
fueled up for what I’m going to do to you. Twice. Maybe even
21
three times. Then a nap and we can start over.”
22
“My bedroom is around the corner and to the left. You can
23
put your things in there.”
24
He left her bustling around her kitchen, curious about her
25
room.
26
A big bed. Wrought iron. Bright blue bedspread with orange
27
sheets his mother would call tangerine. It was crisp and fresh
28S
and bright. It smelled like vanilla and citrus. More pictures on
29N
the wall in here. Some art he wagered came from Daisy, her
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friend the artist. Books on shelves with cracked spines so he
01
knew she’d read them all.
02
A robe hung on a hook on the back of her door. The yellow
03
one she’d worn in New York. A mirrored tray on her dresser had
04
a few simple pieces of jewelry on it. He noted she didn’t wear
05
much dangly stuff, opting for simple hoops in her ears. She wore
06
her nails short with clear polish. He fi gured with her job, her
07
hands in other people’s food all day, she wouldn’t risk a ring
08
that got gunk stuck in it or nails she’d only mess up. Mary was
09
practical that way.
10
When he came out, it was to the scent of ham and straw-
11
berries.
12
“Wow.” He went into her kitchen and noted that she kept
13
an eye on him. “You don’t like people in your kitchen, do you?”
14
She laughed. “It’s sort of a joke among my friends. But peo-
15
ple have a tendency to touch and adjust, even when they don’t
16
mean to. I like things just so. When people mess with
my
just-so 17
it makes me cranky and messes with my food mojo.”
18
He backed off, sitting at a stool at the nearby island. “I totally
19
understand. I have an offi ce at my house. Well, an offi ce and a
20
practice space. When I practice I want to be alone sometimes.
21
They know that if I’m in there they’d better leave me alone. We
22
have a larger space in a studio, a renovated barn actually, where
23
we practice and record together. But my space is about my art.
24
I like it how I like it. Tell me if I can help. Otherwise I’ll be right 25
here watching you cook. Because frankly I’ve never seen any-
26
thing sexier than you making food.”
27
She blushed. “Flatterer.”
S28
“Maybe so. But it’s true just the same. Whatcha making?”
N29
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01
“Fried ham, some gravy and toast. Oh and some strawber-
02
ries, blueberries and mint. Sorry it’s nothing fancy.”
03
He laughed. “Nothing fancy? Curly, toast is nothing fancy.
04
Ham, gravy, toast and fruit with mint is so fancy.”
05
“Should have asked if you were like low carb or anything.”
06
“When I come off tour I let myself go for a few weeks. I get up
07
when I want. Eat what I want. Do what I want. Then I get back
08
to working out and being on a schedule. We’ll be starting a new
09
record later in the fall. But for now, I will not only eat gravy, I 10
will eat lots of it.”
11
“That’s what a girl like me likes to hear.”
12
They ate their breakfast at her large farmhouse table, taking
13
one end. She poured coffee and fresh juice and he just let him-
14
self be.
15
“This is the best thing I’ve eaten since the last time you
16
cooked for me. Do you ever get tired of it? Want to have others
17
cook instead?”
18
“I love to go out to eat. Love to taste other people’s food. But
19
I’m horribly judgmental. If it tastes like someone phoned it in,
20
or worse, got it out of a vat and made it in the microwave, I get
21
vexed. I don’t mind simple food. I love pizza and hot dogs. I just
22
don’t like those places with menus that come in three- ring bind-
23
ers and you know that to have a twenty- eight- page menu every-
24
thing is from a vat, a freezer or a can. I can do that at home;
25
why go out for that?”
26
“Good question. What is your position on diner food?”
27
“I love diner food. Next question.”
28S
He grinned.
29N
“Microwave popcorn?”
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“Love it. Eat it for dinner sometimes, though I do have a few
01
different mixes I shake in for extra fl avor. And I do make a
02
homemade version of Cracker Jack.”