The Loneliest Tour (27 page)

He shook his hand and looked at
Jett.

He nodded.

“
Thanks,
”
Jett said.

Colby let his arm go.

“
No
worries,
”
Ryker said.
“
Nobody talks about a woman like
that.
”

“
I
’
m just glad we never have to see
them again,
”
Brantley said.

“
Why
not?
”

Jett turned and saw the dressing
room door open, Masie sitting in a chair, her leg up on another. Some medical
tech was working on her ankle, and working on transportation to get her to the
hospital to get a x-ray.

“
Ah,
shit,
”
Jett said.

“
I
know this really bad timing,
”
Harry said as he wiped sweat off his face.
“
But
you guys have to hit the stage.
”

“
Harry,
”
Van said.
“
You were like a boxer out there.
That security guard was twice your size.
”

Harry smirked.
“
Don
’
t fuck with my band.
”

“
Go
ahead,
”
Jett said to
everyone.
“
I
’
ll be there in a second.
”

He stepped into the room and asked
the medical tech for some privacy. The guy left the room.

Jett crouched down.
“
Shit, sweetheart. What can I do?
”

“
Nothing,
”
Masie said.
“
It
’
s
just
…
it
’
s over now. My ankle is broken.
”

“
Masie,
the tour is off. Portis called it off today. That
’
s
why I was so busy with press stuff. I wanted to tell you, but I didn
’
t get to see you.
”

“
What?
”

Jett nodded and swallowed hard.
“
Crutch Fail
…
well, they failed. They suck.
It
’
s not worth Portis
’
time. So he
’
s pulling the tour. We
’
re going into the studio to
finish our album. He
’
s
going to release the live shows and then build buzz. He
’
s dropping Crutch Fail. And I
’
m telling you right now - after
tonight, if he doesn
’
t, I
’
ll quit the band. I never want
to see that guy or that band ever again.
”

Masie
’
s
lips quivered.
“
Jesus.
”

“
I
know. I
’
m sorry. I
’
m so sorry.
”

Masie shook her head.
“
And my ankle is broken. What the
hell am I supposed to do?
”

“
I
’
m there for you,
”
Jett said.
“
You don
’
t want that answer from me though. You want to be
tough and on your own. But it
’
s
okay to be afraid. It
’
s
okay to need someone. It
’
s
okay to need me. I won
’
t
hurt you. I said it before and I
’
ll
say it to you every day of my life.
”

Masie reached out and touched Jett
’
s face.
“
You came for me. I was on my ass, in pain. I kicked
someone in the face. They were all yelling over the music. It was the scariest
moment of my life, Jett. And you were the one there.
”

“
Always.
”

“
Jett.
I love you, too. I really do.
”

Jett leaned in and kissed Masie.

Down the hall he heard the sound of
the backing track. They were playing it on an extended loop now.

“
I
have to do this,
”
Jett
said.
“
Then I
’
m taking you home. Where we
belong together.
”

“
Can
you do one more favor for me?
”

Jett stared into Masie
’
s dark and beautiful eyes. He was
hooked. Forever.

“
Anything
you want,
”
Jett said.
“
Name it.
”

(19)

Ann Marie cried.

She sat in a chair, looking around,
crying. Wiping the corners of her eyes, her breathing erratic.

Masie sat in a hospital bed. It
wasn't exactly comfortable but better than at the arena. Although, she was
missing the Willow Son show.

Jett had come through again, like
he promised he would. He had one of the security guards find Ann Marie. She
came at the last second as the ambulance showed up to take Masie to the hospital.

Ana, Gabby, and Josie had already
stopped by, upset about the announcement of the tour being cancelled. They all
hugged Masie and left. It was no sweat off Masie
’
s
back to see them go. She knew they
’
d
be fine, one way or another. For now, though, her focus was on Ann Marie.

“
I
can
’
t believe this,
”
Ann Marie said.

“
It
’
s okay.
”

“
It
’
s not! I hated the idea of it.
And now it
’
s here.
”

“
You
have to take care of your sister.
”

Ann Marie looked at Masie.
“
I think I love you more than
her.
”

Masie offered a weak smile.

“
I
didn
’
t want to close it all
down though,
”
Ann Marie
said.
“
But I had to. I was
behind on the lease. I couldn
’
t
afford it.
”

“
Why
didn
’
t you tell me?
”

“
It
wasn
’
t your job. I owned
the business.
”

Masie didn
’
t want to cry in front of Ann Marie. Bad enough the
poor woman had to shut down the dance studio to help her sister who was going
through a third round of chemo for breast cancer. She felt guilty enough
already and seeing Masie in a cast only made it worse.

“
What
are you going to do?
”
Ann
Marie asked.

“
I
don
’
t know yet. I have
someone though. You won
’
t
believe it if I told you.
”

“
Give
me something good, please.
”

Masie gave Ann Marie the rundown of
her and Jett together. From the tour bus to the hotel to all the romance in
between. It was kind of strange to talk about because Masie wasn
’
t ashamed. She was in love.

“
What
about dancing?
”
Ann Marie
asked.
“
Promise me you won
’
t give it up.
”

“
I
never will. I
’
ll get on my
feet soon enough. It
’
s just
a break. No surgery or rehab. I guess I was lucky in that regard.
”

“
Lucky,
”
Ann Marie said.
“
I saw you up there and then you
were gone. I didn
’
t know
what happened.
”

“
Well,
maybe nobody saw what happened. It was kind of embarrassing.
”

“
No.
”
Ann Marie stood and walked to
the bed. She touched Masie
’
s
shoulder.
“
I
’
m the one who is embarrassed.
This is so hard for me.
”
She sat down on the edge of the bed.
“
I
spoke with Carol
’
s doctor
today. I told him my plan of going to see her. Live with her. You know what he
told me?
”

“
What?
”

“
It
was good to do it now. Because in his opinion, off the record, time wasn
’
t a friend.
”

“
Oh,
Ann Marie,
”
Masie
whispered.
“
I knew she was
sick
…
but not like this.
”

Ann Marie squeezed her eyes shut
and nodded.
“
I know. Please
take care of yourself, Masie. Go with whatever is out there. Don
’
t hide. Don
’
t be afraid. Live like there
’
s no tomorrow. I hate saying
that, but dammit, it
’
s so
true.
”

Ann Marie looked at Masie.

They both then started to cry.

**

Jett played the last chord and
quickly took off his guitar. He pulled out the wireless transmitter and then
walked it to the front of the stage. He
’
d
been eyeing a young kid in the front row all night. The young guy was singing
and jamming to every song. The kid played air guitar like no other, actually
moving his hands in form. That meant he knew all the Willow Son songs.

When Jett gave the kid the guitar,
his eyes went wide. His mouth fell open. Jett called for security to make sure
the kid didn
’
t get mobbed
and hurt while trying to leave the concert.

Then Jett turned and ran from the stage.
He grabbed a bottle of water and was on the move. Harry met him halfway down
the hallway.

“
She
’
s fine,
”
he said.
“
Just
a break. She
’
s in a cast.
Nothing to worry about.
”

“
I
have plenty to worry about,
”
Jett said.
“
Get me a car so
I can get to her.
”

“
Jesus,
man, you really love her?
”

“
I
love her. Don
’
t ask, Harry.
She just crashed into my life one night and that was it for me. I can
’
t explain it.
”

Jett was at the backdoor to the
arena and Harry blocked the way. He put his hands out to Jett
’
s shoulders. He caught his
breath.

“
What?
”
Jett asked.

“
I
was there for everything, Jett. When your mother
…”

“
Christ,
”
Jett growled.
“
Not now.
”

“
Yes,
now,
”
another voice said.

Jett looked back and the rest of
Willow Son was there. Sweating from the show. Out of breath.

“
We
want to apologize,
”
Harry
said.
“
For not seeing any
signs with stuff. Okay? That
’
s
all. We were there for everything and yet we didn
’
t
see the bad days happening and how bad they really were for you.
”

“
I
’
m sorry,
”
Ryker said.
“
I
should have helped you, man. Instead of riding you and throwing out comments.
”

“
You
paid your price,
”
Jett said
with a grin, referring to the punch to the face in the studio.
“
I think everyone did at some
point. Now get the hell out of my way so I can get to Masie.
”

“
Bro,
”
Van said.
“
If this is what you want, you
better be all in.
”

“
I
’
m all in,
”
Jett said.
“
After
seeing her go through that hell with that other band
…
just trust me.
”

Harry opened the door.
“
Don
’
t go disappearing on us. We have lots of work to
do.
”

“
I
’
ll be in the studio right when
you need me,
”
Jett said.

He rushed from the building and
looked back once to see the band and Harry standing there. It was a strange
feeling, but he understood it. They had been on the road and in the studio for
so long, it was hard to pay attention to every possible detail. The rockstar
life led down many paths, some of them dark, some of them lonely, but as long
as the five of them came out the other side still together, it was okay. It
would all be okay.

Just like Jett had promised Masie.

The ride to the hospital felt like
it took days.

Getting to Masie felt even longer.
A dozen people stopped Jett to ask for his autograph, amazed to see a rockstar
running down the halls of a hospital. People took pictures, yelled, and all
Jett could do was keep moving.

Masie was waiting in a small room,
ready to be discharged. A cast on her ankle, her eyes looking heavy and tired.
When Jett saw her, he dropped to one knee and hugged her. He understood the
position he was in - on one knee - but it didn
’
t
mean much right then. That day would come though. Jett believed it; it was
something he never felt before.