You got to Me (Love on Tour #3) (4 page)

6

“Hi, Lisa right?” Joe, the hot drummer, pulled up a chair across from me.

“Yeah, and you’re Joe.”

I was sitting in the little room where the band had been served dinner at the venue while we were at Bell’s parents’ house. My laptop was in front of me. I closed it so I could get a better look at Joe.

“You enjoying the tour?” He leaned back in the metal folding chair and gazed at me. His dark hair and dark eyes matched the deep brown skin on his chiseled face.

“I am. I wasn’t sure what to expect. But it’s been really fun so far.” God, I sounded lame. I had to try to do better.

“Fun? You’re sitting here with a computer. Why aren’t you doing something more entertaining?”

Because I was boring, that’s why.

“What did you have in mind?” Oh my God. I was flirting. I wasn’t even sure how I was pulling it off, but I was pretty sure I was.

He grinned at me and looked me up and down. “A drink maybe?”

I tried to imitate the low sexy voice my sister used when she talked to Sean. “How about after the show?”

Joe raised an eyebrow. “Yeah?”

I leaned forward. I was hoping that the green v-neck shirt I was wearing would pop forward and make me look more alluring. But in fact, I probably looked like the desperate professor I was. “Yeah. Hotel bar?”

“I think that sounds like a great idea.”

“Hi, there.”

Damn it.

Sam walked into the room. Joe and I both watched him as he took the chair beside me, turned it around and sat on it backwards, like the burn-out in high school.

“What’s up?” he asked.

“Nothing,” I said, grabbing my computer and shoving it into my bag.

“I gotta go get ready for the set,” Joe said, standing up. “I’ll see you later.” He looked pointedly at me.

“Definitely.”

“What was that all about?”

I stood up and threw my bag over my shoulder. “Nothing, moron.” I walked toward the door.

“Nice covering you did today at the O’Malley house,” Sam said. “Not bad for a respectable professor.”

“You’re an ass.”

****

I was nervous as hell. I’d put on the sexiest outfit I’d brought with me, a light blue sundress with silver sandals. I was sitting at a table near the front of the bar, trying not to drink my amaretto sour too quickly. Joe walked in, looking like a rock god in ripped jeans and a Chrome t-shirt.

“Hey there, Lisa,” he said, sliding into the chair across from me.

“Hi.”

“I hope I didn’t keep you waiting too long.”

“Nope. I just got here.” I took a sip of my drink, trying to look coy.

Joe flagged down a waitress and ordered a beer. Despite the fact that she was clearly trying to get his attention, he quickly turned back to me. I liked that.

“You know, Lisa, I’ve been wondering about you since I met you at Sean’s wedding.”

“You have?”

“Yeah. You live in San Francisco, right?”

“Actually, I live in Berkeley.”

“Berkeley. I had some good times in Berkeley.” He leaned forward, placing his forearms on the table in front of him.

“Hey guys, mind if I join you?”

Unbelievable! I watched as Sam pulled a chair away from a table nearby, slid it across the floor and parked it, and himself, right between Joe and me.

“Sam.” I thought I heard a hint of exasperation in Joe’s voice.

“Actually, Sam, we do mind,” I said.

Sam sat back in his chair, his hands behind his head. “Unfortunately Lisa, I’m under orders.”

“What?”

“Sean send you here?” Joe asked.

Sam nodded.

“Yeah, well.” Joe stood up. “That’s my cue.”

“Wait,” I said.

“Sorry, Lisa. I’ll see you later.” And he was gone.

I turned on Sam. “I hate you.”

He grinned.

“Did Sean really send you here?”

“Maybe.”

“You jackass.” I stood up.

“Wait up, Lisa. I have something to say, and I think you’ll want to hear it.”

“I doubt that.” But I didn’t move away from the table.

“Sit down for a few minutes. At least finish your drink, and hear me out.”

What the hell was he up to? I sat down and took another sip from my glass. “Okay, what could you possibly have to say that I would be interested in?”

He finally removed his hands from behind his head, so he looked a little less like an arrogant ass. “I told you I could read people, and you are an open book, Lisa. I figured something very interesting out about you.”

“Oh really,” I said, trying to sound bored.

“You have a thing for my brother.”

Holy shit! My entire body tensed. But I had to act casual. I managed to reach my arm out and grab my glass. I took a long gulp, draining my drink, then set it down again and looked at Sam. “You must be joking.”

“I think we both know I’m not.”

“This conversation is stupid.”

Sam leaned toward me. “You can’t hide it, Lisa. It’s written all over you right now. It’s true. You have a crush on Sean.”

“I think I’ve heard enough,” I said. But I didn’t get up. I couldn’t.

“So I have a proposal.”

“What?”

“I’ll keep your little secret if you go on a date with me. Just one date.”

My mouth dropped open. “You’re blackmailing me for a date?”

“Yes, I am.”

“Are you insane?”

“Maybe dinner and a movie. Something simple.”

“I cannot believe I’m hearing this.”

“Look, it’s not so bad, really. You have the hots for Sean. I look a lot like him.” He gestured to himself as if to make this point.

“Is this how you usually pick up women? Because I gotta tell you, it’s pathetic.”

“No. But in your case, I’m making an exception.”

“What is this, some kind of game to you?”

“No. Absolutely not. I’m completely serious. I really want you to go out with me, and I’ve already figured out that I have to go to extreme measures to make that happen.”

“I feel like I’m on a hidden camera TV show or something.”

“Lisa, I go after what I want. And I want you.”

“Too bad, kid.” I stood up. “This time, you’re out of luck.” I walked out of the bar like I owned the place.

****

“Is everything okay? Why are you whispering?”

“Because I’m in the back of the bus right now.”

“You’re headed to Seattle?”

“Yeah.”

“So you’re hiding out?”

“Yes. Everyone else is up front and Bell promised not let them disturb me.”

“Oh. So something is definitely up,” my sister said, sounding intrigued.

“It’s Sam. He’s driving me nuts.”

“Hmmm. He’s been hitting on you, huh?”

“How did you know?”

“He’s had a thing for you since the wedding.”

“What? Why didn’t you tell me?!”

“I don’t know. I guess I just… ya know. I don’t know why I didn’t tell you.”

“Well, he’s driving me crazy. I might not have come if I’d known.”

“Aw come on, how bad could it be?”

“Bad. I had a date with Joe last night–”

“Joe, the drummer?”

“Yeah, why?”

“He just doesn’t seem like your type.”

“Why not?” I asked.

“He’s cute and all, but he’s not the sharpest tool in the shed.”

“Whatever, I had a date with him, and Sam showed up and scared him off. Then he tried to blackmail me into dating him.”

“Blackmail you?” Dani laughed. “Wow, that’s creative.”

“Creative? It’s insane!”

I realized my voice was getting loud and I made an effort to lower it.

“So what did he blackmail you with?”

Oh crap. I’d screwed up. “I don’t want to tell you.”

“Come on, Lisa. What’s he got on you?”

“I’m not telling.”

“Oooh, that must mean that whatever it is, you don’t want me to know. This is intriguing.”

“I’m sorry I said anything.”

“Come on, Leese. What could Sam possibly know about you that I don’t?”

I didn’t say anything. I was trying to figure out how to get out of this hole I’d dug myself.

“Did he figure out that you have a crush on Sean?”

Holy shit.

“Lisa? Is that it?”

“What are you talking about?” I whispered.

“Oh come on. I know you think my husband’s hot. And I don’t blame you. I do, too.”

I was floored. I tried to steer away from sounding too defensive. “If you think that, why would you send me on a tour with him?”

“Are you kidding? What do you mean?”

“I mean, if you think I have a thing for your husband, why would you… You’re as crazy as Sam.”

“Oh please, Lisa. I think you have a harmless crush. So what? It’s not like you’re going to try to seduce him.”

“Of course not!” The thought hadn’t even crossed my mind. Which did make me feel a little better.

“Exactly. So what?”

“So what?! It’s a big deal.”

“No, it’s not. People crush on people all the time. I had a crush on Henry when we first met.”

That was a true mystery to me. But I didn’t pursue it. I also didn’t get why Dani was the only person on the planet that was allowed to call Hank by his given name.

“Why did you send me on this tour?” I asked her.

“I wanted Sean to have company, I wanted Bell to have some support, and I wanted you to have fun.”

“I don’t get you, Dani.”

“You are so making a big deal out of nothing.”

“How can you say that?”

“Look, Leese, you’ve barely looked at a guy since the divorce. It’s been four years and you haven’t even dated anyone.”

“I went out with that math professor,” I pointed out.

“Whatever, you didn’t even like that guy. So, quite frankly, when I figured out you had a crush on Sean, I was relieved.”

“Relieved?”

My God, having the baby had made my sister lose her mind.

“Yeah, it means you’re ready to look at men again.”

“
Your
man,” I whispered. “That is not good.”

“Irrelevant. He was right there in front of you when you finally started seeing men as objects of desire again. He’s super hot and you see him as the perfect man. But did you know that he is completely incapable of putting the cap back on the toothpaste, and I have to write a manual about how to put the damn toilet paper on the roll thingy. Seriously, do you know how many times I’ve been stuck on the toilet? I have to keep spare rolls in arm’s reach now. Which is going to be a major pain in the ass when Henry starts crawling.”

I laughed at her. “I love you, Dani.”

“I love you, too. And I think you need to seriously get over this. Now let’s talk about Sam.”

“He’s a psycho pain in the ass.”

“Aww, I think he’s sweet.”

“Of course you do. You ended up with the sane side of that gene pool. The kid’s a stalker.”

“Kid? Please tell me you’re not hung up on his age.”

“He is a kid. I’m six years older than him. He’s barely older than Brad. And please tell me you’re not rooting for him.”

“Sorry. It’s hard not to.”

“Ugh.”

“Okay, so you don’t want to go out with him. He’ll give up eventually.”

“I’m not so sure. He tried to blackmail me, Dani. Who does that?”

She laughed. “Sam. He’s very persistent.”

“I gathered.”

“Why don’t you like him, anyway?”

“He’s a snotty little punk.”

She laughed again. “No he’s not. He’s a smart, good-looking guy.”

“He’s arrogant, obnoxious, and wishes he was a clone of his brother. It’s pathetic.”

“I totally disagree.”

“He’s your brother-in-law. You see him through rose-colored glasses.”

“No. I see him through Sean-colored glasses.”

“Point.”

“Okay, tell me about the Joe thing. Where did that come from?”

“He’s cute.”

“I guess.”

“He is. And he was very attentive.”

“Yeah, I bet he was.”

“It doesn’t matter. I think Sam wrecked that for me anyway.”

“Who else are you interested in?”

“I don’t know.”

In truth I’d been too busy staring at her husband to notice anyone else.

“Well, you just got started.”