“Maybe you should go lay down. You seem to be repeating the same question and not be getting the hint that I don’t want to talk about this.”
Ruby wagged her finger. “Nope, you don’t seem to realize that I’m just going to keep bugging you about this until you tell me all the details.”
Ruby wasn’t going to let this go. She was like a dog with a bone. She wasn’t going to give it up until I spilled all the details on Maud and me.
“Maud and I are two very different people.” I motioned around the bus. “For the past year, I’ve lived in a high-rise apartment in Hong Kong. Maud lives on a tour bus eighty-five percent of the time. I work in a courtroom. Maud works on a stage with thousands of people cheering for her. Sure, we worked for a little bit, but looking at the big picture, it would never work.”
Ruby tipped her head to the side. “So what you’re basically saying is people need to stick to the same type of person they are, and that’s it.”
For the most part. “Yeah.”
She tapped her finger to her nose. “Then why am I on this tour bus with Harrison when I’m a graphic designer, and he’s a rock star?”
I shrugged. “Because you seem to be making it work.”
“Because I want it to work, and so does Harrison.”
“Good for you, Ruby. I know I tried to warn you off of Harrison, but maybe I was wrong about you two.” I took a sip of my coffee. “You must be an exception to the rule.”
Ruby scoffed. “We must be, but I’m pretty sure the dumb way you think that people need to be the same so they can be together is totally whack.”
“Whack?” I chuckled.
“Totally whack, Jonas. I wouldn’t want to be with someone who is exactly the same as me.” She rolled her eyes. “That would be boring as heck. Where I’m shy and reserved, Harrison is outgoing and friendly. Where I lack, he picks up the pieces, and vice versa. We complement each other.”
“Again, Ruby. You’re not wrong about any of those things when it comes to you and Harrison. I’m just saying in most instances that isn’t how it goes.”
Ruby huffed. “How long were you and Maud together?” she demanded.
“Four months.” I was already spilling all of the details. What did it matter if I told her how long we were together?
“Yeah, I was right. You’re dumb.” She stood up quickly and grabbed the table to steady herself.
“Why am I dumb?” I demanded.
“I’m gonna let you figure that one out on your own.” She stumbled back to the bunk she shared with Harrison.
I stared at Maud’s bunk and sighed.
I wasn’t dumb.
I was realistic.
Maud and I?
In bed, we made sense. Perfect fucking sense.
Everywhere else?
I was steady and firmly planted. Maud was a tumbleweed who was headed to stardom.
Back when we were dating, there were two options for us. I had chosen the one that hurt, but it was what was best for her in the end.
Sometimes you had to hurt yourself to give the person you love the thing they needed.
Maud was a star, and all I would do is hold her back.
She was better off without me.
*
Maud
There weren’t any secrets and quiet talks on a tour bus.
Ruby and Jonas obviously didn’t know that.
I wiped the tears from my cheeks and sighed.
Jonas Rowe was a jerk who broke my heart, and I never knew why. He told his sister more about us than I ever knew.
I wasn’t what he wanted. While I always thought that was the reason, it hurt like fucking hell to hear it come out of his mouth.
God damn Jonas Rowe.
He broke my heart again, and he didn’t even know it.
*
Chapter Five
Jonas
“Where is it?” I shouted.
“It’s in my bunk. I can go grab it,” Ruby yelled back.
I shook my head. “I got it. Don’t worry about it.”
I snaked my way through the crowd and out the side door of the club.
Fucking hell, it was god damn loud in there. How Ruby managed to stay in the club for so long was beyond me.
I was feeling every year of my thirty-three years. Old.
The opening act was on stage at the next tour stop, and the crowd was feeling it. Really fucking loudly.
Ruby had shouted she was going to run back to the bus to get her phone, but I had eagerly volunteered to get it for her.
The bus was parked on the side of the club, and I was surprised to see a small crowd at the doors.
The Wild Preacher’s Club was becoming a big name. This was only the second show I had been to since they had started their cross country tour, but I was surprised as hell at the following they had.
Harrison and I had been friends for a while, and I was there when the band just played local bars and any gig that would let them play.
Now they were touring and had fans that weren’t just family or friends.
I made my way through the crowd and knocked on the bus door.
Rico opened the door. “You’re back soon.”
I climbed the steps, and he closed the door behind me.
“Ruby left her phone, and I volunteered to come get it.”
Rico laughed. “You don’t have to shout at me.”
I wiggled a finger in my ear and cringed. “Sorry, man. I’m not used to the volume in there.”
Rico nodded his head knowingly. “I know what you mean. I like my music on the radio, not shouted at me from a stage with thousands of people standing shoulder to shoulder.” He hitched his thumb to the back of the bus. “Maud is in the back, too. She always hangs out on the bus till the last possible second.”
I nodded and headed down toward the back.
It was surprising Maud was on the bus. The rest of the band was backstage warming up and waiting to take the stage.
I spotted Ruby’s phone on one of the windows' ledge and tucked it in my back pocket. I should have just turned around and jumped off the bus, but I didn’t.
Something nagged at me to keep walking to the back.
Maud.
Maud was back there, and I needed to make sure she was okay.
I silently tread down the hall, past the bunks, and to the kitchen area.
Maud sat on the long bench, her head in her hands. “Is it time?”
“Uh, time?”
Her head snapped up, and her eyes connected with mine. “What the hell are you doing here?” she demanded.
“Uh, Ruby left her phone, and I came and grabbed it.” Her face was pale, and she looked like she was about to puke. “Are you okay?”
“I’m gonna go for a walk, Maud. You good?” Rico called.
“Um, yeah. I’m about to walk, Rico. See you after the show,” she called.
The door to the bus opened and then closed.
I stared at Maud. Finally getting a good look at her since I had stepped foot on the bus.
“What are you staring at?” she snapped.
“Are you nervous?”
She rolled her eyes and put her head back in her hands. “Grab Ruby’s phone and leave,” she whispered.
How was the strong, badass Maud, nervous and ready to puke before a gig? “Is this normal for you?” Maybe this was a one-off? Ruby had mentioned the crowd was pretty big tonight. Hell, it had to be nerve-wracking to have to perform in front of a large crowd. Granted, The Wild Preacher’s Club did it almost every night, so you had to assume they were used to it by now.