Sandy was sitting on the asphalt, leaning against the front wheel, her upper body in the narrow shadow of the bus. Either she’d pounded on the door (which I hoped she hadn't) and Gary’d either not heard or ignored her, or she realized that, without a key, she’d have to wait for me. Maybe I’d talk to my dad about getting her a key of her own. Assuming she wanted to stick around, that is.
“Hey,” I said as I walked up.
She didn’t look up until my shadow fell over her legs. She yanked out her earbuds and squinted up at me.
“Hey,” I repeated.
She took a long time to say, “Hey,” back.
I was about to unlock the door, but changed my mind. There was no one around anyway. “We need to talk.”
She nodded toward the door. “Shouldn’t we go inside?”
I shook my head. “Gary’s sleeping.”
“Right. Touring rule one: respect the fact that someone is always sleeping on the bus.”
“Exactly.”
“So. Want to tell me what the deal is with that poster?”
No pussyfooting around, I guess. “They were trying to get the shot and Dave and I were both...” I thought back to that night, how awkward it had felt. “Clenched. Rex suggested we kiss to make it look more natural.”
“Mission accomplished,” Sandy said with a snort.
“It really wasn’t, though,” I said. “I mean, he obviously was able to capture a snapshot of it and it looks good, but seriously, Sandy, it was awkward with a big capital A. Neither of us wanted to actually kiss.”
She looked at me for a long moment. My face felt hot—there was no way I wasn’t blushing—but I hoped she understood it was because I was embarrassed about the whole thing: about it happening, about having to explain it to her, about having the poster out there.
“You would have seen it if you’d been paying attention,” I said, trying to not sound defensive. “I wasn’t hiding anything.”
She stood up and brushed off her butt. “So why didn’t you tell me?”
Good question. But I had a good answer that was most of the truth of why I’d never said anything. “Because it was nothing. It didn’t mean anything and it definitely wasn’t supposed to be on the posters. They told us they wanted an almost kiss.”
“So what happened?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know. Some sort of miscommunication between Rex and his assistant. Whatever it is, I’m sorry you got blindsided like that—I would have told you if I thought for a second that they’d put it on the poster.”
She nodded. “I know you would have. And anyway, you’re with Andres, right?”
“After tour...right now, we’re nothing.” I didn’t tell her about Andres’s stupid jealous chest-beating from a few minutes before in the bathroom. No need to stoke the fire.
“I wonder why Dave didn’t tell me.”
“He probably didn’t think it was a big deal, either. Same as me, he didn’t expect the poster to turn out like that.”
“Probably. Anyway, once we’re done with tour...we have all that chemistry.” She wagged her eyebrows at me, making me laugh. I had yet to see evidence of this chemistry she’d been talking about but wasn’t about to dispute its existence. Except, I had seen that twinkle in her eye when she’d been looking at Darren earlier. Was she confusing her attraction to guys with her having chemistry with guys?
I opened my mouth to ask her about that, but realized I didn’t want to know. And again, no point stoking fires that were well contained at the moment.
“What?” she asked. “What were you going to say?”
I looked up into the sky, squinting. “I lost my train of thought.”
Sandy put her arm across my shoulders, turning me back toward the big glass building and leading me to the door.
“I guess this means we’re good?” I asked.
She nodded. “Yes. I mean, I don’t think I was really mad—more surprised. I know you and Dave aren’t into each other. You and Andy are a thing.”
“Exactly,” I said, very relieved.
“So what are you doing about that poster?”
I sighed. “I really, really hate how amazing it looks.”
“I didn’t get a good look at it. Just that it was you and him kissing.”
Glancing over at her, I gave her a sardonic look. “Trust me, it’s good. I hate it, but I totally get why my dad wants to use it.”
She understood what my look meant. “You’re going to let him use it.”
I took a big breath and nodded. “I’m going to let him use it.”
“People will think you and Dave are a thing.” Her tone told me that bothered her, but it’s not like it was true or we could do anything about it. Anyway, it’s not like she was actually dating him (yet?).
“I know. Maybe no one will know who I am.”
Sandy let out a loud laugh.
“You’re not going to tell anyone,” I said, more warning than question.
“No,” she said. “But still.”
I repeated my father’s words: “I’m in profile. It’s not clearly me, maybe I won’t be recognized.”
She snorted.
“It’s not like I’m famous,” I said and gave her a very pointed look. “Right, Sandrine?”
She just looked at me for a second and then shrugged. “I won’t say anything.”
Sandy and I returned to the meeting room where we helped with the rest of the posters. No more was said about them, so I had to think Dad had told the boys to just keep signing and not mention them again—whatever it was, I was grateful to not have to talk about it anymore.
Then, after we made sure all was set up for the reception, Sandy and I went to watch the rehearsal and sound check. All went perfectly (the crew at the Hall of Fame had everything down to a science—any hiccups with setup were on our end) and we were done early, so the guys got to go chill in the reception room early.
Dad debriefed them on what to expect with the meet and greet and gave some pointers on how to act: to smile as much as possible, to be gracious and do as many photos with fans (and soon-to-be-fans) as time would allow. Friendly was important, but there was a fine line and flirting was a definite no-no. No signing body parts. No kisses, even on the cheek, no matter how much begging a fan might do. No full-on hugs; side hugs only, just to be safe.
This was all about good publicity and how they couldn’t afford to mess it up. In the age of cell cameras everywhere and the immediacy of social media, the boys were vulnerable and had to keep that in mind and be on their best behavior at all times.
In fact, down the road, once they were big, Dad would put a stop to most events that put them in direct contact with fans, but for now, they needed the exposure. They needed the fans tweeting and Instagramming the hot boys of Wiretap.
Once the debrief was over, I was at the snack table, deciding between a cupcake and a piece of cheese when a body sidled up beside me. A tall, great-smelling body. I didn’t need to glance up at Andres to know it was him, but I did anyway.
Except the look on his face made me forget food. “What?” I asked, my smile dissolving.
“The posters.”
Only two words, but they were enough to set me on edge. “Please,” I said turning back toward the table and choosing both the cheese and the cupcake, putting both on my plate because who knew when I’d get to eat again?
“Vanessa,” he said.
I sighed and turned back toward him. “Andres, it’s nothing. No one will even know it’s me. And anyway,” I dropped my voice, looking past him to where the boys and Sandy were sitting and talking, but no one was watching us. “There is nothing between us,” I reminded him. Tour was just beginning, we had days, maybe even weeks together before we could start our relationship.
“So you say, but that kiss...”
Wait. What? Oh, he thought I was reassuring him that there was nothing going on between me and Dave? I shook my head, reaching for some carrot sticks, stalling as I tried to sort out what to say to him. I was conflicted, because most of me hated that he was being jealous, but at the same time, a small part of me loved it. But that small part also realized it was a moot point because he had nothing to be jealous of. Also, if this was a sign of things to come, I was probably going to end up throwing him off the tour bus at ninety miles an hour.
“That kiss,” I hissed, with another glance over my shoulder to make sure we weren’t overheard. Not because I felt I needed to defend myself, but because I didn’t want anyone to know we were dangerously close to talking about a relationship. “...was nothing. It was staged by Rex and my father. Not that I should have to explain myself to you, but it meant nothing.”
“I don’t like it.”
“You don’t have to like it,” I said, reaching for another piece of cheese. “It has nothing to do with you. Stop being a jealous caveman.”
He clenched his jaw but finally nodded. “Sorry,” he said, actually sounding contrite as he leaned in closer, close enough that I could feel his breath on my neck. “Maybe I’m jealous because I want to be the one kissing you. And it’s killing me that I have no idea when I can kiss you again.”
Okay, so that was unexpected. And apparently my body freezing in place was his cue to go on.
“Why can’t I stop thinking about you, Vanessa?”
I fumbled the cheese so it dropped on the table. “Andres,” I croaked, not looking at him. With a hand that shook, thanks to his words, I picked up the stray cube of cheese and placed it very carefully and deliberately on my plate.
“It’s the truth,” he said, his voice melting my insides. “I can’t stop thinking about you. I want to be the one kissing you. I want to be the one on that poster so everyone knows it’s me, and only me, who kisses you.”
Cavemen weren’t supposed to be sexy, but God... I had to clear my throat before I could speak, trying to act all professional. “That poster is for marketing. It wasn’t even a real kiss. I wasn’t even supposed to be on it, if you remember.”
“I do,” he said. “But if I’d known...”
Yeah, if I’d known, I never would have gotten out of bed to go to the shoot in the middle of the night, I thought. No point dwelling on that now.
“It was staged,” I reminded him. “There would have been nothing romantic about it.”
He didn’t say anything to that and after a long moment, I looked up at him because it was getting weird. His eyes were heavy-lidded, the dark, long eyelashes nearly my undoing. His pupils were huge, the chocolatey brown irises almost swallowed up by his desire. I knew it was desire because, well, I was feeling the same way, my heart pounding hard against my ribcage.
His eyes drifted down to my lips and I had to swallow, my throat suddenly so dry, I knew I wouldn’t be able to speak, if my scrambled brain could come up with any words to say.
“All right,” Kiki said, pushing up off the couch, her voice like a bucket of cold water over my head (thank God). “Time to make you boys all pretty before your new fans get here. Who wants to go first?”
“Andy will,” I said loudly, knowing he’d be pissed about being volunteered, but if he didn’t get out of this room and away from me in the next point four seconds, I was going to do something stupid. Like drag his caveman mouth down to mine.
I looked down at my plate as I avoided what was surely going to be a look from him, so I was surprised to hear his soft thank you.
I glanced up at him and watched his chest expand as he took a deep breath. “It’s...sorry...I don’t mean to make it like this,” he said.
I nodded. “You’d better go.”
Thankfully, he did.