Page 139 of Just Wait

I pull the hoodie up on my long-sleeve T-shirt.

Maybe it’s just called a hooded shirt?

Whatever.

I keep it up, pretending to feel like shit as Lumen and I head out to the bus. Kasey is our escort, and once we’re settled in, she’ll be able to call it a night.

“Malcolm, we love you!” several female voices chorus from over by the fence.

“Hey, Mal!” This time, it’s a guy. “Introduce us to your girlfriend.”

“Give me a bus tour,” a woman yells.

Flashes fill the air as the paps take pictures of me and Lumen. She’s much more relaxed than she was the first few times it happened, but I still wrap my arm around her shoulder, kissing her temple.

“We’ll be on the bus soon,” I say close to her ear.

“You’re such a faker.” She smiles up at me. “But I appreciate you helping me escape.”

“Always, baby doll.”

“Hey, weird question,” she says, wrapping her arm around my lower back as she leans against my chest. “Theo and his bandmates kept backup instruments on the bus. Do you guys have anything like that? I was thinking we could get some practice in outside of the small amount of time we have at the venues.”

“You still wanna work on the song with me?” A slow smile breaks out on my face.

“I was watching you and Kincaid banter like you always do on stage, and…” She shrugs. “I got an idea in my head that I can’t let go of. I want to work on the song for your dad, but I also want to see if we can make some new stuff for Liminal.”

My head tilts.

I only told her the barest details of where my head was at when I was working on “When The Time Comes,” but I guess she could have heard more from the guys. We’re all up in each other’s shit when it comes to gossip.

“We have a whole bus full of instruments on standby,” I tell her, ignoring the reporters and fans still trying to get my attention. “Just tell me what you want brought over, and I’ll make it happen.”

I’m stoked she wants to work on more than just that one song. I worried she might take a step back completely, but that’s the thing about making music. It’s more addictive than any drug I’ve ever tried, and I’ve sampled nearly all of the good ones.

If I were Andrew, and I had to make the call between continuing to be part of the band and quitting everything, I’d take my happy ass to rehab with a smile on my face.

Music is in my blood.

It’s like air.

Without it, I’d be dead.

When Lumen gets in the zone, she’s a beast. I kinda feel like the third wheel between her, her brain, and K’s backup guitar.

Fourth wheel?

Jesus.

I can’t be jealous of a guitar, but I’m ready for bed. The lines we did before the show have long ago worn off, and Lumen is still scribbling away in her notebook.

Everyone else came back from the meet and greet and hung out for a bit.

Parish, Tennyson, and Wren went out.

To where?

I have no idea, and I don’t much care.