“Phoenix dared me to send a dick pic to Gwyneth’s sister, so Storm was getting him back for me,” Memphis cuts in.
Storm shrugs. “My bad, Chandler. Thought you might be into it.”
I’m not even surprised they’re sticking up for each other.
Chandler makes an irritated noise in his throat. “Aren’t you three a little old for childish games? Grow up.”
“Which Barclay sister did you send the dick pic to?” Quinn asks with a grin. “Was it Jessica—”
“Hey, Juvie,” Storm says. “Come with me. I want to show you something.”
She pops up. “What?”
Placing an arm around her slim shoulders, he leads her to the bathroom. “It’s in here.”
When she steps inside, he closes the door and leans against it, blocking her from exiting.
“What the hell?” Quinn yells. “Let me out!”
Skylar takes the opportunity to slip out of the kitchen. I don’t miss the way she briefly squeezes Storm’s arm when she passes him.
“Anyway,” Chandler says, even though we’ve all tuned him out. “We should be in Florida tomorrow morning.”
Upon realizing no one is paying attention anymore, he throws his hands up and heads for the back of the bus. Looking down at his phone, George follows suit.
“Will we be passing through Hillcrest?”
I figure I should ask before getting my hopes up.
Phoenix nods. “More than passing through. Tomorrow night’s show is there.”
“Oh.”
I’m thinking of ways to convince my asshole boss to give me a few hours free so I can see my dad when Phoenix adds, “Storm and I talked to Chandler. We told him about your father, and he agreed to give you the day and night off.”
I’m so stunned I can’t even speak.
Storm looks at Phoenix. “As long as Phoenix is on his best behavior.”
Dammit. I knew I shouldn’t have gotten my hopes up. “Well, there goes that.”
Storm walks over to Phoenix and clamps a hand on his shoulder. The move makes poor Quinn, who must have been mid-push, fly out of the bathroom like a cannonball. “He’ll be a good boy for one night. Right?”
“Lick my nut sack,” Phoenix grits out before focusing on me. “Go spend time with your dad. Everything will be fine.”
Scowling, Quinn gets off the floor and glares at Storm. “You’re such an asshole. Skylar was right. Boys are only good for one thing.”
Storm and Memphis exchange a glance and Phoenix looks positively horrified. “Oh really? And what’s that?”
She bats her eyelashes. “Lifting heavy stuff. Duh.”
I swear there’s a collective sigh of relief from all three guys.
They’re starting up a different conversation when she glances at me, cups a hand over her mouth, and mouths, “The D.”
Once again, Skylar’s not wrong.
CHAPTER 59
LENNON
“Thanks.”
I quickly give the Uber driver a tip on the app and grab my luggage from the trunk. Seeing as I’m off duty today, I asked if I could sleep here instead of the hotel. In typical fashion, Chandler hemmed and hawed before reluctantly agreeing…as long as I promised that my ass would be back on the bus by nine a.m.
I was going to tell Mrs. Palma I was coming home when I spoke to her yesterday, but I wanted it to be a surprise.
After placing my suitcase on the porch, I stick my key in the lock. Given my dad tends to sleep in, he probably isn’t up yet, but I can’t wait to see him.
Mrs. Palma—who was watching television on the couch in the living room while crocheting—screams and then jumps up when she sees me.
“Oh my god!” Running over, she wraps her arms around me. “I wasn’t expecting you home for another ten days.”
“I wanted it to be a surprise.”
“Well, it worked. I nearly had a heart attack.” She cradles my face as we break apart. “You look…is everything okay? How come the tour ended so early?”
“Everything’s great,” I lie. “The tour isn’t over, though. They’re performing at a venue in Hillcrest tonight, so Chandler gave me the day and night off.”
Smiling, she waves me into the kitchen. “Seems he’s not so terrible after all.”
I huff out a laugh. “Oh, he is. But Phoenix and Storm convinced him—” I stop talking when I catch myself.
I’ve been vague about my relationship with Phoenix. Not that there is one anymore. After yesterday’s meeting, I made it a point to return to the bunk, and he went back to the lounge. We haven’t spoken since.