After the long drive from DC to Atlanta, Jordan was happy to see the hotel in the distance. As she stretched her legs, Dylan leaned into her, pushing her against the side of the bus, his hand pressed over her head as if she was his prisoner. She wasn't complaining at all.

"So…Jordan. I was thinking maybe we could share a room tonight," he said.

"I don't think that's a good idea. Lucky needs me. We have this ritual where we stay up and talk before bed," Jordan said. Lying was the only way she could protect his feelings.

Jordan wasn't a virgin, so her decision had nothing to do with that. She wanted to sleep with Dylan, but she had such strong feelings for him that she didn't want to rush into it like she had so many times before. Looking into his brown eyes, she saw he was hurt. She wished she could just tell him the truth, how much she cared about him and wanted to be with him, but she had been let down so many times before by so many people, she automatically kept her mouth shut.

"Oh well, okay," he said, looking confused. "It’s Atlanta anyway and I have some old friends here. Maybe if it’s alright, I'll go out with them tonight."

"You don't have to ask me. Do what you want," she said.

As soon as the words came out of her mouth, Jordan regretted them. She knew they didn't come out the way she meant and she could tell by the look on his face that she hurt him even more. Lifting herself up on her tiptoes, she kissed his chin and hoped he forgave her.

During the show, Jordan wondered if Lucky realized how palpable the chemistry between her and Jude was on stage. She enjoyed watching how Jude kept his eye on Lucky and knew what she wanted with just a nod.

She waited off stage like she always did for Dylan, but when the show ended, he walked past her like she wasn't there.

"I deserved that," Jordan said out loud as she watched Dylan walk away.

"Deserved what?" Jude said.

"Sorry, I didn't realize I said that out loud."

As she walked away, Jude put his hand on her shoulder.

"Come with me," he said.

Shocked that he wanted to talk to her and curious about why, she simply followed him to an empty dressing area. It was plain with white painted concrete blocks and pale green tiling that reminded her of her old high school cafeteria. Setting up two metal folding chairs, Jude sat down and motioned for her to sit, too. As ridiculous as she knew it was, she wondered if she was in trouble.

"Did I do something?" she asked.

"No, of course not. Seems I can't talk to women, they're always getting the wrong idea."

"Sorry, it’s just," she paused for a moment, thinking how strange it was to talk to someone she and her best friend had idolized. "You're Jude Morrison. You do know that, right?"

He laughed and leaned back in the chair as he stretched his long legs out in front of him.

"I've been watching you and Dylan the past few days I've been here," he said. "I don't know what just happened, but I might be able to explain some of what he might be going through."

"He's not going through anything, I am. He wanted to spend the tonight together and I said no," she said, wondering why she was opening up to him of all people.

"Let me explain about life on the road. Things move fast and you meet some incredible people out there. The problem is you never know if or when you're going to see them again. You learn to take advantage of the time you do have with those people."

"Yeah well, he's going to take advantage of some time with some old friends tonight instead," she said as she folded her arms in front of her.

"Don't count him out yet, Jordan. On the road, things aren't always the way they appear," Jude said as he looked at the clock on the wall and stood. "Sorry, I have to go."

She sighed as she wondered what he meant. Entering the hall, she saw Dylan walking to the door with a small group of people she didn't recognize. One was a pretty redhead Jordan thought looked a little too young to be out so late. She wanted to go over there and put her arm around him or something to make sure she knew Dylan was taken, but she didn't want give Dylan the wrong idea just because she was jealous.

Making her way to the bus, she stopped and watched Dylan as he spoke to the redhead. More hurt and annoyed with herself than angry at him, she tried to convince herself to go over and talk to him and explain why she said what she did. She tried to take a step towards him, but her feet felt heavy and weighed down.

Staying in the shadows, she kept an eye on him. Her heart ached with the thought of losing him, but she didn't have any tears. If she lost him to this girl or any other tonight, she knew it was all her fault.