Epilogue

Indie

 

Being in Detroit had been amazing. Sure, we’d been busy, or Cross had been busy anyway, which meant I’d done a whole of lot hurry-up-and-wait and exploring on my own. But being in Michigan had meant I’d gotten to visit some people and I’d already known the places I’d wanted to go to pass the time.

Now that it was our last day before heading out West, I just had one thing left to grab before the show.

My best friend Bellamy.

“When’s she supposed to be here?” Cross asked, coming up behind me in the bus as I watched out the window for her.

“Any minute. Her brother is dropping her off.” I glanced at him then back out the window.

Cross wrapped his arms around me from behind. “And how long are we going to have a visitor?”

“Two weeks-ish,” I said patting his arm gently then turned toward him. “Don’t worry. It changes nothing. Bellamy and I shared a dorm room. We’re familiar with the routine regarding boys.”

“I don’t want to hear about that,” he said, wiping a hand down his face at my laughter.

“Sorry.” I shrugged, but I wasn’t sorry at all. It was going to be awesome to have another girl around all of this testosterone. If I could’ve, I’d have gotten her to stay longer. “There she is!”

I bolted out the door to the bus, not hitting any of the stairs, then running until I slammed into her. She squeezed me and I squeezed her. We jumped and squeezed like teenagers, then lost our footing and fell over onto the cement.

That was going to leave a mark.

But we didn’t care. We were a puzzle of arms and legs. Her red hair and my blonde.

“Are you two OK?” Cross asked, his shadow cast over the both of us.

I let go of Bellamy and stood up, then offered her a hand. “We’re fine. We’re idiots, but we’re fine.”

“Shit, I’m going to be bruised everywhere,” Bellamy said, brushing the dirt off her shorts.

“I’m Cross,” he said, extending a hand to her.

She took it and said, “Bellamy.” Then she leaned my way and whispered loudly, “Jesus Christ, he’s hot.”

“He can hear you,” I said back.

“I know,” she pretended to whisper again and nodded her head slowly.

“Come on.” I grabbed her arm and pulled her along with me. She’d need to get her things settled. Cross grabbed the bag she’d dropped and followed.

“Wait, are there more like him? I think I could really enjoy this tour.” She looked over at me with an evil smile. “Is your dad seeing anyone, Indie?”

“You’re so gross. Aim younger. You don’t want to be a sugar baby.”

“I could totally be a sugar baby,” she countered.

I wince and pretended to gag. “Think of the saggy balls, Bellamy.”

Cross snorted from behind us. “Is this what I have to look forward to?”

“Oh, for sure,” Bellamy said over her shoulder then shrugged. “Or probably worse, actually.”

“Maybe I should bunk back with Ransom,” Cross said then groaned.

“Don’t you dare,” I said, yanking open the bus door.

“Maybe I should bunk with Ransom,” Bellamy said with a laugh and the wiggle of her eyebrows.

She and I might end up driving Cross crazy before the two weeks ended, but we’d have fun doing it. Cross stopped close to me, so close that his front hit my back. When I turned my head to look at him, he dropped a warm kiss on my lips.

“Ugh, is this what I have to look forward to?” Bellamy asked throwing his words back at us.

“Oh, for sure,” I said back with a huge grin.

“Probably worse,” Cross added with his eyebrows raised then he kissed me again. His lips pressed against mine but I couldn’t stop giggling.

This whole thing was going to be a lot of fun.