Page 72 of The Devil's Tattoo
Chapter17
The next fewdays went by in a blur of giddy happiness. We played another show in country Victoria, then in South Australia, and one in the capital,Adelaide.
Today, we had an eight-hour drive back home to Melbourne where we had two sold-out shows to close the tour. Even though it had all been such a roller coaster of highs and lows, I was sad to see it end. I knew there would be others, but nothing could compare to touring with The Stabs, not when it ended with Will Strickland in my bed and in myheart.
With the promise of another long day on the bus, I stood in the car park, enjoying the sun on my shoulders and the coffee in my hand. It didn’t escape me what today was, but I attempted to forget as per usual. The last few had beenmiserable.
“Happy birthday, hot legs,” Dee whispered intomyear.
“God,” I complained, almost jumping out of my skin. “Say it a little louder whydon’tyou.”
“I get why you didn’t want to celebrate before, but this year? Damn, Zo. You’ve got a hot best friend, a hot band, and a hotter boyfriend. I’d be asking for presents.Bigones.”
“Since when are you hot?” Ijoked.
“Since always and forever. I have a butt that doesn’t quit.” He laughed, puffing out his chest and wiggled his ass. “Seriously, have you told Willit’syour…”
I slapped a hand over his mouth before he could say the dreaded word,birthday. “No. I don’t do well being the center ofattention.”
“Bloody hell, then what have you been doing the last fewmonths?”
“That’s stage Zoe, Dee. She’s a different beast.” I remembered what Will had told me about being different on stage than I was off. Somewhere between then and now, they’d become the sameperson.
“Whichever way you put it, you’re still abeast.”
Laughing, I turned to climb onto the bus, but I suddenly realized we were alone. Simone and Dean were nowhere in sight, and by this time, they’d already be loading up the car. Even Bob was mysteriously absent from his spot in front of the bus where he was usually smoking a cigarette and downing a coffee. Nine people were mysteriously not where theyshouldbe.
“Dee?”
“Yes?” he asked, a smug look on hisstupidface.
“You didn’t.” I suddenly realized he’d been up to his usual meddling. He’d used our familiar arguing as adistraction.
“I didn’t what?” He shrugged, a lopsided grin onhisface.
“I hate you so muchrightnow.”
“If I didn’t annoy you at least once a day, then my work wouldn’tbedone.”
I felt my face turn red, and I slapped a palm against my flaming cheeks as if it was going to coolmedown.
“C’mon,” Dee said, grabbing my hand. “Rip it off like a Band-Aid. It’ll make themhappy.”
As he pulled me up the stairs and onto the bus, everyone cheered. Then they let out wolf whistles and started singing ‘Happy Birthday,’the dirty version, as I hid my flaming face in myhands.
My past few birthdays had been pretty lonely affairs, passing without much of a blip on the radar, but this was too much. I suddenly felt embarrassed that all these people who I’d come to call friends and extended family were all looking at me, wanting to make this day special. It was totally surreal andunexpected.
Frank pulled me into his trademark bear hug. “Happy birthday,ZoZo.”
Chris and Pete both hugged me and planted kisses on my cheek. Even Bob gave me a kiss on the cheek before running out to have his awful, stinky cigarette. Dean clapped me on the shoulder, and Simone pulled me into a long hug. Louie and Sticks got in on the action before my gaze collided with Will. He was holding a black guitar hard case, a wicked grin onhisface.
“No way.” I gasped, making everyonelaugh.
“Way,” Frank said, pushing me forward down theaisle.
Will watched me approach with a satisfied smirk on his face. Laying the case along the seat, he flipped it open, and there was the blue sunburst Fender I’d slobbered all overdaysago.
“Guys.” I gasped. “This istoomuch.”
