Page 8 of Accidental Fire
Why the kid became stuck in my head, I couldn’t begin to imagine. It had to be because his face was filled with fear as everyone at the table on Nate’s patio was coming up to him for information about the tour. It reminded me too much of my first week of boot camp when I was a kid myself, and the world was big and scary.
I got out of bed and went to the ensuite bathroom, splashing water on my face. We were still at Nate’s, but we were returning to El Segundo in a few hours. I knew Pop was anxious to get home because his cell phone had been ringing off the hook with calls from his lady friends.
After a quick shower and a stroke session I wasn’t proud of, I dressed, packed, and went downstairs to find Chanice in the kitchen making breakfast. “Is that French toast?” The woman knew it was my favorite from when Mom and I would visit Nate when Dad was too busy to come with us.
“With a mixed-berry compote, just as you like it. How was the food last night? I researched companies in town and recommended the caterer to Nate, but I had no experience with them.” It was evident on Chanice’s face that she was worried.
“Oh, seriously, it was delicious. Everyone enjoyed it, and I doubt there were many leftovers.” Chanice got me a cup of coffee, and I sat at the kitchen island while she continued cooking.
“Good, good. Do you know if Nate is seeing that young singer, the one I’ve seen on the news?”
That was out of left field, and she sounded pissed. “What young singer?” I hadn’t heard anything about Nate pursuing a young woman, but I wouldn’t be surprised.
“Uh…Stella Rae? Have you heard about her?” I glanced up to see the hurt on Chanice’s face. I’d suspected she might have feelings for Nate, but it was never more apparent than when she turned away from me and grabbed a dish towel to dry her eyes.
“Chanice, do you have feelings for Nate? How long have you worked for him?”
She tossed the spatula onto the spoon rest on top of the stove and turned to me. “I’ve outlasted three wives, and still, he doesn’t give me a second glance. I’m about done with him, Kit. I’ve loved the man for twenty years, and I’m at the end of my patience.”
For the life of me, I had no idea what to say to her. I’d never fallen in love with anybody, and as far as I knew, nobody had ever fallen for me.
“What are you going to do, Chanice? If you leave Nate, I’ll pay you to cook for Pop because there are about eleven women in his neighborhood who keep bringing him food he doesn’t need to eat. He has his own harem and—”
“Oh, Kit, you can’t keep a man from his admirers. Your father seems to be very happy with the attention. I’d never disrupt that. Besides, if I leave Nate, I’m planning to go back east, where my family lives.”
Chanice flipped three pieces of French toast onto my plate and placed a small silver pitcher of berry syrup in front of me. “Eat, Kit.”
My head was spinning like a top, trying to figure out if there was anything I could do to help the woman, but it wasn’t really my problem. I had to figure out my own shit, and now I had a new worry:why was I fixated on a kid in a band?
It was ridiculous, wasn’t it? I was straight.
I fired up my Peterbilt and drove to Sound Waves Studios to pick up the trailer with all the band’s equipment. The first stop was The Offbeat in LA, a small music venue that didn’t have enough stage space to use the backdrops, so unloading and reloading would go a lot faster, making it easier to get away and head for the next tour stop, which was next weekend. Until then, I’d have almost a whole week to be a bum.
The House of Blues in San Diego was a venue where Samuel Dixon, the stage manager, had a lot of previous experience. He knew exactly how to set up the stage, so it wouldn’t take long, and reloading the equipment would be quick and easy. I didn’t have to do the heavy lifting—that was the road crew’s job.
With the backdrop loaded into the front of the trailer, I wouldn’t need to circle back to Los Angeles to pick it up, so I’d get to Ensenada—where they played two dates—the day after the House of Blues show, and I’d have several days to myself there. That meant I’d be able to enjoy a little rest and relaxation before the band flew in. That was a nice perk. Anyway, I was being paid too much to bitch about any of it.
Nate emerged from the back door of the building as I was raising the landing gear on the trailer. “Kit, you got this?”
I laughed. “You gonna help me hook up? That doesn’t seem like something you’re used to doing.”
“Oh, if you wanna hook up, I know a plethora of beauties who would love to get with a guy like you. You sure you don’t have a special lady?” Nate wore a smirk I had to wonder about.
“Nope. I’m happily single, Nate. Don’t worry about me. How about you? Do you have anyone special? Are you looking for the fourth Mrs. Ashby?”
Nate glanced away, which gave me the impression there was someone special to him, but he wouldn’t say who. I was pretty sure it wasn’t Stella Rae. Nate would have bragged about that until he was blue in the face.
“It’s not that easy, Kit. Life hands us situations we can’t always understand, but we have to learn how to navigate them in the least damaging way. When you grow up, you’ll see what I mean.”
I laughed. “Nate, I’m thirty-five—or did you forget? You’re only seven years older than me. I’ve already lived a long life. I’m not looking for a happy-ever-after. I’m just living one day at a time.”
“Good on you, Kit. Good on you.” What that meant, I wasn’t sure.
“Are you okay, Nate?” Something about him seemed off.
He chuckled. “I’ll always be fine, nephew. Look out for those kids, will you? I know you didn’t sign up for that, but those boys are special, I promise you.”
I waved as I got into the cab and drove away, heading to the first venue on the tour. I had a sleeper cab, so I’d be able to get some rest while they were performing and then meet them in San Diego at the next stop. That was how things should go.
