Page 100 of Knot My Band: Part One
“Should we wash it or air the room out?” Chase asks.
I whine again, sharp and painful.
“Okay, that’s it. We’re going out and getting you new stuff,” Aiden declares, his voice firm with a promise of safety, eyes locked with mine in a silent vow.
The bus starts moving as we head to our next stop on the tour.
“We can go as soon as we stop in Nashville,” Jack says. He slips his phone from his pocket, probably searching for the nearest nest supplies store.
“You can sleep with me tonight,” Chase says, nudging me out of the nest.
There’s only one thing I can’t get rid of. All the stuffed animals Jack has gotten me.
“Do you think-” I break off, nervous this is too much to ask.
“What is it, Oli?” Jack asks.
“Anything you need,” Aiden reassures.
“Could you take the stuffed toys to bed with each of you to cover them in your scent? I can’t replace those,” I ask softly.
Jack’s face softens. “Of course.”
All four of them, even Dax, grab some. I almost tell Dax he doesn’t have to, but it would be so nice to have his scent in thenest, so I keep quiet.
The bunks are tiny, and I end up lying on top of Chase while he holds me. His purr kicks up and lulls me into sleep.
* * *
The next morning, Chase wakes me up with a kiss. “It’s time to shop, little rose.”
I groan but climb out of his bunk, and we all dress quickly in disguises.
“Let’s roll out,” Chase adds with a grin, nudging me gently toward the bus door.
We take a car, Jack driving us there.
It’s blissfully scent-free as we step into Nest Haven, the cozy shop lit with warm amber lights and lined with shelves of carefully arranged nest necessities. Soft music plays in the background—some indie band I think I recognize, their mellow tunes adding to the calming atmosphere.
“Wow,” I breathe out, taking in the rows of plush blankets in every hue imaginable, the stacks of pillows with intricate patterns, and the assortments of cuddly toys that seem to be gazing at us with button eyes full of comfort.
“Let’s get everything you need to feel safe again,” Jack murmurs, joining us with a cart.
“Thanks, guys,” I say, my heart swelling as much as my nest is about to. The fear that claws at me begins to subside, replaced by the warmth of being cared for. “Let’s make the best nest we can on a bus.”
I weave through the aisles, my guys trailing behind me. They grab anything I so much as look at for longer than a second.
Chase picks up a soft pink robe that matches my hair. “Youneed this, little rose.” He tosses it in the cart Jack is pushing.
Jack snags a purple blanket off the shelf. “This matches the dinosaur.”
I laugh. “Then we have to get it.”
Aiden is already half-buried in a pile of throw pillows, examining each one with the focus of a man on a mission. He tosses a particularly fluffy one my way.
I can’t help burying my face into it. It smells new and feels like hugging a cloud.
Dax hangs back, his gaze scanning the shelves. There’s a hesitance to his movements, the unfamiliar territory of nest-making leaving him visibly uncertain. But then, his hand pauses over a chunky knit blanket, his fingers brushing against the soft yarn.
