I did remember that group, how could I not? They were all armed with green dildos that they’d wanted me to sign. But even they had asked about Kellan. Where does he sleep? Can we steal a T-shirt? Does he really fart rainbows and moonbeams, ’cause he’s so super awesome like that. Ugh. I was getting sick of it. “Well, if they are going to call themselves D-Bag fans, then they should do a better job of learning about the entire band. We’re more than just Kellan, and the rest of us deserve some sort of acknowledgment too.”
Seeing through my statement to the heart of what was really bugging me, Anna cupped my cheek. “You’ll get the praise you deserve, Griffin. I promise. You’re too big a star to stay under the radar forever. Your time is coming, you just have to wait it out and be patient.”
At first, her words sent a zing of pride through me. My wife thinks I’m awesome. But the lift to my spirits was quickly darkened by a confusing mixture of frustration and hope. When will everyone else think that? I sucked at patience, especially now that I was getting so close to what I wanted. And so far too. “I don’t know how much longer I can wait, Anna. They’re holding me underwater and I’m drowning. Something’s gotta change. And soon.”
An expression passed over Anna’s face that I hadn’t ever seen before. It vanished into blandness so quickly I almost thought I’d imagined it, but deep down I knew I hadn’t. I wasn’t completely sure what it was, but it had almost looked like…fear. Or worse than fear. That didn’t make sense though. My girl wasn’t afraid of anything. Maybe I was just misinterpreting things. But just that one tiny spark of anxiety on her face made a weird churning feeling rip through my stomach. I settled the feeling by remembering her earlier words. She had my back, she believed in me. That belief was what kept me going. Anna was the fuel to my awesome-train.
Not wanting to see that expression on her again, I said something that I thought would appease her. “Nah, don’t listen to me. I’m just talking shit again. All I need is to finish my beer, then everything will be right as rain.”
A glorious smile lit up her face, and any worry that may or may not have passed over her was gone. “Well then, drink up.”
I held the bottle up to her in a salute, then started downing it. Yeah, a beer would solve everything. For now.
Chapter 5
Meet the Awesomes
They say that all good things come to those who wait. Well fuck whoever said that, because I had waited as patiently as a person could be expected to wait, and nothing fucking changed. The entire tour went by and all I heard was the same old line—Not tonight, maybe tomorrow. I heard it so often I was considering getting it tattooed on my forehead.
My mood was foul when I got back home to my same old boring-ass routine. Anna was a week or so from bursting, so she was in a foul mood too. Between the two of us, it had been bitch central at the house lately. It was an odd vibe for us, since we were usually so laid back. Or Anna was, at least. It took a lot to ruffle her.
“Not tonight, maybe tomorrow,” I said in a high-pitched, mocking voice. I was in our pool, floating in an inflatable chair, a beer in each cup holder and a third one in my hand. Smacking my fist against the water, I muttered, “They can kiss my ass tomorrow, is what they can do. All I’ve ever wanted, since this fucking band formed, was one tiny second in the spotlight, but none of those assholes will give me a chance. Fame whores.”
Anna sighed from the lounge chair she was resting on; she’d heard this rant before. Several times. I was sure she was getting tired of hearing it, but she was my sounding board; I needed her to listen. “I can’t bend over anymore,” she said in a whine. “And the only shoes that fit my feet are slippers.” She looked over at me with pouted lips. “I seriously want this baby out. It better come early. I don’t think I can survive six more days of this crap.”
Examining her looking all swollen and uncomfortable, yet still the sexiest thing on earth in her two-piece, I sympathized; her feet did look like overdone sausages about to burst. I was kind of scared to touch them for fear they would explode on me. “At least your hell will be over soon. Mine is perpetual. So long as Kellan and Matt are running the show, I’m fucked.” Taking a swig of my drink, I flicked the water with my forefinger. I wished it was Kellan’s face. Or Matt’s. I’d even accept Evan’s, since he wasn’t exactly campaigning for me. Kellan and Matt had him firmly under their thumbs. Conformist.
A couple of droplets landed on Anna and she frowned at me as she rubbed them off her thigh. “You just need to keep trying. If you want this, don’t give up. Show them you’re serious, and they’ll change their minds and give you a chance.”
Because I was in a shitty mood, I scowled at her, but I supposed she did have a point. If I could prove to the guys that I wouldn’t embarrass them, maybe they’d cave on their ridiculous stance that I couldn’t be trusted with anything more important than mixing their drinks. I was so much more than a bartender, and it was time those fuckers realized it.
Anna cocked an eyebrow at me. “Speaking of serious…when are you going to call Matt back? He’s left four messages on the machine.”
Yeah, and even more were on my cell phone. I fully expected him to show up at my door any moment. But I was irritated and didn’t want to deal with him yet. Besides, what he wanted to do was preposterous. “Did you listen to the message? He wants to start working on the third album. We just finished the last one. How about we let our brains rest for a sec before we cram more stuff in there? Just saying.”