Songbird by Victoria Escobar Read Free Book Online Page A

“We’re about to stop for dinner. It’s a two
hour stop and the drivers are switching to continue on through the
night. If you want to eat, now’s the time. If you don’t we stop
again in six hours for gasoline and a leg stretch.”
    He snatched the phone from my hand. “Listen,
Songbird, I really don’t want to fucking deal with female hysterics
on a three month fucking long tour. I don’t care how good you
are.”
    “Mr. Walker.” I decided he could use the
lesson of his own words. “You’re being an asshole, and you’re
treating me like your shit doesn’t stink. Well I have news.”
    His jaw clenched and ticked. “You would
fucking compare me to that asshole?”
    I gestured with a hand. “Proof is in the
pudding.”
    He snarled, turned and stalked back to his
room. The door vibrated for several long seconds after it
slammed.
    “You’ve got balls, Stilts,” Max stated
quietly.
    “Brave, brave woman,” Guy commented.
    I sat down and rubbed my chilled arms. No,
not brave. Just incredibly stubborn . I pushed a smile to my
lips buffed my nailed on my shirt to hide the shaking and picked
the cards back up. “Where’d we stop?”

    Even as I told myself he could starve and rot
the peacekeeper in me demanded I make amends. When the bus stopped
for gas and food, I eyed the bedroom warily. Since the door slammed
there hadn’t been a peep from Nicholas.
    “Can I ask a favor?” I looked at the boys. I
was about to ask a huge favor and would need to sweeten the pot a
little if I wanted them to agree.
    “Doesn’t hurt to ask.” Guy replied.
    “Can you guys rotate on fresh air and leg
stretches,” I pointed to the back, “I don’t want that one sneaking
off and fucking the schedule. And in his current mood, I have no
doubt he will, given the opportunity.”
    Max laughed. “You’ve got his number
already.”
    “I’ll run and grab dinner, and I’ll bring
back desert if you can do this for me.” I gestured to the rest
stop. I had no idea what I would find inside but I was praying for
a Carvel or something close.
    “Coffee,” Arc said. “I want coffee, real
coffee and you have a deal. I’ll stick around.”
    The other guys nodded.
    “We don’t eat sugar the way Nick does.” Max
stated. “Just bring the coffee, and as much as you can.”
    “Okay.” I waved to Doug smoking a cigarette
near the front of the bus as I jogged into the rest stop.
    No Carvel but the Dairy Queen would work. I
pulled out my phone and began collecting food for six men. By the
time I got my DQ order I was doing some creative juggling.
    Charlie grinned at me as he was walking in
and at least held the doors so I could get out. I jogged across the
lot and back up to the bus. I could hear the shouting within three
feet of the door.
    “You’re not my fucking boss,” a very angry
Nicholas roared.
    Rolling my eyes—this was the worst first day
of tour I’ve ever had—I painted a smile on and climbed back onto
the bus.
    “I’ve got dinner guys, and turtle cheesecake
blizzards.” I pretended to be surprised to see Nicholas out of his
room. “Hey. Guy said you’d be okay with a bacon burger and a baked
potato but I can go get something else if you’d like. There’s ice
cream here too. And I’ve got this box of Joe and a bag full of
coffee condiments if you prefer.”
    “I could go for some ice cream,” Nicholas
muttered and took the DQ carrier and wandered over to the
kitchenette counter to dig for a spoon. “Cool, chocolate and
caramel.”
    Arc grinned at me—his back was to
Nicholas—and took the coffee and condiments.
    “Smells good, Stilts.” Max set the table.
    “If you want coffee after dinner, I make a
cup that rivals Starbucks.” I offered.
    “Yeah?” Guy sat and began opening the bags I
set down.
    I wrung my hands and watched them unload the
bags. Arc and Max sat devouring their meals in great gulping
mouthfuls.
    “Why aren’t you eating?” Nicholas asked and I
jolted.
    I turned to see him