Miranda's pov
A knock at the door awakens us. I groan and sit up. "Who could that possibly be?" I mutter, rubbing sleep from my eyes. He yawns. "Eh, probably Mike, telling us it's time to get back on the road." He says, getting up.
Jason's pov
I open the door and just as I thought it was Mike. "You've got two hours. Then we have to move out. You got a show in Tupelo Mississippi." He says. I'm half asleep so I'm not really paying good attention. "Ok, we're on our way." I say. He nods and goes to tell the rest of my crew. "It was Mike?" She asks, her eyes closed again. "Yeah. We're leaving in a couple hours." "Ugh, I just wanna sleep all day. I feel like I pulled an all nighter." I laugh. "Honey, we basically did. We stayed up til like 3 remember?" "Only the good parts." We both laugh. I pack up our suitcases while she goes to take a shower.
Miranda's pov
I fix my hair in a pony tail then put my ball cap on. I'm so not a morning person. Then I look at the clock on my phone. Whoa! It's not morning! It's 1:30! I totally didn't see that coming. Later after we've gotten on the bus, I'm tempted to go back to sleep but then I hear snippets of a conversation with Jason and Mike. "I don't care. I'm not doing it! That guy has pushed my buttons for the last time!" "If you don't do it, what do we tell the fans!?" "Tell 'em I'm not playing Mr. Nice guy with some jerk messing with my girlfriend!" "What's going on?" I ask. "Oh hey, nothin'. They're trying to tell me they merged me and Brantley's tours together. Without talking to me first. I don't wanna do it." He mutters annoyed.
Tully's pov
A snippet of our show from last night is on the news! Apparently we broke the record for the most attendances! "Hey Jason, come check this out!" I call, sitting in front of the TV and turning it up. I pull Rachel onto my lap. "I'm kinda in the middle of something man, what is it?" He calls back. "We made records at the show the other night!" He walks out. "What do you mean?" He smiles when he sees.
Jason's pov
As much as I don't want to work with Brantley, breaking records like that is a big deal and I know it'll be a big turnout, seeing both of us. I sigh. "Fine man, we'll do it. But if he messes with her again, I won't hesitate to punch him!"
*the next week*
Ok, the first show. Let's just hope I don't have to knock some sense into him. "Good luck tonight and be careful. Don't let Brantley tick you off too much." She says. I smile. "I won't. As long as he leaves you alone." I kiss her then join the boys in the band onstage. Brantley goes on after I do. "Are y'all ready for the best night of your lives!!" I shout. The screams from the fans are deafening and when I glance sidestage, Miranda's covering her ears. I laugh and start my set list. I get to big green tractor. "Now all you country boys this might be your new love song to your lady right here." I say, trying not to laugh. "Cause it's pretty manly." We sing that and I high five fans.
*after the show*
I'm in the bus parking lot with the guys and my gal. Then a guy walks over. "Who are you?" I ask. "The fans wanna know, how the heck do you do it? The shows are always mind blowing and make them crave more as soon as they leave!" He gasps. "I uh well, I just play man, the guys behind the scenes do all the pyrotechnics and lights and junk." "You don't have any say in it?" "I don't understand most of it. Listen I am a guy who grew up in Macon Georgia, I don't know all the fancy stuff. What I aim to do is play a show that while your walking back to your car, you're on your phone, looking for the next show." He laughs. "You even know about the withdrawals fans go through. You rocked it tonight man." He says, shaking my hand. "Yeah thanks, but who are you and how'd you get passed security?" "Oh my name is John and I'm president of your fan club." "Ok but-" "Thanks for talking with me. It was a real honor." He says. I nod, a little weirded out, some fans take it too far on excitement. He finally leaves. "How much ya wanna bet that's gonna be on some kinda website or TV channel tomorrow?" Tully jokes, an arm around Rachel. I shrug. "It doesn't matter, it was all good things. Not gossip this time." I reply, crushing my beer can.
*later*
She's been real quiet all evening. "Honey, are you okay?" I ask, walking over. "Yeah why wouldn't I be?" "You've been quiet for some reason. Brantley didn't mess with you, did he?" "Nope, not since I kicked him." She says, smirking. I'm still a little wondering. She's never this quiet. "And you'd tell me if something was bothering you?" I ask, holding her hands. "Of course, why are you so worried?" "I don't know." She kisses me. "Nothing is bothering me and trust me. If there was, you'd be the first to know." Ok, she's fine. I'm just getting paranoid. I don't know why but something is still nagging at me. My gut instincts telling me something is wrong. I shrug it off and we go back to my bus. I need to stop worrying. I turn on some music channel. "Hey, you hungry?" I ask. "Starved. What do you wanna do for dinner?" "Go out but I don't want to get mobbed." I mumble. "Wear a disguise." I grab my ball cap and keys. "Let's go out babe." As I'm driving us into town, she asks, "how much longer is the tour?" Maybe that's what's bugging her. "Another month, why?" "Just wondering." Why do I keep worrying. She's fine. She'd tell me if she wasn't. I'm just thinking too much. "Hey hun, I've been thinking, what about I call off the rest of the tour?" "Why?" "Cause I wanna go home. I'm tired of touring and hotels and sleeping in the bus. I wanna get home to my warm bed with my dog and my girl." "Won't your fans be disappointed?" "No, this bit of the tour hasn't been set so the fans don't know about it." "Oh alright in that case, if ya wanna go home I'm all game." She says smiling. I smile too. I text Mike and the boys and we head back to the bus. "I got a motorcycle in the back. We're going home in style." "Ooh this is going to be awesome!"
Miranda's pov
"Hey Jason, can we slow down? It's a little too fast!" I shout over the wind, my arms holding onto him. "I'll try." He says. "Baby, put my helmet on. I'd feel better if you were safer." He sounds scared. "Is everything alright?" "Yeah." I put the helmet on then return my hands to where they belong. "I love you." He says. "I love you too."
Jason's pov
The reason I'm going fast is because I can't slow down. Something is wrong with my brakes but I don't want her to worry. I'm not sure what's gonna happen. She shouts again to slow down and I realize I have to tell her. "Baby I can't." "Why not?" "Something is wrong. My brakes aren't working." "What? What are we gonna do?" She cries terrified. "I don't know hun, just hold on tight." "You should put the helmet on!" She says. "What no! You keep it. You'll be more likely to survive with it on if I wreck!" "But Jason, what about you?! If I die, not many people will miss me. But you're a celebrity, they love you!" "I'll miss you. And I don't care about them. I care about you. I love you!" Her grip around my waist gets tighter. "I love you too." Oh crap a red light. I can't stop! "Hold on tight, darlin', this is where things get ugly." I say, wincing. I avoid the cars that are stopped but the busy intersection is another story.
