Our time in Joliet passed in a blur, and before I knew it I was waking up in a bunk on the bus, with Ashley wrapped around me like a blanket. I could hear the other guys milling around, and I gently shook Ash’s shoulder.
“Hey, deviant. We have to get up.” I told him.
His response was to bury his face in my neck and tell me no. Before I could get another word out, the curtain was pulled back and someone was spraying us with cold water. Ash’s eyes flew open and I covered myself with a blanket, trying to use it for a shield.
“Good morning sunshine! It’s a beautiful day in New York and we’re going to Niagara Falls.” I heard Jake say. Uncovering my face, I noticed that he had a spray bottle in his hand. Inna was beside him, another bottle in one hand and her phone in the other.
“Ok, ok we’re up!” I said, laughing as I rubbed my eyes.
A little while later, we were in Niagara Falls State Park. Standing on a viewing balcony overlooking the falls, I closed my eyes and enjoyed the smell. It was almost like the ocean, and made me miss my place on the beach near LA. I hadn’t been back in a while.
Ash was standing beside me, clad in a whit tank and black vest with a beanie on his head. When he’d gotten off the bus, I’d cracked up.
“You’re insane.” He mumbled, looking down to where the water crashed.
“Why? Because I enjoy the smell of the ocean?”
“No, because you’re standing there in leggings.” He grumbled
Laughing, I wrapped my arms around him and squeezed. His arms came around my shoulders and he put his chin on my head. We stood there for a few minutes, just enjoying the quiet moment in each other’s presence.
“Guys! We’re gonna go eat!” Andy called from where the rest of the group was.
Ashley sighed, looking annoyed. Glancing up at him, it made me wonder what was going through his mind. I didn’t want the last few days of my trip to be ruined. Or the last few days of his tour. He loves being who he is. Whether it’s photo shoots for magazines, meet and greets, or tours, he loves his fans. It was one of the things I loved most about him.
After we ate, the guys had to start getting ready for the show. I’d never been to New York and I wanted to go explore and do a little shopping. There was a little aquarium not too far, so I got an Uber and headed out. After spending a few hours there, and doing two animal encounters, I arrived back at the bus at the same time as the guys.
Spotting me getting out of the car, Ash came over.
“You want to get out of here? Just go do something on our own?” he murmured, taking my camera bag from me.
“Uh, sure. How long do you have until the meet and greet?” I replied, thanking the driver.
“I’ve got time to spend with you. I’ll be a little late if I have to.” He chuckled.
We decided to go wander the town for a bit. It was something we did every time I was on tour with him. We enjoyed the adventure of exploring a new city. Going in and out of different stores near the venue, I stopped when I noticed a book store.
