Destroyed (Lost in Oblivion, #3)(82)

“I can do interviews.” Jazz bounced a little, her eyelashes starred with wetness.

Fuck.

He didn’t want Pix upset. Of course at this point, she just needed to get pancakes instead of waffles on a breakfast order and the waterworks could start.

“Thank you, Jasmine. Do what you can. I don’t want you to overdo, either. I don’t want two of you to be on bed rest.”

Simon scribbled in the notebook in front of him and slapped the table. When Lila turned around, he held it up.

“I know you’re not an invalid. You just have to rest. I know it’s a new and outrageous topic, but that’s what we need to do.”

“We have a show in two days. What are we going to do with that?”

“I’m going to look into rescheduling, but our timeline is very tight. I don’t know if we’ll have time to swing around before you finish the first leg.”

“Then we cancel.” Nick folded his arms.

“I don’t advise cancelling. The tickets have been bought and returns are a nightmare. Not to mention the contract with the venue. They can sue you for lost revenue.”

“What?” Jazz let go of Gray and came forward. “They can’t do that.”

“Sure they can.”

“But I’ve heard of shows getting cancelled.”

Lila nodded. “And they pay through the nose for that. Do you all want to pay about, oh…one hundred grand each?”

“What?” Jazz’s eyes went huge.

“It’s an expensive endeavor, Jasmine. If we could reschedule it, that would be one thing. But with you and Harper ready to pop in the next few months, we’re kind of in a bind.”

“I’m sorry.”

Lila sighed. “Do not start with the waterworks, I’m just saying this plain. It’s no one’s fault. It’s not even Simon’s fault. This happens to singers and this is as much my fault as anyone.”

“What can we do?” Deacon asked in his reasonable voice. The voice that made Simon want to walk over there and deck him for being so calm.

Harper twisted her fingers. “I know I’m not in the band, but…”

“You’re part of the family,” Jazz said. She moved over to her and tipped her head against her shoulder. “What’s your idea?”

“Well, when you guys were fooling around the other night, Gray sang.”

“Wait,” Gray began.

“Oh.” Jazz turned around to face everyone. “That’s a great idea. Gray has fronted groups before.”

“Yeah, when I was a teenager, babe.”

“It’s okay for one night, right? Just to fill in? Then Super Slut will be back to his operatic self. We have another day between The Greek and The Hollywood Bowl. So that will give him almost four full days off.”

Simon crossed his arms over his chest, his phone in his hand. He thumbed out a text and sent it to Nick.

Nick’s phone buzzed. He pulled it out and read the message, then looked at him. “Are you sure?”

Simon shrugged. No, he wasn’t f*cking sure, but it was the best option they had.

“It’s not like Simon can’t be on stage. He can run around and get everyone crazy.” Lila pulled out her iPad. “We’ll play it up that he needs a nurse to make him feel better, maybe?”

Awesome. He could just be the guy that was the mime cheerleader. That sounded like more fun than an acid wash for his nuts.

Fuck.

Nick cracked his first smile. “Do we know any strippers that could put on nurse outfits?”

Simon did a two thumbs up. There was nothing wrong with that scenario. He texted Nick.



Make sure he sings “Bad Medicine”.



Nick snorted and flashed his phone at Gray.

Gray swung his gaze to Simon. “Oh hell no. I’m not singing Bon Jovi.”

“C’mon,” Simon mouthed.

“Absolutely not.”

If he had to stay on the sidelines, at least he could have some damn fun with it.

“All right, everyone. Time to pack it in. Joe and Bobby have to take off with the busses to make it to California in a reasonable time. You have lots of press on your home turf.”

“Who the hell scheduled us in Indianapolis then to California?” Nick asked with a groan.

“We have to work around the venue schedules. You guys asked for The Greek, so we got you what you wanted.”

“My bad,” Nick said.

“Shoo, pregnant people and dads. Off we go.” Lila herded people off the bus.

Jazz ducked under Lila’s arm and came at him. Her sweet watermelon scent wrapped around him as she curled her arms around his neck. “Feel better, Super Slut.”

He rested his cheek against hers for a minute and swallowed down the lump.

Had to be bad if Jazz was voluntarily hugging him. He patted her ass to make sure she knew he was still the same old Simon. And when she punched him in the arm, he was able to find a smile.

It lasted until everyone left.

And then there were three.

Margo was quiet. She picked at the dark nail polish on her thumbnail. Nick sat next to her and neither of them would look at him.

It was going to be a long damn drive of silences.

Simon stood and stretched with a yawn. He texted to Nick that he was going to hit his bunk. He really couldn’t stand the stares, or in this case, the avoiding stares.