Chapter 57

When the sun began to set, Greer slid into the seat beside me. "Are you okay?" she whispered as she leaned her head against the seat.
I nodded. "Yeah. Are you?"
"Yeah," she replied as she looked away for a minute, thinking. Then, she turned back. "That song you wrote is beautiful. How did you come up with it?"
I shrugged. "A candlelit night I spent with Logan."
A familiar pain gripped my chest.
She nodded thoughtfully. "I thought so." Then, she looked into my eyes and raised her eyebrows. "Are you okay?"
I nodded. "I will be."
Greer forced a smile as she reached over and squeezed my hand. "If you need to talk, I'm here."
I nodded as I looked around, silently indicating everyone around us. "Maybe later."
Soon, everything grew quiet on the bus as night fell. The sound of the tires hitting the surface of the road droned on, and I listened, getting the idea for another song. I got out my writing pad again, turned on the overhead light, and started writing down the lyrics. I didn't know why I was in the mood to write all of a sudden, but I wasn't going to question it.
I was writing for what seemed like hours when Craig said, "Hey! Look, everyone!"
He pointed out the window and everyone rose up and looked. As we passed by the PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina, the billboard was illuminated and read: Live in Concert: Tasha Granger and Alyssa Case, 8 p.m. Saturday night! Don't miss it!
Everyone on the bus cheered, slapping high fives and giving each other hugs.
"Well, it looks like you're famous now!" Greer said as she bounced up and down on her seat in excitement.
I laughed. "Not quite, but it's a start."
She giggled as we both chatted animatedly. A few minutes later, we pulled up in front of a very nice hotel.
"Wow! We're going in style!" I said to Craig when the bus pulled to a stop.
He gave me a smile. "Only the very best for you."
"Thanks," I said, returning the smile, but looked down and shuffled my feet, a bit uncomfortable with the exchange. But since our talk, it felt a bit better between us. Less strained.
He must have sensed my discomfort, because he laughed and added, "Hey! What are friends for, right?"
I nodded as I forced a smile.
After he walked to the front of the bus, Greer and I exchanged a look and then burst out laughing, each knowing what the other was thinking.
"Come on," I said. "Let's go inside and check it out."
***
A few minutes later, we were standing in the hotel lobby as Craig checked us in.
Soon, Craig handed me a room keycard. "Here you go. It's for you and Greer," he said, and then added, "Don't worry. No one will bother you."
I nodded, appreciating the sentiment. "I'll get our bags."
He shook his head. "No need. I'll have someone bring them up for you. Go on up and get comfortable, order room service on the studio, and relax."
I nodded as I forced a smile. "Thanks, Craig. That's very nice of you."
He smiled. "Hey! That's what managers are for, right?"
As if right on cue, Greer let out a big yawn.
Craig laughed. "Go on up and get some rest. I'll see you in the morning."
I smiled, and Greer followed me to the elevator.
Noah stepped in behind us, carrying a large suitcase and his guitar. "Hey! Where are your things?"
I shrugged. "Craig is having someone bring them up for us. I was going to do it, but Craig insisted."
Noah bit his lower lip, and then let out a deep breath. "Just be careful, Allie. I know he's your manager, but just be careful around him."
I nodded as Greer suddenly perked up and listened, taking everything in.
"I appreciate that, Noah. But he's okay, I'm sure," I said, yawning myself.
"As I said, just be careful."
Then the elevator doors opened and we all stepped out.
Our room was right down the hallway, and Noah's room was right across from ours.
"So, who are you rooming with?" I asked Noah as I fumbled with the door keycard.
He smirked. "Brett, of all people."
I laughed. They were like night and day. I couldn't imagine them rooming together. "Through the whole tour?"
Noah laughed. "We'll see. I might be shopping around for another roommate soon. Especially if I have to kill him."
I giggled. "Night, Noah!" I said as I opened the door. "And try not to kill him."
"Kill who?" Brett asked as he walked down the hallway, looking at door numbers. He looked at Noah's door and his eyes grew wide. "No way, man!"
Noah smiled. "And no wild parties!"
"Son of a " Brett said, but his voice cut off as I shut the door.
The hotel suite was nice. It wasn't five star, but it was nice and much better than I had expected. Greer plopped down on a nearby bed and stretched out.
"Are you sure you're going to be able to make it?" I asked as I set my purse down on a nearby table.
Greer smiled. "Hell yeah!"
I laughed as I shook my head. "Only you."
A loud knock on the door resonated throughout the room, breaking the silence. When I answered it, Craig was on the other side, holding mine and Greer's suitcases.
"Here! Let me get that," I said, reaching for one of the suitcases. "I thought you were going to have someone bring them up.
He shrugged. "Everyone bailed, so I thought I would." Then, he turned toward the door. "Lock the door behind me. I'll see you ladies tomorrow. Sleep in tonight, and we'll get started about one tomorrow afternoon."
I nodded as Greer sat up on the bed, fully awake. "Thanks, Craig. See you then."
He nodded and left without another word, and I shut and locked the door behind him.
A devilish smile spread across Greer's face. "I think he has a crush on you."
I shook my head as I slipped out of my light weight jacket. "No. He's with someone."
She raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure about that?"
I shrugged. "That's what he told me."
She laughed. "He probably told you that so he doesn't scare you."
I shook my head. "Stop it, Greer."
She slung her legs over the side of the bed. "Well, tell me this, then. Have you ever seen him with anyone
I shook my head as I adjusted my suitcase and sat down onto the other bed.
"Okay, then!" she said as she grabbed the room service menu on the bedside table. "Let's order some pizza!"
I laughed. "Pizza? Now?"
Greer shrugged. "Sure! Why not?"
I let out a breath as I smiled. "Okay. Pizza it is!"
Soon, the pizza arrived and we spent the rest of the night talking and laughing as we ate.
"I'm stuffed!" I said as I lay back onto the bed, full and tired.
"Yeah. Me, too," Greer said as she finished off the last piece of pizza. In fact, she had eaten most of it.
I laughed. "Where do you put it all, anyway?"
She shrugged. "I can't help it! I was hungry."
I laughed as I slipped out of my jeans and turned off the light, too tired to change into pajamas and slipped into the bed. Greer did the same.
In the dark, I turned over to face her. "Greer, are you still awake?"
"Uh huh," she said from her bed across the room.
I placed my hands under my head as I turned over onto my side. "I'm glad you're here."
I heard her bed shift and she turned over to face me, too. "So am I."
A few minutes later, I drifted off to sleep, the happiest that I'd been in a while.