Chapter Seven

Meanwhile...

Kevin walked with the other guys off the stage.

“I think you’re in trouble, man,” Brian muttered under his breath.

Kevin looked up to see his girlfriend Samantha standing a few feet away, her arms crossed. She looked pissed.

“Sam,” he started.

“What the hell is this about a poetry book? And a beautiful woman gave it to you?” she demanded. Her blue eyes were icy as they glared at him.

“She was a fan,” he tried to explain. “I met her a couple weeks ago.”

“And this fan, have you talked to her since then?”

He shook his head. At least he could be honest. “No, I haven’t.”

Samantha pursed her lips. Kevin hated it when she did that. Why did she have to be so jealous? She knew about the fans when she first started dating him. She said she could handle it. But it seemed that after every concert, whether she was there to see it or not, she asked him about the girls. She wanted to know about everything that went on when she wasn’t there. He got the feeling she figured she shouldn’t have to share him with anyone else, even fans.

She linked arms with him as they walked outside to the bus. AJ was busy talking on his cell phone as they passed by him.

“I miss you too, Brooke,” Kevin heard him say.

Samantha pulled him onto the bus and sat down on one of the couches. Nick entered next and ingored her. He didn’t like her. She seemed so fake to him.

“Anyone want a soda?” he asked.

“I’ll take one,” Kevin said. “And one for Sam too.”

Nick raised a brow and opened the fridge. He tossed two cans to Kevin who caught them easily. Then he went to the back of the bus to find Brian and challenge him to a game of Nintendo. Howie was sitting at the little table by the window and had already logged onto the internet.

“Checking your email?” Kevin asked from his place next to Samantha.

“Yeah. You know me, I love email!”

AJ came flying onto the bus, his shades perched on top of his head. He sighed and leaned against the door.

“How’s Brooke?” Howie wanted to know.

“She’s just fine, man. Just fine.”

Kevin couldn’t help but feel a twinge of jealousy. AJ looked so happy. He really liked Brooke a lot. He wanted to ask about Vanessa, but snuffed that idea when Samantha rubbed his knee.

“I wish we could be alone. I haven’t seen you in so long,” she whispered.

AJ settled into the passenger seat up front next to the driver and the bus pulled out of the parking lot, taking them back to the hotel they were staying at for the night. Kevin swallowed.

“Yeah, it’s been a while,” he said. He then turned his attention to the window. As the city streets whizzed by, he couldn’t help but think about Vanessa. She was so different from Sam. So dark and exotic, so loving and caring. So soft.

Samantha was all bottle blond and brass. He wondered why he ever started seeing her. He’d been attracted to her looks, he’d admit it. She was a model for a top agency in New York. But as time went on, he found they really had little in common. And she was too pushy and bossy for him. So why hadn’t he broken up with her yet?

She continued to massage his leg, gradually moving her hand up to his thigh. He figured she was expecting some sort of response, something to tell her he wanted her.

Nothing. His body felt nothing. No lust at all. He didn’t even like her very much at the moment. He made up his mind. He was going to have to break it off with her. And then what?

Vanessa was seeing someone, hell, she was living with him! Maybe he should call her like he said he would. He’d been too afraid. What if she didn’t want to talk to him? What if the sparks he’d felt that night had just been all in his head?

“Dammit, Kevin! What the hell are you thinking about?”

He jumped at Samantha’s tone of voice. She was giving him one of her ice cold stares that could cut through stone. He could see Howie cringe and AJ duck lower in his seat.

Thankfully, the bus pulled into the parking lot of the hotel. Nick and Brian made their break from the bus and Howie snapped his computer shut and followed. AJ threw Kevin a look of “Whoa, dude, better watch out for her!” and exited, leaving them alone.

Samantha stood up and adjusted her skin tight dress.

“I thought you loved me,” she acused.

Kevin didn’t know what to say. Was honesty always the best policy? He guessed he was about to find out.

He stood up and faced her. “I’m sorry, Sam. I’ve just realized, that I don’t love you anymore. Maybe I never did.”

He watched her expression turn to pure anger and hatred. He never expected her hand to swing out and slap him. His cheek burned, but he didn’t flinch.

“You jerk! You’re seeing that girl, aren’t you? You’re dumping me for some fan you just met!”

“That’s not true. I’m not seeing her, I haven’t even talked to her since then.”

“But you want to.”

“Yes, I do.”

Samantha was shaking with anger. “I can’t believe you’re doing this to me! What will all my friends say? My image is ruined because of you!”

Kevin couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “Excuse me? You’re worried about what your friends are going to say?”

She looked up at him. “Yes! I am! Image is everything in the modeling business. A gorgeous boyfriend who happens to be famous helps the career,” she said nastily.

Kevin watched as she picked up her purse and left the bus. She hailed a cab and then was gone. He knew he should have been glad to have a person like that out of his life. He sank back onto the couch and just sat there, thinking. This wasn’t the first time someone had started seeing him just because of what he was, and not for who he was. He told himself he should be used to it by now.