“Thank you,” she said to the doorman.
Looking down at her, he nodded and blew out a lungful of smoke. “Good-bye, Ruby Tuesday,” he sang in tune.
The taxi door shut with a solid clunk.
They sat there for a second, the song echoing in Ruby’s head. It was just a song, a familiar melody. And yet the words had new meaning to her. Was she changing with every day? She felt like it. She certainly wasn’t the person she’d been two weeks ago.
“Where are you headed?”
Meg gave the driver Ruby’s address and turned to her. “What happened?”
Ruby shook her head. “I am so fucked.”
“What?” Meg took her hand. “What did you do?”
But Ruby could only smile ruefully. “It’s not what I did, Meg. It’s what I didn’t do.”
Chapter
Twenty
Mark was high.
It was Saturday, and they were in Michigan. At the last minute they’d been called in to play a music festival, filling in for a headline band whose singer had succumbed to “exhaustion,” also known as rehab. Now, as he and Yvette hopped into the limo, pure energy rushed through his veins in crashing waves. His heart pounded loud in his chest, louder even than the crowd of five thousand people hoping for a third encore. He could still hear them. But the Riders were done for the night.
The show had gone well. It had gone especially well for Jake. The drummer had stayed behind with a pair of tall, beautiful locals.
They’d invited Mark, but he declined. Although he’d distanced himself from Ruby over the past week, he still felt her presence, and no other girl would substitute, not yet.
“I officially love Detroit.” Yvette grabbed an already-opened champagne bottle out of a bucket of ice. Her long hair clung to her face in sweaty strands, and her black makeup was smeared around her sparkling green eyes. His best friend was as stunning now as she had been the first time he’d seen her all those years ago.
Looking back, Mark was glad they had never hooked up. If they had, he doubted they would be as close as they were today. And he needed that closeness. With their world becoming crazier every day, their friendship was practically the only stability in his life.
And, he supposed, that was how it would always be.
He held a glass as Yvette poured him some champagne. “It was definitely a good show.”
She took a slow sip and held his gaze. “I’m surprised you didn’t hang around with Jake. There were a number of lovely ladies eager to show their appreciation.”
“I guess I wasn’t in the mood.”
She just watched him with those ever-seeing eyes of hers.
He leaned back into the plush leather seat, hoping she’d let it drop. Mark’s hand went to his jacket pocket, and he reached inside to palm his cell phone. His fingers itched to call Ruby, but he resisted. She’d sent him one e-mail with details on the preparty before the Spring Fling, but other than that they hadn’t had any communication since last week. And no matter how many times he picked up his phone to call her, he couldn’t do it. That look in her eyes when he’d had to leave for the interview haunted him. He never wanted to see it again.
“Does she know you’re here?” Yvette asked with a raised brow.
“Nope. I didn’t get around to telling her.”
“You mean you avoided it. Why?”
“I was just busy, that’s all,” he said.
“And this is why I’m a lesbian.”
“What are you talking about?”
She smirked. “Men. You’re all just little boys, scared of your own feelings. Scared to commit.”
“I’m not scared of anything.”
“Of course not—’cause you’re a big, tough man.”
His body tensed and he leaned forward. “I don’t get you. One minute you’re telling me to not get distracted. The next you’re giving me shit about commitment. Make up your mind.”
“Well, in that regard I’m a female as well. I retain the right to change my mind on a dime.”
“Fuckin’ A.”
“Exactly.”
He threw himself back against the seat. “You’re totally losing it.”
“Could be. But here’s the thing. Over these past few weeks I’ve seen a change in you. You’ve gone…” She gave a mock shudder. “Mushy.”
“And this is a good thing?”
“Much to my dismay, it could be. See, I think you found a girl you really like. And I think she inspires you.” Her gaze went soft. “I’ve seen the way she acts around you. I think she actually likes you, and not just because you’re gonna be a star. She makes you happy.”