Between "Going Down" and "Heaven to Pay," Owen slipped into the wings and grabbed a bottle of water from a roadie. He chugged the cool fluid while Shade told the crowd a story about their lead guitarist falling off the stage in New Jersey.
"Face planted right on the cement," Shade said, slapping one palm against the other. "Wham!"
"It wasn't funny," Adam said. "I almost broke my neck." But he didn't sound angry about Shade's teasing.
Owen was grateful Adam had regained his sense of humor. His short fuse was a liability.
"Luckily, I was drunk enough that I didn't feel a thing," Adam said.
"Until the next morning," Shade said.
"I can't believe how well they're getting along," Kelly said to Owen as he sipped from his water bottle. "Calm before the storm?"
"Maybe. I keep waiting for one or the other to explode."
"Shade's been acting happy all day," Jack said. "It's just not right." He took the empty water bottles from Owen and Kelly.
"You can blame that on his bedmate last night," Owen said, grinning. "She must have a magic vagina."
"I don't care if it shoots glitter and rainbows," Kelly said. "That relationship can only end in disaster. We'd better enjoy this while it lasts."
As the pair returned to the front of the stage, Shade asked, "Did you have a nice break?"
"No," Owen said. Shade's microphone was close enough that it picked up his words and they were broadcast through the stadium. "I was hoping the clear stuff in my bottle was vodka, but it was only water."
"Mine had vodka," Kelly said. "The crew has seen you drunk, Tags. Not something they want to see again."
"I'm a fun drunk," Owen said. "Everyone loves to hang around when I'm drunk."
"Yeah," Kelly said, "everyone who wears a skirt and wants it up around their waist while you go down loves to hang around when you're drunk." He rolled his eyes.
Feminine approval roared from the crowd.
"If it bothers you so much, stop wearing skirts, Cuff," Owen said.
The crowd's laughter egged them on.
"It's called a kilt. And how else am I supposed to show off my legs?" Kelly asked.
"Kilts don't come in floral patterns."
"Okay," Shade said, "that's enough out of you two. This isn't open mic night."
"These people came to hear music, not your lame jokes," Adam said.
Since Gabe didn't have a live mic, he played a mini drum solo to enter his opinion on the matter. Owen and Kelly kept their jokes to themselves for the remainder of the show, but they still managed to have fun.
And the crowd responded, stomping on the floor and thrusting their fists into the air.
"I'm heading for the shower," Owen said after the encore. He handed off his bass to one of the road crew and looked at Kelly expectantly.
"I'll join you," Kelly said. "I'm drenched."
"Last chance for you pussy-whipped disgraces to join us tonight at Tony's new club," Owen said, looking to his other three band mates.
"Not happening, Owen," Shade said. "Have a good time."
"I'll have a good enough time for the three of you," Owen said. He glanced at Kelly, knowing he probably wouldn't utilize the club to its fullest capabilities. "For all five of us," he said under his breath. He vowed never to fall hard for a woman. Monogamy. Where was the fun in that?
A pair of hands appeared over Shade's sunglasses. "Guess who," a soft, sultry voice said from behind him.
Shade's hands reached back and began to explore the feminine body at his back. "I know these tits," he said, a huge smile stretching across his face.
"Are you sure?"
Owen cocked his head to the side, and his suspicions were validated. What in the fuck was she doing here? Amanda made Shade happy-hell, that was obvious. But she was trouble for him. Big trouble.
"Yeah," Shade said. "It's been ages, Pamela. Are you ready for another musician to rock your bed?"
Amanda grabbed his nose and twisted.
"Ow! Amanda, I was only joking."
"You knew it was me?"
"Of course I knew it was you. Pamela's tits are enormous, and yours are massive, at best."
She scowled at her ample bust. "Maybe I'll get them enlarged," she said.
"Don't go messing with perfection, babe."
She looked up at him. "You're not surprised I came?"
"You came already? Geez, all I did was fondle your tits a little."
Owen chuckled. God, he'd missed this Shade-the guy who smiled and joked and didn't look as if a perpetual doom cloud was tailing him.