“As long as it’s not tequila,” Kit said as Johnny opened the fridge.
“Everybody gets a PowerAde,” Johnny declared and began passing them out. “Since it’s the only goddamn thing you guys have left in here.”
“Shit, I knew we forgot something,” Dash said, chuckling as he tucked the notebook away.
“I’m warning you, Kit,” Johnny said, as he passed him a grape before slinging an arm over his shoulders. “If you don’t stock up every chance you get, you’ll be parched as a motherfucker riding around with these thickheaded bastards. They will grab every salty, savory, spicy as fuck snack they can get their hands on and space the fuck out when it comes to grabbing anything to wash it down with.”
“Guilty,” I admitted, thinking back to the day we’d blown a tire and reboarded the bus, celebrating a glorious raid on the convenience store only to discover that, aside from a bag full of Buzz Balls, there was absolutely nothing to drink.
“You all are,” Johnny declared.
“Yup,” Dash replied. “Equally and without shame. That’s why you were proclaimed lord of the drinks.”
“Yeah, well, I’m passing that crown to Kit,” Johnny declared.
“Me?” Kit squeaked. “What makes you think I’ll do any better?”
“He’s got a point,” I said. “He never remembers to grab drinks from catering.”
“Seriously,” Dash said. “How many times has he put his plate down to go back for one?”
“Every damn time,” I pointed out.
Johnny just sighed and shook his head at us. “You guys are fucked.”
Chapter 29
(Steel)
“That’s a hell of a view,” I said as I stared out at the mountain range that ringed the valley the lodge sat in.
“It’s one of the many reasons we love it up here,” Rebel said as we stood beside the snowmobiles, ready for a day of tear-assing all over the trails.
“And every time we’re preparing to go into the studio, this is where we’ll come?” Kit asked, awe in his voice, as he took in the view that had been lost under the cover of darkness when we’d arrived last night.
“Yup,” Rebel explained.
“Always for three weeks?”
“Give or take,” Rebel said. “Once we managed four, but that was only because we were forced to cancel our Florida dates due to a hurricane.”
“It’s amazing,” Kit said. “I can see why you’d want to sequester yourselves up here.”
“It’susnow,” Rebel reminded him, “and yes, it is.”
“How’d you find it?” I asked.
“Ozzy’s dad,” Rebel explained. “His company came up here on a teambuilding retreat. He kept going on and on about how amazing the trails were and how peaceful it was to hear owls atnight, instead of sirens. When we needed a place to polish the songs for our second album, Ozzy asked his old man if he remembered the name or where it was, and he did, so Ozzy booked it and kickstarted a new tradition.”
“I’m definitely ready to see those trails,” Kit declared as he headed for the canary yellow snowmobile we’d left for him.
“Alright, Tweety-Bird, stick close and don’t get lost out there,” Rebel teased. “I’m sure there are hungry cats lurking. Bobcat sightings are common around here.”
“You just had to go and mention that, didn’t you?” Kit grumbled as he put his helmet on.
“I thought you’d want to know.”
“That’s the kind of information you keep to yourself until we’re back at the lodge sipping cocoa,” Kit declared. “Not right before we take off.”