“I could never forget about you, Zoey. You’re my everything. I love you,”hesaid.
She wrapped her arms over his shoulders as he held her tight against him. Tears finally spilled from her eyes and she tried to reply, but she was too choked up. Finally she whispered, “I loveyoutoo.”
* * *
Zoey tooka bus to Vegas with a large group of senior citizens. It was a quiet ride and she was glad to get a window seat. As the bus pulled up under the covered entrance of the hotel, she thought about how mellow everything seemed. That was about tochange.
Making the wrong turn, Zoey ended up on the casino floor. The blinking lights and bursting sounds of the slots surrounded her. Following the carpeted path between the card tables and the slots, she found her way to the lobby where she recognized some groupies from the clubsbackhome.
Knowing that Silverlight had a series of interviews before doing a meet and greet with the fans, and then a show later, Zoey walked over to one of the familiar-looking girls to find out what wasgoingon.
“Is the meet and greet over?" she asked a girl with brightblondehair.
"No, not yet. They’re doing interviews. You might be able to get in there. That is, if you can get past security," she said as she pointed to a large bald man with his arms crossed in front of him. “Obviously I wasn’t thatlucky.”
Wearing a black t-shirt that was a little too tight over his rounded but once muscular middle, the guard looked like he might burst out of his clothing like The Hulk. Blinking lights reflected off his smooth scalp and the lines of his face showed he had a permanentfrown.
Zoey would’ve preferred not dealing with him, but she didn’t have much choice. They were supposed to let her through when she got there anyway. Walking up to him, she smiled, knowing the other girls were watching her.I can’t wait to see their faces when he lets me in, shethought.
“Hi, I’m Jude Morrison’s girlfriend. You know, the drummer,” she said to the big man who had the name Morris on hisbadge.
Morris scoffed. “Yeah, you and about a hundred others. Go wait over there and they’ll be out soon,” he said before lowering his voice. “Unless you want to be part of theshowtent.”
“Show tent? What’s that?” Zoeyasked.
“Zoey!” Cade said as he appeared from behind the guard. “Morris, what are you doing, old man? Let her in, this is Jude’s girlfriend. She’s onthelist.”
“I’m sorry, Cade. She didn't give me her name.” Morris said as he stepped aside for Zoeytopass.
Happy to see Cade and get past security, Zoey couldn’t help feeling like a giddy groupie for a moment. Turning back to look at the waiting girls she recognized, she smiled before walking pastsecurity.
Cade looked different. He was always a good-looking guy, but there was something alluring about him now. He wore rock star well. Dressed in tight leather pants and his usual sunglasses, Zoey could see why so many girls were going crazy over him. He still didn’t compare to her Judethough.
“Sorry about that, but he’s just doing his job,” Cade said. “Jude should be done in a few minutes, he’s still talking to Rolling Stone. I’m sure he’ll have something to say about being lastagain.”
“No, that’s fine. I wasn’t sure what time I’d get here, so Jude only expected me before the show,” she said. Putting her hand on his arm, she stopped walking, needing to find out about what Morris asked her. “Hey, Cade? Can I ask yousomething?”
“Sure,what’sup?”
“What’s theshowtent?”
“Show tent?” Cade said as he rubbed his neck and looked around. “Where did you hearaboutthat?”
“Don’t lie to me. I have my suspicions already so please, just behonest.”
He sighed and pushed open a nearby door that said ‘stage.’ “Come with me. I’llshowyou.”
As Zoey followed him through a maze of hallways, she was surprised by how many people they passed. But it wasn't just the number that stunned her, it was that the majority of the people backstage were women. And these women didn’t look like the sweet groupies who were waiting for the meet and greet, these were the kind of women who supported the band in adifferentway.
A woman with long curly dark hair approached Cade, her high-heeled boots clicking steadily on the tile floor. She wore the smallest black miniskirt Zoey had ever seen, made even smaller by the length of her long legs. Her breasts were squeezed into a leather corset that was barely holding itselftogether.
“Hey Cade,” she said. “Will I see you later in the tent? You can bring your friendalong.”
Cade rushed Zoey past her and then pulled Zoey aside in a darkened corner. “Okay, I was wrong. I can’t show you. I…” his voice trailed off before sighing deeply. “I just don’t want you to know, okay? I’m sorry,” he said as he looked deep into her eyes and then looked away. “All you need to know is that Jude never goes down there. Never. I swear, okay? You know I’d never lietoyou.”
Nodding, she hoped he would stop talking. She’d heard enough. She remembered hearing a rumor that Van Halen used to keep a tent under the stage where security would keep girls for them. It was easy to imagine a new band wanting to do things like the big rock bands that camebeforethem.
“You got any green M&M’s?” sheasked.