I strode back into my room to find Cali sitting on my bed with my entire outfit picked out next to her. She looked up from playing a game on her phone. “Do you think we’ll be able to get backstage again? I really hope they remember us!”

I thought about it for a second, leaning back on one hip, the excitement bubbling up even more. “Maybe they will recognize us. It’s hopeful at best, but it doesn’t hurt to dream.”

I started to get dressed in my white shorts, black and white striped tank and boat shoes, just like Cali wanted. I figured I wouldn’t give Cali a hard time about being controlling just this once; my silent thanks for her awesome surprise.

We packed my beach bag with two bathing suits, beach towels and sunscreen, deciding that we could head over to the other coast early, soak in some rays and have a few cocktails by the water to get jazzed up for the concert. We giggled like schoolgirls as the anticipation of the show built with every moment that passed.

The next thing I knew, I was flying down the highway behind the wheel of my Mercedes, which, ever since I drove Walker to get his tattoo, I felt like driving more. Before that night, I had forgotten how much I loved to drive her, and with Cali riding shotgun, singing along to The Hysterics CD we had purchased the summer we fell in love with them, I could not have asked for a more perfect start to an adventure. My favorite song of theirs came on and I belted it at the top of my lungs, letting the crisp sea air from Tampa billow in through the open windows.

Once we got to the beach only a few miles away from the small venue where the show was, we lay out for about an hour. The beach was not too packed and the sand was warm squishing in between my toes, one of my favorite feelings.

“Cali, this is going to be great. How’d you find out about this show?” I rolled over on my towel, squinting at my best friend’s pink cheeks and a sly smile started to form.

“I get emails from their fan club. Most of the time I just delete them, but when I saw Tampa in the subject I opened it and bought the tickets on the spot.” She rolled over onto her stomach to tan her back and opened one eye to look at me. “I’ve had them for a few weeks, but surprising you is so much better!”

I gasped at her. “You’re such a little shit! I can’t believe you could keep something so exciting from me!”

All Cali did was laugh at first, and then she saw my shocked face and continued, “Mags, you’ve been in and out of a rut for a while. I figured if you knew you’d find some excuse to cancel or something, so I ambushed you and now we’re here and that’s all that matters.”

I rolled over again onto my back, closing my eyes and listened to the waves crash onto the shoreline for a little while. Cali was right. It was crazy to me to think maybe Walker and Cali really did know me better than I knew myself for the most part and especially now. Sighing, I sat up. “Well, it’s just about one and the show isn’t until seven tonight, so I think we should grab lunch and some drinks to kill some time. What do you think?”

Cali sat up next to me and hugged me. “That sounds like a plan!”

We packed everything up and made our way to the closest bar we could find. It was only about a block away, and the smell of the restaurant made my stomach rumble. We took our seats at the virtually empty bar, and ordered two light beers from a kind looking bartender that appeared to be way too young to be working behind a bar. Once the pints were resting in front of us, we raised our glasses and I toasted, “To The Hysterics and Indie rock!”

Cali giggled to my goofy cheers and we both drank.

Wiping her mouth with a little napkin, Cali turned her chair to face mine. “So, Missy, where’d those bruises come from?”

My eyes shot to my shoulder and the terrible scene of Walker grabbing me flooded back into my memory. “Walker and I got into it.  He only grabbed me for a second, but you know how strong he is.”

Cali’s face turned from a light, fun expression to pissed within a second. “Mags! What the fuck? And you’re OK with that?”

I broke eye contact with her, not knowing what to say. “No, Cal, I’m not. In the situation, it was like Walker was a different person. He’s not normally angry or anything other than perfect. I just pissed him off.”

Her eyes narrowed even more. “This is not okay, Mags. If he just gets a little pissed and snaps, what happens if he ever gets really angry?”

I put my hand on her shoulder, sighing a little. “Cali, it’s over. Thank you for being concerned, but Walker will never hurt me. He’s one of the best things that has ever happened to me, and I think I am for him too.” I took another sip to help my throat from drying out as I spoke, really hoping Cali would let this be the end of this awful conversation. “He even got a tattoo for me!”

Her lips parted slightly as her eyebrow raised. “What the fuck? What did he get? That’s crazy!”

“He got the compass he wanted on his leg, but instead of an N for north, he got an M, saying I’m his true north. Isn’t that sweet?”

Cali rolled her eyes. “It’s something, alright. I’m still concerned, but I’ll drop it for now.”

I was so relieved, and settled back in my chair to take in the awesome Jimmy Buffett and Bob Marley quotes painted on the walls all around the bar. “Thanks for caring, Cal.”

She smiled and continued to drink her beer, looking over the lunch menu in front of us. From behind me I heard a gruff voice bellow, “Excuse me, but do I know you ladies from somewhere?” I turned and both Cali and I gasped at the same time at the sight of a perfectly tanned, tall, tattooed rock god standing in front of us. The lead singer from The Hysterics, Rodney, was leaning on the bar right next to me holding a dark draft in his hand.

I smiled, stunned for a second and then finally formed words after my star-struck reaction subsided. “Actually, yeah. We met you and your band mates a few years back at Bonnaroo.”

Rodney was tall, skinny, with sandy brown hair and the whitest teeth I had ever seen and his smile grew wider as his memory jogged back to that summer. “Oh yeah, I remember you two. You partied with us for the rest of the weekend. That show was amazing. Cheers ladies.” We all raised our glasses together and Cali giggled nervously again.

“So ladies, my memory has been fogged by lots of drugs and drinks, may I know your names again?” His smile was contagious and it oozed sex appeal. Rodney could probably make a nun feel sexy by the way he looked at women. It wasn’t even that he was flirting, that was just how he was.

Cali’s voice squeaked out, “This is Mags, and I’m Cali.” She reached out her hand and Rodney walked over and hugged us both.

“Mags.” He nodded at me. “And Cali,” He grabbed her hand and kissed it softly. “What brings you two to Tampa, all the way from the mountains?”

Cali’s giggles got louder and more nervous as her cheeks flared red, so I answered for her as she stared into Rodney’s deep dark brown eyes, probably forgetting for a few seconds she had a ring on her left hand.

“We live not too far from here, and when Cali heard about the show, she bought tickets and surprised me with them, so here we are.” I took a sip of beer to help stop my throat from going dry again. I couldn’t believe how nervous he was making both of us, but I had to figure, he was pretty much the most famous person I had ever met before.

“Well, ladies, if memory serves me correct, we all had a fun time partying together. So please, come to our hotel after the show tonight and say 'hi' to the rest of the band. I’m sure they’d all love to see you.”

Cali and I both agreed and he typed the information into my phone’s notes section, with the password to give to the front desk at their hotel, and even gave me his phone number, in case anyone gave us a hard time. With swift kisses on our cheeks, Rodney excused himself from the bar. “I’m playing hooky from the sound check, I needed to grab a pint, but they can’t start without me, though so I have to run. It was nice to run into you ladies again.” He winked at us with a sexy grin on his face and tipped the bartender, who was just as taken by the man-candy as we were.

Once Rodney was out of sight, Cali spun around and slapped my arm. “Can you fucking believe that? Fucking Rodney just ran into us and we’re going to their after-party! He gave you his number. Holy fucking shit!”

I couldn’t help but laugh at Cali’s reaction, even though I was mildly freaking out too. This was by far one of the best weekends of my life, and it had only just begun. My heart lifted a little when I realized that and I through my arms around Cali’s shoulders.

“What was that for, silly?” She grinned and gestured to the bartender for another round for us. I thanked the bartender for my beer and then turned to my best friend’s face, all lit up with anticipation.

“I just love that you’re my best friend. This is amazing!”

25

After our lunch was over and our skin had taken in as many vitamins from the sun as possible, it was time to head over to the venue and get ready for an awesome concert. We got to the club about an hour before the show was scheduled to start, but by the size of the crowd, we felt like we were late.

Cali and I shoved through the sea of excited fans to the back wall, thankfully finding a bar. The four bartenders were all wearing black tight V-neck shirts and where their shirts didn’t cover, tattoos did. I was surprised only one girl was back there slinging drinks, but didn’t mind since the other three were definitely easy on the eyes.