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“It doesn’t mean we can’t still be together, though. No one has to know until we’re ready for them to know.”

“Do you really think there will still be an us after the tour?” Skylar’s voice cracked as her eyes clouded with tears. “You’ll go back to Santa Barbara, and I’ll go to the Cove, and who knows when we’ll ever see each other again.”

“It doesn’t have to be that way.” Elena pulled Skylar into a hug. “We’ll figure it out. I promise. I want that.”

“Me, too.”

“Good.” Elena kissed her cheek. “We’ll figure this out. We have nineteen more shows to do and two months to do them in. That’ll give us plenty of time together to figure this out.”

“Yeah, you’re right.”

“I’m sorry,” Elena teased, “can you repeat that?”

Skylar rolled her eyes and laughed. “Shut up. And you better go before Erica comes back here looking for you.”

“Yeah, you’re right.”

“But I’ll see you tonight.”

“See you then.”

After one more kiss, Elena cracked open the tour bus door and looked around the parking lot for signs that anyone was watching her. Assuming the coast was clear, she stepped out into the morning air.

“Hey.”

Erica. Shit.

“Hey,” Elena tried to play it casual. “I was just looking for you.”

“In Skylar’s tour bus?”

The look on Erica’s face told Elena she wouldn’t believe any excuse she attempted to make. Elena tried to think of something—anything—that would be a plausible reason for her being on Skylar’s bus. She nervously ran her hands over her dress to wipe the sweat from her palms.

Shit. I’m still wearing my dress from last night.

Erica’s impatience in waiting for an answer was almost palpable. She crossed her arms over her chest, waiting for a response.

“Well, um, Skylar called and said you were looking for me. I thought you might be on her bus.”

“Mhmm.”

“Yeah. And I fell asleep last night before I could change clothes, so that’s why I’m still wearing my dress.”

“I didn’t ask.”

“Oh,” Elena winced. Erica’s hardened face didn’t soften or anything. The woman could be one hell of a poker player if she ever wanted a career change. “So, anyway, what did you need?”

“We need to get going. It’s almost three hours to the next venue.”

“Right, right. Okay, well, I’ll see you there.”

Elena turned to leave but didn’t get far when Erica said, “You two better not fuck this up again.”

She spun around on her heels to face Erica again.

“I’m not an idiot. I know what you two are up to, and all I can say is it better not ruin the band again. Just because Maine Event is back together now doesn’t mean the last ten years didn’t happen. You and Skylar hurt everyone on tour when you two fucked it up the last time. Try not to let this tour be a repeat.”

This time it was Erica who turned and walked away. Elena was speechless. Of course, Erica had figured it out so quickly. She’d been the first to fit the pieces together last time too. But that didn’t stop the anger from rising inside Elena.