I knew she was jealous, but it was nice to hear encouraging words occasionally. "Thanks, Kira." We hung up.
When I returned to the bus, Buck was in the kitchen, and Chuck was sitting at the living room table. I sat down at the table and he wiggled closer. "Good morning, cutie pie."
Cutie pie? Was he still trying to get me into the bedroom, or was this simply how he talked to all women? Either way, I wished he'd stop. "Save it for the groupies, Chuck. Inferna would kill for a piece of your ass."
"Inferna's already had a piece of my ass. What she'd kill for is week on the bus."
"Don't I know it. How long have you two been together?"
"We're not what you'd call 'together.' But I've known her-let's see-six years. Things only got weird recently when this reunion tour came through."
I wasn't feeling very generous, so I threw out a zinger. "I guess it was easier when you were a second-rate Vegas performer like her."
Buck's laughter filled the bus, and I could see him looking at me with what seemed like admiration. He kept laughing as he wandered back to his cubicle. It wasn't hard to please Buck-just help him bash Chuck.
And apparently, I'd done a good job of it. Chuck touched his finger to my hand and pulled it back quickly, making a hissing sound as if he'd been burned. "You've got a nasty little mouth there, contest girl." He frowned.
I suddenly felt bad for him, and I resolved to be nicer. "Sorry." I slumped my shoulders.
"Don't be sorry. You're right. She's bitter. I thought she was mad because she didn't win the contest, but I'm not so sure."
"Oh, I'm sure that's part of the reason. Maybe not the whole story. So tell me, did she just dye her hair red, or was it always that way?"
Chuck smirked. "Pretty obvious, huh? She dyed her hair and started her website when this whole reunion tour idea got going. The hair's kind of creepy, if you ask me."
"But not creepy enough to keep you away from her."
He shrugged. "Hey! She still has a great body. Why should I care if her hair looks like a circus clown?" Chuck turned in his seat to face me directly. "What I can't figure out is why you keep running away from me. Wasn't I your favorite Fiery Boy?"
"No, sorry."
"Let me guess. You were in love with Gabe."
"River."
"River? That guy's butt ugly."
So he hated Buck and River. Probably Gabe, too. "Why are you so nasty to your bandmates? You've already got nearly every fan girl in your camp. What more do you want?"