"She's okay," Chuck snapped. "I told you, leave her alone." He turned to me and spoke softly. "I'm sorry about what I said tonight. It didn't go over too well, did it?" Wow, actual sensitivity. Who would have guessed? Perhaps Chuck didn't hate me after all. There was obviously more to him than I'd realized.
Regardless of his mental state, I didn't need to discuss it in front of Inferna. And I could tell she didn't need it, either. "Forget it, Chuck. Your fan club awaits you." I pushed him toward the bedroom, and he followed Inferna into some level of hell that Dante never envisioned.
That left Buck and me. Handsome Buck, for whom I once harbored a dreamy teenage crush. Angry Buck, who barely talked to me. Bruised Buck, with a cut on his lip and a dark spot forming on his cheek. I didn't know if I loved him or hated him-I just wished I understood him. "Why are you so angry?"
"It's him!" Buck snapped. He pointed toward the bedroom door. "He's the reason I'm so angry-I've hated his guts for ten years."
I propped my fists on my hips. "Well, you don't have to take it out on me!"
His face fell while his anger deflated. Finally, much more calm, he let out a long breath. "You're right-you've done nothing wrong. It's my crap-I'm dealing with too much right now. Touring with Chuck, annoying groupies, divorce lawyers." He dropped his head. "I'm a mess. You really should stay away from me."
A particularly loud orgasmic scream pierced the thin bedroom walls, which elicited a groan from Buck. "I have to get out of here." With that, he walked to the front of the bus and left.
I took a few seconds to collect myself, then I walked to the living room table. River was in the shower, as usual, and Gabe was sitting there with a joint in his hand, as usual. He handed me a beer. "Here, you need this." My only friend.
"Thanks, Gabe." I dropped down, took a long pull from the bottle, then collapsed against him.
He wrapped his arm around me and pulled me close. "Buck's right, you know. Chuck is a huge jerk. Anyway, the good news is that we're leaving this town. I've had enough of Chicago, and I bet you have, too."
He took one last drag from the joint and stubbed it out. "Let's take a stroll and get some air before we're all back on the bus again. Besides. . ." He glanced down the hall toward the bedroom. "You don't want to be here when those women come out." He was so right.