A wide grin split Howie’s face. “That’s great news!” he said, pulling Chris to him for a crushing hug.
Darren was smiling too. “I was wondering when you were going to tell us,” he said. Lester colored.
“Congratulations,” I said, finding my voice. “I’m really happy for you.”
Chris beamed, Lester’s hand still caught in his. “Thanks, guys,” he said. “It’s something we’ve been wanting to tell you for a while, we just weren’t sure how to say it.”
Saul clapped him on the back. “We’re glad you told us,” he said.
I cleared my throat. “Not to ruin the moment,” I said. “I really am happy for you. But . . . Valentina won’t be asleep much longer.”
Lester straightened. “Right,” he said. “Let’s go. We have a woman to track down.”
19
Ella
Despite the kind mechanic’s detailed instructions, I found myself turned around on my way to the Greyhound station. In my haste, the unfamiliar streets all seemed to blur together until one was indistinguishable from the next.
When I passed the same monument to a Civil War–era general for the second time, I forced myself to slow down and pay attention. I was pretty sure I was close to the sex shop Susanna and Liz had dragged me into, the one I had run from in a panic.
As I got my bearings, the sky rumbled ominously, and I glanced up just as the first sprinkle of raindrops began to fall. Before long, I was running through a full-on deluge, and by the time I finally found my way to the Greyhound station, I was soaked to the bone.
I approached the ticket agent, teeth chattering. She gave me a sympathetic look. “It’s nasty outside, isn’t it?” she said. “Looks like it’s clearing up now though. I glanced outside, and saw that she was right; the rain had already slowed to a gentle drizzle. Just my luck.
“How can I help you?” she asked, pulling my attention back to the matter at hand.
“When is the next bus to New York?” I asked. The next stop on our tour. If I was lucky, I could catch up to the girls before our next show. I could already see Susanna’s expression when she realized she wasn’t going to get to go on as lead singer, after all.
After this tour, I’m done, I promised myself. No more bending myself over backward trying to please Susanna and Liz—an impossible task, if there ever was one. No more pretending I didn’t care when they made fun of me. I would start out on my own, if I had to. A solo act. Martine would help. If not, I could find a new manager.
But all that would have to wait. First, I had to get through the next few weeks.
“The next bus leaves in half an hour,” the ticket agent said. “Do you want a ticket?”
“Please,” I said. I reached for my wallet and froze.
My wallet. My phone. My purse. It was all in the van—a van that was well on its way to New York by now.
“That will be thirty-seven dollars,” the agent said, looking at me expectantly.
My mind raced. What was I going to do? I had to get on that bus, had to be in New York before the next night. “I’m sorry,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper, “I just realized I’ve lost my wallet. Is there . . . I mean, is there anything you can do?”
The agent gave me another pitying look, but I knew it was a lost cause. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I’m afraid my hands are tied here. If you can’t pay, I can’t give you a ticket.”
“Right, of course,” I said, feeling foolish. “I’m sorry, I’ll just—” With that, I fled the station, back out into the street. I looked around at the paving stones, now shiny and slick from rain. Where was I going to go? I had no money to pay for another motel room; I couldn’t even call my dad for help—my phone was halfway to New York, along with all my money.
Tears pricked at the back of my eyes, and I sniffed hard. I wouldn’t cry, not now. I could figure this out.
With nowhere else to go, I made my way back to the one landmark I really knew: the Ball. Maybe Grant and the others were still there. Maybe they would be willing to help me. They had all been so kind the night before, so gentle. Goosebumps rose on my skin at the memory of that night, of the way they had wrung pleasure from my body with skilled, patient touches.
Still, my heart pounded with nerves at the thought of seeing them again, after everything we had shared. After all, I wasn’t Sexerella anymore, just plain, shy Ella. Would they even recognize me out of my disguise? Even if they did, would they want Ella?