he always looks her
up when we get to the States. She’s called Veronica, and she’s a
good sort. Won’t give you a lot of hassle. I think you’ll like her.
But Robin picked up some bird called Cindy in Atlanta, and she can
be a bit of a shit. Just ignore her.”
“Right.” Just what she needed – a groupie
with an attitude. “Anyone else?”
Simon shook his head. “Ian and Derek tend to
find companionship after we get to a city, so it’s all very
temporary. Now, sometimes the lads will ask you to do something for
the girls, but don’t do it, understand? Don’t be afraid to stand
your ground with them about that.”
“Don’t worry,” she stated. “I don’t intend to
turn into anyone’s maid.”
“About that. You will have to go through
their rooms before we leave each day to make sure they haven’t left
anything behind. Except for Robin they’re pretty good about picking
up after themselves; you’ll just need to do a quick look about. And
that reminds me. You’ll have a key to each of their rooms, but
except for getting them up in the mornings, don’t go in
unless…”
“Of course not,” she interrupted. “What’d you
think I’d do? Just barge in on them?”
He shrugged one shoulder. “It’s been a
problem before.”
“Well, it won’t be now.”
The elevator stopped, and when the door slid
open Athena was greeted by the sight of a pile of luggage outside
one of the rooms.
“Paul’s and Veronica’s,” Simon explained.
“Before we leave, all the luggage will be in the hall. Just have
the van drivers come and get it.” He stepped around the pile and
rapped on the door. “It’s me,” he called.
On the other side of the door a chain
rattled, followed by the muted squeak of hinges as the door opened.
A dainty red-haired girl who didn’t look a day over seventeen
peered out. “Hey, Simon.”
“Good morning, Veronica,” he replied. “Just
wanted to introduce you to Athena. She’ll be taking Richie’s place
for the rest of the tour.”
Large hazel eyes turned to Athena, and
dimples appeared on Veronica’s cheeks. “Hey, Athena. Paul’s told me
all about you.”
“Um, that’s good.” Athena felt uncomfortable,
and had no idea what to say. Luckily, Simon intervened.
“Where is Paul?”
“Taking a shower.” Veronica gestured behind
her. “We just finished breakfast.”
“All right.” Simon nodded. “Make sure you
pack everything.”
“I always do,” she replied, closing the
door.
“They’re always easy,” Simon told Athena as
they moved to the next door. “Robin, however…” He pounded on the
door with his fist, causing Athena to jump in surprise. “Sometimes
he’s up, sometimes not.” When no one answered, Simon pounded again.
The door finally opened a crack to reveal Robin’s unshaven
face.
“We’re up,” he croaked.
“Good.” Simon stepped aside and presented
Athena like he was Carol Merrill showing off a prize on Let’s
Make a Deal . “After today it’ll be Athena here pounding on your
door. Where’s what’s-her-name?”
Robin frowned at Simon and called over his
shoulder. “Cindy! Simon wants you.”
A tall, statuesque blonde appeared next to
Robin with a scowl on her face. She was attired in only a T-shirt,
panties, and streaks of last night’s makeup, and looked down her
sharp, too-long nose at Simon. “What is it?” she snarled.
“This is Athena,” Simon told her. “She’s
taking Richie’s place, so get used to her.”
Cindy looked Athena up and down, and then
shrugged. “Whatever,” she muttered, and disappeared back into the
room.
Athena crossed her arms over her chest, and
fixed Robin with a firm stare. “I’m not going to put up with her
shit, Robin.”
A ghost of a smile lit Robin’s face. “I
didn’t think you would.”
“Make her understand, or I will,” Athena said
with no answering smile. “Unless she treats me with respect, I have
no problem kicking her to the curb. It won’t be hard to find
up when we get to the States. She’s called Veronica, and she’s a
good sort. Won’t give you a lot of hassle. I think you’ll like her.
But Robin picked up some bird called Cindy in Atlanta, and she can
be a bit of a shit. Just ignore her.”
“Right.” Just what she needed – a groupie
with an attitude. “Anyone else?”
Simon shook his head. “Ian and Derek tend to
find companionship after we get to a city, so it’s all very
temporary. Now, sometimes the lads will ask you to do something for
the girls, but don’t do it, understand? Don’t be afraid to stand
your ground with them about that.”
“Don’t worry,” she stated. “I don’t intend to
turn into anyone’s maid.”
“About that. You will have to go through
their rooms before we leave each day to make sure they haven’t left
anything behind. Except for Robin they’re pretty good about picking
up after themselves; you’ll just need to do a quick look about. And
that reminds me. You’ll have a key to each of their rooms, but
except for getting them up in the mornings, don’t go in
unless…”
“Of course not,” she interrupted. “What’d you
think I’d do? Just barge in on them?”
He shrugged one shoulder. “It’s been a
problem before.”
“Well, it won’t be now.”
The elevator stopped, and when the door slid
open Athena was greeted by the sight of a pile of luggage outside
one of the rooms.
“Paul’s and Veronica’s,” Simon explained.
“Before we leave, all the luggage will be in the hall. Just have
the van drivers come and get it.” He stepped around the pile and
rapped on the door. “It’s me,” he called.
On the other side of the door a chain
rattled, followed by the muted squeak of hinges as the door opened.
A dainty red-haired girl who didn’t look a day over seventeen
peered out. “Hey, Simon.”
“Good morning, Veronica,” he replied. “Just
wanted to introduce you to Athena. She’ll be taking Richie’s place
for the rest of the tour.”
Large hazel eyes turned to Athena, and
dimples appeared on Veronica’s cheeks. “Hey, Athena. Paul’s told me
all about you.”
“Um, that’s good.” Athena felt uncomfortable,
and had no idea what to say. Luckily, Simon intervened.
“Where is Paul?”
“Taking a shower.” Veronica gestured behind
her. “We just finished breakfast.”
“All right.” Simon nodded. “Make sure you
pack everything.”
“I always do,” she replied, closing the
door.
“They’re always easy,” Simon told Athena as
they moved to the next door. “Robin, however…” He pounded on the
door with his fist, causing Athena to jump in surprise. “Sometimes
he’s up, sometimes not.” When no one answered, Simon pounded again.
The door finally opened a crack to reveal Robin’s unshaven
face.
“We’re up,” he croaked.
“Good.” Simon stepped aside and presented
Athena like he was Carol Merrill showing off a prize on Let’s
Make a Deal . “After today it’ll be Athena here pounding on your
door. Where’s what’s-her-name?”
Robin frowned at Simon and called over his
shoulder. “Cindy! Simon wants you.”
A tall, statuesque blonde appeared next to
Robin with a scowl on her face. She was attired in only a T-shirt,
panties, and streaks of last night’s makeup, and looked down her
sharp, too-long nose at Simon. “What is it?” she snarled.
“This is Athena,” Simon told her. “She’s
taking Richie’s place, so get used to her.”
Cindy looked Athena up and down, and then
shrugged. “Whatever,” she muttered, and disappeared back into the
room.
Athena crossed her arms over her chest, and
fixed Robin with a firm stare. “I’m not going to put up with her
shit, Robin.”
A ghost of a smile lit Robin’s face. “I
didn’t think you would.”
“Make her understand, or I will,” Athena said
with no answering smile. “Unless she treats me with respect, I have
no problem kicking her to the curb. It won’t be hard to find
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