Point Of View 2 [*Do not read until you've read the same chapter of ATW]

Chapter 180 & 181 The Fire Ignited/ Too Much To Ask

I'm half paying attention to one of the tour bus drivers going over the agenda and half listening to Nate's conversation with Julia.

"Where are you now?" Julia asks. She always does this.

"I'm in Bridgeport, Connecticut," Nate answers, and I nod like I heard what Bob said. He could have said we were driving to Japan, and I wouldn't have caught on.

"Twenty minutes, Nate!" Leslie hollers into the dressing room and then disappears.

"You have to go...." Julia states.

"Not yet. No. That's just for the soundcheck. The show doesn't start till eight."

"Is Mila with you?" Julia asks, and I roll my eyes at Nate.

"Not in my dressing room, no, doll. She's...actually, I have no fucking clue where she is." Nate lies, knowing full well Mila was in this room two seconds ago and is currently using the bathroom. My eyes widen, and I raise my brows at him. He shakes his head at me and furrows his own brows. Wow, he's playing the game!! Good for him, though. Julia keeps saying they are not together, so there is no reason for Nate to answer to her. What good is it going to do to let her know Mila is around anyway?

"But... she's there. Where are you guys staying overnight?"

"We aren't staying. Sleeping in the tour bus tonight so we can get to.." Nate stops short with a pause, which I find weird. "Our next destination."

I glance down at the travel agenda in front of me and then put two and two together. Nate doesn't want to tell Moretti the next stop is Boston. Smart.

"I see."

"I fucking hate this, Jule. You're there and I'm here and-...can you just talk to me? Is that too much to ask?"

"I guess I should let you go."

"Don't do this," Nate says, and his voice is low but firm. "Don't shut me out like this."

"I'm not shutting you out," she replies, but there's no warmth in her voice. "I'm just... tired."

"Tired of what?" He is starting to get emotional, and I have to look away. "Of detox? The Avalon? Tired of me? Talk to me, doll."

Julia remains silent now.

"Damn it, Julia! Please talk to me. Yell at me, scream, anything. But don't just shut me out and act like you don't care."

"You think I don't care?" Her voice is barely above a whisper, but there's steel in it. "I care, Nate. I care so much that it hurts. But do you?"

"What?!" He bursts, and I give him a stern look. "Nate!" I scowl, but in a whisper. He's getting all worked up. This is stupid. She's not worth the stress anymore.

 "Jule, I don't know what you're talking about!"

Julia ends the call. She fucking hung up on him?!

"Oh fucking hell!" Nate stands up and shoves his phone in his back pocket.

"Sweetie, let it go." I walk over and put my hand on his forearm.  Mila walks out of the bathroom just in time as the call is over. She looks fantastic. Ready for the concert tonight wearing a tight hot pink minidress showing off her curves and long legs. I wonder if she knows Nate has a thing for hot pink?

The second Nate sees Mila, his eyes darken, and he runs his hands through his hair nervously.

"Hey! I just did that!" Holly, his hair and make-up artist, puts her hands on her hips and points for him to sit back down in the chair so she can fix his hair.

"Sorry, love." He breathes out, his eyes on Mila as he sits down.

"Jesus, reel it in, Playboy." I scoff with an eye roll.

*****

After we eat dinner, Holly brings Nate back into the dressing room for the final touch-ups. Jonah follows along so he can take Nate's blood pressure. Evan follows because that's his job. While sitting in the chair in front of the mirror, Nate looks at me, having something to say.

"You know, Mila's management team wants her to lose ten pounds in two weeks for some bikini shoot she is doing?"  He blurts out. "She just told me during dinner."

"Seriously?? She's a bombshell!" My words accidentally come out louder than anticipated, and Evan gives us a little look. "She's not gonna do it though, right? Mila is known for her curves. Women die to look like Mila Giovanni."

"She doesn't have much of a choice. Management. You know how it is, Trish." Nate closes his eyes as Holly sets his perfect hair with hairspray.

I shake my head and my shoulders drop. In a perfect world artists wouldn't have to answer to anyone. Not when it comes to their appearance OR what they can or can't commit to for work. If they aren't feeling well they should be able to take a sick day. I don't know what Mila's contracts look like but I can not WAIT for Nate's contracts to expire!

I can not WAIT to be done dealing with Richard Benson.

******