Howie ran his fingers through his newly cut hair, impatiently. He stood in line at the car rental place, he laughed into his cell phone nervously "This can't be happening? I don't get how this happened? That is so irresponsible!"
He was relieved to be back from their international leg of the tour. The group was getting two months off, before resuming their tour in August at the Staple Center in Los Angeles, California.
"Me neither, but all our shit is on hold. The houses, the accounts, the cars. Do you even have cash, you can't use your bank accounts." AJ, his bandmate muttered through the phone.
Howie sighed heavily, so far his vacation was not turning out the way he wanted, "Uh...I still have about fifteen hundred. But I'm a ways away. How can they accuse us of not paying taxes for two years!"
"Damn it, we are fucked D. If this is not a mistake...they can take it all from us. Brian is really upset; he'll probably have to take Leighanne and Baylee to a hotel, because they want to confiscate everything: the houses and the cars. Nick doesn't even know, I just hope he doesn't try using his cards. Well I'd rather them take it all then go to jail." AJ gasped, "Fuck, I just couldn't be anyone's bitch."
Howie smirked, "Well you might want to take off the fingernail polish and the eyeliner, cause the cops can pick you up without notice. Then you wouldn't have much of a choice. Huh?" Howie chuckled, as he heard his best friend cursing at him.
"Very funny, asshole. So listen I didn't call you just for that. I need a favor from you."
Howie rolled his eyes. Knowing AJ, who was not only his band mate, but his best friend, he hadn't called him for nothing "What is it AJ?"
"Ok...well Millie, I had promised to fly her out here and check out her dress. However, with all this I don't have the cash for it. Soooo" there was a pause, as he waited for Howie to nag him first. "Ok...so I was wondering if you would bring her with you, on your road trip. I know you wanted to be alone, with the divorce and all, but her company might be good. Maybe..."
"AJ you're a sick man. Are you throwing your fiancé on me...jeez! You didn't have to remind me of the divorce thank you. Speaking of split ups, you're still going to tell her about calling off the wedding. Right?"
"Yeah, of course. I have to, I'm just not in love with her...I never was. Millie is the best, but I'm just not the guy for her."
Howie laughed out loud, catching a couple of odd looks his way "You're an idiot. Well whatever floats your boat man...as for company on my road trip. I don't want it!"
"Please Howie, don't be a dick!"
"I am not a dick!" Howie yelled once again, getting a group of eyes his way. He placed his hand over the phone as he jumped and kicked the air, muttering to himself. Sighing hard he placed the phone over his ear again. "Fine...just because I know that Millie is a nice girl and she deserves the truth."
"Awesome, pick her up in an hour, she's already ready to go. Thanks..."
"AJ, she's ready? What if I didn't say yes?"
"I knew you would say yes, your Sweet D you give in easily. So you should be careful in case the cops pick you up first." AJ let out a loud laugh and hung up the phone.
Fucker! Why I take his crap is beyond me. Then again, he is my best friend. Millie, I remember her kinda long dark hair, sad eyes...
His thoughts were interrupted by the cashier handing over a key "It's the Mustang convertible right in front Mr. Dorough. Have a nice and safe trip." the older man grinned.
"Thanks, I plan on it."
Howie was on his way to Millie's house, she didn't live far from where he did, so he thought. The sun was now slowly going down and he was barely pulling into her driveway. Traffic and AJ's awful directions had made him an hour late.
The brunette was sitting on the porch with her bags right next to her. "Hi there, thought you weren't coming anymore." she enveloped him into a hug. "Long time no see." she grinned widely.
She's so much more grown up since the last time I saw her.
He picked up her bags "Yeah it has been. I'm so sorry about the delay, but your idiot fiancé gave me some awful directions. Where is your family?"
They laughed in unison "Yeah he is awful at directions. Oh they had to leave. So..." she slapped her hands on her legs as she got up, "What's the plan."
Howie hauled the bags into the trunk of the dark blue convertible Mustang "Oh..." he looked up at the innocent looking woman "I was thinking we drive for about five hours and then we can stay somewhere if it's late and if not just rest for a while and resume our drive. I have it all written down in my notebook. If that is ok with you."
"Howie that is a joke, you have it all written down."
"Uh...no, I can't just do things. I have to know what is to be expected."
She stared at him for a second "Ok, well it's your vacation. We will stop when you want us to."
They both hopped into the car and were on their way. "So...uh...is everything ok. I was supposed to fly out there today. Now we are doing a whole roadtrip." She didn't give Howie a chance to answer and gasped placing her hand over her heart dramatically. "AJ hasn't changed his mind about getting hitched has he?" she looked at him wide-eyed.
"Uh..." Howie paused as he turned to look at her worried face. He remembered his conversation with his best friend earlier. "No, not that I know of."
"Oh good, cause I'm always hoping he doesn't change his mind." She bit her bottom lip, she knew that Howie was married, well had been married. The split had been all over the news. "Uh...sorry about you and your wife"
He felt a flip in his stomach at the sound of the word 'wife' "Yeah, well things are sometimes not forever you know. I'm over it." He pushed the gas pedal harder, as he remembered when Leigh had flown all the way to London just to inform him that she wasn't happy in their marriage. Not really giving him a reason for the need for a divorce, right then and there. "Life's a bitch" he snapped and cleared his throat.
Millie gave him a startled look "AJ says you curse when you're mad." she giggled again. He was hoping she wouldn't giggle at everything he said on the trip.
After the small conversation, the ride was silent for about two hours. Millie rested her head against the door frame and the seat, sound asleep. Howie inspected the woman, he couldn't understand why AJ wouldn't want to marry her. She seemed to be nice, polite, from a good family, and very pretty.
Her dark long hair fell over her left shoulder, her hands neatly placed on her lap, and her mouth slightly open. Then again he imagined that she was too pure for AJ.
Howie swerved to the right as he caught himself on the opposite side of the street "Shit" he muttered as he turned his attention back to Millie who was rubbing the sleep from her eyes.
That is what you get for staring...dumb ass!
"What was that? Are you tired? I can drive?"
"Uh...no offense but is everything that comes out of your mouth a question?" he kept his eyes on the road this time, he wanted to make it to Los Angeles alive.
"Well..." she looked at him slightly offended. "No, I...I was just trying to help. I'm sorry" she crossed her arms under her chest, pulling her orange see through shirt down and turned her head away from Howie.
Shit! That was smooth Howard! Apologize...
"I'm sorry, it's just that I wasn't expecting anyone to be on this trip with me. Plus, I was lying, I'm not over the divorce. When her name or the word wife is mentioned I get frustrated and well I take it out on bystanders."
"It's ok, those things aren't always easy to get over, I can imagine." she forced a smile and continued to look towards the darkness.
After that, nothing else was said about his divorce or the future wedding. "So you guys had a blast in Europe! It must be beautiful there" she looked up at the sky, imagining the beautiful cities.
"Oh yeah it's beautiful and the fans love us..." Howie went on to tell her a few details about their trip. They both laughed at Howie's story of Nick's kissing encounter with a woman twice his age.
"I never would have imagined him being that sensitive to his fans, he comes off as arrogant." Millie said, shifting in her seat, she couldn't even feel her butt anymore.
After a bit of pleading Howie gave in and he decided to stop in the city of Crestview only hours away from leaving Florida. Howie pulled up to a Super 8 Motel, it wasn't the best in the town, but it was on the same route and cheaper.
"Can I get two rooms please." Howie asked the attendant, staring at the awful carpet pattern that contrasted with the room's color. He placed his hand over his mouth, covering his yawn. It was almost midnight and he was ready to doze off.
"Thank god we stopped. I still know you're the big sleeper in the group. You can fall asleep anywhere." She grinned.
"Yeah I am actually. I wouldn't be able to drive all night. Nope! Gotta get my sleep"
The attendant returned with one key. "I'm sorry sir we only have one room, it's a double. We have some events in town, so we are pretty booked." he looked at Howie and then Millie.
Millie looked at him and then Howie "That's fine, it's a double." She took the key from the man and made her way out the office.
"So this isn't going to be weird right? I mean I can sleep in the car" Howie rambled on, trailing behind her.
"Are you always so uptight?" Millie asked, rolling her luggage past the pool, a couple of late niters taking a swim. "I mean, nothing is weird. I have my bed, you have yours."
"Right!" Howie was still thoughtful.
They took turns taking a shower and changing. "Damn it" he heard Millie cursing in the bathroom.
He knocked on the door "Are you ok in there?" he waited.
"No, I forgot my pajamas..." she yelled, drying herself off. How could you forget that bag Millie...you're so dumb! she jumped as there was another knock at the door. "Yeah" she asked, standing in the doorway with the towel wrapped around her body and her damp hair flowing off her shoulders.
Howie swallowed hard, as he looked at her "Uh...he...here" he stuttered like an idiot as he handed her one of his button up shirts "It's long enough. I don't have anything else."
She smiled, taking the shirt and closing the door. Quickly she slipped the shirt on and buttoned it then came out drying her hair with the towel. "I'm so ready to get some sleep. We have a long trip home." they both laid in their beds, each one turning off their lamp "Good Night Howie"
"Good Night Millie..." Howie whispered
"Hey AJ didn't even call us." Millie sat up.
"Yeah you're right, but we didn't call him either. We call him in the morning. Don't worry about it" the room went silent.
Meanwhile back in California, AJ paced the VIP section at the club. Where is this idiot? I hate being at bars now...alone. Just as he took another sip of his drink which was going flat from babysitting it. He got a glimpse of Nick making his way towards him.
"About time fuck face" AJ said smacking Nick on the shoulder.
Nick huffed "God...I can't believe I had to cut my surfing in Hawaii short, just because our stupid Accountant didn't pay our taxes. So, for how long?" He ran his hand through his blonde hair as he motioned to the waitress.
"I don't know, two years. I just know that we can't touch shit." He looked at his watch "Damn, I totally forgot to call Millie and Howie. Think they're still on the road?"
Nick looked at AJ, his eyebrows wrinkled with confusion "What the hell is Howie doing with Millie? Oh great you've changed your mind haven't you.?" He smirked as the waitress handed him a blue concoction.
"Uh kinda...I just promised her I'd fly her out here, so she could show me her dress. I plan on telling her when she gets here. I couldn't even fly her out here everything is in the bank account that we can't fucking touch." he finished gulping down the last drops of his drink "So she had to hitch a ride with Howard..."
They both laughed.
"You're a shit head, why make the poor girl come all the way out here hauling a wedding dress, just to be told it's off." Nick shook his head in disapproval.
"And this whole tax thing sucks. I mean I feel the worst for Brian and Kevin. They have families and they're probably going to end up in motels."
"Fuck it lets drink away...while we find out man." Nick downed his drink and AJ gave him a glare.
"Ok...let me drink away and you'll drive me home. Sounds like an idea." Nick ordered another drink, while AJ hit the dance floor with a redhead.