I didn't have time to think of a taekwondo move. I shoved with all my might, which was feeble compared to what I was really capable of. I wiped my hand over my mouth and the other hand over my eyes to see Dylan stagger back a few feet, laughing. And above him on the stairs leading out to the parking lot was Jeff.

I stared incredulously. What must this look like to him? "Jeff!"

Dylan turned to see Jeff shake his head and throw out a hand at us, then hurry down the steps and off in the direction of the buses. I glared at Dylan and then ran after Jeff, as Dylan yelled, "Remember our agreement!"

I kept running and caught up to Jeff. "Jeff,  please! That wasn't what it looked like!" He didn't stop walking.

"It's none of my business." He said in disgust. I knew I had to make him see what had happened, not what it looked like had happened. "I just went outside for air and Dylan---"

"I told you it doesn't matter to me. I don't care what you do." He made it to the bus door and swung up. "We're leaving soon. Better get on board."

"Jeff--- he---"

"Shut up." Jeff said in finality. "I don't want to hear it." He slammed the bus door in my face and I whirled to see Dylan laughing at me. He went back up the steps into the pavilion.

"This is absurd." I choked again, one hand covering my mouth to keep from screaming my frustration. How could Dylan do that to me--- again?! How could I have been so stupid? How could I have mistaken him for Rafe? He wasn't anything like Rafe--- except--- he was about as tall as him, and he wore the same type clothes, and he was spare and strong--- and rather thin--- and not a big guy at all. And yeah--- I'll admit, in physique and initial impression he was like Rafe. In my defense—my eyes had been closed or blurry with tears right at that moment and I had been expecting Rafe if anyone.

I whirled around. The guys were now coming out the pavilion flaps amid many camera flashes and a video cameraman in their faces. I wondered if they missed Jeff. He was in the bus already.

I couldn't just get on the bus and hide again like last night. It would seem too weird. I didn't want to give Rafe the impression I was completely unstable, because I knew in my heart that I wasn't. I'd been tricked this time, by somebody who obviously had it in for me.

There was a crowd. They were all walking toward the bus, and then Rafe made his appearance, waving and smiling, and looking energized, but slightly tired to one who knew him. I saw Dylan coming and didn't know where to go. What to do.

And it hit me. I might have to keep Dylan's imbecile actions a secret, and be on further guard than I'd ever thought I would have to, but I did not have to cower and act like I was afraid of him. I wasn't. If I told Rafe, and he got angry--- which he would--- a fight would ensue and Dylan would quit--- his loss, right?

No, the band's loss. And right in the middle of a tour. I couldn't do that to them over something as stupid as a mistaken kiss. Except that Jeff didn't think it was a mistake. Jeff had seen what he thought was me making out with Dylan. What would that do to me and Rafe?

It would hurt him. I didn't want to hurt him.

I stood there waiting until the guys had boarded the bus. It was in me to tell Rafe and let him decide what to do. Honestly was always the best policy. But what if he heard it from Jeremy or Jeff first?

And then what if he never heard it at all?

Rafe came to me, swung me into his arms and kissed me on the lips. "Aubrey! What did you think? Great concert? More emotion? Tell me!"

How in the world could I have mistaken Dylan for Rafe? He was nothing like Rafe! Rafe was like holding a burning torch.

"It was the best concert I've ever seen." I said honestly, as he clutched my butt and swung me around. I linked my fingers around his neck and kissed him as we twirled. Everything with Rafe was bigger than life-- like it was on a movie or something. He made it seem like nothing could mar our happiness when I was in his arms. I don't know why I even bothered thinking about Dylan. Ever.

"How in the world did you get on Juan's shoulders? I about had a heart attack seeing you finally. Allen told me you'd chosen to watch the concert from the ground and approximately where you were. But on stage it is so hard to see. Occasionally if the lights are not on the front rows of people, or if just the little blue ones are shining on them, I can see them. Good thing you were up higher. I'd have never seen you."

"It was his idea. I was standing by him, and people were crowding so close, so I just let him know I was there, since he is so big and I am---"

He squeezed my butt again and then walked out toward the lake shore. He let me slide down his body, and I could smell how good he smelled. Totally a turn on.

"So cute and little and perfect." He finished for me, wrapping me in his arms as we stumbled onto the sand.

"He was very nice."

"Yeah, I met him, and he was nice, but that didn't account for the way my heart felt seeing you on some other guy's shoulders. Some big, rough handsome Mexican."

I laughed, but my thoughts instantly turned to Dylan. I couldn't tell him now. Knowing how he felt about Juan, and that had been nothing. We held hands and walked a ways.

"So, you were pretty mad at me earlier. I almost thought you would leave."

I remembered, and felt ashamed for running off like a little girl. My emotions were not in control completely on this trip. "I was really mad."

"Allen said you told him I owed you a hundred dollars. That one sure made the rounds. Now they all think I pay you for sex."

"What?!" I was beyond appalled. I was horror struck. I felt my world spinning out of control.

"I told them about the no cussing thing and the guys backed me up, so it didn't go too far, but you sure are the talk of the tour." He was shaking his head and swinging our hands. "Aubrey, don't be mad at me."

"I'm not anymore." I told him, feeling that same shame at my behavior. I was acting like a child.

"Good. I can't stand the thought of you being mad at me. But you mad is very cute. So you can be mad, just not at me."

"Then stop laughing at me when I'm exposed for all your friends." I said curtly, more curt than I wanted to. But I could see all their laughing faces when he dropped the towel and I was there in my lacy underwear.

He started snickering at his own memories, and I had to smile. I couldn't remain mad at him for long. We stopped walking and he held my face. "I loved singing with you on stage. It was erotic and amazing, and so sweetly perfect. Thank you." He bent and kissed me gently, rubbing my neck and shoulders. We heard the bus driver yelling for any stragglers, and knew our time out here was up. Rafe took my hand.

"Are you hungry?" He asked, "You didn't eat earlier. Did you eat when you got the t-shirt? By the way, I hope you didn't pay for the hat and glasses and shirt. Those things are free to us."

"I did pay for them, and I did not eat, but I can have a smoothie on the bus."

We got to the door and he handed me up. Nobody was in the first lounge area, so I went to the kitchen and started getting out stuff for the smoothie, only to find that someone had not only used all my and Rafe's fruit, but had left the blender in the sink dirty. I blinked in astonishment. I'd had roommates before, and knew the rules. You did not eat each other's food and then leave the dishes for them to clean up. Rafe yelled back to the sleeper area who had used our smoothie stuff and in the back lounge Dylan and Ben showed us their tall glasses filled with pink smoothies. Rafe went back there and reamed them, and I looked around for more food while I washed the blender. That had been the last of our fruit. I was shocked that they'd used it, not shocked at Dylan, he was a jerk.

Rafe came back, apologized to me and then went and told Mack we needed to stop. He was very displeased, and I followed Rafe and tried to tell him it did not matter, we had to stick to our schedule, and I didn't want to be the source of annoyance for Mack. I really liked Mack.

Rafe insisted that we stop soon, and Mack did, but no one got off except Rafe and I. We raced through the all night market finding fruit and yogurt, and then raced back out, breathless and laughing. I made us smoothies as the bus got rolling and we sat in the front lounge by ourselves, sleepy, but energized.

"So, tomorrow we hit Nogales, Mexico, but we play in Tucson, Arizona. There's no venue in Nogales, but the night life is great. We can go dancing, will you be up for it?" Rafe said as I scanned my kindle facebook page. He was looking at his phone, so I wasn't ignoring him.

"Like at a club?" I hadn't been real fond of the first club we'd gone to. I mean, it had ended well, and I loved dancing with him, but the beginning had been weird.

"Yeah, they have great clubs there. And a fantastic restaurant I want to take you to for dinner. Do you like Mexican food?"

"I do." I said. "I was wondering when we'd venture out for real live Mexican food."

"Well, this is a very Americanized culture. Nogales is a border town all the way. But it still sports some pretty good food, if you know where to find it. Troy and me stumbled upon it last time we were down there—and it was so good."

He said Troy's name for the first time to me, without choking up as he sipped his smoothie, he closed his eyes. So I scooted back up on the couch beside him (I had moved to the floor earlier). "You sang for Troy tonight."

He turned his phone off and yawned. "Yeah. It was hard, but I got through it."

"You made me cry."

"I made myself cry."

"I think everybody felt your pain."

"He was my brother, my closest best friend. We'd been together since kindergarten. He was the better part of me, what can I say?"

"How did he die?"

Rafe sucked in his breath sharply and then got up. He took my glass and cleaned both of them and put them all the way away. He wiped the counters and then reached for my hand. I gazed at him curiously. Was he not ready to answer?

I understood. He pulled me up and we made our way back to the sleeping bunks. I started to open the curtain on the one I'd slept in last night and Rafe pinned me to the side effortlessly. "What are you doing?"

******