“Whatever, Patience.” I said her full name like it was a punishment. “I’m over this shit already.”

I hung up.

The minute I did it, I contemplated calling back immediately, but I was so sleepy and annoyed. My phone rang over and over again, and as badly as I wanted to answer it and apologize for being a dick, I didn’t want to talk. The boys were starting to bitch so I silenced my phone, rolled over, and went to sleep.

We had an interview on some radio show in four hours and I was running on no sleep and not much food. I was already half-assing this tour and being a part of the band. The guys were already starting to complain. I needed to shape up or ship out. Ship out to Florida, preferably.

*

I didn’t talk to Patience again until a day later. By then I’d blown off some steam and she was feeling better. I didn’t apologize for hanging up on her and she didn’t apologize for making me worry. Instead, we just kind of both never talked about it again.

She filled me in on her game and told me about going to visit her Aunt Sarah and Sydney. Since Florida State was a few hours away from her aunt’s house, she was staying in a tiny one-bedroom apartment at the school. The thoughts of moving to Florida once things were set in stone with the band and the tour was over kept creeping into my mind, but I shook them off knowing that soon I’d be able to sneak away for a weekend with her.

We had a show in Houston, Texas, the day after that, and I didn’t get to talk on the phone with her much. I took my aggravation out in my music and played hard. It was like the old days when I used my guitar to get through the bullshit at home. I could honestly say I hadn’t played that well since leaving South Carolina. I’d forgotten how much I loved what I did.

We did an encore of our final song when the crowd chanted for more, and by the time we were back on the bus and hitting the interstate back to California, I was too tired to lift my head. Still, I called to tell my snowflake goodnight.

“I miss you so much,” she answered.

“I miss you too, baby,” I said as I lay back on my bunk.

There was a sniffle on the other line and I sat up again.

“Are you crying?”

“No,” she said softly.

“Are you lying?”

“Yes.” Her sobs got louder on the other end of the line.

My heart broke. I felt the sudden need to rush to Florida and hold her. This would never do. I needed to be with her and she needed me there.

“What happened? Did someone hurt you? I’ll kill whoever it was. Tell me who hurt you.”

My anger rushed through me, causing the hair on my arms to stand on end.

She giggled a little on the other end. “No, no one hurt me. I just had a bad time in South Carolina. I went to my mom’s grave and on top of all that, I miss you.”

“As soon as we get off this bus, I’m coming to you. We’re supposed to play a gig at a local place, but I’ll skip it.”

“No. How about I come to you for a few days?”

And like that, my night was a million times better.

“Sounds perfect.” I smiled into the phone. “I’ll call the airport and have a ticket set up for you.”

I couldn’t wait to call and give them my credit card information for the earliest flight available.

“I can buy my own ticket, Zeke. I have some money saved. It’ll be fine.”

I was happy to hear her tears had stopped.

“Absolutely not. You’re coming to me so I’ll pay. Plus, I owe you money from when you paid my fines.”

She was quiet on the other line for a bit.

“You knew about that?” she asked.

“Of course I knew about it. I know all, baby. So I’m going to call the airport and then I’ll call you back when I have everything set up. Sound good?”

I could hear her smile through the phone and I felt like I’d won a medal.

“Sounds great.”

“Oh, and snowflake?” I grinned to myself.

“Yeah?”

“Bring those sexy little gym shorts you used to wear.”

She laughed. “Deal.”

Seven

Patience

The last thing I packed was my gym shorts. I had a big goofy smile on my face as I zipped up my suitcase and pulled it out to the living room to wait for my cab. Of all the things I could wear to turn on my man, those damn gym shorts seemed to do the trick.

I called Aunt Sarah and Sydney and let them know I was going out of town for a few days. I promised to come by for dinner as usual when I got back. I tried to catch dinner with them at least two days a week, and I’d already felt like I was slacking.