Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 98823 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 494(@200wpm)___ 395(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98823 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 494(@200wpm)___ 395(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
But then he was stopped again, this time by a ripped guy with a shaved head I recognized as his drummer from an interview and photo spread in a men’s fitness magazine the band had done. Not that I’d been looking for articles on Ezra or the band, but like how the songs kept infiltrating my playlists, features on the band always seemed to draw me in, especially photos of Ezra. He was compelling even in casual snaps, and the glossy professional pictures of him and the band had been nothing short of stunning. The drummer clearly never missed an upper-body day, and he scowled the whole time Ezra mediated the set-list dispute between him and the bassist.
“You’re going to be exhausted before Kansas City,” I joked when Ezra finally returned to his seat.
“Nah, I missed everyone.” He smiled broadly as he settled back down. “This is like a big family reunion for me. When we’re not touring, I can’t wait to see everyone else. I feed on their energy.”
“I get it.” I didn’t want to understand him this well, but I saw myself in how he operated, especially how I’d been my first few years in the SEALs. “In the field, I would get more amped up the more people needed me.”
“The bigger the crisis, the bigger the rush?” He stretched, making his T-shirt ride up, the slightest hint of skin thrilling me way more than it should.
“Something like that.” I wasn’t sure I liked having stuff in common with Ezra. Part of me worried he was only making nice now to gain more leeway from me later.
“Why’d you retire?”
“It’s complicated.” That was the truth, but my terseness had more to do with my jumbled brain, which couldn’t decide how friendly I wanted to be with Ezra. And it wasn’t that I was never friendly with clients, but there was something different about Ezra, something I didn’t particularly want to examine.
“Try me.” His curious grin was going to be my undoing, and I couldn’t help but groan.
“I became increasingly frustrated with red tape and policies.” I was going to leave it at that, but the words started tumbling. I fiddled with the strap on my seatbelt. “I was fast reaching a point where the pressure to move up out of the field was growing. Making rank was way less exciting than early on.”
“I can see that. You’re a doer, not a desk sitter.” Ezra’s eyes were kind, but the quiet way he seemed to be waiting for me to continue made me keep going.
“And I saw the military taking all these young people, chewing them up, and then not being there for them when it counted. Then something…never mind.” I waved a hand. There was a limit to what I could unpack right then, even for someone who was turning out to be a surprisingly good listener. “Bottom line, I saw a need for a company like ours to create jobs for vets, and I thought I could do more good out of the military than in.”
“That’s cool.” Ezra opened his mouth like he might have some follow-up questions, but I reached for my briefcase.
“Let’s go over the plan for tonight’s show.” It was a long flight, and we needed to use it productively, not as a bonding exercise. Even so, my stomach felt weirdly hollow as I changed the subject.
But Ezra followed my lead, and we steered clear of further deep conversation until we landed in Kansas City, where Ezra was greeted like a conquering hero by the band and crew members already waiting by two custom tour buses.
“My people.” He went around exchanging hugs and back slaps with everyone while Kate followed with her phone in hand, snapping pictures.
“Let’s get some reunion shots for social media.” She captured various band members embracing, and Ezra played up his emotions, his acting experience from that show with Danny coming out in his exaggerated facial expressions and camera-ready poses.
“I should hug the bus,” Ezra proclaimed, to much cheering from those nearby. I’d hung back while everyone else did their greetings and caught up, but when Ezra started to climb up the back of the bus, I stepped closer and held up a hand.
“I don’t think…”
“Dude.” Ezra’s face wrinkled like I was the cops arriving to break up a college kegger. “I’ve been climbing shit my whole life. I was always the kid in the trees or climbing random stuff on set. Trust me.”
“Not my job to trust you. It’s my job to worry about security, and if fans on your social media see you hanging off the bus, they’ll be tempted to climb it themselves. Don’t make it easier for them to get to you.”
“Buzz kill.” Ezra rolled his eyes but climbed down before Kate could get a picture. “Come on. I’ll show you the bus. You can point out all the potential security violations.”