Time Bomb

“The tour is ending in a couple of weeks.” Jack said glancing up at Riley who was gently stroking his hair while he laid his head on her lap.

“Mhmm.” Riley hummed, her eyes fixed on the movie.

The conversation with Josh constantly replayed in Jack’s mind over the last two days. Jack didn’t want to push or rush Riley into anything, not until he had figured something solid out first. Josh had been absolutely right when he’d said Jack couldn’t just leave Riley now, but what was Jack supposed to do? Helping the girl was much easier when they were on the same tour compared to how it would be with them in two different countries.

After this tour, Jack headed home for a holiday break, the band wouldn’t be out again until sometime in January and Riley would head home to Vancouver to do whatever it was she did. Bouncing around several ideas, none of them seemed to work in Jack’s mind. The most logical was for him to stay in Vancouver, get a hotel for a bit and do what he had to. Of course his parents wouldn’t be thrilled with the fact their son was in a strange city, alone in a hotel for Christmas.

Bassam and Joyce Barakat were understanding people, they would understand that Jack was an adult and had to do what was right for him. The problem is, as sweet and kind as Riley was and as much as Jack liked her, she wasn’t a girl his parents would approve of right off. Knowing that her baby boy was missing a holiday with his family for some girl with more issues than a comic book series would certainly not sit well with his mother, the idea of that frustrated Jack.

Option number two was inviting Riley to come stay with him, in Baltimore. The problem there was that every time someone mentioned the end of tour or the holidays, Riley would lit up and go on about how much she missed her mother and couldn’t wait to get home and see her. Bringing her to Baltimore, also posed the issue of Jack’s parents. They wouldn’t be overly thrilled, although they would never be rude to Riley directly, about their son having her there. The good thing was, it was Jack’s home and he could have whoever he wanted in it. Of course, what did Riley do when he left for the next tour?

No, Jack knew the answer to that, Flyzik and the others liked her well enough they wouldn’t even bother to debate the issue. If Jack asked for her to come along, Riley would be welcomed with open arms as long as they followed the rules.

“Well, what happens to us?” Jack asked, shifting so that he was sitting upright. His head was swirling with thoughts.

Riley paused the movie, her eyes meeting Jack’s. Chewing her bottom lip, she shrugged. It was assumed that she’d return to Vancouver and Jack to Baltimore, what was there to talk about?

They would go their own ways and whatever happened would happen. It was likely that in time, they’d lose touch and this would be a distant memory. Riley hated the thoughts of that, but it was almost a promise that it would happen.

“You go to Balitmore and I go to Vancouver.” Riley voiced her thoughts and expectations. “It’s not hard to figure out, Jack.”

“Do you...” Jack paused, trying to collect himself. Taking a deep breath, he slowly let it out. “want anything for lunch?”

Idiot!

That one deserved a mental brick to the head. How could he be so stupid? Was it that damn hard to ask a girl you really, really liked if she wanted to come back home with you? It was when you had feelings for her and something in your gut was telling you that if she came home, you may never let her leave.

“I’m starving.” Jack went with his new subject, reminding himself of what a moron he was.

“Uh, yeah I guess lunch sounds okay.” Riley replied with a small smile.

Jack smiled nervously. “Okay, well I’m going to go see if anybody else wants to eat. I’ll be right back.”

Watching Jack disappear behind the closed door that lead to the other end of the bus, where everybody else was hanging out, Riley ignored the oddness that had suddenly over came him and started to find something for lunch. Silently cursing herself she groaned, they had been alone all morning and she still didn’t have the nerve or the guts to tell him how she felt.

This was getting a little pathetic. It was pretty obvious why Cassadee had challenged those who weren’t still sleeping to a video game marathon, until it was time to get ready for the evening’s show. If Jack and Riley were alone then they’d have to talk, hopefully about how they felt for each other. Riley had wanted to tell Jack, each time she thought of it the dreaded feeling that he didn’t feel the same came back to stop her.

Riley would never know how Jack felt, if he felt anything, unless she asked him. The idea of asking him and him getting upset or not feeling the same way just really bothered her. Maybe this was best left until the end of tour. If she asked on their last few hours and Jack didn’t feel the same way or got weirded out, at least they weren’t stuck together anymore.

“What did she say?” Alex asked as Jack emerged into the bunk area.

Alex had been waiting for his best friend, with the promise that Jack would talk to Riley about what they did after the tour. Jack had told Alex about his conversation with Josh as soon as it had happened. Telling Alex was the only way Jack could think to get some help on the subject. His best friend had been as helpful as he could, which Jack was thankful for. It was Alex who had encouraged Jack to ask Riley about going home with him.

It was Alex who had told Jack that even if Riley denied him, at least he had tried.

The answer Jack was about to give, wasn’t one Alex would want.

“I chickened out.” Jack groaned, wiping his hands over his face.

“Jack, you need to just ask her!” Alex urged, smacking his best friend on the back of the head. “You want to help her, so offer to help.”

“By her, I assume you mean Riley. What are we asking her?” Rian asked, poking his head out of his bunk. He had been taking a nap and had started to wake up when Alex excitedly pounced Jack with the question.

“Do you think, maybe, you could get Cass to invite Riley to Baltimore for a few days after the tour?” Alex asked, smiling wide at Rian.

It was the best idea!

Rolling his eyes, the drummer groaned. He didn’t even want to know what the two were scheming. Cassadee had mentioned something about Riley liking Jack and Jack liking Riley, but Rian had asked to be left out of it. If anything blew up on them, there was no way they could even begin to put blame on Rian if he wasn’t involved.

Asking Cassadee to talk to Riley was harmless enough, Rian supposed. Groaning again, seeing Alex and Jack’s pleading puppy dog faces he nodded. Why was he agreeing to this? Whatever they had in mind, was possibly the worst idea Jack and Alex had ever cooked up. Nothing good ever came about when they got to thinking. If they proved him wrong, Rian would be shocked.

“Thanks bro.” Alex said giving Rian a thumbs up.

“If she agrees, you both owe me!” Rian stated firmly, pointing at his two band mates.

Agreeing that if Riley went to Baltimore with them, Alex and Jack owed Rian they shook on it. Jack headed for the back lounge to retrieve Cassadee and to ask if anybody else wanted lunch, like he said he would, while Alex posed a very good question.

“Who is asking Josh’s permission?”

Grumbling about how she had to do all of their dirty work, Cassadee trudged across the cold parking lot where the buses would remain until that evening’s show. She had agreed to ask Riley, because she knew it was important to Jack and because Cassadee knew she could also persuade the other girl a lot easier. Before they could ask Riley, they had to get permission and run their plans by Josh first. Without Josh knowing, come the end of tour Riley would be on a plane back to Vancouver, nobody wanted that.

Briskly tapping on the door of the bus, Cassadee shivered in the cold wind. Pulling her jacket around her, she smiled gratefully when Mike opened the door and let her inside. Shrugging off her coat, Cassadee took a seat at the small table where Ian was sitting across from her.

“What news of the other bus ye bringith, fair lady?” Ian asked with a raised brow and a chuckle.

“I bringith news for the one ya call Ramsay.” Cassadee answered, playing along.

“Speak for he is here.” Josh said emerging from the bunk area.

Sliding onto the plush leather sofa, Josh propped his feet up, resting his arms behind his head. If Cassadee was alone, something was up. The girl never came to their bus, unless she was with Riley or invited.