“Okay. The doc said we need to check her every couple of hours to make sure she’s not got a concussion.”
“Go to bed, Matt. I can do that.”
“Na, I’m good. My job is to protect them all. Tonight, I’m protecting Frankie from herself.”
“What a first day. Sorry.”
“No worries, honestly.”
“I was impressed tonight. The way you dealt with that member of the crew without his pass. Things desperately need tightening up around here. I’ve been worried for a while that one of them is going to get hurt because the people we have around us aren’t really aware of just how famous the four of them are these days. They remember the band we started with, that could walk down the street and no one even cared, but recently they’ve gone global. I need to make sure we have people to protect them from what that entails, so feel free to do whatever you need to make that happen.”
“I see that, but they’re safe with me. I promise. It will mean some significant changes in how things work around here. I want to meet with everyone before the next gig. Can you arrange that for me?”
“Of course. The band and the crew have the day off tomorrow, which means Frankie can rest, but I will set something up for the following day before they start setting up. You want me to be there too?”
“Come and hear what I have to say. They might not like it, but it needs to be said.”
“I’ll arrange whatever you need, Matt. Wake me if Frankie gets worse. Mine is the third door on the left.”
“Night, Addi.”
I heard their conversation, but my head hurt too much to speak and let them know I was awake. I must have fallen back asleep because when I heard Matt again, it felt like hours had passed.
“Hey, Frankie. I need you to wake up for me, so I make sure your brains aren’t going to spill out your ears or eyeballs.”
“Gross,” I grumbled into the pillow, my head thumping like my drums were being played in the space where my brain used to live.
“How are you feeling?”
“Like a slipped in a puddle and hit my head off the tub.”
“Is it worse? The pain?”
“A bit.”
“You feel sick… dizzy?”
“Hungry.”
I laughed. “Are you always this hungry, or is it because of the head injury?”
“Always this hungry. Waffles. Pancakes. Coffee.”
“Close your eyes and I’ll sort it for you. Just rest for now.”
The next thing I knew, the sun was rising, filling the room with a warm orange glow. I looked over and found Matt asleep in the chair opposite the bed, a blanket pulled over him. He looked so uncomfortable, his body way too big for the chair. I felt awful. If I’d not been horny. If I’d not hung my foot out of the bath to bury my fingers inside myself. If I’d not been thinking about Matt when I came like some deviant who couldn’t be around an attractive man without having errant thoughts, then I wouldn’t have slipped, and he wouldn’t have to be here now.
God, I was naked. He’s seen me naked. Concussion, take me now and end my embarrassment.
My stomach rumbled as my head throbbed and I didn’t know what I needed more—food or rest. Just as I was trying to decide, there was a quiet knock on my door.
“Come in,” I whispered, so I didn’t wake Matt.
Addi walked in holding a tray, and I stared at her, confused. “How did you know I’m starving?”
“You’re always starving, Frankie. Your stomach is a bottomless pit. I have no idea how you’re so thin. But this wasn’t me. This was him.” She twitched her head at Matt. “Apparently, he called room service in the middle of the night and asked them to deliver it this morning.”
She placed the tray down and pulled off the silver lids. Pancakes, waffles, fresh fruit, and maple syrup on the side, along with coffee.