Closer to You (Book One ✓)

T H I R T E E N

I wake to a heavy arm draped over my waist, and two long legs intertwined with mine. I try to untangle myself as much I can, straining to see the alarm clock. "Shit, shit!" I scramble out of bed, waking Beau with a start.

"All I'm gonna say, is you better have a good reason for waking me up like this," Beau nearly growls, flinging an arm over his eyes like a child. I peel my eyes from his hard, tattooed chest and begin grabbing my things for a shower.

"We're late, get up." His confused squint urges me on. "You have a talk show appearance this morning with the rest of the guys, I just have to tag along I guess. I think there's another this afternoon," I rack my brain for our schedule.

Beau groans, not moving from bed. "Hey!" I shout, tossing a throw pillow at his head. "Get up," I yell as I make my way into the bathroom.

I turn the shower on and undress quickly. Bobby and Maeve will be here any minute and it's bad enough my hair will be soaked, I'd hate for them to get here when I'm still in the shower and Beau is still in bed. I step under the water, scrubbing shampoo through my hair. I close my eyes, letting the hot stream rinse down my back, feeling relaxed for the first time in a few days.

A rattle on the shower door makes me jump, eyes wide. Immediately, I throw my hands over my privates. "Beau, what the hell!" I shout at him through the crack he's created and simultaneously cower in a corner.

"You said we were late, this'll save time, no?" Beau laughs, proud of his little joke about joining me.

"Get out!" I scream, pushing the door closed so he can't see through the crack anymore.

"Calm down," Beau laughs again, unusual for him. "My eyes were closed, I didn't see anything."

"Mhm," I mutter, not one hundred percent sure I believe him. I expect him to leave, but instead, he brushes his teeth at the large sink.

"Save me some hot water, would you?" Beau says before leaving the bathroom finally. I finish my shower quickly, my earlier feeling of calm completely gone.

***

The fact that Fiona penciled me in for these interviews is ridiculous, I complain internally as I stand backstage at MisFits second interview of the day. I return with a coffee from the little buffet counter and hand it to Val. "How's it going?"

"Great," she nods, taking the coffee graciously. "They're getting a lot of focus on the tour, so that's good."

We watch quietly for a few moments. Zach and Tyler sit on a leather couch next to the host's desk while Beau and Jace sit in high stools behind the sofa. They take turns answering questions and joking with the host, and I notice how much lighter Beau looks around the guys.

The interview goes well for a few more minutes before the host begins asking more personal life questions. "Beau, obviously, you were involved in a pretty bad bar fight last month. You were even arrested, isn't that right?"

The guys all get quiet and Beau looks irritated. "Oh, we don't need to bring that up, do we?" Zach smiles an easygoing smile at the host.

"But we haven't heard your story yet, right? I mean, what is your side to this, Beau? Wha-" the host talks in that way that all talk show hosts do - they act like they truly care, but the celebrities know it's all for ratings and we all see through it.

"You're right, yeah. I got arrested." Beau confirms, suddenly seeming less confident. He picks his black nail polish quietly.

"And?" The host prompts.

"I uh," Beau runs a hand through his hair, but doesn't push it out of his face at all. Fiona was booking a lot of interviews to get good publicity, and if I'm not mistaken, she wanted Beau to make a public apology at some point. I watch him and can tell he's struggling. "I'm doing better." He says finally. "I've been away from everything for awhile and I'm doing better. I'm focused on the music and my girl, over there," he points casually off stage and the camera follows. I smile and wave, as I know I'm supposed to. "So yeah. Things are better."