Free Looking Back From L.A. by M. B. Feeney

 
    Another city, another faceless hookup.
    Watching the brunette who’s name I couldn’t remember, wander around my motel room looking for her panties was more than I could stand. I lay back on the bed and counted the cracks in the ceiling.
    “So, I’ll leave my number for you. Call me any time you’re in town.” Glancing over, I saw she was now dressed and hovering by the door.
    “Sure sweetheart.” The words were what she wanted to hear, but the lack of feeling behind them wasn’t. We both knew I’d never see her again, well, not naked anyway.
    Fifteen minutes later, I climbed out of bed and into the shower, needing to wash the smell of sex and her off my body. The smell of whiskey filled my pores and I needed a clear head before hitting the road to our next gig. There were only three more dates of the tour left before I had to go and start filming Wings.
    “Hey, Weston! You ready for breakfast?” One of my best friends, Drew stuck his head around my room door as I walked out of the bathroom without a towel. “Dude! Is that necessary?” He indicated towards my dick which was air drying.
    “My room man, my room.” To save his already highly strung nerves— he wasn’t the biggest fan of travelling so I grabbed a towel and wrapped it round my waist to preserve his embarrassment.
    “We’re going over to the diner for breakfast, you coming?”
    “Yeah, gimmie five.” The moment he shut the door, I dried myself and pulled on my jeans, a shirt, and my boots. Snatching up my phone off the bedside unit, I stalked across the room towards the door; stopping only to pick up the piece of paper lying on the small table.
Lauren, 555-843-7787.
    Feeling like a total dick, I screwed it up and dropped it in the trash can on my way out to meet the rest of the band.
    “Weston, you dirty dog, where’s the chick?” I rounded the corner of the parking lot to find Matt Callaghan leaning up against the truck. “Leave her crying in the shower?”
    “Fuck you man.”
    “Can you even remember her name?”
    “Of course I can, it was Lauren, and she left almost an hour ago.” I stood next to him and lit a smoke. “Anyway, I seem to recollect you not going back to your room alone.” The petite blonde he’d zeroed in on hadn’t hesitated in leaving the venue with him.
    “Will you two stop comparing dick sizes and bedpost notches? This old lady’s gotta eat.” Diamond climbed out of the truck, her sudden appearance made us both jump.
    “Jesus, darlin’. You frightened the life outta me.” I wrapped an arm around her shoulder and kissed her cheek gently. Diana ‘Diamond’ Manning was the only woman, other than my own mother, who could make me feel like a teenager caught out past curfew. She kept us guys on track when we were on tour.
    “Hush boy.” She swatted at my arm, a wide smile on her face which belied her actual age. “Now, you two gorgeous guys gonna escort me to breakfast?”
    “Yes, ma’am.” We spoke in unison as we each took hold of one of Diamond’s arms and walked across the lot to the motel diner.

    Within three hours, we were back on the road making our way to our next gig. Thankfully, it was only across the state line, so we were able to take our time. The truck I drove was full of our gear, carefully packed in to prevent breakages. I had Drew and Matt for company, while Eli, Becky, Diamond, and Johnny D. followed in the SUV behind us. Matt was asleep, leaning against the passenger side window while Drew text with Kris, his wife who had stayed back home in Dallas.
    “How’s it going at the new house?” I asked him, as he tapped away on the screen in front of him. It was hard on him being away from Kris, leaving all the work to her.
    “The paintwork’s all done. My parents are helping move the furniture next week.” I mentally worked out where we’d be, and it was nowhere near Dallas.
    “If they can wait until the week after, we’re free for a few days. We can leave the gear in