Flesh & Bone - a contemporary romance: The Minstrel Series #2 Read Free Page A

justifying themselves, rationalizing their behavior—rules didn’t apply to them. That was what Yvonne believed, but Sebastian didn’t think she was being fair.
    He didn’t know how to reassure her except to do exactly what he promised and keep clear of the girls. It was a tough job these days. Groupies, usually young, pretty girls, were coming out of the woodwork. Fortunately, the other guys in the band pulled up the slack. Karl, and their drummer Markus had a pretty girl on each arm all night.
    Now, after allowing for a late sleep in, they gathered for brunch in the hotel restaurant. They had to request a private room at the back because of those very groupies. There was a collection of them waiting in the hotel lobby ready to pounce.
    Sebastian sat across from Karl who sat beside Markus and Dirk. Florian held his grey head in two hands and moaned.
    “One too many last night?” Sebastian chided.
    “I didn’t drink anything,” Florian replied with a dry voice. “Didn’t feel good yesterday either.”
    “You don’t look that good,” Karl added. “A little green around the gills.”
    “Guys, I don’t think I can drive, and I can’t eat.” Florian stood to leave, holding an arm around his belly. “I gotta get back to my room.”
    “Ah man,” Markus said. “Do you think he has the flu?”
    Karl grunted. “He better not get the rest of us sick.”
    Dirk had ordered for the band earlier and a small buffet of breakfast and lunch food was wheeled in. Buns, croissants, a collection of meats and cheeses, toast, cereal, fruit and yogurt along with coffee and a selection of juices.
    Now that Sebastian’s hangover had ebbed a little, his appetite kicked in and he filled his plate.
    “Someone else has to drive the bus now,” Dirk said after a few bites. “Any takers?”
    Karl shook his head. “Not me. I plan on sleeping all the way back to Dresden.”
    “Sebastian?” Dirk asked.
    Sebastian pushed back a wave of panic, plastered a phony smile on his face and shook his head. “I would, but I don’t drive.”
    Dirk scoffed. “You don’t drive? You mean you didn’t get your license?”
    Sebastian shrugged. “Never got around to it.”
    That wasn’t true. His parents had coughed up the money to pay for the expensive lessons, and he had a barely pubescent photo on a German license to prove it.
    “Fine,” Dirk said. He turned to Markus. “I guess that means you and I have to do it. I’ll do the first half.”
    They finished eating, leaving a big mess in their wake, and snuck out the back way to the lobby to escape the groupies who had yet to leave. This was part of Sebastian’s new life he didn’t like. He missed being able to walk about freely without photographers snapping photos and girls throwing themselves at him. It was worse when they were on tour. He worried about going home and hoped that the Neustadt hadn’t changed as much as he had.
    Their covert maneuver didn’t work this time. The elevator was in the process of slowly returning from the top floor, and they had to wait precious minutes for it to arrive at ground level. Before the doors opened, one of the groupies spotted them. A chorus of calls followed.
    “Sebastian!”
    “Karl, Markus!”
    “Hollow Fellows!”
    Before the guys could escape, one of the girls jumped Sebastian and kissed him on the mouth. A flash from a camera blinded him. He knew he’d just gotten photographed in a compromising position and could only hope that Yvonne wouldn’t see it. He pushed the girl off him as gently and forcibly as he could. It was bad press to be rude to fans.
    He autographed a handful of CDs and one bare, feminine shoulder before the elevator doors opened and Dirk dragged him inside.
    Karl laughed out loud. “I love being famous!” Sebastian high-fived him and smiled back. His best friend was having the time of his life. Sebastian just wished he could say the same thing.
    He slept on the bus with just a few interruptions when the bus