Half Notes and Highlights (The Road to Rocktoberfest 2024)

CHAPTER NINETEEN

The rest of the afternoon was slightly chaotic as the guys needed to get ready for the show. With so many headlining bands performing at the festival, Wolf Pack was taking the stage earlier than usual, and Tyler needed to make them look spectacular. In addition, he needed time to get himself pampered and prepped, since he was saving his best outfit for tonight.

Finally, everyone was ready. Ethan looked hot as fuck with a little eye makeup, and the conditioning masque made his hair extra shiny and full of body. Harris’ normal beachy waves responded remarkably well to a special curl definer, and a rinse brought out his natural blond highlights. Wolf just needed a blow out, since the guy’s hair was phenomenal to begin with. Marshall had the biggest, and simplest, transformation. His buzz cut had grown out, so it was a little longer and really showed off the deep royal blue color that he finally agreed to.

Tyler went all out with his own appearance. One of his expensive conditioners gave his hair extra bounce and deepened his light brown to a chestnut. He wore a favorite pair of navy leather pants with an alligator texture and laces at the crotch and up the sides, deep purple ankle boots with a small heel, no shirt, and an amazing cropped vest that exposed his chest and most of his midriff. The best part is that the vest had fringe in the back that started at his shoulders and fell all the way down to the floor and displayed the beautiful colors of the rainbow.

Ethan’s reflection appeared in the mirror behind Tyler, and the rock star’s arms slid around Tyler’s bare waist and caressed his midsection with a sensual touch.

“You look really hot tonight,” Ethan said. “I’m not going to be able to keep my hands off you.”

“That’s the point.” Tyler turned his head to the side and kissed Ethan over his shoulder, a dramatic movie-worthy kiss with one hand behind his head and the other on his waist covering Ethan’s hands. He watched an old black-and-white movie one time and saw two people kiss like that and thought it looked swoony and romantic. And it was.

“Thank you for working things out with Wolf. It means the world to me,” Ethan said in Tyler’s ear.

“You already thanked me, and I told you thanks weren’t necessary.” Befriending Wolf was the only way this relationship was going to work. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer was an adage that Tyler knew all too well. Although he really couldn’t consider Wolf the enemy. Wolf’s reaction was understandable, and he never did anything hurtful. He was just being a jerk, for obvious reasons. The apology and talk they had put their differences to bed. As long as Wolf kept his word, everything would be fine.

Today had been so exhausting and eventful that one of the best parts of it totally slipped his mind until now, and he spun around to face Ethan so fast, the guy backed up with surprise. “I have a bone to pick with you, mister,” Tyler scolded, pointing an accusing finger at Ethan.

“Me?” Ethan placed his hand on his chest, a worried look on his face. “What’d I do?”

“You didn’t tell me that Tommy Blade was married to Jessi Blade, one of the most sought-after fashion designers in America.” He leaned forward at the waist. “Her signature leather jackets are to die for.” He pinched his thumb and index finger together to punctuate his words as he repeated, “To. Die. For.”

“I didn’t know.”

Placing his hand on his forehead, Tyler looked up to the ceiling and sighed dramatically. “Are you living under a rock? She’s world famous and designs for a huge catalog of rock stars. And I met her! I can’t believe it! I was like a starstruck teenager. I have an appointment with her in New York in a couple of weeks.”

“Is she going to make you a jacket?”

“No. Even better. A one-piece leather jumpsuit with a cutout open midriff with studs and spikes. It’s going to be a couture piece. I can’t believe I’m going to have a Jessi Blade couture jumpsuit. Can you imagine how hot that’s going to look? I think I just died and gone to designer heaven.”

A lecherous grin spread across Ethan’s face. “Are you going to be my leather daddy?”

Tyler chuckled, erotically. “If you play your cards right.”

Someone pounded on the door and yelled, “We’re leaving in five!”

It was Paul, the band’s manager, and Tyler flinched at the brash tone of his voice and force of his knock. “That guy needs a Xanax or something.”

A few minutes later, a car brought them to the stage where Wolf Pack would perform. Only, there was a barricade, so they still had to walk through a catwalk in the sand.

“This part is so much fun,” Tyler practically exclaimed as he glanced at everyone working at a furious pace. “There’s so much action going on behind the scenes. So many people doing their part to keep the show going. Everyone moving at top speed. I almost got run over by a roadie moving the equipment the first time I walked with you guys to the stage. It was like they didn’t even see me.”

“You don’t have to worry about that today. No one’s going to miss you in that outfit,” Wolf commented, trying to hide his smile and ultimately laughing under his hand.

“Don’t be a hater. You wish you were wearing something this fabulous on stage. I’m the best dressed one here.”

“If you say so,” Wolf snickered.

A day ago, that convo would have gone very differently. Banter was fun. Watching the shock and surprise on Ethan’s face at the good-natured ribbing was even better.

Marshall and Harris also looked at Tyler and Wolf strangely, unused to this sudden lack of attitude and hostility. It was a little odd not being on the defense all the time around Wolf, but life was so much better this way.

Someone on stage announced the band, the crowd roared, and the guys ran out and took their designated spots. The music was loud, echoing into the open air, but it was Ethan’s voice that had Tyler captivated. Sultry and raspy, harmonic and rough, it contained everything pleasing to the ear. The rock star looked absolutely gorgeous under the desert sun which was still bright in the distance.

The crowd was amazing and filled with tons of energy. This was the first festival Tyler had been to, and he loved it. The earlier show time enabled him to see the faces in the crowd. Girls sat on their boyfriend’s shoulders, wearing not much more than bikini tops. A time or two he thought those little bikini tops were going to go flying toward the stage, but everyone kept their clothes on. So far. Fists pumped in the air to the beat of the music. Mouths sang along with the lyrics. A group of guys at the front of the stage were professing their love for Ethan. There was so much going on that Tyler didn’t know where to look first. He was flying high, but his feet were still on the ground.

The entire show was electrifying, and he was having an awesome time. He couldn’t believe that this was his life now. He had a hot boyfriend who loved him and showed it all the time. He had new friends in Harris and Marshall, and most surprisingly, Wolf.

The set was short, but it was everything anyone could hope for. The fans yelled and whistled as they bid farewell to Wolf Pack, although some didn’t want them to leave and screamed for the band to play one more song.

“You were incredible!” Tyler wrapped his arms around Ethan’s neck and stood on his tip toes to give his boyfriend a deep kiss. “The entire show was exhilarating!”

They didn’t have time for small talk because they needed to make room for the next band. Security whisked them away before the guys even had a chance to catch their breath or come down from the high of the performance. They were full of big smiles and talking among themselves as they all headed back the way they came.

A large group of fans were pressed against the barricades that bordered the catwalk, but unlike the craziness of the fans when Wolf Pack left an arena, it was pretty chill in the desert. No one pushed or screamed. They simply called to their favorite band member and said how much they enjoyed the show. So, the guys stopped to sign a few autographs.

“Tyler!” someone shouted.

“Me?” Surprised, Tyler looked into the crowd, wondering if he knew someone behind the barricades. He didn’t see anyone at first, then a guy pushed his way to the railing.

“Tyler Kennedy!” the guy shouted again.

“Hi.” Tyler didn’t recognize the guy but was happy to meet a friendly fan.

“I got something for you.”

Flattered and smiling, Tyler approached the railing.

“Wait!” Security shouted a half second before the guy behind the railing yelled, “Get lost, twink!” and something was thrown in Tyler’s face that blinded him with color.

People were yelling. Some were laughing. Ethan was cursing. Security was trying to pull Tyler along, but he was rooted in place. Wiping his face and eyes, he was finally able to focus and looked down at the glaring reflection of colorful lights covering his body. A soft chuckle rose up from his throat which quickly morphed into a full-blown incredulous laugh. “You glitter bombed me?” He threw his head up to the sky and laughed heartily. “That’s priceless!” He rotated his outstretched arms, so the glitter sparkled in the sunlight. “I look fabulous! I’m shimmering! Where’s that shoe thrower from St. Louis?” He looked into the crowd for effect, knowing that the shoe thrower most likely wasn’t among them, and held up his sparkly arms. “This is the way to get someone’s attention! Not throwing a stupid thrift store shoe!” He gave the glitter bomber a huge smile. “Thank you, glitter guy!”

“Are you alright?” Ethan asked, as security literally pushed them away from the railing and into the waiting car.

“I’m fabulous!”

“No, you’re not,” Ethan snapped. “Someone threw glitter all over you. That’s fucked up. You could have been blinded.”

“Oh, please.” Tyler fluffed the length of his long hair and a spray of red, silver, and blue glitter fell into his lap like colorful sprinkles. “I feel like an ice cream sundae.”

Wolf let out a loud laugh, while Harris and Marshall just stared at Tyler with wide eyes.

“It’s not funny,” Ethan scolded.

“It is!” Tyler insisted. “Someone give me a mirror.” He wanted to see what his face looked like. “I’ve glitter bombed myself plenty of times. Not usually this much,” he shook his arms. “But I’ve done it. I went to a Halloween party as a sparkly unicorn once.”

The last remark made Ethan smile, and his anger at the incident disappeared. “I can’t believe you sometimes. How do you laugh this stuff off so easily?”

Tyler’s expression and voice turned completely serious. “I’ll never get mad at glitter. It’s way too pretty.”

“You’re too pretty. Especially with different color sparkles all over your face.”

Wolf handed Tyler a mirror. “You know that’s never going to wash off.”

“Why would I wash it off.” Tyler looked at his reflection in the mirror. “I’m gorgeous.”

Once they got back to the RV, Tyler shook out his hair and clothes as best he could. A huge circle of glitter brightened the drab sand at his feet, but he was still covered in the stuff. Not only was he covered in glitter, but the static-cling effect ensured that everyone had at least some of the sparkly stuff all over them. Ethan had it the worst, with his entire left side a glittery mess.

“I need to shower.” Tyler wiped his face but couldn’t tell if it did anything because glitter was stuck to his hands. He washed his hair twice and scrubbed his face, but it would probably be at least a few days before he was glitter free. But he was fine with that.

By the time he rejoined the guys outside, the sun had already set and everyone was sitting in a circle around the firepit, and Tyler joined them.

“Feel better?” Ethan asked.

“Infinitely. But this stuff is stuck to me like glue, and I have glitter in places it should never be.”

“We don’t need the fire,” Marshall joked. “The reflection of the moon off Tyler’s hair can light up the whole desert!”

Tyler looked down at the beautiful way his hair shimmered. “I think it’s a good look on me. Don’t you?”

Ethan raked his eyes over the length of Tyler’s hair and touched it softly. “It’s like little fireflies framing your face.”

“Now you know why I’ll never get mad at glitter.”

“It’s a beautiful night,” Harris stated. “But you know what would make it even better? Smores!”

“We have to have smores,” Tyler agreed. “We can’t have a campfire without smores. It’s against the rules. I hate to ask.” He really did, but it would be the cherry on top to an incredible night. “Do you think you could use your connections to get us the ingredients?”

“You mean like this stuff?” Harris asked, holding up a bag of marshmallows and a box of graham crackers. Next to him, Marshall had skewers and chocolate bars.

“You guys are totally prepared!”

They toasted marshmallows and enjoyed the traditional campfire treats underneath a huge silver moon on their last night in Black Rock City. Early tomorrow afternoon they were leaving. Wolf Pack would go on to Des Moine, and a car would take Tyler back to LA. It was an amazing three days and nights in the desert. So many crazy things happened. But the best thing of all was that the feud with Wolf was over, which meant there would be no more uncertainty. Tyler took Ethan’s hand, kissed it, then smiled at him. This man was all his, and the rivalry was over. Now they could move forward with a future together.