by J. Nathan
I scrolled my emails as I chugged a big bottle of water. Drinking all day had given me a splitting headache, but the adrenaline that came with having such an unexpectedly good time had trumped it.
Anything you want to explain? A text from Keith popped up on my screen.
My brows drew in as I texted him back. Like?
Like why my girlfriend is hanging all over a bunch of musicians?
Aubrey and I had spent time taking selfies with different musicians, but I never fathomed Keith would ever find out. And even if he had, why would he care? This was the longest “conversation” we’d had in weeks.
My thumbs pressed away at my screen. First of all, I can hang all over whoever I want. I hit the delete button and erased that response, opting for something less bratty. I was having a good time.
His response was almost instantaneous. Since when is a good time hanging all over people like some drunk college girl?
I laughed to myself as I typed my response. I was definitely drunk.
I could almost hear the disdain in his voice as his words appeared. Who are you?
I didn’t bother responding. I had a father who was controlling and cruel. I wasn’t about to take it from a guy who was supposed to love me.
“You okay?”
My eyes flashed up.
Trey stood in front of me.
I craned my neck, trying to see behind him.
He twisted around to see what I was looking at, then looked back to me.
“Just looking for your little friend.”
A slow smile slipped across his face.
“What?”
“You’re jealous.”
My nose wrinkled. “Jealous?”
“Jealous.”
“As if.”
“As if you’re not.”
I rolled my eyes. “You’re drunk.”
He chuckled. “I’m not even drinking.”
“Why not? Everyone else is.”
“I can see that.” He dropped into the seat beside me.
His nearness overwhelmed me, especially after knowing what his hands felt like when they were on me. I chided my stupidity, reminding myself how quickly those hands had moved on to someone else.
A long stretch of silence passed between us as the rock music from the stage and the chants of the crowd in the distance reached us.
I had no idea why Trey was sitting there with me. Why he wasn’t talking. Why he had been flirty with me and then so thoughtlessly moved on.
I didn’t want to feel anything toward him. I wanted to be immune to his charm. But suddenly, he was all I could focus on. His breathing. His imposing body that seemed to touch me even though he was inches away. His tongue ring that flicked out unexpectedly, rendering my thoughts delirious.
Oh, I was definitely drunk.
“I rarely drink,” Trey admitted, breaking the silence.
I snorted my disbelief.
“I’m serious, Brie. How often have you seen me drinking this entire trip?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s not something I pay attention to.”
“Because I rarely do it.”
“You’re a rock star. Isn’t it part of the whole scene?”
He stared up at the smattering of stars in the sky as the music continued to play in the background. “I try to stay away from things I could get addicted to.”
I closed my eyes, cursing my stupidity for the second time that night. Of course he’d have a fear of addiction. He was born to an addict. And was addicted as a newborn.
“While the other guys get wasted,” he continued, “I look for other things to occupy my time. I thought you realized that by now.”
I dodged his eye contact, hating that I never paid enough attention to him to know that was the reason he sought female companionship. How was it that the one person responsible for keeping him in the public eye and keeping his reputation intact was turning out to be the one person who didn’t really know him at all? “I never thanked you.”
Trey’s head hitched back. “What?”
“For being honest with me on the plane. I feel like knowing a little bit about your past makes me know you a little better now.”
“Yeah?”
I nodded. “Can I ask you something else?”
“Sure.”
“This is just out of total curiosity…”
“What is it, Brie?”
“Since the band hit it big and you can literally buy anything your heart desires, is there anything you still want?”
“Anything I still want?” He rubbed his hand over the day-old stubble on his chin. “Honestly?”
I nodded.
“A family.”
My eyes rounded. “A family?”
He smiled. “What’d you expect me to say?”
I shrugged, loving his answer more than I should. “A big family or small family?
“Doesn’t matter as long as it’s mine to keep.”
My chest tightened around my heart, understanding what he meant more than he knew.
Trey jolted up in his seat and strained to hear something. “Listen.”
“What?”
“I love this song.”
I listened, recognizing Cankor’s most popular rock ballad, “Symphony.” “Then why aren’t you watching their set?”
He stood and extended his hand out to me. “I needed someone to dance with.”
I stared at his hand, wondering how he always just knew the right thing to say. But I wasn’t one of the groupies who’d do anything he asked. “I’m not dancing.”
“Scared?”
My eyes lifted to his. “Of what?”
His cocky smirk slipped into place. “I think you know.”
There was one thing I did know for sure. Dancing with Trey was a bad idea. I knew it with every fiber of my being. I was in a relationship—a rapidly deteriorating relationship, but a relationship nonetheless. I was lonely. And I was starved for any kind of attention. Those combined made for some serious lapses in judgment.
I reached out my hand. Trey grasped hold of it. His grip was warm and strong as it closed over mine. A tremor rushed up my arm.
Dammit.
He yanked my hand, jerking me to my feet.
I laughed, not expecting him to be so strong.
He smiled down at me.
“What are you smiling at?” I asked.
“You never laugh.”
I considered what he said and realized he was right. “I don’t usually have a reason to.”
His lips twisted regrettably as he gently pulled me into him. He slipped his other hand around to my lower back. The motion left a trail of numbness in its wake, and I hated that I needed the contact more than I realized. I didn’t know what to do. Where to look. What to say.
Trey moved us to the song playing in the distance.
I rested my cheek against his shoulder. Was this really happening? Were Trey and I really dancing in a parking lot? His woodsy scent consumed every one of my breaths as I felt myself slowly getting lost in his embrace. He was built, sexy as hell, and he held me like he wanted me in his arms. And I had no idea what to do with that notion.
The soft sound of his humming filled my ears as we moved to the music. I hadn’t been in anyone’s arms but Keith’s in over a year. This felt different. Forbidden. Risky.
“You still with your man?” Trey asked, his raspy voice sending a tremble through me.
I wondered if he felt the speeding of my heart. “Not sure.”
“Why’s that?”
“He saw some pictures Aubrey posted.”
“He’s not happy?”
“He’s not happy that I was happy,” I explained.
He scoffed.
“Well, he’s not gonna ruin my fun or tell me what I can do.”
“That’s the Brie I know.”
“Is it? Because I’m starting not to know who she is anymore.”
He didn’t respond, just held me tighter as he moved us t
o the music.
I didn’t want the song to end. Didn’t want him to move his arms from me. Didn’t care if anyone saw us. Didn’t—
The crowd roared in the distance as the song ended.
Dammit.
I attempted to step back, but Trey held onto me. I lifted my head and met his gaze.
His eyelids were hooded, and I wanted him to keep looking at me that way. “Thanks for dancing with me, Brie.”
I nodded as he stepped back, slipping out of my arms.
He buried his hands in the pockets of his jeans and stared down at the ground.
I struggled to find anything natural to do with my own arms, so I settled on crossing them.
“I’m gonna head back over to watch the rest of their set.”
Awkwardness mixed with rejection swarmed my brain. “Yeah. I was just gonna go to bed anyway.”
Trey’s eyes cut to the bus door, and he stared at it for a long moment “Yeah, that’s probably a good idea.”
It was?
He looked back to me. “I don’t want you out here alone. The only stragglers are drunk guys, and you know how that goes.”
Inwardly, I cursed my own stupidity for the third time that night. He wanted me to be safe. He didn’t want me. I needed to find a nice dark hole to crawl into. “Good night, Trey.” I turned away from him and hurried toward the bus door where I intended to hide for the foreseeable future.
I hit the button and the door opened. I couldn’t bring myself to look back at him, so I climbed the steps onto the bus and closed the door. Once I stood alone inside, concealed by the dark tinted windows, I pulled in a deep breath.
Trey turned away from the bus, having waited for me to be safely on board before heading back to the show.
What the hell was going on? How could the guy who caused me so much grief, be this totally other guy? This talented, protective, thoughtful guy? I’d known him for five years. Why now did I have to start noticing him? Why was I suddenly so confused about which way was up and which way was down when it came to him? Why now did he have to push his way into my life?
CHAPTER TEN
Brielle
I stared at the texts I’d woken up to as I ate a bowl of cereal on the bus. BJ had gotten ready before I’d even woken up, so I had the whole bus to myself. Thankfully, the tinted windows shielded me from the bright sunlight outside. It was a gorgeous day, but trying to get over my hangover would be easier without the blinding sunlight in my face.
Where are you?
What the hell, Brielle?
You need to get back to me.
Don’t test me, Brielle.
It was uncanny how much Keith sounded like my father. Was I a sick person who purposely chose a guy like my father? Was I that screwed up in the head?
I tossed my phone down and went to take a shower. He didn’t deserve an immediate response.
I stared in the mirror after I’d dressed in jeans and a tank top, twisting my hair into a messy knot on the top of my head for a change. I grabbed my phone, put on my dark sunglasses, and stepped off the bus.
The eighty degree day carried zero breeze as some people prepared their areas for the day’s events, while many others remained on their buses. I sat in the lawn chair outside our bus. I didn’t want more texts from Keith to spoil my day, so I called him, knowing he’d be at work and need to keep his temper in check.
“It’s about fucking time,” he answered.
Or not. “Hello to you, too.”
“I think formalities have gone out the window since you decided to act like a goddamned teenager.”
I sucked in a sharp breath.
“I mean, come on Brielle. You’re off traipsing across the globe with some rock band like your life isn’t here.”
“Is it there, Keith? Because from where I’m sitting, you’re under the impression that you can tell me what I can and can’t do.”
“Tell you what you can and can’t do? Are your fucking serious right now?”
“I am.”
He balked. “This from a girl who’s been taking shit from her father her entire life?”
A cold empty silence passed between us.
“Thank you for making this easier. I’ll call you once I’m back,” I said.
“That’s weeks away.”
“Yeah. I think we can both agree we’re done.”
“Done?”
“I said we’ll talk when I get back. I’m sorry if that’s not good enough for you. Goodbye, Keith.” I disconnected the call before he could say another word.
I wouldn’t be my mother. I wouldn’t allow a man—a man who once claimed to love me—to treat me less than I deserved. Besides, we’d been over for a while now. I guess I just needed the courage to end it.
My phone pinged and a text from Keith appeared. I’ll see you when you get back.
I didn’t respond. His words sounded like an order, and it turned my stomach. My decision had been the right one. And, if we saw each other when I returned, it would only be to collect whatever belongings I may have left at his condo.
Dancing with Trey made it clear to me that the spark Keith and I once had was long gone. I should have felt that electricity and pull I felt in Trey’s arms with Keith. But I didn’t. And I hadn’t in a long time. I’d been holding on to something that was never really there.
“You okay?”
I glanced up from my phone.
Aubrey stood there.
I released a much-needed breath. “Yeah. I just told Keith we were done.”
“Done?”
“Funny. That’s what he said.”
She snickered. “If I were a betting girl, I’d say a hot drummer with a tongue ring has something to do with it.”
My suddenly wide eyes flicked around, making sure no one heard her. “What?”
She cocked her head. “I saw the two of you out here last night.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah. Oh.”
I chewed on my bottom lip.
“You don’t have to say anything. But for what it’s worth, I think you two would make an interesting couple.”
I lifted my brows. “Interesting?”
“If the way you hate each other most days is any indication of how much you’d love each other, I think it would be freaking amazing.”
I shook my head. “Nothing’s going on with us.”
“So, you just make a habit out of dancing in parking lots with guys you’ve got nothing going on with?”
I averted my gaze, having no clue what I was feeling.
“Are you sad about you and Keith?”
I glanced back to her. “Not really.”
She laughed, and I couldn’t help but join in.
* * *
Music from the main stage blared in the background as my beer pong buddies, Everett and Ralph, and I were at it again. Yup. I’d become a lush. This time I’d dragged Aubrey over to their tent. She and I were partners, and we were killing it—and completely drunk. We played too many games before Z appeared late in the afternoon, wrapping his arms around her and lifting her off her feet.
“Hey! We were winning,” she argued, as he carried her off.
Trey stepped into her spot beside me at the table. “I’ll be your partner.”
I swallowed my surprise. I hadn’t seen him since our dance, and I didn’t know how I was supposed to act. We’d shared a nice moment, and then he all but bolted as fast as he could. Were we going to pretend it didn’t happen?
Everett and Ralph, and the guys watching around the table, pounded Trey’s fist, knowing who he was and loving that he’d come over to play.
Trey picked the ball out of a cup in front of us and tossed it across the table right into Everett’s cup.
Everett and Ralph groaned. “Seriously? You brought a ringer?”
I looked to Trey. “Are you a ringer?”
“Is this my fact for today?” he said so only I could hear.
I cocked my head.
“I’ll take that as a yes. So, yes. I’m fucking awesome at beer pong.”
“And humble,” I said, trying to be unfazed though the liquor coursing through my veins had me hyper-aware of his proximity.
“Not even a little bit,” Trey assured me.
Everett threw the ball and it landed in a cup in front of me. I picked out the ball and downed the beer. I stacked the cup and aimed the ball across the table, sinking it in a corner cup.
“Guess I’m not the only ringer here,” Trey said.
“And now you have your fact about me for today.”
He shook his head. “I’ve got a question for you.”
Ralph missed a cup and the ball bounced past us. Trey nabbed it, dunking it in the water cup before tossing it across the table. Again, he sunk the ball and flashed a smug grin my way.
I rolled my eyes as Everett drank the beer then tossed his ball into another cup in front of me. I reached for the cup, but Trey was faster, grabbing the cup, removing the ball, and downing the beer.
“I had it,” I slurred. Shit.
“You’ve had a lot,” he said, before sinking the ball in a cup.
I pegged him with my eyes. “Stop drinking.” He didn’t drink. He wasn’t going to start now because of a stupid game.
“I—”
I held up my hand. “Just don’t do it again.”
Ralph’s ball landed in a cup. I swiped the ball from it, lifted the cup, and downed the beer.
“One more cup for both of us,” Everett called.
I lined up my shot and released the ball, sinking it.
Everett and Ralph groaned as Trey turned to me and wrapped his arms around me. I froze, my arms remaining at my sides. I didn’t want to like the hug, but god it felt good. Trey quickly released me, probably because I didn’t reciprocate the unexpected hug. Seemingly unfazed by my awkwardness, Trey turned to the guys and pounded their fists. “Thanks, guys.”
My shoulders dropped. My momentary excitement deflated. Another awkward encounter. What was going on with us?
Trey glanced over his shoulder as he began to walk away. “Come on, Brie.”
I said goodbye to Everett and Ralph before following alongside Trey.
“Let’s take a walk around the property,” he said. “See what’s going on.”