*****
Walking down the hospital corridor, Chris tried to prepare himself for meeting his half sister. Bridgette also said she had two other kids: a boy named Zach who was thirteen, and Miriam, nine.
What was so wrong with their family that she had to walk away and find something else? His body zipped with frustration and the wait for answers. He knew where her priorities went.
“Hey, Lissy.” Bridgette knocked quietly on a hospital room door before entering. “I have a few visitors. Your brother Chris and sister Melody are here.” She spun and gestured for them to enter.
He spotted a frail girl in a bed, pulling headphones off her head. She looked a lot like their mother. Blue-green eyes searched his before Lissy flicked her gaze to Melody. “Hi,” she whispered.
“Hi, Lissy. It's good to meet you.” Melody stepped forward and closed the distance between them. “What were you listening to?”
Good old Melody, the one who could break the ice easily. He was glad for that. Chris still had no idea what the hell to say.
“Bare My Soul from Kyra Sanders. I can't wait until the whole album is out, but at least I have a chance to buy a few of the songs beforehand.” Lissy stared up at her with curiosity.
Ahh. There was the Kyra fan. No wonder Bridgette stumbled over her words earlier. She hadn't wanted to get into the subject of why they were here and what she wanted yet.
Melody pulled up a chair beside her. “I'm totally not telling you this to try and impress you, but I know Kyra personally.”
“No. Freaking. Way!” Lissy's eyes grew wide. “How?”
“Well, I'm in a local Texas band. Our keyboard player's cousin is dating Kyra. Her family lives close to our town, so when Kyra visited Texas last year, we met. She's actually taking us on tour with her this summer.”
“You're totally a celebrity! How cool is that?” Lissy squealed. Then she glanced past Melody, her eyes on him now.
Well, time to say something. “Hi, Lissy. How are you doing?” Eh, that wasn't good. He couldn't think of something else, though. Better than nothing at all.
“I've been better.” She half smiled. “Thanks for coming to meet me.”
A series of images flashed in his mind. Things that he pictured as Lissy's life. He didn't know much about her disease, but obviously it was bad enough that she needed a bone marrow transplant. She was skinny and pale, but in decent spirits. He made the decision right then and there to go ahead and test, and if he was a match, he'd do it. Would he forgive Bridgette for what she did? Maybe, maybe not. Only time and a valid explanation would tell. This whole thing put things in even more perspective for him.
Chapter Seventeen
T-minus two hours before the live performance tonight, and Taryn was a nervous wreck. She had to remind herself several times that what happened last time was a fluke and she had nothing to worry about. She had just finished pulling her wet locks in a ponytail when her phone rang. Chris' number showed up on caller ID. “Hi! How are you?” she answered, eager to hear his voice.
“It's been interesting, to say the least.” He sounded frustrated, and it worried her. “I just called to say have a great show. I wish I could be there to see it. You know you rock, right?”
“Hmm. Not always.” Taryn played coy, unsure how to react to his compliment.
“Yeah, well I say you do always.”
“And who are you to say it always?” she teased.
“The guy who wants you to see how perfect you are.” His response was soft and left an imprint on her worn out soul.
“You're a smooth talker, huh?” she quipped, setting her brush down.
“No, just being honest. One day, I'll show you all that you are from my eyes. I'll keep doing it day after day until you realize that you're just what I need.”
“That 'one day' you speak of could take a while.” His words were heartwarming, but Taryn had a hell of a time coming even close to believing them. Maybe she wasn't meant to, but for someone to say things like this to her seemed so damn foreign and odd.
“That's okay. Until then, I can spend time with you and continue luring you to the Chris Roland side of things.”
He managed to get another laugh out of her. “You crack me up. What side is that?”
“The side that says you and I should give us a shot.” His answer came back quick. No hesitation at all.
“Taryn? Ready to go so we can grab dinner?” Kyra called from the other room.
“I'll be there in a minute!” she called back. “Gotta go, Chris. Thanks for calling. I'm so nervous tonight.”
“Don't be. I'm not there to ruin your night,” he joked.
“So not funny!” But it didn't stop a burst of giggles from escaping her lips anyway.
“But you laughed!”
“Yeah, I did. Guess I'm twisted that way.”
“I like that about you. I'll let you go, but know that I'm thinking about you.”
Damn it, yeah, that gave her the warm and fuzzies. “Thank you. It means a lot.”
“Have a great night. I think I said that already. I can't wait to see you when I get home, Taryn.” His tone was filled with wistfulness.
“Have a good rest of your trip,” she said softly.
“Yeah, I'll try. Thanks. Go kick some butt, drummer girl.”
They hung up, and a smile lingered on her face. She did wonder about his trip and why he sounded so off, though. It couldn't be easy seeing the mother who abandoned you at a young age. She'd have the same feeling if she were face to face with her mother again, though the circumstances were different.
“Taryn? Everything okay?” Kyra appeared in the doorway.
“Yeah, I'm fine. Sorry. I was on the phone with Chris.” She stuffed her phone in her purse and repositioned her chair to wheel out of the room. “He called to say good luck tonight.”
“I'm beginning to like that guy.” Kyra grinned, then clapped a hand to her mouth. “Saying it that way makes it seem like I didn't. Oops.” She stifled a giggle. “You know what I mean, though.”
“He wants to see where things go. With us, I mean. More than friends.” Taryn's words came out in fractured parts, unable to put anything together correctly. Chris had that effect on her.
“Go for it,” Kyra said softly, touching her shoulder. “I mean, if you like him, which it seems to me like you do.”
“He makes it hard not to. At first, I wasn't sure about him. He was just kinda … there. But getting to know him has been one surprise after another. There's one major thing that gets to me. He's so physical. In that way.” What the hell was she, a little virgin teenager? Geez, why couldn't she say sexually active? She'd mentioned this to Kyra before a little. It embarrassed her, but the subject weighed heavily on her mind.
“It's obvious he's changed. He was casual with Alice until you two started hanging out. I think Chris is finding another side, one he wants to share with you. It's the first time I've really seen him come out of his shell since I've met him. I say at least give it a shot. I know, your heart is fragile. Believe me, I get it. But I have to say I love seeing this happy side of you when you come home from being out with him.”
“Are you two gabbing again?” Matt asked from behind Kyra.
“Yes.” Taryn giggled. “Okay, point taken. Let's go put on a show.”
*****
“We have a special guest on stage with us tonight. Our back up singer, Melody, is out of town with her brother, so I hope you don't mind if I ask Miss Kyra Sanders to come up on the stage. What say you, Harmony's Echo? Do you want Kyra to sing with us?” Avery raised her microphone in the air, aiming it toward the crowd. The audience roared to life, giving their approval. Taryn pounded out a simple rhythm to add a little fun tension.
Kyra jumped up on stage and took a mic. “I'm glad to be here performing with Baby Stetson. Thank you for the warm reception. How are you doing tonight?”
Again, the room lit up in cheers and applause. After all the years away and Kyra's major bo
ut of stage fright due to her anxiety, she still had one hell of a stage presence. Any traces of the fear she'd had were definitely not evident tonight. Taryn was proud of her.
“So, I know you've been spoiled rotten with this band for so long. I have one question: Do you mind if I borrow Baby Stetson for the summer? I have a tour coming up, and I'd love for them to be my opening act.” Kyra and Avery stood side by side, and she slid an arm around Avery's shoulder.
“I think they like the idea,” Jameson said as he strummed a few chords on his guitar.
“Yeah, it sure sounds like it. I appreciate it, Harmony's Echo!” Kyra laughed, then spun around on stage. “I promise I'll bring them back in good condition. I'm not one of those borrowers who wears and tears. Consider this my official announcement. Baby Stetson is definitely my opening act for the Bare My Soul tour! I know we have a stop somewhere nearby, too. Check my website for full details as they come in.”
The audience laughed, then went wild with the second part of Kyra's statement.
“Well that's good to know, but we might have too many antics planned for pranks,” Randy piped up, hitting a few keys. “You can ask my fiancée. I'm a major prankster.”
“That's all right. Nothing I can't handle.” Kyra laughed. “You'd be surprised at the kind of pranks I pull. Consider this your warning. The challenge is on, Baby Stetson!”
“I'm more than stoked about this opportunity. Looking forward to a fun filled summer on your Bare My Soul tour. What do you say we kick off the concert with a Kyra Sanders song? A little tribute to our friend for being awesome?” Avery pumped up the audience.
Taryn launched into her drum intro to Kyra's When You Get Me, one of her older tracks. So far, so good. It was only the start of the show, but the upbeat enthusiasm from everyone helped. No one said a thing to her about what transpired here last weekend. Worked for her. If she could pretend it never happened, then the incident would eventually be forgotten, replaced by better memories.
I'm that girl who will laugh and cry
All in the same instance
When I tell you what I need to say
I'll always mean it
I'm a little wild when I'm with my best friends
I burst out in song over everything
but the fun never ends.
I'm as young at heart as it gets
Unpredictable and free
That's what to expect
when you get me
But I will love you
with all that I have
I try to give more than I receive
that's what you get
when you get me
I wear my heart out on my sleeve
Write the words that mean so much to me
Sometimes I'm irrational and insecure
That can't be too hard to believe
Unpredictable and free
That's what to expect
when you get me
But I will love you
with all that I have
I try to give more than I receive
that's what you get
when you get me
About halfway through the show, Taryn finally felt at ease again. Yep, definitely a fluke. She'd reacted to Chris and had a slip up. She was still at the top of her game. A small bout of paranoia hit her, and she continued to check in between songs that her brakes were on.
After Avery went around introducing the band members as they played a solo, she moved over to the bass guitar player Marty. He played a wicked rhythm until he froze, completely knocked off kilter. Taryn couldn't tell what was wrong from behind, but something seemed to get to him.
Huh. Interesting. Avery reacted as well, but she didn't let on easily. She just moved on to Randy and took the spotlight off Marty.
Other than that curious moment, the rest of the show went well. The audience seemed to eat it up that Kyra performed with the band, and she made it a lot of fun. Kyra and Avery were dynamite on stage, and it was epic to see the power they had together.
After ending the show, everyone gathered in the back room to wind down, and that's when Taryn got the story from Marty.
“I swear I saw my brother in the crowd. When you introduced me and the spotlight hit me, I saw him. The way he looked at me, man, it scared the crap out of me.” Marty apologized to them. “It's been happening a lot lately. I keep thinking I see him, but nothing comes out of it. I feel like a paranoid freak.”
“What? Is he out already? I know you mentioned him last year,” Avery said calmly.
Taryn had no idea what he meant, but obviously the situation had him completely rattled, and Marty didn't seem the type to rattle easily.
“I don't know. I never heard anything, but I can't get the way the man looked at me out of my head. I guess I could be way off base. I haven't seen him in years, but that face, his expression...” Marty shuddered. “I guess I'm heading home to do some searching on the computer and make a few calls, not that I expect to get answers tonight. This has been happening to me for a while, but tonight's was the worst. I almost ran off stage.”
“Are you afraid of him? Do you think he'll do anything?” Jameson asked. “You're more than welcome to stay with one of us tonight, if you want.”
“I don't know what I feel, other than rattled. If you don't mind me staying with one of you, then I'll take you up on it. Considering the last time I saw him was in court when I told them exactly what he did, I have reason to worry. He didn't look happy. Maybe I'm just hallucinating, but...” He shook his head. “I can't imagine they'd let him out early.”
“Time off for good behavior?” Randy suggested.
Taryn exchanged a bewildered glance with Kyra, who seemed to be unsure as well. At least Taryn wasn't the only one.
“You nailed it tonight! Good going, guys!” Matt entered the room, full of cheer and excitement as he made a beeline for Kyra. He stopped short at the serious nature of the mood. “What's going on?”
Marty sighed, running his guitar pick across his arm, then shook his head, brown hair falling over his right side. “Not everyone knows this story. I witnessed my brother commit a crime years ago and testified against him. I thought I saw him in the crowd tonight. This isn't the first time, either.”
*****
By Saturday night, Chris still wasn't any closer to getting any answers from Bridgette. To add insult to injury, she'd put them up at a hotel and not her house. So far she hadn't brought them to her house yet to introduce her to the family, but she came by to take them out during the day. She hadn't even asked outright about their decision on Lissy. He'd made his decision, and he wasn't sure about Melody, but he had a feeling she'd do it, too. The girls bonded over music, especially Kyra. Chris had a harder time connecting with Lissy, but then again, he had a hard time bonding with anyone lately, so it came as no surprise.
After he'd called Taryn, Bridgette knocked on the hotel room door. “I'd like to invite you to the house for dinner and to meet the rest of my … the family. Then we can talk. I mean really talk. I wanted to enjoy some time with the two of you today before we got down to the nitty gritty. Call it selfish, but I needed it.”
Damn right he'd call it selfish. A thousand times selfish. Bridgette insisted they call her just that- Bridgette. She walked away twenty years ago and only saw fit to call when her new family needed help. Chris wouldn't take it out on Lissy, but Bridgette was another story all together.
Still, he bit his tongue. No use in getting all bent out of shape over what he had no control over.
“We'd … I'd like that,” Melody clarified, obviously taking Chris' silence as hesitation. In a way it was, but it wouldn't stop him from going.
Bridgette set her gaze on him.
“I'm game.” He tried to sound indifferent. Chris shoved his hands in his pockets, staring his mother right back in the eye. She held her own for a good while before blinking and turning away.
She must know his semi-hostile stance wouldn't go away any time soon. Wha
t would she have to say that would ever change his mind about the way he felt?
“And … depending on how you feel after we talk, you're welcome to spend the night. Bring your bags with, if you want, and if you feel you need to get away, then I'll just bring all of it back with you.”
Now this whole thing had him curious. Was it so bad that she already thought they'd want to get far away from her?
Twenty minutes later, Bridgette pulled up in front of her house. A two-story ranch style home. Hell, she even had the white picket fence. Was the grass greener on the other side? A tire swing hung from the large oak tree. Acid churned in Chris' gut.
This house was nothing like the one they'd grown up in. Why he thought to compare, Chris didn't know, but there it was.
“Where did you meet him?” Chris blurted. “Your husband, I mean.”
“He was m … a doctor.” Bridgette killed the engine. “Ready to go meet everyone?” She didn't bother waiting for an answer before climbing out of the car and heading up the walkway.
Chris exchanged a glance with his sister before they followed.
“I'm home!” Bridgette announced as she opened the front door. “Zach? Miriam? Spencer?”
“Out here, babe!” a deep baritone voice called from a distance.
The smell of barbecue filled the house as they moved further to the back yard. Chris caught a glimpse of Bridgette's new husband. He had his back to them, but the man wore his dark hair long, halfway down his back. He was tall and muscular. Not what he expected, but then again, Chris wasn't sure what to expect, either.
As they stepped out on the wooden deck, he took in his surroundings. The sprinklers were on, and the youngest ran around in her swimsuit, shrieking and trying to throw water on her brother, who seemed to have no interest in getting wet.
“Hey hon. We're back.” Bridgette slid her arms around her husband from behind, but it didn't last long. He turned around and stared at Chris and Melody with curious eyes. “This is Chris and Melody. And this,” she pressed a kiss to the man's cheek, having to step on her tip toes to do so, “is my husband Spencer.”
Offbeat (Love and Music In Texas Book 5) Page 17