The Naughty One

by Michelle Love

  Her cell rings and she takes it out of her purse. I look at the screen and the word, ‘Mom’ shines out at me. “Tell her I said hi, love.”

  She answers the phone and I open the car door for her. She slides in behind the wheel. “Hi, Mom.”

  “Hi, baby. I have some news, are you sitting down?” her mother asks.

  As I pull my seatbelt on and listen to her voice a chill runs through me as its clearly shaky. “What’s wrong?” I ask.

  Donna’s voice breaks, and she starts to cry. “Your brother, Tyler, he was in an accident this morning on his way to work.”

  Peyton’s jaw tenses as she holds tight to the steering wheel. “Is he okay, Mom?”

  “He’s in surgery right now. It’s his back, the lower vertebrae have compression fractures. They have to fuse his bones together and put in some bone tissue from his hip bones, and…..” Donna breaks into sobs.

  Peyton’s eyes begin to shimmer. “I have to go be with my family, Kip.”

  I nod, I know she does. “Get out and let me drive.”

  Confusion fills her face. “You can go on the bus. I’ll catch up when my brother gets better.”

  “I’m not leaving you to deal with this alone. I’ll call Silas in a minute and tell him what’s happened.” I get out of the car and go around to open her door. She’s hung up the phone and as she gets out I pull her into a hug. “I’m so sorry, love.”

  She breaks down and I pick her up and carry her to the passenger side. Gently I place her on the seat and pull the seatbelt down and buckle her in. “Thank you. I can’t tell you how much this means to me. I’m a wreck.” She runs her hand over my cheek, and I take it and give it a kiss.

  “No worries, mate. That’s what couples do for each other.” I close the door and get in the driver’s seat then make the call that’s going to have my band and manager pissed at me.

  As I pull out of the parking lot and head back towards Austin, Silas answers his phone. “Yes, sir?”

  “I’ve bad news, Silas. Peyton’s brother was in an accident and is going into surgery for his back. I’m taking her back to Austin.”

  “No! I mean, no, you can’t. I’ll hire a driver to take her back and you come get on the bus. You have to do the show, Kip.”

  My head spins as he thinks I’m actually going to allow that. Peyton touches my hand. “It’s okay. I can drive on my own. Go to the bus, go with your band. It’s your job, Kip.” Tears cascade down her reddened cheeks and I wipe them away.

  “No, I’m going to take her. Once he’s out of surgery and we’re sure he’s going to be okay, we’ll catch up. Cancel the show or don’t I don’t care.” Reaching into the glove compartment I find a small package of tissues and hand them to her. Then I make my way to the highway.

  “You’ll be in breach of your contract if you don’t do as I’ve said, Kip. Her family is who she should be with anyway. She doesn’t have to have you with her. She’s a big girl, she can take care of herself and her parents will be there. Come and get on the bus. She said she understands.” Silas waits in silence for me to do what he’s said.

  “I can’t do it, man. Sorry, I’ll get back with you. If he gets out of surgery and things look alright, maybe I can fly up there in time to do some of the show anyway. The opening band can play longer, give them the heads up about it.” I look at Peyton who’s dabbing at her tears and wiping her nose and being so quiet. “Bye,” I say and hang up.

  Her voice shakes as she says, “You really should go with them. I don’t want you to get into trouble over me and my family’s problems.”

  “You’re my family, Peyton. My place is with you. If it were the other way around, wouldn’t you go with me?” I ask.

  She nods. “I don’t have anywhere else to be though. No one is threating me with a lawsuit if I don’t show up.”

  “Silas won’t sue me. He uses that as a threat, but he won’t. They can figure things out for Denver, and Cheyenne is three nights away. I should be able to make Cheyenne. I’m sure your brother will make it out of surgery fine. The man’s strong as a horse.”

  She laughs and smiles. “He is. I’m sure you’re right. Thank you for being here for me. I’ve never needed anybody more than I need you right now.”

  Her hand I give a quick kiss and smile even though I’ve lied. Silas is notorious for suing performers who break his contracts. His threats are anything but idle. The last guy who broke contract lives in a van on the beach in California.

  Part 7 Star Bursts

  Peyton

  Sterile air circulates around me and my family as we wait in a small waiting room for the surgeon to come and tell us the details of Tyler’s surgery. We’re packed in here like sardines as Levi brought his wife, Tanya and Blake brought his wife, Abby. Of course Tyler’s girlfriend, Samantha, is here and my parents.

  Kip ran out to get me a tea and I assume to call Silas as the man has threatened him with all types of things if he doesn’t make it to Denver tonight for the concert. I’ve told him to go on without me, but he refuses. I have to say I am glad he’s here though. Never did I think I’d actually feel a real need for anyone, other than my family.

  A monster sized clock ticks out the seconds on the wall, and I find it moves agonizingly slow. It’s been three hours since we arrived and still no word about Tyler. My stomach hurts as I think about him maybe being paralyzed.

  Kip appears and motions for me to come to him outside of the waiting room. I get up and go to him in the hallway. He hands me the cup and I can tell by his drooping mouth he had words with his manager.

  “I talked to Silas,” he says and fidgets with the lid of his cup of coffee.

  “You should go, Kip,” I say, but hate the fact I don’t really mean it.

  I’m not a person who usually says things that are untrue, but I don’t want to cause Kip trouble in his financial life. Although he has tons of money, the blow to his career if he’s taken to court over this would affect him for years to come.

  “I don’t want to, but I’m afraid he’s booked a private jet, and I have to be on it in four hours.” He takes my hand and holds it to his heart. “After the concert I’ll get back on the jet and come back to you. I’ve set you and your family up in a hotel, and I’ll be back around five in the morning. Then I don’t have to leave again for a couple of days. I’ll take the jet out to Cheyenne then and right back to you, once the concert is over. It’s the best I can do, love.”

  My heart is pounding at the thought of him doing so much flying back and forth for me. “Kip, that’s crazy. Just go on the bus with them. I’ll catch up to you once I know Tyler will be fine.”

  The words I’ve said kind of stick in my throat as I think about the fact Tyler may not ever be fine. The fact is he could die on the operating table or come out of there paralyzed.

  My knees buckle and I fall back against the wall. Kip’s strong arms go around me, holding me up as I begin to cry into his chest. “God damn it!” he says in a whisper. “I don’t want to leave you like this, baby.”

  “Get me away from the waiting room. I don’t want my crying to have a domino effect on the rest of my family,” I say quietly.

  Kip runs his arm around my shoulders and takes me down the hall until he sees another small, empty waiting room. “Here, love. Let’s sit down in here.”

  He takes the cup from my hand and puts the cups down and sets me on his lap. I bury my face in his neck and throw my arms around him. “He could die, Kip,” I say as I let it all loose. “Or he may never walk again.”

  He pats my back and hugs me tight as I cry. “Don’t think like that, love. He’s a tough guy. You have to try to think positive right now.”

  “What if I do and it hurts me even more if something horrible happens?” I ask through my sobs.

  His silence lets me know he has no answers and I don’t even know why I’m asking him anyway. Quietly he shushes me as he runs his hands over my back. “It’s going to be okay,” he says and then his lips touch th
e top of my head and I pull back and look at him.

  This is too much for how early on we are in this relationship. I’m asking too much from him. I choke back my sobs and try hard to stop crying. “I’m sorry, Kip. I’m so damn sorry. You barely know me and I’ve grabbed onto you like a drowning person, pulling you under with me. This isn’t your problem, and it’s making you have issues with your job. I’ll be fine, I have my family. Go do what you have to and don’t worry about me.” I try to get off his lap, but he holds me tight.

  “Peyton, stop,” he says and pulls me back into a hug. “I want to be here for you. I don’t care about anything else. I won’t go.”

  The knot in my stomach grows even bigger and I cry a lot harder. This isn’t what I want. Not one bit. I don’t want to be that girl who has to have a man by her through every little thing. I push hard on his chest and I suppose the suddenness of it has him letting me go.

  I stand up and run away. Down the hall, away from my family and Kip. I need to be alone. I’ve become too dependent on others. I should be able to stand on my own two feet and deal with this on my own.

  I can barely see through the tears and I run into something. A large hand grips my shoulder. A deep voice says, “Aren’t you with the Reed party? Isn’t Tyler someone to you?”

  I blink back the tears and try to stop crying as I look up at the blurry man in light green. “He’s my brother.” Just the mere words make me break down again and I feel an arm go around my shoulders.

  “You got her, son?” the man asks.

  Kip’s voice I hear. “I do. Do you have news on Tyler?”

  “I do,” the man who now I know is the surgeon who was operating on my brother says. “Come with me, I like to only say things once.”

  I lean against Kip as he follows the doctor. He hands me some tissues and I blow my nose and wipe my tears away. Back into the waiting room with my family we go.

  All eyes go to the doctor. “Hello, I’m Doctor Baker. I was one of the attending surgeons for Tyler. He is in ICU at this moment. He’ll be in there for most likely a week. He had a ruptured spleen which we repaired, a couple of cracked ribs and the compression fractures on the last two vertebrae. We took a bone graft from his left hip and used it to make a spinal fusion.”

  My mother gasps and starts to cry. Dad puts his arm around her and says, “That’s a lot of things, isn’t it Doc?”

  “It is, but I’ve seen worse. We’ll know in a few hours once the anesthesia wears off if he can move his legs. We know the upper part of his body is working, so that’s something.” The doctor pauses as he searches around the room. “And who is Samantha?”

  She raises her hand like a school kid. “That’s me.”

  The doctor pulls something out of his pocket and walks over to her. “Before we knocked him out, he asked me to give this to you. He said he’ll do it right once he can ask you in person, but he’d like you to wear this until then.” He hands her a black box.

  We all watch as she opens it and pulls out a diamond engagement ring. She bursts into tears and my brother Levi takes her in his arms and hugs her tight. “It’s all going to be okay, Samantha. You’re family now, we got you, kiddo.” He pulls back and his wife, Tanya, hands her some tissue.

  Tanya helps her put the ring on her finger and smiles. “Welcome to the family, sis.”

  My mother sniffles then asks, “When can we see him? I really need to see him.”

  The doctor turns to her. “You can go in two at a time in about two hours. My advice to you is to go get something to eat and return here with a lot of strength and hope. He needs you guys more than ever. I’ve noticed in other patients the ones with solid family strength do so much better than those with a bunch of weak family members who come in crying. So get it together and be strong for him. Remember that the most important thing is that he’s alive. The rest can be dealt with.”

  I nod in agreement and run my arm around Kip and lean into him even more. The doctor is right, Tyler is alive, and that’s what counts. Then Samantha breaks into sobs and Levi holds her up as she says, “I’m pregnant.”

  Everyone looks at her in stunned silence. Then Kip says, “Well, congratulations!”

  And here I go crying again!

  Kip

  I hold Peyton tight as I wait for the cab to come and pick me up to take me to the airport. Never have I ever wanted not to leave someone behind in my entire life.

  “I’ll be okay,” she says as she holds onto me. “You’ve made sure my family and I will be together at the hotel and it’s only a few minutes away. I can’t thank you enough for that.”

  “I’ll be back around five in the morning so make sure to answer your phone when I call so you can let me in.” I kiss the top of her head and hold her like I never want to let her go.

  The cab is pulling up and I cup the back of her head and pull her in to kiss me. Our lips touch and a heat spreads through me like wildfire. Her arms wrap tighter around me and mine her.

  Someone clears their throat. “Excuse me, did you call for a ride to the airport, sir?”

  Reluctantly, I release her lips and her body. “I’ll be back soon, love. Stay strong.”

  She nods and steps back. “Bye, Kip.”

  Her eyes are swollen and red-rimmed. I reach out and take her hand. “You know what? I can’t leave you yet. Ride with me to the airport and then the cab can bring you back here. Come, love.” I pull at her and she stands still.

  “I can’t leave, Kip. It’s about to be my turn to go in and see him. I won’t leave.” She pulls her hand out of mine and I feel alone. Completely alone even though she’s standing right in front of me. “Call me when you land safely, will you?”

  I nod and feel a lump forming in my throat. Something about this feels so wrong. “Peyton,” I say as she turns away to walk back inside the hospital. “I love you, baby.”

  She turns back and gives me a weak smile. “I love you too, Kip. Now go do what you have to and I’ll be here. See you in the morning unless you change your mind.”

  “I’m not changing my mind, love. See you then.” I get into the cab and feel like complete shit. The very first time she needs me and I have to go. My life is running me and I’m not happy about it.

  My cell rings and it is Silas. “Yeah,” I answer not stoked at all to be talking to him.

  “Hey, man, you on the way to the airport?”

  “Yes, boss. My girl is crying and at the most critical part of her life so far, but I am on my fuckin’ way. You got what you wanted. Now leave me the fuck alone. I’ll be there in time for the precious show.” I hang up and wish I could throw something.

  After the doctor informed us of how Tyler was, we all went out and ate. The looks Levi and Blake gave me when Peyton told them I got them all rooms near the hospital, but I would have to leave, showed the disappointment they had in me. Levi even came to me afterwards and asked me if there was no way I could make other arrangements so I could stay with Peyton.

  When I told him I had tried everything I could he let out a sigh that told me he saw how this would all end. I’m not a man who is available for her. I can’t always be around. Emergencies can’t stop my schedule. And I am not a person he thinks can be counted on.

  I’m not, it seems. Peyton deserves so much more. She deserves a man who can help her through the tough times in her life, and I can’t be that man. Maybe I should go on and do the tour and leave her alone. Maybe she’s better off without a man who can’t be there when she needs him.

  My father’s face runs through my head and I pick up my cell and give him a call. His voice sounds cheerful as he answers. “Hey there, son. How’s it hanging?”

  “Not so great, Pop.” I hesitate as that damn lump moves up in my throat. “Peyton’s brother was in an accident and he’s in the hospital.”

  “That’s awful. Is he going to be okay?” he asks.

  “He’s alive, but they aren’t sure if his legs are going to work. They won’t know for another few
hours. The doctor had told us it would be sooner, but he couldn’t move them when they checked.”

  “How’s Peyton doing?” Pop asks.

  “Not well. And I had to leave. She and her family looked at me with such disappointment, Pop. I can’t really take it. I think she might be better off with someone who can be there for her.”

  “And why can’t you be there, Kip?” he asks.

  “The damn tour. Silas is holding me to the contract. He actually told me her family is really none of my concern. If it were you or Mum then he could cut me a break, but since it’s not a member of my family he can’t let me out of the concert tonight, or any of them.”

  “I told you not to sign with that jackass. So, you left her there?”

  “I had to. What else could I do? She has to be there for her family and she wants to be nowhere else and I don’t blame her. It’s sinking in really fast just how out of control my life is and I’m realizing it’s not a life I should involve anyone in.” Even as the words leave my mouth my heart tells me to stop thinking this way, but my brain tells me I have to.

  Pop sighs and says, “Maybe this is all happening too fast, you know? Maybe it would best for you to do what you have to and if she’s the right one she’ll be there in the end. Your life is complicated, and she needs to know that and see if it’s something she even wants. The life you’re leading right now isn’t a life everyone wants.”

  “I need to let her have a choice, don’t I?” I ask, but I know the answer.

  “It’s something I think is the right thing to do. If she wants to be there for her family, she can’t go on the road with you. You shouldn’t pull her right now. Let her do what she feels she needs to, and I bet that’s being there for her family,” Pop says.

  “You’re right. I’ll talk to her about things tomorrow. I have a couple of days to spend with her and maybe things will work and maybe they won’t. I can’t take her away from those she loves and love her at such a difficult time in their lives. Thanks for the talk, Pop. Love you, bye.”