Knox (BBW Bear Shifter Moonshiner Romance) (120 Proof Honey)

by Becca Fanning

  “Yeah! That’s it! I mean, it’s not my cup of tea, but our readers will eat it up. Five handsome young country boys up on a stage with their cowboy hats and GEDs,” Josh said, holding up his hands in his defense, “or maybe they’re MIT graduates. I have no idea. Neither does anyone else. That’s why you’ve gotta get the scoop and get it now.”

  “Yes. No. Wait, what?” Nicole sputtered. “This is not what we discussed!”

  “Huh? You said interview series. Who better to interview-”

  “This series is not for the stars!” Nicole said, her hand slapping down on Josh's desk. “It’s a series for those behind the success of the stars. I am talking producers, video directors, cinematographers, make-up artistes, and song writers. The people who never get written about.”

  Josh looked at her levelly. “There’s a reason they’re not written about. There is no way I could agree to dedicate an entire segment to that. Come on. This is a music magazine for Pete’s sake. Our covers sell our magazines and you want us to have a cover with a fat neck-bearded man at an audio mixing station?”

  “It’s something real, Josh. All these people who help and support these few stars. Without these people the stars wouldn’t be stars,” she said, rubbing her sore palm.

  Josh's face softened. “Nik, people love the stars. Whether or not you are willing to accept it, they don’t care very much for other things. We don’t make the demand, we only give them what they demand.”

  “That is where you are wrong. People do care about these people and if they don’t, it’s high time we made them. These people need to be recognized and celebrated,” she said, her righteous indignation already fading. She felt disappointed, but mostly she felt embarrassed.

  “I run a music magazine here, not a peer reviewed journal.” Josh retorted and then he let the silence in the room build. “Look, we can’t keep going at this. We’ll discuss this when you get back from your tour with The Solid Oaks. Right now is too late to change any plans. Get me something good, something really juicy and I’ll see about this expose of yours.”

  “I…” she started to say but he held his hand up shushing her.

  “I’m not promising anything but we’ll see. Spend a week over there. That should be enough time to embed with them and get into their good graces. See the beginning of the tour, live a little with them, write.”

  Nicole sighed. There was no use arguing about this. She had no choice but take this offer and hope that something good would come of it. Until then she could only hope. If she didn’t agree, Josh might as well had the project to someone else and she would lose everything. Better to endure. “Fine. I’ll do it. But I want to reopen talks the minute I get back.”

  “We can see about that. Now note, I said ‘talk’. I didn’t say we have agreed on anything.”

  “Fine. When am I expected?”

  “I just got off the phone with the group’s manager. You’re due there tonight.”

  “What?! A flight to Georgia? It’s almost noon!”

  “We’re both excited about this and we don’t want anything delayed. This is good for us both. Their tour starts the day after tomorrow and I see no better opportunity to get all you need than this tour. You see them all the time, you live them, and you breathe same air. That translates into a feature that will move copies!”

  It was one thing to be given a different assignment than you hoped. It was something altogether to be given it with zero notice. Here’s your assignment Nicole, now get on the plane! What if she had things to do? What if she was married with kids and needed to see to her family’s needs? Well that was it, right? He saw her as some single girl who would sacrifice everything for her work. Never mind that he was right: she couldn’t let him have this so easily. “You do realize that this means disrupting all my plans, right?” she said.

  “I do and I appreciate all that you do.” He opened his drawer, got out an envelope and handed it to her. “Some petty cash to cover any expenses you might run into. Your ticket will be waiting for you at the airport.”

  “I can’t believe I am agreeing to this. I haven’t even eaten yet,” she muttered under her breath. “Now I have to pack. Ugh!”

  “No pouting, Nik,” Josh said, cracking a smile.

  “Kiss my ass.”

  “Tick-tock, young lady.”

  “Fine!” she said, storming out of Josh's office.

  She hailed a cab and got home in time for a quick shower and a rushed packing. She didn’t know what to expect on the tour so she did the exact opposite of what she did at work- packed everything that she felt was potentially useful. Her phone rang. It was Josh.

  “Yeah?” she said into the phone.

  “At the airport yet?”

  “No. And I won’t make it in time if you keep calling me.”

  “I’ve only called once and it’s a mobile phone. It doesn’t affect your walking. I’ll be texting you your pick-up’s number. Just in case you don’t see him the instant you land. But I doubt you’d have to search for him.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Have a safe trip.”

  “Bye.”

  Nicole stuffed her phone in her bag. This was no dream. It was really happening. She had to get grip of herself and quickly too. She dragged her suitcase out into the hall and locked her apartment door.

  This tour had better be worth it.

  The first thing that hit Nicole was that she had made terrible decisions when it came to the outfits she had packed. The only word that came to mind now that she was here was ‘cold’. She knew there was only so much the light sweater she had in her suitcase could do. She silently cursed Josh for not giving her enough time to prepare. If she did, she would have had enough time to google the climate conditions. She had never been to Dahlonega, GA in her whole life and as her tough luck would have it, the band decided to kick-off their tour at their origins. And their origins were deep in the Appalachian Mountains. High altitude and wind that could cut right through you. And that’s what it did as she waited in the semi-covered vestibule outside the airport terminal, waiting for her ride. If it is this cold by afternoon, it’s going to be brutal by night or even dawn!

  She looked around again to see if there was anyone who even remotely looked like he was looking for someone. Nothing. She had been waiting for about thirty minutes now without any sign of the person that was to pick her up and she was beginning to get uncomfortable. One taxi pulled up and she started to walk towards it, but the driver got out and greeted a man who came out behind her. She got out her phone and dialed the number Josh had texted her. This was ridiculous.

  The phone rang twice before it went to voicemail. She dialed the number again only to hit the machine straight up this time with an automated response that the phone was now off. Nicole felt anger rush up her spine. She couldn’t believe the audacity of this. He had ended the call and turned off his phone, whoever it was.

  Another thirty minutes went by and there was still no sign of this person. She felt her blood boil over in spite of the cold. If they didn’t want her to do the interview, they could have just turned it down. She was cold and tired and still had no clear idea of what the days to come held for her. She watched as more people stomped out of the terminal and then dispersed, leaving her to wait. She didn’t want to call Josh, but she didn’t have any options. She whipped out her phone and called her boss. He answered on the third ring.

  “Settling in well?” he answered right away.

  “Oh yeah, it’s great. Did you know that airport security will give you the evil eye if you stand around outside their terminal too long? Maybe if I’m lucky I’ll get kidnapped by a hillbilly with no teeth.”

  “Wait, what’s going on?” He sounded genuinely concerned. “Are you ok?”

  “No one’s come to pick me up! Your guy is a no show. I’ve been waiting for an hour. My calls to him are going straight to voicemail. Phone’s off. ”

  “Shit.”

  “Is there anyone I can call?
I’m cold and tired and kind of freaking out here. I don’t see a Starbucks. I don’t think they have Starbucks here, Josh!”

  “Just relax. Sit tight. I’ll call Ben now. Just give me five minutes. Maybe less.”

  “Who in the hell is Ben?”

  “The group’s manager.”

  “Just do something soon please? I have a real pretty mouth and that’s not a good thing to have here!”

  “Hang in there. Don’t get into any strange vans or pickup trucks, no matter how much candy is offered.” he said.

  “Great. Thanks,” she replied and ended the call. She felt mentally drained already. To think that she hadn’t even started working yet. She sank onto a bench and felt the cold metal bite into her butt through her jeans. She felt her phone vibrate against her thigh and she hurriedly answered Josh's call.

  “Someone will be with you soon,” he said.

  “Someone? Like the someone who was supposed to meet up with me?” She sighed. “I’m sorry,” she added quickly. “I’m just very tired and cranky.”

  “It’s alright. Ben is coming to get you himself this time.”

  “Thanks a million, Josh.”

  “You’re welcome. Call me when you are rested.”

  “Did you say call you when I’m arrested?!”

  “What? No. Call me when you’ve rested. Slept. Napped.”

  “Oh, ok. Bye,” Nicole said.

  “Bye.”

  She folded her hands in her laps once more and waited for her savior to arrive. She was too tired to hope he would show up so she just sat gazing, yet not seeing, the people that passed by her. She fought to keep her eyes open when a voice jolted her back to reality.

  “Are you Nicole?” the voice said.

  She looked towards the direction the voice came from and saw a man approaching her, stepping up onto the curb. She sat up quickly and gave the man a once over. Broad shouldered and easily over six feet tall. He wore black jeans and a white t-shirt which framed a body used to hard work. He had a pair of sunglasses in his hand, which he put on once she looked over at him.

  “That’s me!” she replied and got on her feet. He was cute in a baby boy manner and she felt herself soften a little, some of her anger fizzling out. If this young man was the manager of the band, then he must be pretty good. Just the kind of person she needed in her expose.

  “I’m Greg. I’m really sorry you had to wait so long before anyone got out here to get you.”

  “Oh. I tried calling you as soon as I landed.”

  “That wasn’t me. That was Michael.”

  “Oh.” She was confused already and she didn’t bother to hide it. That made it three names in just a couple of minutes. “Michael?”

  “Michael was supposed to pick you up but he was…indisposed. Then I guess your boss called Ben, who called me because I was closer. So, here we are.”

  “Oh.” She said again.

  “Can we get going? We’ll talk on the way. That yours?” he asked, pointing at her suitcase and she nodded in assent. He picked it up and held out an arm to her amusement.

  Maybe this would not be so terrible after all. It’d been a long time since she’d had a gentleman walk with her like this. A life dedicated to her career didn’t allow her to meet gentlemen.She laughed, put her hand through the crook of his arm and left the terminal she hoped to never see again.

  Dahlonega was remote. Very remote. But God, it was beautiful. Lush spruce trees towered ten stories high everywhere she looked. The winding twisting roads that ran through the mountains switched back and forth, making her delirious. Just when she thought she’d seen it all, there would be a break in the trees and suddenly this majestic vista would open up, stretching out for hundreds of miles. The setting sun gave everything a purple glow.

  Tired as she was, she found herself chatting up with Greg throughout the drive to the band’s house. He had a charm about him. Boy, did he ever! She found herself laughing at all his jokes and even wiping up one or two stray tears that got loose because she was laughing too hard. And he wasn’t trying too hard to impress. He was just that smooth.

  “You’re pretty cool.” She said eventually.

  “Cool? I’m awesome.” He replied with a throaty laugh.

  “No, really. One would think you’d have your guard up, what with me being a journalist and all. Are you all like that?”

  “No, not everyone is as awesome as I am. But really, I can’t help being me. I fail to realize most times that my life, our life, is now public knowledge and I can’t stop being myself. It’s who I am. I am who I am.”

  “I like that. I think we could use that, Greg.”

  “Hmm. Ever the journalist, aren’t you?”

  “It’s what I am paid to do. It’s why I’m here. Like you, I can’t help but be who I am.”

  “So is this how you operate? Get a guy all loose and comfortable then dig in to find those juicy details? You’re good. I’m onto you, so it won’t work. But you are good.”

  “Thanks.” She replied and smiled. “Are the others just as unrestrained as you are?”

  “You’d have to ask them yourself.”

  “So, off the record, is there anyone in particular that I might have a problem with?”

  “We were on the record the whole time?”

  “Maybe not the whole time.”

  “Just a heads up, but Michael could do without the attention. Doesn’t like the fact that his life is all out there for the world to see now.”

  “Any advice?”

  “Just be you, no pretense, and you’ll be fine. We could be a crazy bunch sometimes.”

  “Noted.”

  “You’re good to meet the group,” he said, pulling up to a large wooden gate stretching across the dirt road.

  Beyond it, through the trees, Nicole could make out the outline of the large building at the heart of the compound. Like a log cabin fortress on top of this mountain, it had a certain raw dominance that was both impressive and arrogant.

  How fitting.

  “She’s here!” Greg announced as he led Nicole in through the front door of the large mountaintop building. He put her suitcase down in the foyer and excused himself quickly, darting to a nearby bathroom while still wearing his sunglasses.

  Nicole stood there awkwardly as two men emerged from the kitchen in the back.

  Deep blue eyes stared back at her as she was waiting to be introduced to the band. The eyes smiled at her like their owners, these handsome men with big, happy voices that made the ladies melt into goo. They all had similar features. Tall, broad shouldered, barrel chested and hairy with smiles that were welcoming and jovial. The kind of smile that gave you hope and made tomorrow look beautiful regardless. It was no wonder they amassed such a huge following in such little time. Nicole couldn’t help but be taken by their hospitality and positivity. Californians were friendly, but not like this.

  Greg rejoined them from the bathroom, no longer wearing his sunglasses. “Alright you animals, this is Nicole. Nicole, these are the animals,” Greg was saying when another one of them walked in. “Ah! Here he is. Meet Ben. He’s our manager and the eldest of the Clan.”

  Ben gave Greg a strange look, but before Nicole could consider what it meant he took her hand in his. His grip was firm yet protective. “I’m really sorry it took so long to get you here. I had no idea Michael would be a no show. That’s not how we treat our guests.”