Hot Southern Mess (Hide Your Crazy)

by Hardenbrook, T. A.

  “Tired?” Reid asked, sitting down across from me.

  I made a grunting noise and continued to inhale my cup of coffee. I figured by the third cup I might be back to the civilian world again.

  “So, after tonight’s performance we get two days off. Sounds nice huh?” Reid mentioned casually.

  Hearing the magical words two days off meant I could peacefully sleep on the right bus, give Simon some much needed attention, and even possibly shower. How did I not realize we had two days off?

  “You didn’t know?”

  “Nope, I kind of live day to day with Stephanie’s schedule,” I replied.

  “So she speaks; I was beginning to think you had gone mute.” Reid laughed, kicking his feet up on the sofa next to me.

  “Sorry, I’m not real pleasant in the morning.”

  “Wouldn’t have guessed.”

  “Oh shut up,” I moaned, downing the rest of the cup of goodness.

  “I think we are stopping in Flagstaff for a night, want to grab dinner while we are off the bus?”

  My heart lurched and my mind raced. Reid was asking me to grab dinner with him. Holy flying pancakes, what in the world do I do?

  “Did someone say dinner?” Brody grumbled, stumbling out to the couches and flopping himself down next to me. I watched as Reid’s eyes narrowed at his band member’s eyes and a cold stare developed between them.

  “We were just talking about the stop in Flagstaff. It would be nice to get off this bus and not in an area of screaming girls for once.” I laughed, trying to break the tension between them.

  “Well, tell me where and when. I’m always game for a good meal,” Brody commented, smacking the top of my thigh as he smiled. The interaction between both of them was almost childish, like one of them had taken the other’s favorite toy and was parading it around in front of them.

  Suddenly, Reid stood and stomped to the back of the bus, not uttering another word. Brody started to laugh hysterically, casually leaning into my personal space a bit too much.

  “What in the world was that?”

  “You, Miss Molly. That deal, was about you.” Brody continued to laugh while getting up and heading over to the kitchen.

  Me? Call me stupid, but I don’t think what just happened had anything to do with me.

  I didn’t see Reid the rest of the afternoon, as I busied myself with getting everything Stephanie asked me to do accomplished with utter perfection. I wanted her to be able to trust me in any situation, thus making sure all the Is were dotted and ts were crossed made me feel like I had come down with a case of obsessive compulsive disorder. That, and having it all done a little early gave me the chance to shower and spend more than five minutes getting ready. I am a simple girl, but I would like more than two shakes of a snail’s tail to pull myself together.

  I was just finishing setting up a hospitality table when PD walked through the door. The tray hit the table with a clang when I caught the eyes of Brantley, walking into the room all enchanting and shit. I had to remind myself to wipe the drool that was trailing down my face from staring at his tattoo sleeve. What a complete sucker I was for a man with tattoos. Nothing was sexier than a man with ink on his skin, and by golly Brantley’s sleeve was mouthwatering.

  “So, I hear you can play,” Brantley said across the room, slowly closing the gap between us.

  It took a moment to realize he was talking to me; for some reason I couldn’t tear myself away from the dark images that swirled around his upper arm.

  “Um…………..yeah I can play,” I managed to stammer out. Why must I always make a complete ass out of myself in front of hot men?

  “What are your plans tonight? Want to play with us tonight after the concert?”

  “Um………..sure. Where at?”

  “Meet us on the bus after the concert.” Brantley winked at me and flashed a smile.

  “Okay,” I stuttered. Why in the world was I nervous? Brantley quickly leaned in and placed a quick kiss to my cheek, instantly sending me into a head to toe full on blush. I am absolutely ridiculous. “I’ve got to get cleaned up, so I guess I’ll see you tonight?”

  “Looking forward to it,” Brantley replied while licking his lips.

  Someone punch me, preferably not in the face.

  Stepping out of the small shower, I could hear Black Laden kicking ass in the arena. I knew they just started their set, so I still had forty-five minutes before I needed to be backstage again. Quickly, I towel dried my hair and wrapped it tightly around my body to venture out and grab some clean clothes. As I was staring at the duffle bag of clothes I had brought in earlier, I couldn’t decide what to wear tonight. It’s not like I needed to impress anyone, so a pair of black yoga pants shouldn’t be a problem. Tossing on a plain grey long sleeve, I headed back into the bathroom to dry my unruly hair.

  “Molly, I need you!” Stephanie shrieked inside the bus.

  Quickly, I shut off the dryer and scurried to the front of the bus. I probably looked like a hot wet mess, and silently prayed Stephanie wouldn’t need me for anything serious.

  “Good, you are dressed. I need you to go with one of the production assistants and pick up my rental car. Apparently they sent the keys over earlier cause someone at the office said I would be picking it up,” Stephanie sneered, tossing the keys up at me.

  “Right now?” I mumbled, barely catching the keys in my hand.

  “Yes, right now. I need to get on the road for Flagstaff tomorrow morning.”

  If she wasn’t leaving until tomorrow, then why did she need the car right now? I pondered asking her that question, but soon realized that would only lead to a verbal ass chewing, and I would rather skip that tonight.

  “Come give me the keys when you get back, and hurry please.”

  “Okay,” I replied, realizing that my appearance was going to be as good at it got tonight. Hurrying back to my bunk, I grabbed a clean pair of socks and threw my favorite chucks on. Tossing an old Black Sabbath sweatshirt over my head, I hurried off the bus to find Pete, the second production assistant, to take me to the rental place.

  “Where are you going?” Brantley’s voice came up behind me. Instantly, I whirled around to see a still sweaty and fantastic Brantley walking toward me.

  “I have to go get Stephanie’s rental car.”

  “Oh, want me to take you?”

  “It’s okay, they said Pete would drive me over,” I replied, nervously trying to flatten my now curly mess that was my hair.

  “Seriously, it’s no big deal. Go grab the keys and I’ll drive,” Brantley says with that lopsided grin that does numbers on my heart.

  “Don’t you want to clean up?”

  “I can do it later. Hurry up; we have to find this place before the concert’s over.”

  I let a smile creep across my face and I nodded my head. My heart was torn in two for both leading men on this tour, however I was certain with at least one of them the feelings were just not there.

  “So, where are we going?” Brantley asked as we pulled out of the packed parking lot.

  “The GPS says stay straight on Canyon Road for seven miles, and then take a left onto Upriver Drive.”

  “Cool. So tell me about yourself, Molly,” Brantley asked, reaching over and turning down the radio.

  “What do you want to know? I’m really a boring person.”

  “I doubt that, and start at the beginning,” he says with a smile, briefly taking his eyes off the road and offering me a wink.

  “Well, I’m from the south if you couldn’t tell and I moved to Seattle a little over two weeks ago.” I shrugged quickly. I hated talking about myself, especially my past. No one wanted to know about my country club upbringing, or how I never really fit in at school. I was the stereotypical teenager, wanting so desperately to find her place and trying hard to piss off her parents every step of the way.

  “So, did you move to Seattle for the job?”

  “No; I moved to get away. The job was a tot
al fluke.”

  “Get away from what?” Brantley pried.

  “From everything. I needed a fresh start, and Seattle just seemed to fit.”

  “So, no boyfriend then?”

  “Would that stop you?” I questioned, cocking my head to the side.

  “Maybe. Well………….no, not really,” he replied with a smirk.

  “Well then. No, there was no boyfriend.”

  “Good,” Brantley laughed.

  Well, hasn’t this car ride just turned into sunshine and rainbows? Shit.

  Pretty sure I looked like an absolute lunatic bolting from the car the moment we arrived at the rental agency. I’ve never done well with pressure, and Brantley asking me all sorts of questions about my life had me feeling like a hamster stuck in one of those wheel ball things. I just kept spinning without the possibility of getting out. So naturally, I scrambled from the car once he put it into park.

  “Want me to wait?” Brantley asked from the open car window.

  “I’m good; go back to the bus,” I waved him off. What I really needed was some time alone from the entire male species. Things were getting too complicated in my head, and there was never enough room to entertain the thought of a relationship with that man. Who needs a man when I had my guitar? He sings to me soft melodies whenever I needed it, and instantly calmed even my wickedest moments of dread; a solid guarantee against a broken heart, unlike the choice of driving back to the bus.

  Grabbing the keys from the front desk, I hurried into the sleek black Lexus and instantly cracked up once I caught my reflection in the rear view mirror. I looked like death warmed over. Here I was in a tight black pair of yoga pants, an old ratty sweatshirt, and my hair was now in full blown eighties rocker look, sitting in a nice as hell Lexus. No wonder the girl behind the counter looked at me funny. Laughing, I adjusted the rest of the mirrors and turned up the radio. Taylor Swift’s song “I knew you were trouble” was blasting through the speakers, and I couldn’t help but turn it up a little louder. Sure, this wasn’t normally the type of music I listened to, but I wasn’t born in a barn, and knew how absolutely popular her songs were. There was just something fitting to the song, something that reminded me of the situation I had playing out in my life right now.

  Rolling down the windows, I let the cold air whip around me as I pulled out onto the street, proudly blasting the Taylor Swift song and singing the few lyrics I knew at the top of my lungs. Yep, this was exactly what I needed.

  The concert had obviously ended with the half empty parking lot and the tons of drunken idiots wandering amuck. Flashing my pass to get in the back gates, I pulled the Lexus alongside of Black Laden’s bus. Glancing in the mirror once more to check the damage I did to my already rats nest of hair from having the windows down; I realized it wasn’t going to get any worse.

  “Took you long enough,” Stephanie snapped as she stomped over to the vehicle in some really insane high heels.

  “Sorry; the girl at the front desk took forever,” I tried to apologize, making sure there was at least some sympathy in my voice. It wasn’t that I didn’t like Stephanie, in reality she was a great boss. But for some reason, I really didn’t care for anyone’s attitude tonight. Maybe it was the empowering girl anthems that kept playing on the radio during the drive over here. Or maybe, I just needed a beer.

  “I’ll see you at the hotel in Flagstaff tomorrow afternoon. Make sure they don’t leave anyone behind please,” Stephanie said, climbing into the Lexus and immediately checked her lipstick in the side mirror.

  “Got it; have a safe drive.”

  “Maybe we can spend a little time in the spa tomorrow night; you look like you could use a break,” Stephanie said with a half-smile.

  “That sounds great,” I managed to choke out. Obviously, I knew what she thought of my appearance tonight. Great.

  Realizing that there was no taming the beast that my hair had transformed in, I wandered back stage to check in with Tiny and see how much longer the guys needed before we rolled out. Passing some groupies as I walked down the hallway, I could hear their snickers at my appearance.

  “Sorry ladies, I’m here to do a job, not banging the band. No need to get catty,” I tossed over my shoulder. Apparently, their mother never taught them to keep their legs closed.

  “Hey Tiny, how much longer do they need?” I called out as I approached the dressing rooms.

  “PD has already made it on their bus, and the only one we are waiting on now is Reid.”

  Sighing, I reached for the handle to the dressing room.

  “You might want to wait,” Tiny stated, hinting to what was happening in the room.

  Nothing fueled my now irritated mood more than hearing that Reid was in that room probably banging some stupid groupie. Why I even entertained the thought that he was different was just stupid of me. Tossing the door open, I quickly scanned the room and found the assailants sitting on the couch in the far corner. Well, one of them was sitting, the other bouncing.

  “Reid, wrap it up, clean it off, and let’s go.” There was no hiding the pissed off tone to my voice. This man didn’t need to get his dick wet at every damn stop.

  The dark haired bimbo looked back and glared at me, like I was interrupting something classy and romantic.

  “Please, Sweetheart, you are nothing but a number. Now, I’m tired and I want to go.”

  Reid forced the girl off his lap and quickly stood to gather his pants. If I had half the sense in me I would have turned and not looked at his glory. But nope, I did what any fan girl would have done; I looked and totally took full advantage of the situation.

  Reid quickly closed the gap between us and narrowed his eyes. I could tell he was angry, but really I was just doing my job.

  “You work for me, got it? Just because Stephanie employs you, I am the reason you get paid. So if I want to fuck some chick after the show I’m going to do just that. I call the shots, not you. Just because we have this weird connection going on between us doesn’t make you the boss.”

  Reid’s arm bumped my shoulder as he fumed by, causing me to lose my balance and stumble.

  “And yes, Sweetheart, he was that good,” the dark haired skank raved as she walked past me too.

  I should have been pissed that he came after me that way. No one ever spoke to me in that tone again, and I wasn’t about to let some arrogant rock star treat me that way. But the only thing that played out in my head was that he ‘claimed’ we had a connection. Yep, stick a fork in me, I’m done.

  Chapter 12 Hotel showers are what dreams are made of.

  Hanging out with the band Political Downfall was surprisingly easy. There were no sexual comments made during the session, and oddly to say the least, I could see myself becoming friends with these guys. It was just a chill night, playing some amazing music, and great conversation. I’ve always kind of been a loner in a sense that people’s companionship didn’t really intrigue me. I could count on my hand the number of times I’ve thought of someone as my friend, and not just an acquaintance who I was forced to talk with when they were around. But these guys were different, and hanging out on their bus didn’t cause me to freak out and run away.

  Brantley didn’t force himself upon me either, which was refreshing to say the least. I tend to attract either other socially awkward kind of guys, or the ones who are full force, balls to the wall kind of types. Other than our little moment the other night, he was an absolute gentleman. Not saying that the other night was a bad thing, considering I love a good romp when the time calls for it. He genuinely tried to start a friendship with me first, and that scored massive points in my book. He didn’t try and woo me with his up and coming rock star status, nor did I hear anything come out of his mouth that I didn’t believe to be true.

  I wasn’t a one trick pony, and there were no armbands sold to enjoy this ride. My pants weren’t going to drop for some lame pickup line that has been used millions of times on stupid girls. Nope, I was the daughter of south
ern royalty. I may not act like it all the time, but there was still a little class left in this body of mine. If he wanted to get anywhere with me, he was going to have to work at it. My mind was telling me this was a good thing; my stupid body just needed to catch up.

  We arrived at the hotel in the late afternoon, and I was desperate for a real shower. I had yet to spend more than ten minutes getting ready and I just wanted an hour of uninterrupted bliss. Stephanie met us down in the lobby and passed out room keys, and quickly went over tomorrow’s press junket before the guys were free for the night.

  “Stephanie, is there anything you need done tonight?” I asked before heading off to my glorious quiet room.

  “Nope, enjoy your night and be ready to go by seven tomorrow. I need your help with the radio promos in the morning,” Stephanie replied, immediately punching something into her cell phone and bringing it up to her ear. That woman was always on the phone.

  I was totally giddy at the thought of having some time to myself. I agreed to have dinner with Brantley later this evening, but I still had several hours all alone. Skipping to the elevator door, I couldn’t wipe the stupid smile off my face; this chick was taking a nice, long, seriously hot bath. And the best part about it, I was going to be alone. It really was the simple things in life that amused me.

  I’m not sure how long I was actually in the tub, but my skin was a total shriveled mess when I emerged. Now, I normally don’t make a big deal out of my grooming habits, but being able to shave my legs and other unmentionables without having to shove my body at some weird angle due to the shower being so small, was like eating a whole damn pie on Thanksgiving; totally satisfying.

  Taking my time to get ready, I relished in the silence that surrounded me. Back home all I had was my music and silence. Now my life was filled with commotion and noise; such an amazing change in a short amount of time. Drying my hair and tugging the flat iron through some pieces, I finished it off with a shine spray and started on my makeup. Nothing fancy tonight, just some simple eyeliner and mascara for dinner. Sure, I was heading out with a famous band, but that didn’t mean I needed to change who I was comfortable with.