Ty grimaced. “I’m sorry, man. I know it can’t be easy for you to think about that.”
“No, it’s not, but I’ve got to face it sooner or later.”
“I wish I could give you some advice, help point you in the right direction, but I can’t. It’s got to be your call. Only you’re gonna know when it’s time and where to go next. You’ve had a great run. You’ve got a lot to be proud of.” Ty smiled. “You lived life on your terms, were the best at what you did. How many people can say that?”
He knew his brother was right. He had no regrets. If only he had a game plan for the future.
Ty looked at his watch. “Shit, I gotta go, man. I’ve got an appointment with a personal trainer in forty-five minutes.”
J.T. raised his eyebrows. “Since when do you work out with a trainer?” Ranchers got all of the exercise they needed working the land. As far as they were concerned, dumbbells were for guys who were afraid to get their hands dirty.
“This is the biggest tour I’ve ever done. You need the energy and stamina to stay on stage for two or three hours, beltin’ out song after song, givin’ it all you’ve got.”
J.T. knew from having seen him in concert that Ty was a high-energy performer who gave a hundred and ten percent. It didn’t surprise him that he’d be willing to go the extra mile so he could give his fans their money’s worth at every show.
“If you’re heading into town, maybe I’ll come with you. I’ve got nothin’ else goin’ on right now.”
Ty looked uneasy. “Uh, that might not be such a good idea.”
“Why the hell not?”
“This trainer that I’m working out with is…”
“Jake?” J.T. scowled, muttering a curse under his breath.
“Nikki told you about him?”
“Yeah, she told me. Why the hell would you…”
Ty held his hand up. “Hey, don’t get mad at me. I didn’t know you had a thing for Nikki when I set up the appointment with her boyfriend.”
J.T. folded his arms, scowling at his brother. “He’s not her boyfriend. He’s just a friend.”
Ty laughed, shaking his head. “Whatever you say, man.”
“If you thought she had a boyfriend, why the hell didn’t you say something about it last night?”
“I told you not to get involved with her.”
“Yeah, you gave me a bunch of lame-ass reasons, but you never said anything about a boyfriend. What makes you think they’re so tight?”
Ty got up to retrieve a gym bag from inside of a small closet. “I’ve seen them together.”
J.T. wouldn’t rest until he’d uncovered every detail about Nikki’s relationship with this guy.
“Where’d you see them together?”
“A few parties, barbecues at Luc’s place. She’s brought him to rehearsal a few times. Avery and I have, uh, had them over for dinner a time or two.”
Choosing to ignore the latter, he asked, “Her old man approves of this dude? I thought he didn’t want her hookin’ up with anyone because of her career?”
“He doesn’t. Nikki tells him that Jake’s just a friend, and he believes her.”
J.T. clenched his fists at his sides. Suddenly Nikki’s “friend” was starting to sound like a whole lot more. She had better be prepared to explain herself when he finally got her alone. “Huh, I guess she didn’t tell Luc that they’re sleeping together.”
Ty grinned. “I’m kinda surprised she told you that.”
“How the hell did you know they were sleeping together?” J.T. wasn’t sure he wanted to know, but he couldn’t compete if he didn’t know the rules of the game.
“Like I said, Avery and I had them over for dinner a couple of times. One night, we stayed up late drinkin’ and talkin’, so we told them to crash here.” Ty laughed. “I got up to get a drink of water during the night. Let’s just say that when I passed his room… he wasn’t sleepin’.”
J.T. grabbed a cushion off the couch beside him, firing it at his brother’s head. “I didn’t say I wanted details, asshole.” He pushed off the couch, scowling. “Let’s go. I need to meet this guy.”
“Oh, hell no.” Ty threw his bag over his shoulder. “If you think you’re gonna go in there and start throwin’ your weight around…”
He shoved his brother out the door. “Shut up and keep movin’ before I kick your ass.”
J.T. strolled into the studio behind his brother, trying to control his escalating jealousy. For a man who’d never been possessive of a woman in his life, he was more than making up for it now. Just the thought of this guy putting his hands on Nikki made him want to knock his teeth out.
Jake was working out with a female client when they walked in, so he merely smiled at Ty before turning his attention back to the woman at his side.
J.T. was grateful he was distracted. It gave him a chance to observe him. Jake was several inches shorter and at least thirty pounds lighter, but he was ripped, J.T. had to give him that. Not that he’d ever been interested in building a body like that, but he knew it came with a lot of hard work and determination. He couldn’t help but wonder whether he focused the same attention on Nikki’s body.
“I knew lettin’ you come with me was a bad idea,” Ty said, scowling at him as he set his gym bag on the ground at his feet.
J.T. raised his hands, palms up. “What the hell have I done? I’m just standin’ here, minding my own goddamn business.”
“Yeah, any idiot can see you’ve got a beef with him, man. I don’t know why. If anyone should be pissed, it outta be him. You were the one who slept with his girlfriend, not the other way around.”
J.T. crossed his arms. “How many times do I have to tell you she’s not his girlfriend?”
“Yeah, well she’s not yours either, so you need to back off before you make us both look like assholes.”
He crooked a finger in the trainer’s direction, smirking. “What the hell do you care what this pussy thinks of you?”
“Shut the hell up,” Ty said, through clenched teeth. “I have a reputation in this town. I don’t need my hotheaded brother helping me make headlines for all the wrong reasons. Avery would have your ass and mine if we wound up on the cover of some rag because you couldn’t hold your temper.”
J.T. took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. His brother had worked too hard to build a career and an image that were beyond reproach. He didn’t want to mess with that. “I just wanna talk to the guy, find out what the deal is with him and Nik.”
“Don’t you think you should be askin’ her that question?”
“I did, last night. She said they were friends with benefits.” He raised his fingers in the air, making quotation marks. “Based on what you said, it’s a hell of a lot more than that.”
“Listen, I don’t know how she feels about him, man.” He sighed. “They seem to be compatible. I can tell he’s really into her…”
J.T. did not like where this was going. Leaning against the wall, with a cowboy boot propped against the exposed brick, he asked, “How can you tell that?”
Ty laughed. “My first clue was the big-ass diamond ring he gave her for Christmas last year.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” J.T. growled. “What ring?”
“Relax, she told him she couldn’t keep it.”
J.T. had a sinking feeling this guy was going to be more of an obstacle than he thought. If he was in love with Nikki, he wasn’t going to back off just because J.T. issued a warning. “Why am I just hearin’ about this now?”
“Look, this is none of my business. I think Nikki’s a great girl, and she and I are gonna be out on the road together for months. I don’t want things to be awkward between us.”
J.T. knew his brother was right; it wasn’t fair to drag him into this. He watched Jake’s client give him a quick hug before packing up and heading down a narrow hallway, presumably toward the showers. He pushed off the wall and started for Jake, but Ty grabbed the back of his co
tton T-shirt, fisting it in his hand.
“Not so fast, man. You say or do anything to piss Nikki off and you’re gonna answer to me, got it?”
So much for family loyalty. It seemed Ty was more concerned about his opening act than his own brother. He turned around slowly, forcing Ty to release his shirt. “I don’t take orders from you or anyone else, you got that?”
“Look, I get that you’re pissed. I would’ve felt the same way if Avery was sleepin’ with some other guy when we hooked up, but you can’t try to take over her life, J.T. Nikki’s not the kind of woman who’s gonna go for that.”
He didn’t want to take over her life. He just wanted to be a part of it, an important part. “Just give me a minute with this guy, okay?”
Ty closed his eyes, leaning his head against the brick wall. “Have at it—not like I could stop you even if I wanted to.”
He was right about that. When J.T. was on a mission, no one got in his way. He approached Jake from behind, clapping a hand around his shoulder. “Hey, man, you got a minute?”
Jake looked from the huge hand gripping his shoulder up into J.T.’s eyes, swallowing. “Uh yeah, sure. What can I do for you?”
“It’s kinda personal.” He looked around the spacious, state-of-the-art studio. “You got a private office around here somewhere?”
He pointed a finger down the narrow hallway where his client had disappeared moments before. “Yeah, follow me.” As he led the way down the hall, he asked, “You care to tell me what this is about?”
J.T. waited for him to claim the swivel chair behind the safe barrier of his desk before he closed the door, gripping the cold, steel handle as he drew deep breaths, trying to force a sense of calm he didn’t feel. “I understand you and Nikki Spencer are friends?”
His face lit up at the mention of her name. “Yeah, we’re friends. Did she refer you? Are you interested in setting up some sessions?”
J.T. scowled. “Do I look like I need your help, buddy?”
The color drained from his face. “Uh, no, I didn’t mean to offend you. I just assumed…”
“You assumed wrong.” He walked over to one of two guest chairs on the opposite side of the desk, gripping the backrest as he leaned forward. “I wanna know what you’ve got goin’ on with Nikki.”
“With all due respect, I don’t see how that’s any of your business.”
J.T. clenched his teeth, trying to control the urge to jump across the desk and throttle the pompous little jerk. “She was in my bed last night. I think that makes it my business, don’t you?”
He leaned back, folding his arms. “What’d you say your name was?”
“J.T. McCall.”
“Ah, you’re Ty’s brother, the bull rider, right?”
“Right.”
He sighed. “Can’t say that I’m surprised you and Nikki finally hooked up. I kind of suspected she had a bit of a thing for you.”
J.T. couldn’t have repressed the smile if he wanted to, which he didn’t. “What makes you think that?”
“Little things. She’d check out your pictures when we went to your brother’s house. She was surfing the net at my place one day, while I was in the shower, guess whose name popped up in my search history?” He shot J.T. a sidelong glance. “It didn’t take a genius to figure it out. Finally, I asked her about it. She said you guys met a few years back, but nothing came of it ‘cause you thought she was too young for you. What happened to change your mind?”
J.T. chuckled. “I can’t get arrested anymore.”
He frowned. “She wasn’t that young when you met her, was she?”
“No, she was legal, barely.”
Jake rubbed his hands over his face. “Look, I like Nikki a lot, but she’s free to do what she wants, with whomever she wants.”
J.T. sat down across from him. “I’m glad to hear that, ‘cause I don’t intend to back off.”
“Is that what you came here to tell me?”
“No, I wanted you to know that whatever little arrangement you two had ends today.”
“Who the hell are you to tell…”
J.T. leaned forward, bracing his hands on his knees. “I want her and she wants me. There’s no room for a third person in that equation, man.”
“What makes you think Nikki’s interested in a relationship with you? Her career comes first. Always has, always will.”
There was no way J.T. was going to tip his hand now. “Why don’t you let me worry about that? I just need you to tell me that you got the message. If not, you and I are gonna have a big problem, my friend.”
“You’re used to getting what you want, aren’t you? You like bullying people into submission?” J.T. stood up, a scowl crossing his handsome face. “Good luck trying to pull that crap with Nikki. I’m telling you now, it’s not gonna work.”
Chapter Nine
Nikki climbed the stairs to Jake’s studio two at a time, hoping he wouldn’t mind if she used one of his treadmills before her appointment. Unless he had a last minute cancellation, she knew he was with a client. Jake’s passion for his business ensured he was booked all day, every day. When she rounded the corner and saw Ty, she knew she was in trouble. By all accounts, he and his brother were close, which meant J.T. had probably filled him in on their interlude, in spite of her request that it remain between the two of them. “Hey, handsome. What’re you doin’ out here all by your lonesome?”
Ty grinned, giving her a quick hug. “Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes?”
She grimaced. “I just came from a photo shoot. I swear I could scrape this make-up off with a knife. Thought I’d come in a bit early so I could wash up and get a bit of cardio in before my workout with Jake. Speaking of Jake, where is he?”
Ty glanced down the hall, looking uneasy. “He’s in a meeting.” He sighed. “With my brother.”
Her eyes darted to the closed door at the end of the hall. She half expected to hear the sound of glass shattering or drywall crunching under the weight of angry fists.
Groaning, she asked, “What the hell is he doing here?”
Ty smirked. “I’ll give you one guess.”
She decided to stop hedging and come clean. Ty was her friend and she and his brother were both single, consenting adults. There was no reason for her to feel guilty or remorseful about what happened last night… yet she did. “I’m going to assume J.T. told you?”
Ty nodded, looking uneasy. “Yeah, look, this is none of my business and I don’t want to get involved. You’re a sweetheart…”
She frowned. “Okay, why do I get the feeling there’s a ‘but’ in there somewhere?”
“I love my brother, I do. He’s a good guy, but when it comes to women and relationships, he’s a train wreck.”
She laughed. “I kind of assumed that. Fortunately, I’m not the least bit interested in having a relationship with your brother.”
“Is that so?” J.T. asked.
She looked up to see him filling the doorway, a scowl on his chiseled face. “I was just telling your brother…” She stammered when she saw the barely repressed fury in his eyes.
“Don’t you think I’m the one you should be talkin’ to about this, not my brother?”
Jake hovered just behind J.T., looking as though he would rather be anywhere else. They were clearly making the situation unbearable for everyone. J.T. was right; as much as she hated to admit it, she needed to set him straight on where they stood so they could both get on with their lives.
She crossed the studio and stepped in front of J.T. “Excuse me, I’d like to have a word with Jake, if you don’t mind.”
He folded his arms, effectively blocking the doorway with the width of his shoulders. “I mind.”
She sighed. “I was just going to ask him if I could reschedule our appointment.”
He raised an eyebrow, giving her a thorough once over.
Although she was wearing a black tank top, denim capris, and sandals, the heat of his gaze made her feel as naked a
s she’d been the night before, when his big, work-roughened hands had been exploring her so thoroughly.
He stepped aside. “Good idea; we need to talk.”
Jake gave her a look that suggested he was thinking, “What the hell have you gotten yourself into?”
She gripped Jake’s forearm, hoping he would be able to read the unspoken message in her eyes. The last thing she wanted Jake to do was provoke J.T. Jake was a good friend. She’d never forgive herself if he got hurt because of choices she’d made. “Can we hook up later?”
“Define hook up,” J.T. said, glaring at the pair.
Tired of being bullied by this behemoth, she whirled around to face him, hands on her hips. “You need to mind your own goddamn business and let me say what I have to say or you can get the hell out.”
Ty chuckled, covering his mouth with his hand when J.T. glared at him.
“Fine, say what you have to say.”
“I don’t need you standing over my shoulder, monitoring my every word.” She pushed against his chest with her index finger. He didn’t move, which only served to remind her of how powerful he was. He wasn’t used to taking orders and she was sure he was going to remind her of that once they were alone. “I’d like some privacy.” When he didn’t move, she said, “Now.”
He glared over her shoulder, looking like he was getting ready to take his frustration out on the first available target. “I don’t think so, sugar.”
Obviously Ty shared her fears because he approached his brother, slapping him on the back.
“Come on, man. Step outside with me for a minute.”
J.T. shot him a sidelong glance. “Why would I wanna do that?”
Apparently, Ty was used to dealing with his brother’s wrath because he didn’t back down. Quite the opposite, he stepped up, getting in his face. “The lady asked you to leave, so that’s what you’re gonna do.”
“You really want to push me right now, Ty?” J.T. asked, shoving him.
“Stop it,” Nikki shouted. “Stop being such an asshole, J.T.” She stepped between the two men, knowing her personal safety would never be in jeopardy amid two cowboys. Harming a woman, any woman, went against their code of honor. Using her body as a barrier was the best way to diffuse the situation. “Just give me a minute, okay?” Her voice softened on the last word.
Relentless (Nashville Nights) Page 8
