by Tess Keeler
“Ready?” I asked him, my eyes dancing all over his face.
“Definitely.”
My bag was tucked away behind our seats, and I reached into it to grab the ID badge. We both exited the car into the steamy June air, night not aiding the heat one bit, and walked up to the door. I unlocked it quickly and then secured us inside. I let him take in the dimly lit vast lobby decorated in crystal chandeliers and too white chairs. I grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the elevator in the back of the room. “Come on.”
The silver doors closed, and I dropped his hand, his touch almost like fire. There were red blotches taking over his neck and jaw, emphasizing the perfect complexion he had otherwise. Tension filled our silence, but it wasn’t purely sexual desire. It was something much more. I still wanted to kiss him, and I couldn’t think of doing much less right then and there.
Fifteen floors later, the ding snapped me out my trance. The doors opened to reveal an elegant seating area and bar, but the double doors I unlocked lead us to the rooftop terrace. A border of glass walls protected any drunk idiots from falling off. Along the corners, there were a few wooden benches and then more comfortable plush seating, all surrounding an electric fire pit. I already knew there was a longer seat, double wide, waiting for us over there.
The city lights were illuminating, but they weren’t as overpowering as other cities in the US. I began to walk to the corner, looking back to make sure he was following. I set all of the items down somewhere safe and took a seat on what looked like a bed. My heart jumped a little as he walked toward me, my hand patting the spot next to me. He was gorgeous.
“Do you like the stars or the lights more?”
I was already laying down when he sat down, following my move to lean back as he responded to me, “Stars. You can see city lights pretty much anywhere. But a clear view of the stars? Not much beats that.”
“I love the areas where you can see the satellites drifting, where there is absolutely no light pollution. Those are the places I travel to. This is the best I could do in your time crunch.” I laughed breathily as the stars came into focus, twinkling back at me. We only had maybe an hour before his bus was leaving.
“Bella would love this,” he said, almost a whisper.
I turned my head toward him. “Who’s Bella?”
He had his hands on his chest, his fingers overlapping. He looked relaxed.
“My little sister. She’s eleven, and she’s the coolest person I know.” Taking a deep breath, he squeezed his eyes shut as he finished his thought, “My parents let me choose her middle name, Juniper, which is why I have this. So that she’s always with me.” His eyes met mine again, making my heart flutter. He held up his left hand, a juniper branch was tattooed over the entire top of it.
“That’s sweet,” I said, my entire body turning to face him as I propped my head up on my hand. “Do you get to see her often?”
“Not nearly as often as I’d like to.” He paused, turning his head toward me. “Out of everyone in my family, she’s definitely who I miss the most.”
“Are you close with your parents?” The questions kept coming. It was natural to ask them, and I felt myself letting go of any insecurity I had considered the night before: that I was the safest option in the room last night, and that’s why he stayed with me.
“I love them. They’re great.” The hands on his chest rose with a deep breath. “They are just very preoccupied with all the negativity in their lives, so they kind of neglect Bella inadvertently. My older brother is just like that, even though he stays away.” I pouted a little in his direction before he laughed softly. “Sorry, I don’t know why I told you that.”
“It’s okay,” I reassured him.
“How is your relationship with Blake and your parents? Do you have other siblings?” he asked, the city lights reflecting in his eyes.
I shook my head. “Blake is my one and only jackass sibling.” The laugh that slipped past my lips was hearty. “I love him, but with the exception of our ambition and wanderlust, we’re complete opposites.”
He was taking it all in, listening intently to every word I spoke.
“My parents are wonderful. They are supportive and kind, and sometimes too trusting. I stay with them when I’m in town since it’s rarer for me to not be in my van.”
“Your parents sound cool.” He flashed me a small smile that was still much wider than most people’s. It was one of the most attractive things about him, and that was saying a lot. “Blake is great if you stay out of trouble.” He mirrored my laugh. “Which, I’m positive he’s not happy with me for bailing without clearing it with him.” He held a thoughtful pause. “Do you ever get homesick?”
“There are things I love about Kansas City, but those things are better in moderation, you know?” I thought about the farmers’ market my family went to in Overland Park, where we technically lived. It was one of the main things I came back for: lavender honey. “What about you? Do you miss Tulsa?”
“I miss Bella,” he spoke sadly, his eyes casting downward, away from me. “And my best friend, Asher. Honestly, if Bella is in school, I get antsy after a few days to get back on the road.”
“So this is where your passion lays? You wouldn’t ever give it up to be with them more?”
He lifted up on his side too, facing me entirely. “Would you give up traveling and seeing the beauty of this world?”
“Never.”
“There’s your answer.”
I was memorizing the sweet, closed-lip smile he flashed me when my phone starting blaring from the other side of him.
“Blake,” we both said, only a second offbeat.
I began to sit up, but I made no rush to answer my phone. “I’m sorry we didn’t have enough time,” I whispered, my ringtone fading off in the background.
“I’m sorry, too.” He pulled his lips together as I stood. He didn’t seem so tall when he was sitting. When he stood, he towered over me. His body so close to mine. “May I see you again?”
1
Make You Mine
CHAPTER THREE
Nixon
There was a song stuck in my head, trying to come out as I strummed my favorite Taylor acoustic guitar— my 414ce special edition. It was beautiful. It had a shaded edge burst finish and sounded heavenly. It was my baby. I was humming along with the melody I created when my phone buzzed. I knew Harper was driving, so it had been a little bit between responses.
Picking up my phone, I smiled when I saw her name. I swiped the message open right before Mason joined me in the front lounge of the bus.
His small lips curled into a smirk when I lifted my eyes to meet his.
“What?” I asked, raising my eyebrows. I feel like he could see right through me.
With a laugh, he responded, “You’re heaps more obvious than you think, mate.”
My cheeks warmed up at the call out. “Or maybe you’re just intuitive.”
The laugh that followed was best described as hefty, his thick newly bleached blond curls bouncing in the process. It seemed more messy now, if that was possible. It looked good on him, though.
“Aye, I am. But you, my friend, are smitten.” He crossed his legs at the knee, his fingers linking around it. “How does Blake feel about you spending time with his lil sis?”
Blake. My jaw clenched.
“Not too happy,” I started, looking around to make sure my manager was nowhere to be found. “I couldn’t even go workout because he cornered me in the back lounge and told me to stay the hell away from her.” I ran my fingers through my hair as I let out a huff of breath. “But, what if I can’t?” I asked honestly, and Mason pulled his lips together.
“Listen, mate.” He leaned forward, his elbows on his knees. “I can’t imagine the situation this put you in, but you rarely find comfort in your day to day. If this girl can be your little bit of normalcy in the craziness of your life, who is Blake to stop you, eh?”
I sighed, thinking for a moment,
recalling all of the things that Blake said to me. That I don’t have time to give anyone the attention they would need in any kind of relationship. That my fans would crucify whoever I end up with on a daily basis. That he thought I’d learned from my situation with my ex— Rosie. And my favorite: relationships are too much of a distraction from my career.
“I don’t want to ever hurt her,” I said, almost distracted from my own thoughts. “But, I like her. She’s so cool and down to earth. When I’m with her, I don’t feel like Nixon Brooks.” I paused, using my hands to emphasize my fame. “I feel like I’m just Nixon. A nineteen year old guy that is getting to know a really cool girl.”
Mason shrugged, pulling his lips to the side. I could see the sadness in his eyes, the lingering pain from his still too recent break up of his own evident in the chocolate brown. “If you like her, don’t let it go, Nix. You never know what it could turn into.”
With that, he got up and moved to the oven to start his water for tea— his normal morning ritual. I sat my guitar to the side and brought my attention back to the text waiting on me.
Morning. How did you sleep?
I smiled at the casual text. As decent as I could with all the bumps from the road. How about you? Where are you headed?
I sat my phone down on my leg after scooting back against the seat I was in. I was waiting for her text when I heard Blake’s voice becoming more clear as the bus door opened. I swallowed the lump that was in my throat. I couldn’t tell who made me more nervous: Harper or Blake.
I slept like a baby. I wish you could have too.
I’m hoping to check out Boston and Maine. Unless I get sidetracked elsewhere. lol What about you?
My smile must’ve been a big one, because next thing I knew, Blake was clearing his throat and standing over me.
“Are you still talking to my sister?” His tone was serious and slightly intimidating.
I stared at him for a long moment before speaking, “Yes.”
There was tension surrounding us, and I know that Blake wanted to hit me by the look in his eye. Were he and Harper that close?
“Be ready in twenty minutes,” he said coldly, before walking past Mason and into the bunk area.
Mason gave me a look, rolling his eyes as he kept brewing his tea. I felt some stress building in my shoulder muscles. My eyes found the phone in my hand, and I hit the home button to bring it back to life. Her text was waiting for me again.
Thank you. I tried to make the most of my awake time. I’m working on a new song.
Wow, that’s a long haul, isn’t it? I’m in Chicago for the night then we head to Milwaukee.
I paused a moment, trying to decide whether or not to tell her about Blake and our conversation. Opting to wait, I sent the text before standing up to get presentable for the fans and radio station waiting for me. The vibration from my phone came sooner than I anticipated, but I grabbed my clothes to change into and moved into the small bathroom. Setting my clothes down, I read her message before getting ready.
It is a long haul, but it will be worth it. I like to set my destinations further, so I can enjoy the process more. I tend to get impatient sometimes.
Chicago. You know how much I love that city. I’ll probably pass right by you then. I’m going up and then over.
I quickly type out a message, rereading it for typos before hitting send.
Impatient, huh? In all aspects of life or just traveling?
I do remember that. If you had the time, I’d say you should stop by and see us.
Leaving my phone on the sink, I changed into a cleaner pair of black skinny jeans and charcoal grey button up. My hands were applying product in my curly hair when she responded, and I tried to quickly finish so I could read what she had sent.
Hmm, good question. I try to see myself as laid back, but I am super ambitious and therefore impatient about life. If it’s not going the way I want it to. What about you?
I may just do that. I have all the time in the world.
My cheeks were hurting from the smile that pulled at my lips. If she was to really show up, what would this mean for us? My heart was racing at the thought.
How do you want it to go? I’m very go-with-the-flow. Curse of the job? I can’t remember life before this. Hah
Don’t play with my heart, Harper. That isn’t nice.
Satisfied, I tucked my phone in my back pocket and began brushing my teeth. I was grateful for the braces my parents forced me to have when I was younger— my teeth were straight and almost perfect. She had texted back quicker this time, and I felt my heart stagger in my chest.
“Nix! Time to go!” Mason boomed from the other side of the door causing me to jump slightly. I laughed at myself, checking my look once more before pulling myself out of the small area.
“Ready,” I stated as Blake moved past us. He still wasn’t talking to me. Maybe that was a good thing.
————
The radio host was preparing for the interview, and while I waited I found my thoughts drifting to Harper’s last text:
I guess I just want to explore everything, and if I wasn’t able to do that, I would go mad. I’m not your average Midwestern girl. I didn’t want to marry the sweet boy my parents had eyes on for me or have kids right out of high school. I wanted to hike into mountains that are snowy at the top and dive into the ocean water just to feel the salt in my hair.
But you love it?
Don’t like a tease, do you?
I wasn’t able to respond as timely as I would’ve liked with all of the fans waiting on me outside of my bus, at the entrance of the radio station, and of course, Blake’s watchful eye. I hoped she understood.
“It’ll be five minutes until we’re on air, Nixon,” my interviewer informed me, so I decided now was a time to respond— it would be the only chance I got for a while.
Do you ever want to get married? Settle down?
I do love it, with every ounce of my being. I don’t think I could ever do anything else. Hopefully this works out long-term. Lol
Hm, depends on the situation. Right now, with as much as I’d enjoy seeing you again, I guess I’ll say no. ;)
Also, I’m currently at a radio station and dealing with work. If I don’t respond quickly, that’s why. :( I’m sorry.
“Ready?”
I nod, “Ready.”
The thought of Harper lingered, especially after I felt her response rattle my pocket. I wanted to respond so badly, but I couldn’t. Was this a preview of trying to be in another relationship?
My relationship with Rosie was turbulent and painful, and before Harper, I couldn’t even imagine doing it again. That was eight months ago. Finding out that she had strayed because of the distance was painful, but not as painful as finding out she was sleeping with my last photographer. I thought Eric and I were friends, but I found out the hard way. I should’ve listened to Bella, who didn’t like her from the beginning. I guess that’s part of dealing with consequences to your actions.
Maybe Blake was right? Maybe my lifestyle wouldn’t allow it.
An hour or more had passed before I was able to look at my phone. Blake was keeping me busier than normal, and my fans were everywhere I went. After getting back to the van, I was able to read the text that had been waiting on me.
Sure. Someday. But I don’t think my settling down will be the same as everyone else. I still want to travel and explore. I want to live my full, exciting life with my husband. I don’t believe it has to be a means for change. You know? What about you?
Not sick of me yet? ;P
You never have to apologize. I’m patient with you. ;)
The way she spoke about marriage made my heart swell. That’s exactly how I felt about it. And her question only reaffirmed that I wasn’t even close to being sick of her— I was hoping she meant it when she said she could be here. But would that impede her career at all?
Honestly? I feel the same way. There can be a balance. Whoever I end up with is goi
ng to need to have that traveling bone in their body and be very understanding about my crazy schedule.
No. Not even close. Are you sick of me?
Oh, are you? Am I an exception?
When we got back to the venue, I had to do soundcheck. Then meet and greets with a question and answer session, just like I did every show. It didn’t stop me from sneaking texts to Harper.
I can’t imagine how difficult it is to maintain a relationship when you’re who you are.
Not at all.
I think so. I’m not usually so tolerant of people. I promise I’m not too bitchy. Maybe a little judge-y.
Chewing my lip, I tried to decide how to proceed. Did I want to be forthcoming about my previous relationship? We hadn’t talked about that yet.
I’ve only done it once, and it imploded in my face. So, yeah, not easy.
Good to hear.
Judge-y, huh? I assume that’s a trait you share with your bro? Who I swear hates me now, by the way.
I was finally back on the bus and able to give Harper my full attention like she deserved. I locked myself in the back lounge, turned on some music and set an alarm to remind me of show time. For now, I wanted to give my time to the girl who had been consuming my thoughts for the past few days.
