Max Cocker (Cocker Brothers Book 15)
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MAX COCKER
COCKER BROTHERS BOOK 15
FALEENA HOPKINS
CONTENTS
Max Cocker
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Cocker EXTRAS
About the Author
MAX COCKER
“Drama, love, family loyalty and hot scenes. Gotta love the Cocker men."
—Meluvbooks2
The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams.
OPRAH WINFREY
CHAPTER 1
M AX
I van insists despite the bored look on my face, “Your film is shit if it doesn’t get on the big screen, or festivals, at least!”
“Because it needs approval from the film community?”
“Yes!”
Tired of his antiquated ideas, my gaze follows the female bartender who’s working solo tonight. I love watching a woman craft cocktails. Zipping around the bar, bending for bottles, smiling for tips. She’s more fun than the yawn to my right.
After too much silence, Ivan says, “Max, you need to play their game.”
“You’ve mistaken me for someone who wants the approval of those people.”
The bartender catches me staring. I hold her eyes until she gives me a sexy smile, which I return. Anything to get out of this conversation.
“The system is set up for a reason!”
“I’m doing this for me,” I tell Ivan for the third time.
“Why?”
Struggling as to whether I want to share this with him, I finally give in because I feel so strongly about it. My family means the world to me. “I’m making this movie to get closer to my father. To understand him better. What he went through before he met my mom. And I don’t care if the film community likes it or not.” He stares at me blankly so I take a sip and mutter, “I’m making this movie for me. It’s one hell of a story and it needs to be told. I’m the man to do it.”
Ivan barks, “You’re going to fail!”
My eyes go dead.
Nobody should ever tell anyone they’re going to fail. Who the fuck talks like that to people? No friend of mine.
“Then so be it. If I fall on my face I’ll get back up and try again. Like every great success story. They failed more than they succeeded. Walt Disney, P.T. Barnum, Milton Hershey, Heinz—the ketchup guy—they all filed bankruptcy before their ideas worked. Some of them more than once! Read a book sometime.”
“Max!” he groans. “If you get into Sundance, Tribeca, South by Southwest, Cannes, that means something!”
“To who?”
“Everyone!”
“Let everyone aim for that then.”
“Max!”
“I’m gonna be me.”
He throws up his hands. “Why am I even trying?”
“That’s a fantastic question. Why do you need to? How does this have anything to do with you? Your project is yours, mine is mine.”
“You’re going to waste not only your time and money, but everyone else’s, too! It takes months to film a movie—”
“Mine will be filmed in three and a half weeks. Fewer locations. Less cost.”
“You’re crazy!”
Miss Bartender walks up, eyes locked with mine. Now this is what I’m talking about right here. She makes a white button-up and black tie look feminine. Her voice is honey as she leans on the bar and holds my look. “Can I get you another beer?”
“I have a taste for something stronger.”
Her lips twitch at the corners. “What’d you have in mind?”
“Your phone number. Here’s my cell. Put it in there, will ya?” I slide it across the bar.
Her eyelashes flutter. She expected me to flirt a little more, maybe wimp out and never ask, but that’s not my style. She chuckles, “Well aren’t you cocky!”
“So they tell me.” Pushing my phone a little closer I introduce myself, “I’m Max, nice to be in your bed later.”
Her jaw drops. “Oh my God,” she laughs, shaking my hand, eyes flicking to Ivan like she wants confirmation I’m for real.
The decision sparks in her eyes. She picks up the phone, finds it unlocked, and starts tapping around for my contacts. Ivan and I exchange a look. He’d never do something like this. But those are his missed opportunities. This is why my film might work. I take chances.
“What’s your name?”
She turns the screen around to show me. “Callie.”
“Nice to meet you, Callie.”
She hands me my phone. “You’re fast, Max.”
“Not when it counts.”
Big shocked smile. She covers her eyes and walks away to help other customers, completely forgetting to ask if I really did want another beer. I smile to myself as I tuck my phone away, knowing I tilted her world a little bit. Always fun to make a woman smile.
Under his breath, Ivan says, “Only you could pull that off.”
Finishing off my pint, I tap the glass to make the liquid fall faster, and meet his eyes. “All you’ve gotta do is try.”
Standing, I shake grey jeans out to make room for my package, and reach for the coat I laid on the next barstool. Slipping it on I explain to deaf ears, “I don’t want to ask anyone for permission to put my creation into the world. And I don’t have to. I’ll submit it to the festivals, but only on the off chance that someone digs it and helps me advertise. However, if they don’t, I’ll self-publish my movie. You know why? Let the people decide. The real people, not the ones sitting on a pedestal deciding the fates of newbies like you and me. All I care about is moving those real people, opening their hearts, their minds, with a story worth telling. If nobody likes it, at least I got it out of my system. Every day I wake up thinking about it. This movie needs to be made. So I’m making it. You have a good night. I’m glad we got to catch up again.”
Ivan calls after me. “Oh, I see what you’re doing! You’re gonna use daddy’s connections to get the word out! Call your famous papa and pull some strings! Or maybe your sappy rockstar cousin will talk to his fans, huh?!”
Anger lashes into me faster than you can say Cocker Family. I flip around, rush up, get right in his face. “Don’t ever talk about my family again, you hear me? I will knock your ass out of Atlanta, Ivan, with my fists. Got me, you little-brain fuck?!”
He backs down. “I was only kidding.”
I snarl, “The hell you were,” and walk away.
CHAPTER 2
M AX
By the time I’m at my Jeep I’m so pissed I don’t notice m
y phone has been vibrating. The only reason I take it out is so I won’t sit on it, but then my brother’s name glowing from the screen surprises me. “Caden, stop me before I kick Ivan’s ass.”
“And rob you of the fun?”
My headlights illuminate fog drifting in from the river as the seatbelt automatically folds over me. The view’s pretty, calming, and I exhale, rubbing my forehead. “We worked on a few shorts in film school together, but I never really liked the guy. Don’t know why I met him out here.”
“Want me to ditch my rounds, come help you beat him up?”
A smile tugs, and I exhale anger out of my lungs. “Let’s talk about something else. How’re the cadavers treating you? Anyone sit up and wave yet?”
“Way to turn my residency into a horror show, thank you for that.”
“Anybody dead reach out and grab your nuts in those cute scrubs you wear?”
He chuckles, “You’re a sick fucker, Max.”
I pull onto the long road that runs alongside 285 and dryly toss back, “I’m not the one who’s gone into a field where keeping a level head at the sight of blood is a prerequisite.”
“Strangely I don’t get queasy at the gore. But I never have, you know that.”
“Oh I remember when Samantha cut her hand on that fence when she was little and you were the only one who didn’t puke.”
“One of the more gruesome slices I’ve ever seen to this day. But maybe because I love her. When it’s your little sister…” He trails off and changes the subject. “Things are going well though. I guess I was meant for this. I’ll have to thank Grandma Nance someday. Where are you right now?”
“Getting onto the freeway. I was at Rays On The River.”
“Pricey place.”
“Not if you’re in the bar. Small menu. Crab cakes, french fries, stuff like that. Beer is cheap. I’m saving my pennies, as you know.” Veering around a slow-moving sedan I ask, “Why’d you call?”
“Hang on a sec.” His voice lowers as he addresses someone in the hospital. “Hey, how come you’re in scrubs again?” There’s a pause, and I can’t hear the other person answer but my brother’s voice comes through a second later. “What the fuck? I knew I should’ve stuck around, dammit!” Returning to me he grumbles, “You know what pisses me off?”
“What?”
He sighs, “Nothing, forget it. I have to go. I was heading home but now I’ve gotta insert myself somewhere I’m not wanted.”
“Go prove yourself, buddy.”
“No doubt, right? I’ll talk to you later.”
“Hey Caden!”
“Yeah?”
“Why’d you call?”
“Oh, Mom said Lexi’s dating somebody. You know about this?”
“This is the first I’ve heard about it.”
“Dig into it, will ya?”
“You bet.” We hang up and I dial our sister up as I merge onto my exit.
There are five of us. Me, Caden, Alexis, Samantha and Hunter. But Lexi sure hogs our attention with her crazy impulses. She doesn’t want us looking out for her, but she didn’t choose being born after two protective brothers who want the best for her, despite what she wants.
My call goes to her voicemail.
“Hi, this is Lexi. Leave a message but don’t be upset if I never get back to you.”
Rolling my eyes I wait for the beep. “Yo Lexi, you changed that message because you knew I’d be calling, didn’t you? What’s this about you dating someone? How come Mom knows but your brothers don’t? You afraid we’ll rough him up? Give us a little credit will you?” I smirk because of course we’ll rough him up. She dates bad boys just to get a rise out of us, I’m sure of it. “Give me a call, kid. Don’t make me find you.”
I dial Samantha next.
Another voicemail.
“Hi there! You’ve got my voicemail, sorry! Oh, this is Sam. You know what to do and I’ll get back to you soon! Bye!”
“It’s your big brother. Don’t avoid my calls. I know you’re gonna listen to this two seconds after I hang up. What’s up with Lexi! Stop protecting her. That’s our job.”
Hanging up I mutter, “Don’t protect her from us. Protect her from herself.”
When I get into town, it’s still bugging me. Tapping on the steering wheel I consider if I should harass Mom next. “Why not,” I mutter, hitting her number.
After a couple rings she answers, “Max?”
“Caden told me about Lexi.”
“Do you know who this boy is?”
I frown, “You sound worried.”
“You know Alexis, she’s a little…wild. Her tastes haven’t always been mine in the romantic department, if you know what I mean.”
“I’ll check it out.”
“Thank you. Oh, and Max? How’s your film coming along?”
“Still chugging. Met with an old film school friend tonight—and I use that term loosely. Just left him. Guess I hoped he would hook me up with a producer but the guy he knew just got a job at Marvel. Anyway, it was a waste of time, but I’ll find someone.”
“Why don’t you run an ad?”
Chewing my lip I mutter, “Been thinking about that. Gonna have to. I was hoping to work with someone my fellow alumni had already used. Nice to get actual confirmation of a person’s personality, their capabilities.”
“Widen the net. When I first started out managing Simone back in the day I knocked on every club door I could to get her stage time. And it worked. When something isn’t working, try something else. I had to make them pay attention. In your case, you have to inspire people to work for little pay. It’ll probably end up being someone new to the business with maybe one or two credits, but there are hungry people out there, honey, who love films! Make them see how amazing your script is.”
“You haven’t read my script. But you’re right. I’ll give it a shot. I’m driving up to Trader Joe’s, gotta get some groceries. Let me talk to you later.”
“Max, if you don’t believe in it nobody else will.”
“I believe in it! I’m just…”
“What?”
Whipping around slower drivers I hesitate confessing the real issue. “Look, I don’t want to get you upset.”
“Okay, now you have to tell me!”
“Hang on, let me just park this thing. I don’t know why TJ’s always puts their stores where there’s no parking.”
“Are you at the one on Monroe?”
“Yeah.”
“That’s a pretty big lot.”
“With a ton of other stores in it that people want to go to, like Starbucks! There’s always a line. I’ve got a guy pulling out so I’m good. Anyway, back to the issue. The thing is if I post an ad…we’re not exactly anonymous. I don’t want people signing on because of the family name. I want them to help make this film because they love the medium.”
“Well, that’s ridiculous,” she huffs. “Why make things difficult for yourself on purpose?”
“I have pride. I don’t want Eric’s or Gabriel’s fame to be the reason. Or Uncle Justin! Or Dad! You know what? Forget it. Let’s talk later.”
“Max—”
“—I’m in the worst parking lot in the city so I have to let you go.”
She sighs, “Fine. Goodbye. I love you.”
“Love you, too, Mom, bye.”
We hang up and I pull into the space, jump out of my Jeep and dig my hands in my coat pockets as I head to the store’s entrance, a mural painted of our Atlanta Falcons on the windows wishing them well since they’re 7-and-0 this season. My cousin Eric, their star quarterback is on fire, and his buddy Dion has run more touchdowns in the last five games than he did all last year.
I gnaw my cheek past the potted plants and reach down to grab a small red basket, opting not to do a full fridge-reload. Just need a few things to tide me over.
“Max?” a voice calls over as I walk by the long lines for the registers.
CHAPTER 3
M AX
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nbsp; I tilt my head at a familiar looking woman standing with her two kids.
“Yes?”
“I’m Eleanor, Wren’s friend. I met you at their wedding.”
A friendly smile spreads on my face as I walk to greet her properly. “Oh right, hey. Good to see you again. These yours?”
“This is Tia and Antoine. Guys this is Eric’s cousin.”
Her son gazes at me with awe, “Are you a football player, too?”
“Nah,” I grin, “I leave that for him to handle. How ‘bout you guys? You like to throw a ball around?”
They shake their heads like kids do, kinda shy around a new person. Eleanor touches her daughter’s dark hair with a sweet smile in her eyes. “Are you a Minister, Max?”
“Me? No, I got ordained to officiate the wedding. Anybody can do it, doesn’t mean anything. But I’m pretty sure I’ll be doing it for all my cousins’ weddings from now on.”
“I’m sure they’ll take full advantage of that!”
“No doubt.”
“What do you do?”
“Not much of anything,” I shrug, not wanting to get into it.
She makes a face. “You just sit back with your millions?”
Bristling, I keep my voice even. “Don’t have millions, Eleanor. I’m just some guy living his life, that’s all.”
Her eyebrows knit, “I’m sorry, but aren’t you a Cocker?”
“And that means what?”
We stare at each other as her children glance from me to her. “I just thought, I mean…” An uncomfortable laugh drifts out. “Your dad is a huge music producer, isn’t he? I mean all the albums he works on with your cousin Gabriel are enormous hits.”
“You think he pays my rent?”
“No, I…well, yeah, I guess I did think that.”
Raking my fingers through my unruly hair I laugh, “At least you admit it.”
“I’m sorry, but I thought it was a given. It’s pretty well known ‘round Atlanta that y’all don’t lack for money.”
“Oh it is, huh?” Switching my empty shopping basket to my other hand I explain, “The problem with gossip is that nobody knows the real story unless they’re on the inside. You’re Wren’s best friend. I know you’re a good egg so, because you’re curious, I’ll let you in on a fact most people forget. My dad worked hard for everything he has, and he passed that work ethic down to us. I won’t be taking hand-outs for anything, ever. No matter what.”