Travis came in a little while later and hugged her tight. “Brooke, you did better than even I dreamed you would. You get out there and soak up some adoration, honey. You earned it. My god girl, you so earned it.”
“Thank you, Travis. Thank you for everything. I mean it. You can’t know how much I mean it.” Jackson had tears in his eyes so she let Travis go and sat on the couch, Jackson sitting next to her, the girls climbing on their laps.
“I love you guys. Did you have fun? Are you going to get bored seeing the same show, listening to the same songs all the time?” They shook their heads, hugging her and crying. “Thank you for being so supportive, for helping me even when I’m not around as much as I should be. I’ll owe you forever.”
Travis pulled the girls to their feet and helped Brooke up. “Come on, kids. Let’s go cement your big sister’s place in music history. I’m so proud of her but I’m proud of y’all too. She sure loves you and I can see how much you love her. Y’all are lucky to have each other and I bet your parents are beamin’ with pride.” That got a few more tears before Sidney pulled her aside.
She changed into fresh jeans and a t-shirt, pulling her boots back on and a cowboy hat that wasn’t sweaty. “Sidney, I’m sorry to leave you such a mess.” Sidney gave her a hug and told her to stop being silly and she’d see her either in the limo or back at the hotel. Brooke, Jeanette, and Sidney did movie marathons together during their down time after the kids crashed.
As they stepped from her dressing room into the hall, she saw the Bradshaw brothers leaned against the wall further down, seemingly making their choice of female company for the evening from a very willing pool. A dozen women of all types huddled around them, blatantly stroking over their bodies and giggling at whatever the twins were saying.
Brooke’s excited smile faded before she caught herself and fixed it firmly back on her face, moving forward with feigned confidence. Speaking in a whisper, she said, “Jeanette, please get the kids out of this fucking hallway.” She shook her head, shocked at herself. “I’m sorry…I…”
“No, Brooke. I understand. Don’t worry about anything.” The other woman frowned at the display in front of them and moved to hustle the kids around the mass of writhing, fawning women. She cringed at some of their outfits and the list of sexual favors she could hear the women offering. She prayed the kids couldn’t.
As she approached, Brooke hoped her smile looked real because it didn’t feel real at all. She was having a hard time drawing enough air into her lungs but she wasn’t going to humiliate herself. The brothers caught her up between them and she patted their shoulders carefully.
“Y’all are makin’ me an enemy with your fans. Let. Me. Go.” They did, watching her face closely since she wasn’t typically abrupt with them. She stepped back and smiled brightly at the group of women who were wondering if she was going to stand between them and their goal of getting laid by famous country stars. Their faces weren’t friendly at all.
“Sorry to interrupt, ladies. I hope you enjoyed the show and thank you for coming out to see us.” She turned to keep going and paused to add in a confidential whisper, “By the way, a little insider, they prefer brunettes. Good luck.”
Then she followed Jeanette and her siblings down the hall toward the meet-and-greet without looking back.
Chapter Nine
Travis stared after the little group, his eyes narrowed. Turning to the brothers who looked completely confused, he said sharply, “Let me talk to y’all just a minute.” Looking at the women, he added, “She’s right, you know, always brunettes these days. The rest of y’all shouldn’t waste your time.”
Following their manager into the dressing room and closing the door sharply, Decklan barked, “Travis, what the fuck?” Riding high from the show made them anxious to lock down their evening entertainment.
Their manager’s voice was deceptively calm. “Hmm, what the fuck? Let me tell you what the fuck, you two ingrates. She was happy and excited just seconds before walkin’ into that hallway. You had to find your nightly piece of ass right outside her fuckin’ dressin’ room? Really?”
Logan stepped back, leaning against the wall. Decklan hung his head, his hands cupping the back. “You’re plastered on every fuckin’ Internet celeb site there is. She already knows what whores you are, but for the sake of peace, to make sure this goes as smoothly as it needs to, if y’all could avoid rubbin’ her face in it, that would be fuckin’ awesome and grownup of you. Her brother and sisters sure don’t need to witness your bullshit either.”
Storming past them to the door, he looked over his shoulder and added, “She knows she can’t have you but it doesn’t mean she’s not crushin’ on you two idiots. Treat her better because despite how strong she seems, she actually does have feelin’s. I’m hopin’ she hooks up with that young man from Dream. God knows, you two may see a lay on every corner but that boy don’t see nobody but her.”
Travis slammed the door on his way out and the brothers stood in silence for a few moments. “Fuck,” Logan whispered and Decklan was nodding. They headed out and told the women outside they’d have to take a rain check. They ignored the groans of disappointment and took the exit to the lower levels of the arena.
Brooke was signing autographs with Jeanette and her siblings behind her in the main entry of the arena. Sidney and the roadies were running interference for her, keeping the fans from running her down. Their opening act band wasn’t far from her and Travis stood between them, linking Kyle and Brooke in conversation.
As they approached it was Becca who saw them first and a huge smile broke out over her face. She ran to them and Decklan scooped her up. Molly reached for Logan’s hand. Jackson was looking at them warily.
“Brooke,” Logan said behind her. They watched her stiffen but when she turned she was smiling cheerfully. She gave them a little salute and went back to what she was doing. He leaned down and whispered in her ear, “I’m sorry. We’re sorry, Brooke. It was wrong of us to have a bunch of women out in the hall like that. You and the kids so close. We didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.”
She nodded but didn’t turn around. A young man approached and asked her to sign his chest. His shirt was unbuttoned and showed a tanned sculpted torso. He was boy-next-door cute.
Momentarily startled and admittedly impressed, she said with a laugh, “Um, o-kay. You know these markers are toxic, don’t you?” He smiled and gave her a shrug. She asked him to lean down a little and signed his chest with a flourish. Handing his camera to his buddy, he asked her to take a photo with him. Standing on the side without her signature, she smiled. The boy picked up her hand and kissed it.
“You’re even prettier in person. I never even liked country music until I saw you, Brooke. It was your looks first that made me a fan. But it was your voice and blog that had me buying a ticket to every show this summer. I’m going to follow your tour. I just graduated high school and we’re taking the summer off. I’m Dean and this is my friend Abel. I’m going to ask you for a photo after every show. I hope you’ll remember me.”
Brooke laughed in surprise, “You have nothing better to do than follow a band all summer? Wow. Well, there are apparently tons of girls that follow the band so you shouldn’t be lonely. Good luck and I won’t forget you.” Then she signed Abel’s chest and took a photo with him, too.
Decklan had Becca at his side, needing both hands to sign autographs and growled at the interchange between the two young men and Brooke. They didn’t seem like crackpots but he didn’t like her touching their bare chests.
It only made it worse when Kyle stepped close to her, laughing, “Looks like you have summer stalkers. Nice.” They fist-bumped and he added, “And they are totally trying to score with girls who could be your sisters.” They laughed together as they signed autographs side by side. “You want to go for coffee after all this? I’m hyped up.” Everyone there who knew her, watched the caution enter her expression. “Brooke, I don’t want anything from you bu
t company. I swear. Come with me and I’ll have you back before midnight.” He nodded to Jackson, “I don’t mind if Jack comes along. I bet you’d feel better, too. What do you say?”
Glancing at her brother, she nodded. “I have to get the girls settled at the hotel first.”
“No problem, why don’t you guys meet me in the lobby?” Brooke told him she would and went back to what she was doing, taking a deep breath.
She seemed so young in that moment and the brothers realized they’d truly hurt her feelings. Half an hour later, she guided her exhausted sisters and her brother to the car and waved to the Bradshaw brothers watching from the exit. They asked to talk to her for a minute and she closed the door, coming back to them.
Decklan asked, “Brooke, you okay?”
Her nod was careful and uncertain, “Great. The show went well, don’t you think?”
Logan groaned, hating himself for being an ass. “The show was amazing and you did so good, honey. I’m sorry we didn’t take a minute to tell you that. We should have told you that right off. I don’t know what’s wrong with us, Brooke.”
She shrugged and they could see by her expression that she’d come to a decision. Her voice was stronger when she said, “Nothing is wrong with you. You’re the same as you always were. I’m the new addition and I don’t have any right to expect you to be different than you’ve always been. I’m going to start kind of giving you more space. We’ll schedule time for rehearsals and stuff. Otherwise, you guys do your thing and don’t worry. I think it’s better this way.”
With a flinch, Decklan whispered, “You…you don’t want to hang out with us, Brooke?” He couldn’t believe the pain he felt at the thought.
Swallowing hard, she said, “It isn’t that, Deck. I just don’t think it’s fair to expect you to be people you aren’t. I know I kind of got dumped in your laps and my brother and sisters, too. You sure don’t owe us anything, not one thing. You’re young men, famous and good looking. Go enjoy it. I’m going to find a way to do that, too. We’re not your responsibility and we don’t have any right to expect anything from you.”
Logan said more sharply than he intended, “You didn’t get dumped on us, Brooke. We love hanging out with you and the kids. I know we’ve been selfish shits lately, hung-over and tired, showing up late. We’ll be better. I promise.”
He was obviously upset and she put her hand on his cheek for a moment, brushing her thumb over his jaw. He leaned into the touch and her heart stuttered in her chest like it did every time she touched them.
Closing her eyes and gathering her strength around her, she whispered, “You’re entitled to enjoy your lives, to have fun. You earned it, you know? I’m fine, the kids are fine. We can hang out after the tour if you want. Until then, as much as I accept and understand your driving needs, I don’t exactly want to witness it and I don’t want my siblings to either.” She dropped her hand, “I have to go. The girls are so tired. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
She went up on tiptoe and kissed their cheeks, each of them clutching her to them before letting her go. She stood in the open door of the limo, her face sad as she gave them a little wave. She got in and the Bradshaws watched her drive away a moment later.
No one inside the limo asked her about her conversation with the brothers and none of them let her know they saw her quiet tears as she stared out the window.
Brooke kept from missing the guys by staying busy at all times. The charities she was part of loved how devoted she was and there was no end to her fan mail. There was a woman with the label who did nothing but organize her communication from her fan base.
The twins never let their female fans near her dressing room and were trying to be more professional.
Because they were trying, she didn’t mention seeing a woman follow them into a rest stop bathroom when they’d stopped to check a tire on her bus. She pretended not to count the minutes the three of them had stayed in that public restroom together. And no one would ever know that she noticed how sweaty and ruffled they all were when they finally came out, blinking in the bright sunlight as if they’d been clubbing all night.
Brooke thought it was funny that Decklan had gone inside their bus to get a signed CD, poster, and t-shirt for the woman and waved her away. You just got double-teamed in a filthy public restroom and you have the souvenirs to prove it!
It had taken her hours to be able to talk to them again and for the first time, she realized their sexual habits were darker than merely sharing. Was it normal to have so many partners? A high sex drive was one thing but it seemed they were playing Russian roulette with their health. There was a wildness about them she hadn’t seen before the tour, an almost feral quality. She wondered if they needed help but didn’t know how to give it.
After pre-show rehearsal in San Francisco, Brooke realized she had her backpack but not her camera as they headed out to sight-see. Sending the kids on to the car with Jeanette and security, Sidney walked with her through the labyrinth under the stadium and they got turned around trying to find her dressing room.
Taking a corner, they were greeted with the sight of Logan against a wall, a woman sucking his cock while Decklan fucked her from behind. All of them were fully dressed with the exception of open jeans and a raised skirt. Logan’s hands were buried in the woman’s dark hair and Decklan gripped her hips as he thrust into her body. Though they were making moaning sounds of pleasure, Brooke thought they looked strangely miserable.
Closing her eyes for a moment to chase away the momentary and unwelcome thought of her being the woman between them, she took several deep steadying breaths. She tried to back away quietly, not wanting them to know she’d seen them. A quick getaway wasn’t meant to be and she should have known that.
No way would Sidney let this go.
Sidney said with disgust, “I guess this is a better location than that rest stop. At least it’s cleaner. Jesus, you two need a fucking life. And honey, you’re a slut. Have some self-respect. Damn.” The woman had released Logan’s dick with a pop and all three of them turned to stare at them.
The twins were pulling themselves away from the woman and trying to get their clothes in place as Sidney held up her hand, “Please. Don’t let us interrupt. Like I’d let you get within ten feet of her with that whore’s fluids all over you. Not. Enjoy rolling in the gutter, my girl has plans.”
Refusing to let Brooke hesitate or speak to them in any way – because really…what could she possibly say – Sidney pulled her fast back the way they’d come and asked a stadium employee how to get where they needed to be. The moment they entered her dressing room, Sidney locked the door and sat with Brooke while she sobbed brokenly.
“I don’t care. I can’t care. I just, I don’t want to see it. I don’t want to know.”
“I know, honey. Right now, I need you to shake it off. You have plans with the gang and Kyle. You know we always make you laugh. Come on. Let’s get the hell out of here, before they come looking for you.” Grabbing their bags, they practically ran for the limo and made their escape. All of them went to the movies and out for ice cream, laughing and joking as they entered their hotel suite around midnight.
Brooke did feel better. Kyle, the kids, and her two best friends were the best medicine for being down. She would put it out of her mind, like she always did. Meeting Kyle for coffee with Jackson had become a habit after each show and they grew increasingly closer as she withdrew further and further from the Bradshaws. It wasn’t out of anger. It was to protect her heart.
After the Phoenix show, their tenth on the tour, she got off the elevator alone after coffee with Kyle. She glanced up to meet Logan’s panicked eyes. A young woman with dark hair had her legs wrapped around Decklan’s waist, already thrusting herself on his exposed cock as he backed into their suite with his arms around her. Logan’s hand was cupping her bared ass as Brooke got back in the elevator. He came running down the hall, the doors closing as he appeared in front of her, calling her name.
>
She found Kyle in the lobby bar with the rest of his band and asked to talk to him. He followed her away from their table and she asked him what room he was in. His eyes widened and she smiled, “I think we’ve known one another long enough for us to be deemed appropriate, don’t you think, Kyle?” He took her hand and they went upstairs.
When Logan entered the bar five minutes later, he was told Kyle had left with Brooke. Going to the bar, he asked for a double whiskey neat and wanted to throw the fucking glass against the wall after he emptied it in one pull. Decklan joined him soon after and they drank themselves into oblivion.
It was Kyle’s band that dragged them to their room in the middle of the night, shaking their heads.
Chapter Ten
When they were performing together onstage, things were the same and getting better with each show. The venues were packed and the fans were in love with them. In front of the camera, they laughed and worked together, posing for fans and reporters as if all was well.
Brooke let them off easy every time she caught them screwing around with some groupie. There wasn’t a whisper in the press of anything but camaraderie and the success of the tour.
The truth behind the scenes was they’d humiliated her by throwing their choices in her face over and over again. Their band knew, the roadies knew, Travis knew. Even the kids knew something was wrong but not what. They still talked to the brothers but weren’t as affectionate as they’d been before the tour. Even though Brooke had said nothing and hadn’t asked the younger siblings to back off, they sensed the change in their sister around them and it had them backing off as well. She had their allegiance and they knew she wouldn’t withdraw without good reason.
They were halfway through the tour and she rarely spoke to them if it wasn’t work related. They had to deal with the consequences of their behavior on the fragile relationship they had developed with Brooke.
Yes to Everything Page 8
