Brooklyn & Beale (19 page)

Chloe mimicked his smile and clasped her hands in front of her. “Oh, yeah? It wouldn’t happen to be a cupcake, would it?”

Reid smirked and pulled the bag from his shoulder. “Maybe.”

Chloe bounced on her toes, forgetting about her dark thoughts. It was her birthday. A happy day. And if she was lucky, Reid was about to give her a cupcake. “Give it to me,” she demanded with her arm extended.

Reid grinned and pulled out a small glass bottle. Chloe’s brows pinched with confusion as she reached for the bottle. “This isn’t a cupcake.”

“Are you certain?” he asked with a cocky smirk and a raised brow.

Chloe twisted the lid off and lifted the bottle to her nose, her eyes widening as soon as the smell hit her senses. “It smells like a cupcake!”

Reid chuckled. “It does.”

“Where did you get it?”

“Frank gave it to me. It’s their special brand of cake vodka. He asked me to give it to you on your birthday.”

Chloe’s chest warmed with gratitude. “I wish I could thank him.”

Reid laughed again and pulled the last cupcake of Chloe’s from his bag. “Don’t worry,” he said, handing it to her. “He was thanked several thousand times.”

Chloe’s eyes widened as she pulled the cupcake from his grasp. “Please tell me that’s a figure of speech.”

Reid pulled a candle from the bag and pushed it into the creamy icing atop the cupcake. Using a lighter, he held it to the wick until it burst to life. “Make a wish, Chloe.”

“Reid . . .” Chloe warned.

Reid rolled his eyes. “I have more money than I can ever spend. It was nice to use it on something that wasn’t destroying my life. Now, please,” he implored, his voice strained, “make a wish.”

Chloe’s eyes fell shut, and with a heavy sigh, she wished for the one thing she wanted more than anything.

Please don’t let me fall for him.

Flat green eyes. Pale skin covered in blood. Red and blue flashing lights. There was no air. Only burning lungs, an aching body, and pain.

All-consuming pain.

Inside. Outside. Everywhere. Unforgiving. God, please, just grant an ounce of relief. Something. Anything.

Gasping breaths. Warm hands. A firm grip and a voice laced with panic. Fear. It gripped tighter. Unforgiving.

Floating.

Just as the world started to fade to black, the scent of lavender filled the air. Purple and soft, comforting. Relaxing. Everything was purple. Everything was beautiful, whole. Yellow sun, silver skies.

Chloe.

Chloe.

Chloe.

“Reid?!” The sound of Jess’s panicked voice lifted the fog of sleep from Reid’s subconscious. “Reid, please wake up!”

He blinked and tried to make out her form in the dark room. Sweat trickled down the sides of his face as a chill racked his body. “Jess?” His voice was hoarse and laced with confusion.

“God, baby. You scared the shit out of me. Are you okay?”

“What happened?”

Jess laid her head on his chest and clung to his shirt. “You were having a nightmare. I tried to wake you, but you just kept thrashing. I didn’t know what to do,” she choked, her tears leaking onto the already soaked cotton of his T-shirt.

He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. With a deep breath, he pressed a kiss against her forehead and exhaled. “I’m sorry. I have nightmares.”

“I know,” Jess responded before falling quiet. Silence settled around them as she turned on her side and pulled the covers tight around her shoulders. Just as Reid began to drift off to sleep once more, Jess spoke. Her words were garbled and meant for no one, but Reid heard them as if she’d screamed at the top of her lungs. “You’ve just never called for anyone named Chloe.”

Long after Jess fell asleep, Reid lay awake. Guilt chipped away at him. It seemed to be all he felt lately. Guilt for hurting Jess. Guilt for missing Chloe even though he was with her every day. Guilt for the tension that weighed on the group. He couldn’t seem to do right by anyone, and he had no idea how to fix it.

That wasn’t true. He knew how to fix it; he just wasn’t sure he could.

Almost two weeks had passed since Jess surprised him in Paris. Since he’d boarded the flight from LA to Dublin four months ago, that was all he’d wanted. But now that she was here, nothing felt right. Chloe had distanced herself, and Greer wasted no time keeping her occupied. He should have been happy, grateful even, for the opportunity to spend some quality time with Jess. He felt none of those things.

He stared at her sleeping form. Her soft, black hair fanned around her face, the contrast making her sun-kissed skin seem to glow. He counted each breath she took, his eyes moving across the pout of her parted lips as she exhaled softly. She was so beautiful. It hurt to look at her sometimes. Skimming the back of his hand across her cheek, he let his eyes fall shut.

When she’d told him to go to hell all those years ago, he never once imagined they’d be where they were now. He’d been young and stupid and lost the one person he loved most. Now, she was back. After all the mistakes he’d made, all the wrong he’d done, she’d given him another chance. In return, she only asked for one thing.

Please don’t break my heart again.

The words were so clear, if he wasn’t looking at her, he’d swear she said them. Reid fell heavily against the pillow and threw his arm over his face. His mind raced as he tried to reason with the turmoil brewing inside him. Jess was everything he wanted. So why couldn’t he stop thinking about Chloe? Why was she infiltrating his dreams? He tried to think logically, listing reasons like their connection to music and their close proximity over the last few months.

The problem was, the moment Jess arrived, all thoughts of Chloe should have melted away. That was how things had always been. Jess had a way of making him forget the world with just a smile. She knew him inside and out. She understood him. She loved him and he loved her. That was enough. It had to be enough. Because the alternative would be the one thing he promised to never do again and that wasn’t an option at all.

When the first traces of dawn filtered through the bus’s dark tinted windows and Jess began to stir, Reid rolled to his side and closed his eyes. He couldn’t face her, not yet. He needed a little time to get his shit together. That’s all he needed. Just a little time.

Reid looked around his dressing room and sighed. Pressing the heels of his palms into his eyes, he fought to shake the weight of fatigue. He hadn’t slept more than a couple of hours for almost a week. Not since he’d said Chloe’s name in his sleep. If he didn’t sleep, he couldn’t dream. If he couldn’t dream, he wouldn’t have to worry about ever seeing the hurt on Jess’s face he’d seen that day when he’d dragged himself out of bed. He never wanted to see that again.

“Mr. Ryder, can I get you anything?”

Reid jerked his surprise, his eyes darting to the guy standing only a few feet away. Reid hadn’t even heard him come in. Taking note of his clothes, Reid relaxed when he noticed the venue’s logo printed on his shirt and the headset hanging around his neck.

“No, I’m fine.”

The guy nodded but stopped after he turned to leave. Pivoting back toward Reid, he smiled. It was a conspiratorial smile; it was trouble. “You’ve got about thirty minutes before you head out.” Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a small object and tossed it in Reid’s lap. “Just in case you need a pick-me-up,” he said before turning on his heel and slipping out the door.

Reid couldn’t move. He couldn’t look down. He knew what was there. The featherlight bag felt like a slab of concrete in his lap. His heart pounded and his mouth went dry. He took several breaths before releasing a shaky exhale and dropping his gaze. Just as he knew there would be, a tiny plastic bag filled with instant oblivion sat like a bomb awaiting detonation.

Reid gasped and shoved the baggie into the outside pocket of his bag when his phone came to life beside him. He looked around the room, guilty and on edge as he reached for the phone. When he saw the name on the screen, he thought for sure his heart would beat its way out of his chest.

“Will?”

“What’s up, dude? Still not banging the totally bangin’ violinist?”

Reid let out a nervous laugh and pushed his clammy palm through his sweaty hair. “Are you sure you and Greer aren’t related?”

“I wish. I’d totally take his leftovers.”

“That’s fucking gross, man.”

“Hey, not all of us can have the crème de la crème of pussy. I’m all right with slummin’ it once in a while.”

Reid exhaled as his racing heart began to slow. “Did you have a reason for calling other than talking about pussy?”

Will snickered into the phone. “I have some news about your girl.”

Reid swallowed around the lump that formed in his throat at Will’s choice of words. He should have corrected Will. Told him Chloe wasn’t his girl, but he didn’t. He didn’t want to. “Oh, yeah?”

“I passed around a few tapes, emailed some footage from the shows. I’ve had a dozen calls from musicians and scouts. They can’t believe she’s not bankrolling. Dude, she’s got a lot of fucking talent. She’s also got the look everybody loves: hot, soft, and just enough badass to make even the most committed man think twice. Save for yourself, of course,” Will added with a laugh.

Reid ground his teeth together and clenched his fist. Suddenly, he wondered if Chloe moving to LA was a good idea after all. Everyone would want her, but not always for the right reasons. The thought of some asshole running a game on her made Reid want to hit something. Maybe he should consider asking her to stay on with his band. It didn’t matter that he hadn’t planned to use a violin on his next album. He didn’t even have a next album. The way things were going, he wasn’t sure if there would be a next album. But if she moved to LA, she’d be closer. She wouldn’t disappear from his life. That thought was all it took for Reid to maintain his composure. He’d worry about everything else later.

“So what’s the next step?”

“Get her ass to LA. I’ve had a couple of calls asking about her agent, but I didn’t know dick about that, so I told them I’d have to get back with them. I’ll forward you all the responses I got and you can show them to her. If she doesn’t move to LA after seeing who some of these inquiries are from, she’s not fucking serious about making it.”

“Thanks, man. I owe you. Send me the info and I’ll get it to her. And don’t worry, you didn’t waste your time. She wants it. I know she does.”

Reid hung up and tossed his phone back on the vanity. He checked the time, and with a low curse, jumped to his feet. It was show time. He’d wait until tomorrow to tell Chloe the good news and hope it was enough to convince her to move.

“Chloe.”

Chloe blinked and lifted her head. When she was met with silence, she dropped her head back to the pillow and closed her eyes. Now she was hearing his voice in her sleep. With a heavy sigh, she rolled to her side and pulled the blanket over her head.

“Chloe, get up.”

More alert this time, she snatched back the curtain, her eyes widening when she realized she was nearly nose-to-nose with Reid. Although the light was dim, she couldn’t help but notice how excited he seemed.

“Oh good, you’re awake.”

Chloe sat up on her elbow and propped her head in her hand. “You know,” she drawled. “I really hope you don’t plan to make a habit out of waking me at ungodly hours. I’ve been known to bite.”

Reid laughed and tugged her hand. “C’mere. I want to tell you something.”

“And it can’t wait until morning?” Chloe whined, but she allowed Reid to pull her from the bunk.

“No. I want to talk to you while everyone is asleep. We haven’t had a chance to talk in a long time.” Reid paused for a moment as they sat on the sofa in the upstairs lounge before continuing. “I’ve missed you.”

Warmth bloomed low in Chloe’s stomach and her muscles clenched. A nervous chuckle rose from her throat and she waved her hand in dismissal. “I’ve been here the whole time. Although, if this is your way of telling me that I need to increase our Jedi training lessons, I hear you loud and clear.”

Reid’s shoulders relaxed, and for the first time in weeks, he seemed like he didn’t have a care in the world. “I have good news. I was going to wait to tell you, but I couldn’t.”

Chloe perked up a bit. “Oh? What news?”

Reid pulled out his phone and opened his email. He scooted next to Chloe until their bodies touched from shoulder to knee and handed her the phone. “Look.”

Chloe scrolled through nearly a dozen emails, all with the same subject line: Chloe Bennett. “What is this?” she whispered, already knowing but needing to hear it anyway.

“Gigs.”

“All of them?”

Reid nodded and pulled the phone from her hand. “All of them. Musicians, scouts, agents. You come to LA, and you’ll never have to worry about the fucking symphony again.”

Chloe threw her arms around Reid’s neck and crushed him to her. She wanted to thank him, she wanted to say it over and over, yell it at the top of her voice, but the air had been sucked from her lungs and her airway constricted with emotion. Reid wrapped his arms around her waist and dropped his face to her neck.

“I told you,” he whispered. “Never give up. Never let go. Things have a way of working out.”

Chloe choked out a laugh, her chest burning. “When did you become the optimistic one?”

Reid’s shoulders shook as he laughed silently. Pulling back, he looked her in the eye and shrugged. “It’s only hard to be optimistic when it’s about me.”

“Then we’ll be each other’s glass half full. I’ll take care of you and you take care of me.”

Reid swiped his thumb across her cheek, catching a fresh tear. “I like the sound of that.”

“Thank you,” she said, her voice earnest. “I can’t say that enough. In a matter of months, you’ve done more for me than I could ever repay you for. Hell, since you brought me on the tour. I can’t tell you what it means to me.”

“So you’ll come to LA?”

Chloe smiled so wide that her cheeks ached. “Yeah. Yes. Hell yes.”

Reid pulled her into his embrace and squeezed. “You won’t regret it. This is just the beginning.”

Holding her for a moment longer, he untangled their bodies and pulled her to her feet. “Go get some sleep. I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Okay. Thank you again.”

Reid turned to leave but stopped. “Oh, hey, Chloe?”

“Yeah?”

“Can we keep this between us for right now? You know how these guys are. They’ll turn this into something it isn’t.”

“Of course,” Chloe answered, unsurprised. She knew how the others would see it. The same as the fans and media saw it, even though they knew better. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

A million thoughts were floating around in her head as she crawled back into her bunk, but the exhaustion of the day finally took over, and within minutes, Chloe was fast asleep.

The sound of a cabinet door slamming jolted Chloe awake in what felt like no time at all. Curious, Chloe rolled out of her bunk and tiptoed to the stairs.

“Calm down, Jess. Everything will be okay,” Tom soothed.

Chloe’s heart hammered as she stood frozen in place. Did Jess know? Did Reid tell her?

“What if she dies?” Jess cried. “I need to get home.”

Chloe’s face paled, and without thinking, she darted down the stairs. “Is everything okay?”

Tom and Jess looked up in surprise. It was Tom who spoke. “Jess needs to get back to Memphis. One of her pregnant mares is having complications. It doesn’t look good.”

“Oh no,” Chloe whispered, lowering herself into the chair next to Tom. Reid had explained that Jess worked as a veterinarian for an equestrian farm that bred high-profile racing horses. If Jess was worried enough to fly back to Memphis, the situation must be bleak. Chewing the edge of her thumb, she watched Jess frantically search the lounge area of the bus for her things. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

Jess flashed her a strained smile. “No, thanks. I can’t believe this is happening. I shouldn’t have left.”

“Everything is going to be fine, Jess,” Tom reassured her again, his eyes focused on the screen in front of him. “Okay, I found a flight leaving Rome at six tonight. We should get there around noon. You’ll have plenty of time.”

“Is there an earlier flight? I need to get back. If something goes wrong and I’m not there . . .” Jess’s eyes took on a faraway look as a flash of pain twisted her features.

Tom cast a worried glance in her direction. “Let me see.”

“Does Reid know?” Chloe whispered to Tom. When he shook his head, Chloe stood. “Let me take care of this. You go talk to Reid. I’m sure Tom will do his best to find the earliest flight possible.”

“Thanks,” Jess said, her voice devoid of emotion as she dropped her things on the table and turned away. Chloe’s brows dipped in confusion as Jess slipped inside the bedroom and closed the door.

“What the hell?” she whispered. She knew Jess was stressed, but her tone and the expression on her face seemed to convey so much more. She looked angry…at Chloe.

“Don’t take it personally. She’s just upset,” Tom said, his face apologetic.

Chloe shrugged. “That’s cool. I’m just glad I wasn’t imagining it.”

After putting all of Jess’s odds and ends together, Chloe decided to go back to her bunk. She didn’t want to take the chance of being the object of Jess’s aggression again. Stretching out in her bed, she opened her notebook. Just as she started to read the lyrics on the page, the sound of Reid’s voice floated up from below.

“Shit,” Chloe whispered when his voice grew louder. While his words were still garbled, it was clear he wasn’t happy. When she heard what she thought was her name being yelled angrily by Jess, she yanked back the curtain and rolled out of her bunk. She didn’t want to hear them fighting, much less if it somehow involved her.

“So Jess is leaving?” Inky asked as soon as Chloe sat down next to her in the upstairs lounge.

Chloe grimaced. “It would seem so.”

“Good,” Inky said, her expression unapologetic. Chloe blinked in surprise.

“You don’t like her?”

Inky shrugged. “I like her just fine. What I don’t like is the effect she has on the group. We all have our issues, but her being here has added an extra layer of tension that’s made the last couple of weeks downright miserable. Why do you think Drew and Lincoln have spent time riding on the bus with the other band? They don’t want to be here. And don’t get me started on how it’s changed the onstage chemistry between you and Reid. It’s like someone dumped a gigantic bucket of ice water on you two.”

Chloe stared at Inky with her mouth open. She wanted to argue that Inky was wrong, but it would be a lie. Everything had changed since Jess arrived. Reid hadn’t bothered to open the notebook she’d given him. Not once had he mentioned mixing up the set list like he’d done in the months before. Every second not rehearsing or performing, Reid had spent isolated with Jess.

Except for last night
, Chloe thought with a smile.

“Exactly,” Inky said, taking Chloe’s silence for agreement.

Instead of arguing, she shrugged. “How much longer before we get to Rome?”

Inky laughed and bumped her shoulder. “That’s the spirit. Now come on, let’s play Mario Kart.”

For the next few hours, Chloe, Inky, and eventually, Greer and Tom hung out in the upstairs lounge area playing video games. Although no one commented, the steady increase in the volume of the television confirmed that everyone was aware of the ongoing argument happening downstairs. When Tom casually mentioned they would be making a detour to the airport once they arrived in Rome, the air seemed to lighten.

Reid tucked Jess’s hair behind her ear and cradled her jaw. “I know you’re upset, but being angry at me isn’t going to change the situation.”

Jess’s eyes filled with tears. “I know,” she choked. “I’m so sorry. I’m having a bit of a meltdown. I shouldn’t have freaked out on you. God, everyone probably thinks I’m a bitch.”

Reid pulled her into a hug. “No one thinks that.”

“I bossed Tom around like he was a dog, and I was so rude to Chloe. I should have apologized.” Jess blinked away her tears and looked up at Reid. “Tell her I’m sorry. Tell all of them I’m sorry.”

“I will. Don’t worry about that. Just get home safe and take care of that horse. I’ll see you in a month.”

“I will.”

“Text me when you get home so I know you made it safely. Or call me, whatever. I just want to make sure you’re okay.”

“I’m sorry I picked a fight with you. I don’t know why I did it. I’m just so jealous of the time they have with you. I want that time. I want you. I’ve missed you so much for so long. I hate that the last day we’ll have together for more than a month was spent fighting. I don’t want that to be how we remember the last few weeks.”

Reid shook his head and pressed his lips to hers. “This is what I’ll remember. You and me right now. None of that other stuff matters.”

“I love you.”

“You too,” he whispered. Giving her a final hug, he released her and grabbed her bag from the floor. “I’ll talk to you soon.” When she smiled, waved good-bye, and then disappeared into the crowd, Reid’s shoulders sagged with guilt. He hated himself in that moment. Because underneath the guilt and the shame, he felt nothing but relief and excitement. Relief that she was gone, and excitement that things could go back to the way they were. That he could go back to being with Chloe as much as he wanted.

With a final glance, Reid headed back to the bus. As soon as he stepped on board, he could feel the shift. He could also smell it, and it was rotten. With his brows pulled together in confusion and disgust, he edged closer to the table where everyone had gathered, laughing as Greer held a shot glass in the air.

“When this backfires, remember that you only have yourself to blame,” Greer warned before downing the drink.

“What’s going on?” Reid asked, wasting no time slipping into the open space next to Chloe.

“You don’t smell it?” she asked, her face twisted with distaste.

Reid grimaced. “I don’t know what
it
is, but
it
smells like shit.”

“Exactly. Greer broke the rules. He shit on the bus. This,” Chloe explained, waving her hand toward the collection of liquor bottles on the table, “is his punishment.”

Reid’s eyes widened. “What the fuck did you guys make him drink?”

“All of it,” Inky said, her voice deadpan.

“All of it?” Reid repeated, his stomach rolling just from the thought.

Chloe giggled. “Yup. If he shits on here again before we get to the hotel, it’s going to smell like death to us, but that hot sauce we added will make his experience so much worse.”

“This is your fault,” Greer said, his face twisted in a scowl.

“My fault?” Reid asked, his eyes wide.

“Yes. You took too long in the airport. We should already be at the hotel. I think you should shoulder some of the blame.” Greer grabbed the shot glass and the closest bottle to him and filled it to the top. “I won’t do to you what these assholes did to me and mix ten different things. Consider this me going easy on you.”