Chase the Road (A Brothers of Rock - GONE BY AUTUMN - Novel) (3 page)

“
Hunter,
”
Maya said.
“
Uh, Kathy, this is, uh, Hunter
…
my, uh, my boyfriend
…”

“
Well,
Hunter,
”
Kathy said.
“
You
’
re a far cry from a rockstar, aren
’
t you?
”

Hunter raised an eyebrow.
“
I guess you could say that.
”

“
Or
are you in the background of the music industry?
”
Kathy asked.

“
Hardly,
”
Hunter said.
“
Investments and securities.
”

Kathy nodded. She then eyed Maya.
“
Very interesting.
”

“
I
didn
’
t mean to interrupt,
”
Hunter said.

“
No,
I think we were finishing up,
”
Kathy said.
“
Tell me about
the tour.
”

Maya was uncomfortable. She had
Hunter standing at her left and Kathy staring her down. She knew Kathy sensed
her uneasy feelings. This was what Kathy probably wanted. To make Maya
vulnerable and give up something good.

“
I
don
’
t know what else there
is to say,
”
Maya said.
“
There
’
s dates, venues, and shows that are going to be
amazing.
”

“
New
music?
”

“
They
’
re always writing.
”

“
Can
fans expect anything on tour that
’
s
new? Or maybe another sneak single?
”

“
You
never know. I
’
m not
involved with that.
”

“
Where
are the guys right now?
”

“
Right
now
…
I
’
d assume practicing. It
’
s not just jump on stage and
play. They take it all very serious. So I
’
m
sure they
’
re working
through songs, set lists, coming up with a way to make the show big yet small.
”

“
Big
yet small
…
how do you achieve
that, Maya?
”

“
Be
as intimate as you can with the fans,
”
Maya said.
“
Make sure that
the person in the front row has the same experience that the person in the seat
all the way up top.
”

“
Will
you be on tour with the band?
”

Maya looked from the corner of her
eye at Hunter. Her mouth opened, but nothing came out.

“
I,
uh, I
’
m not sure yet,
”
Maya said.
“
There
’
s always so much to do behind the scenes.
”

“
And
Blake?
”

“
What
about Blake?
”

“
When
is he going to find love?
”

“
Uh
…
you'd have to ask him,
”
Maya said.
“
I don
’
t think the guys went out looking for love. It just
happens
…”

Right on cue, Hunter put a hand to
Maya
’
s shoulder and inched
closer.

“
Well,
you two seem very happy together,
”
Kathy said.
“
I
’
m going to take off and start
working on this article. Have the table and enjoy your date.
”

Maya stared at Kathy as Kathy
stared back. It felt weird. It felt different.

Hunter took Kathy
’
s spot and took Maya by the
hands.
“
Hey.
”

“
Hey,
”
Maya said.
“
Sorry about that. Those
interviews get weird.
”

“
Lots
of questions, right?
”

“
Yeah.
And they try and throw you off. Catch you saying something that
’
s juicy.
”

“
Did
you give up anything that
’
s
juicy?
”
Hunter asked.

“
I
don
’
t think so. I think the
juice has run dry.
”
Maya
laughed.
“
Just
…
I don
’
t even know what the hell that means.
”

“
You
’
re flustered,
”
Hunter said.
“
Have a drink or something.
Relax.
”

“
I
’
ll be fine.
”

Maya grabbed her phone and checked.

Nothing from Blake.

She opened her texts and shot one
off to Sam.

Interview is done. I
’
m drained. I want a
raise. lol

“
You
okay?
”
Hunter asked.

Maya looked up and put her phone
away.
“
Yeah, sure. Sorry.
Just had to text Sam. I need to get together with the guys soon. Figure out
what else needs to be done.
”

“
Like
go on tour with them?
”
Hunter asked and raised an eyebrow.

“
Yeah,
about that
…
I didn
’
t know she
’
d ask that. I didn
’
t really
…”

“
Is
that something you
’
re
considering?
”

Maya swallowed hard.
Damn cotton
ball feeling again
…

“
Honestly?
I
’
ve been on every tour
with them
…”

“
But
you haven
’
t been in a
relationship though, right? I mean, it
’
s
not like you need to be there. You have something here.
”

Hunter was right.

But he was wrong. Very wrong.

Maya considered it for a second,
and even in that second it was just too much.

She couldn
’
t imagine telling Blake she wouldn
’
t be there on the bus with him.
Well, with the band. Not just Blake. The entire band. The tour.

Definitely not just about Blake.

(3)

Blake sat in front of the band. It
almost had the feel of an intervention. The four of them were standing, Ryan
with his arms cross, leading the pack. Gabe had his fingers interlocked behind
his head, standing tall. Asher stood like stone, while Tanner paced back and
forth. Blake just sat there, trying to play everything off as cool. He had a
bottle of whiskey in his hand. Not a glass. Not a beer. But a bottle of
whiskey. It was rough, bitter, almost like swallowing glass, but it was
delicious.

“
Open
it up,
”
Ryan said.
“
Don
’
t be an asshole about this.
”

“
Open
what?
”
Blake asked.

“
The
gates, man,
”
Asher said. He
rubbed his slightly bruised jaw.
“
You
have to talk to us.
”

“
You
’
re missing beats,
”
Tanner said.
“
You
’
re distant. You haven
’
t
shaved in how long?
”

“
You
smell like shit,
”
Gabe
said.

“
I
’
m a rockstar,
”
Blake said.
“
I
’
m
good. I
’
m living my dream.
”

“
Bullshit,
”
Ryan said.
“
You want me to call it out?
”

“
Call
it out,
”
Blake said.
“
Go ahead. I dare you.
”

“
One
word then,
”
Ryan said. He
leaned forward.
“
Maya.
”

Blake turned his head and gritted
his teeth.

Words flashed in the back of his
mind.

While you may believe that
someone as close to the band as Maya has lived, there would be tension. Yeah,
you know the kind of tension I
’
m
talking about. Five hunky rockstars and one woman
…
the fantasies write themselves. But as I
sat there talking to Maya, in walked another fantasy. Tall, clean cut, dress
pants, dress shirt, a million dollar smile, and trusting blue eyes, it took me
by surprise that Maya has found love off the stage. Out of the band. Off the
road
…

Nothing else in the article
mattered but that. Screw the tour. Screw the songs. Screw how amazing Maya did
with the interview by answering, yet shielding away, the tough questions.

It was about that damn part.

The fact that Hunter had shown up
during the interview.

Why?

To check up on Maya? Like he didn
’
t trust her? Like she couldn
’
t handle the interview herself?
Who the hell was he?

“
Blake,
”
Asher said.
“
Damn, man
…”

“
What?
”
Blake snapped.
“
You want to know something? Why
the hell did
he
have to end up in the article? A section about Maya and
her boyfriend? Doesn
’
t that
bother anyone else?
”

The room was instantly silent.
Uncomfortably silent. Which told Blake he was on his own with this one.
Rightfully so, because it didn
’
t
matter to the band what Maya did or  said. As long as she didn
’
t hurt the band, what did it
matter?

“
Seriously?
”
Asher asked.

“
Come
on,
”
Blake said.
“
The interview was about the
band, not personal lives. There was no need for that.
”

“
Jealous,
”
Gabe said and turned around.

“
Fuck
off,
”
Blake snapped.

“
Good,
”
Ryan said.
“
Get it out.
”

“
Look,
”
Tanner said,
“
that stuff shouldn
’
t have been in the interview. I
’
ll agree with that. But it didn
’
t hurt the band. There
’
s allure to what Maya does for
us. She
’
s really good at
helping. To that interviewer it was kind of interesting that Maya wasn
’
t involved with one of us. Big
deal.
”

Big deal?

“
He
wants her to be involved,
”
Asher said.

Blake pushed from the couch and
stood up.
“
Seriously?
”

“
Yeah,
”
Asher said. He turned his head
and pointed to the clean side of his jaw.
“
Come
on. Match me up, bro. I don
’
t
care.
”

“
You
two,
”
Ryan growled.
“
Damn.
”
He got between Blake and Asher.
“
Everyone take a break. Go get a
bite or something.
”

“
I
’
m fine right here,
”
Blake said. He plopped back
down on the couch and sipped from the bottle.
“
Right
fucking here.
”

“
Then
stay here,
”
Gabe said.
“
Think your shit out and let us
know what you need from us. But don
’
t
…”

“
Don
’
t what?
”
Blake asked.

Asher stared daggers at him.
“
Don
’
t fuck this up for us. For yourself.
”

“
I
’
ll be there,
”
Blake said.
“
I
’
d
never miss a show or a tour. You know that.
”

“
I
’
m talking about Maya,
”
Asher said.
“
When was the last time you texted
her? Talked to her? Saw her? You think maybe for a second she thinks something
’
s wrong?
”

Blake gritted his teeth.

“
So
I
’
m going to take a stab at
this one,
”
Tanner said.
“
You want to get to Maya
…
but yet you ignore her
…
which just pushes her somewhere
else.
”

Blake said nothing.

He loved these four guys. His best
friends. His brothers. But sometimes being a best friend and being a brother
meant knowing when to talk, when to push, when to punch, and when to walk away.

So that
’
s what they all did.

They walked away.

And it wasn
’
t a sign of disrespect or not caring for Blake. It
was just their way of showing love.

Each guy, starting with Ryan, made
sure to grab Blake
’
s
shoulder and squeeze it.

They said nothing and they all left
the loft.

For a second, Blake thought he was
going to lose his mind. Throw the whiskey bottle against the wall and trash the
place. It wouldn
’
t have
been the first time that would happen and it wouldn
’
t have been the last.

But Blake didn
’
t move.

He drank. He thought. He put his
head back and tried to figure out all those subtle times he could have done
more
…

“
Can
he play guitar?
”

Blake smiled at Maya and a small
breeze pulled hair from behind her ear and wrapped it around her face. She
fought to keep the hair out of her mouth as she laughed.

“
Of
course you would ask that,
”
she said.
“
I
’
m being serious, Blake. I don
’
t know what to do about this
guy.
”

“
Does
he even have a name to you?
”

“
Yeah.
You know his name is Jeff.
”

“
Jeff?
Who
’
s named Jeff? It
’
s
…”
Blake stuck his tongue out.

Maya swatted at Blake
’
s shoulder. He knew how this
went. He
’
d give her shit
and she
’
d swat at him. Then
Blake would catch her hand and sort of hold it. Something like a cross between
shaking hands and holding hands. Extremely pathetic but it was a way to touch
her.

“
I
stand by my original question. Can he play guitar?
”

“
You
know he can
’
t,
”
Maya said.

“
Dump
his ass,
”
Blake said.
“
See you later.
”

Maya laughed again. Blake held her
hand tighter. He stared at her. Everything around was silent except for the
gentle rush of the creek just a few feet away. This was where they
’
d all hang out. The guys in the
band and sometimes girls. Well, women. They were all grown up, but that didn
’
t mean the youthful party had to
end. And maybe that
’
s what
held Blake back right now. Because he didn
’
t
want to party with Maya. He didn
’
t
want to fool around in the woods and have it just be a memory. Young, dumb,
whatever you wanted to call it
…
he wanted forever.

The real kind of forever.

The deepest fire possible in his
heart, the only thing possibly matched by that was being a famous rockstar one
day soon. In time, Gone by Autumn would stand on the biggest of stages in front
of tens of thousands of fans. And in time, he
’
d
take Maya
’
s hand with the
gentlest of touches, pull her close, kiss her, and tell her he loved her. And
that would be the norm.

“
I
have to get moving,
”
Maya
said, always breaking their silence.

“
Yeah,
”
Blake said.
“
I have to track down Ryan. He
’
s supposed to pick up Asher and
Gabe so we can practice. You didn
’
t
forget about our gig at Barky
’
s
Pub, right?
”

“
I
’
d never forget,
”
Maya said.
“
I
’
ll
be front row, singing.
”

“
Someday
you
’
ll have to pay a lot to
be front row for us.
”

Maya frowned.
“
You
’
d make me pay when you
’
re famous?
”

Blake laughed as his heart
squeezed.
“
No, never. You
’
re always free in my heart.
”

Maya giggled and left. Blake
watched her until she was out of sight. Not just because of his wild crush, but
because she had a really nice ass.

You
’
re always free in my
heart?

Blake smacked his forehead and left
the woods a minute or so later.

He met up with the guys and they
spent half an hour talking about what songs to work on. They were up to three
songs now. One was really good. The other two needed work, but they were
something for now. The band had an arsenal of covers, but they didn
’
t want to play other bands
’
songs. They wanted to do their
own thing.

Floating around in life right now
was kind of scary. It was definitely cool to have Ryan, Tanner, Gabe, and Asher
around to share the worry and the dreams with.

After talking and messing around,
they got to work. They ran through their three songs four times. Asher started
playing a new riff and Tanner yelled at him to keep going. Ryan stood at the
crooked mic stand and nodded, getting a feel for what could be a new song.

Then Asher stopped.
“
That
’
s all I
’
ve
got. Stupid.
”

“
No
way,
”
Gabe said.
“
That
’
s more of a bass riff
…
watch
…”

Gabe started to play the riff,
leaving Blake smiling and amazed at how talented his best friends were. How
good they were at writing music and picking up riffs from each other and
turning them into something.

And Gabe had been right.

The bass line was freaking good.

So good that an hour later when
Maya opened the door and stood there with a worried look on her face, the band
was just a few minutes away from completing what could possibly be a fourth
song. But Blake jumped up and called practice, needing to see what was wrong
with Maya. He made fists, cracking knuckles, wondering if he
’
d have to beat someone up for
messing with Maya.

It wouldn
’
t have been the first time.
Or the last
.

Blake ran to Maya and got close to
her. Just inches away.
“
What
happened?
”