Brooklyn & Beale (8 page)

“To motherfucking rock stars,” Greer echoed.

“To motherfucking rock stars,” the rest of the group cheered, raising their glasses before slamming back their drinks.

Their good mood continued through fan pictures and autographs. Reid couldn’t help but notice how people gravitated to Chloe, and not just the fans. Greer seemed to be a permanent fixture at her side since they’d left the stage. It made him wonder if something was developing between them. The thought bothered him. He felt protective of her. She was his friend. The last thing he wanted was for something to start with her and Greer, only to go south.

“You okay?”

Reid looked at Tom. “Yeah. I think the adrenaline is finally starting to wear off. It won’t be long before I’m ready to crash and burn.”

“We don’t have much longer. Do you think you can hang out another half hour?”

“I can handle that.” Reid’s eyes drifted to Greer and Chloe again. “Can you make sure everyone knows what time we need to be here in the morning? I don’t want to deal with hangovers.”

Tom followed Reid’s gaze. “Sure thing. Have you spoken to Jess?”

“I’m going to text her when I leave.” Reid didn’t look at Tom as he motioned for one of the waiting fans to step forward for an autograph.

“Is there anything else?” Tom asked.

“Nope. We’re all set. Just make sure everyone knows what time to be here tomorrow.”

“You got it, boss.”

For the next half hour, Reid smiled for pictures and signed autographs. Some women slipped phone numbers into his hand, while less shy women propositioned him on the spot. It was the same as always, but he felt more uncomfortable now. Maybe it was because he felt ashamed for inviting that sort of behavior over the last couple of years while he was single. Whatever the reason, he couldn’t wait to escape to the safety of his hotel room.

“Okay, Padawan, time to wrap things up. You need your beauty rest,” Chloe said, thankfully interrupting one of the more aggressive fans.

Reid laughed and gave the fan an apologetic smile. “Sorry. That’s all for tonight, guys. Thanks for coming out.”

Groans of protest echoed around the room, but the security team quickly cleared the area. “Did you just Yoda me again?” Reid asked with a smile as they walked toward the tour bus.

Chloe shrugged. “You looked uncomfortable. I thought I could lend a hand since the security team couldn’t seem to be bothered.”

“I don’t know what the hell those guys were doing, but if they want to keep their jobs, it better not happen again.”

“Don’t worry, I’m pretty sure I saw Tom letting the head guy have it. With any luck, tomorrow will be different. I bet you won’t be able to breathe without smelling the security guy next to you.”

Reid’s face twisted with disgust. “Thanks for the visual.”

“Happy to help,” Chloe laughed as they filed onto the tour bus.

Hushed conversations filled the space as they drove to the hotel. Reid hadn’t planned to seclude himself, but once Greer settled in next to Chloe, he had the sudden urge to be alone. Falling onto the bed in the small bedroom on the bus, he pulled out his phone. Tiny folded pieces of paper dropped onto the bed, but that’s not what made Reid’s pulse suddenly quicken. Frozen, he stared at a plastic bag filled with white powder lying among the pile of phone numbers. He reached for it slowly, a phantom numbness sliding down his throat as he swallowed. With shaking hands, he lifted it from the bed, and without thought, brought it to his nose and pulled in a deep, burning breath. He wanted it; he wanted it more than he could have possibly anticipated. Like an old pro, he twisted and tugged the knot loose until there was no barrier between him and sweet oblivion.

Reid struggled to pull away, to fight the temptation, but he felt helpless against the weight of need. He shifted his hand and dipped his pinkie into the center of the powder, only hesitating a second before parting his lips and rubbing the bitter substance over his teeth and gums. The image that followed caused his knees to buckle and acid to hit the back of his throat.

Vacant green eyes. Pale skin stained in crimson.

Reid heaved and staggered to his feet. Blindly, he moved to the tiny bathroom and flushed the bag down the toilet. Ashamed and sick, he slumped against the wall and pulled his knees to his chest. With each breath, he felt the weight of his weakness press into his shoulders until he could hardly breathe. He needed to be the man he used to be before all the fame. The man he used to be with Jess, if that guy even existed anymore. She made him stronger and gave him hope.

There was nothing he wanted more than to see her face, hear her voice. Climbing to his feet, he walked to the bedroom and fell on the bed. It was the first day of the tour and his will was already being tested. He hoped it wasn’t a sign of things to come. Typing out a text to Jess, he dropped his phone to his side and closed his eyes. Today was almost over. Tomorrow, he would have a clean slate. Tomorrow, he would do better.

The following morning, Reid sat hidden in the corner of the hotel restaurant. With coffee in hand, he scrolled through websites on his phone, looking for reviews of the show. The search had been mostly unsuccessful, but it helped distract him from his guilt over what he’d almost done the night before.

Reid looked up when the elevator bell dinged. A few seconds later, Chloe stepped out. Looking around, Reid let out a low whistle to get her attention and waved her over. “Can’t sleep either?”

“Are you kidding? I could have slept all day, but there’s no way I’m going to miss grabbing breakfast at Queen of Tarts.”

“Queen of Tarts?”

“Yes. I know we have food catered in, but you haven’t lived until you’ve had their scones.”

Reid’s brows shot up at the mention of scones. “Is that a fact?”

“I would never lie about scones, especially considering your love for pastries. Would you like me to bring you something back?”

Reid looked over her shoulder and realized she was alone. “Is anyone going with you?”

“Do you really think anyone else would get up this early for scones?”

Reid laughed, and a bit of the weight he felt lifted. “How about I join you? Otherwise, I’m just going to sit here looking for reviews until my head explodes.”

“Well, come on, then. Get a move on. It’s across the river.”

Reid eyed her skeptically. “Do you know where you’re going?”

Chloe waved her phone in front of his face. “I don’t have to. I called a cab.”

“Touché,” Reid said, grabbing his jacket and following Chloe out of the hotel. A few fans who had camped out jumped to their feet when he stepped outside. He autographed a couple of CDs and posed for a few pictures before waving good-bye and following Chloe into the waiting cab.

“How do you get used to that?” Chloe asked.

Reid shrugged and pushed his long hair out of his face. “You don’t. I guess it could be worse, though. I could walk outside and find no one waiting at all.” Not wanting to dwell on his fears that something like that might happen sooner rather than later, he changed the subject. “How do you know about this place?”

When Chloe didn’t answer, Reid looked over to find her studying her hands. Her brows were furrowed and she appeared lost in thought.

“Are you okay?”

Chloe’s head snapped up and she gave him a soft smile. “Yeah. Sorry. I . . . um . . . I spent a couple of weeks abroad before my senior year of high school touring music schools. Dublin was one of my stops. My mom and I stayed in a hotel right down the street from Queen of Tarts. I ate there every day. I’ve only been back twice since then, but I always make the time to get a scone while I’m here.”

Reid replayed her words as they crawled out of the cab and made their way into the restaurant. After they ordered breakfast and found a table near the back, he wasted no time picking up their conversation.

“You toured music schools in Europe? That’s kind of a big deal. And expensive.”

Chloe shrugged and focused on her breakfast. “My mom wanted me to go to the best school in the world. I just wanted to get as far away from her as possible.”

“Can I ask what happened? You don’t have to answer, of course. It just seems like a lot of effort to not go to school at all.”

Chloe smirked and cocked her head to the side. “Who said I didn’t go to school?”

Reid opened and closed his mouth. He worried that he’d stuck his foot in his mouth again before remembering Chloe’s midget prank. With his arms folded on the table, he leaned across the space between them and narrowed his eyes. “Is this going to be like the time you told me your dad was a midget? Because I’m not falling for your tricks this time, Yoda.”

Chloe mimicked his position and leaned forward. “I went to school.”

“Where?”

“Juilliard.”

“Bullshit,” Reid shot back.

Chloe’s mouth fell open, her expression a mix of shock and hurt. “Are you saying I’m not good enough for Juilliard?”

Reid’s stomach dropped. “No. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that. It’s just . . . you’re amazing, but you don’t necessarily have the look of a typical Juilliard student. And you didn’t list it on your resume. Who goes to Juilliard and doesn’t do that?”

Chloe’s expression softened and a wry smile pulled at her mouth. “Okay, I’ll give you that. I really did go to Juilliard, though. I dropped out my first year.”

Reid couldn’t hide his surprise. “Why?”

“Like you said.” Chloe shrugged and tugged at the ends of her purple hair. “I didn’t really fit the mold. Going to school there would have led me down a path I wasn’t interested in. So I quit.”

“Wow. I can’t decide if that’s the dumbest or bravest thing I’ve ever heard.”

“You know,” Chloe said, taking a bite of her scone. “I’d be offended had I not wondered the same thing a billion times.”

“Shit. I keep offending you. I don’t mean to. It’s just that you’re not what I expected.”

“It’s all part of the mystery that comes with being a ninja,” Chloe whispered with a grin.

“So what did you do after you dropped out?” Nothing about Chloe was as Reid imagined, and the more he learned, the more he wanted to know.

“Oh, you know. The usual. Girl drops out of prestigious music school then realizes she’s broke. Girl then sells her soul to the devil to land a gig with a major music star.” With a flippant wave, Chloe dismissed her comment with a coy smile. “It’s all very cliché.”

Reid chuckled and leaned back in his chair. “You’re just full of surprises.”

“What about you?” Chloe asked. “Did you barter your soul to write all those hits, or are you one of those guys who have Lady Luck in their back pocket?”

Reid dropped his chin and looked at his watch. “If I sold my soul to write hit songs, I want a refund.”

“Why on earth would you want a refund? Both of your albums have gone platinum.”

“Checking me out, huh?” Reid joked, not liking the turn in conversation. His inability to write something new wasn’t a topic he wanted to discuss.

“I wasn’t going to sell my soul for just any old music star. I wanted the crème de la crème.”

Reid’s mind flashed to his moment of weakness the night before, and it caused shame to wash over him. He wasn’t the crème de la crème; he was just a guy struggling to get through the day. Balling up the wrapper in front of him, he grabbed his coffee. “Well, if we want to stay on top, we better head back and get ready for tonight. We’ve got a long day ahead of us.”

Chloe sighed as the two of them stood. “I suppose you’re right. As the saying goes, there’s no rest for the wicked.”

Reid kept quiet during the ride back to the hotel, and Chloe didn’t push to make conversation. She wasn’t sure what caused his drastic change in demeanor, but it was clear it wasn’t something he wanted to discuss. Once inside the hotel, he thanked her for breakfast and disappeared to his room.

Chloe didn’t want to spend her limited free time locked away in a hotel room, so she settled into a lobby chair and grabbed a newspaper. Flipping to the entertainment section, she scanned the articles until she found one about their show the night before. A smile broke across her face once she found it. Pride and relief swelled inside her chest as she read the article through blurry eyes. The journalist loved the show. He thought it was perfect. However, it wasn’t until she reached the part of the article commenting on the amazing addition of violinist Chloe Bennett and the electric onstage chemistry she shared with Reid that another emotion began to simmer.

Her stomach fluttered as warmth spread through her limbs. The heat caused her skin to tingle. It was a familiar feeling, one she’d felt many times over the years. It was excitement laced with lust. The possibility of a spark with someone she found attractive, interesting, unobtainable. That moment of thinking, “What if?”

“What has you grinning like the cat who caught the canary?” Greer asked, jolting Chloe from her less than innocent thoughts.

With an uncomfortable laugh, Chloe handed Greer the newspaper as he sat down next to her. “See for yourself.” The air seemed to thicken as Chloe watched Greer read the article. Although he recovered quickly, she didn’t miss the way his smile faltered.

“What’s wrong?”

Greer folded the paper and smiled. “Not a thing. That’s one hell of a review. And look at you getting mentioned by name. You really did steal the show.” He winked and nudged her foot, but for some reason, he seemed off.

“I’m sorry. It wasn’t my intention to have my name in the paper. I was caught in the moment. You guys deserve way more recognition,” Chloe rambled. She didn’t want to upset Greer or Drew, and she certainly didn’t want to steal the spotlight from Reid.

Greer barked out a laugh. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“What do you mean, what am I talking about? You sounded upset. I thought it was because my name was mentioned.”

“Shit, Chloe,” Greer chuckled, finally composing himself. “Unless your name is Flea, John Bonham, or Slash, the general public rarely knows anyone other than the lead singer.”

“That’s exactly my point,” Chloe argued. “You guys have been with Reid since the beginning. I’m just a hired hand for this tour. People like me are supposed to fade into the background. Be heard, but not seen. That’s just how it works.”

Greer nodded. “That’s how it’s supposed to be for anyone whose name isn’t Reid Ryder. We all know that. So why would you think I was upset?”

Chloe fidgeted, feeling self-conscious. “I don’t know. Maybe I’m being silly, but I think of me, you, and Drew as a team. The supporting cast in the shadows. It feels wrong to be mentioned by name without you guys getting the same attention.”

“Are you having one of those girlie moments? I’m not sure if I’m prepared to handle this without coffee, if so.”

Chloe giggled and kicked Greer’s foot. “Don’t be an asshole.”

“Then don’t be ridiculous,” Greer countered. “You’re front and center on stage next to Reid. You two really worked the crowd last night. The journalist was right about the onstage chemistry. It was off the charts.”

Chloe studied her hands, a shy smile crossing her face. Just as before, warmth fluttered under her skin. “You think so?”

“Absolutely. That’s what worries me.”

Confused by his words, Chloe looked up. “Why?”

“Because he and Jess haven’t been back together very long. She might get the wrong idea. I’m worried how it will affect Reid if that happens.”

Chloe’s stomach flipped. It wasn’t a warm and fluttery feeling like before; this was different, darker. Unwanted. “Jess?”

Greer’s eyes widened and a look of genuine shock crossed his face. “You’re joking, right?”

“Do I sound like I’m joking?” Chloe kept her eyes locked with Greer’s as his intense brown eyes searched her face. When his lips parted and his shoulders slumped, Chloe knew he believed her.

“Damn, Chloe.” Greer sighed. “I owe you an apology. I thought you knew about Jess.”

“Why does that warrant an apology?” Chloe really didn’t want to know. She was smart enough to realize what he thought. Still, a part of her wanted to know more. Reid had a girlfriend. That certainly wiped away her brewing fantasies.

“When I walked in here and saw you smiling like you were, it was obvious you weren’t reading about gardening. Then I read the article and it was pretty clear what you were thinking about. I owe you an apology because I thought you were having those thoughts knowing Reid has a girlfriend. Apparently it’s not you that’s being inappropriate.”

“No one is being inappropriate,” Chloe defended. “It’s true I didn’t know Reid had a girlfriend, but there was no reason for him to bring it up. He hired me to play violin, not share information about his personal life. It’s really not a big deal.” The words tasted bitter and thick. The lie coated her tongue and tightened her throat. She felt foolish. It didn’t matter that her fantasy only lasted a moment. She knew better.

“Regardless, I’m sorry I thought you would do something like that. We might not know each other very well, but you’ve given me no reason to think so low of you. It won’t happen again.”

There was no doubt in Chloe’s mind about Greer’s sincerity. From the hunch of his shoulders to the apology saddening his light brown eyes, it was obvious he was sorry. He honestly believed Chloe knew about Jess and disregarded her. Not wanting to drag out the moment a second more than necessary, Chloe sighed and dropped her chin to her chest.