From My Heart (17 page)

Call me a hopeless romantic or crazy, but I could picture myself spending the rest of my life with Cale.

We were playing another show in Texas after Dallas, so I decided I wanted to surprise Bryn with a romantic lunch before we had to get back. We hadn’t had much time to go out and enjoy ourselves just the two of us besides when we were in New Orleans, so it was long overdue.

I called ahead to this place I found on Google that had a bunch of five star reviews called Batanga. I arranged for us to have the whole patio to ourselves, and was looking forward to trying some different food. I put on a red polo shirt and probably the nicest pair of jeans that I owned along with my black converse. I told Bryn to meet me at the restaurant so I walked to a barber shop close by and got my hair trimmed. I had to look nice for this girl and show her I could take her other places just us and without having anything to do with music.

With my new haircut, I made the trek to Batanga, where my girl was waiting for me ever so patiently. At least I hoped she wasn’t waiting too long.

But goddamn, why did she have to look so fucking good? She was wearing a high waist jean skirt that stopped a few inches above her knees, paired with a pink flowered blouse tucked into it. Her black hair was loose down her back. As soon as she turned around and saw me coming, she ran into my arms.

“I guess I should be flattered by that,” I teased. Her face lit up like a kid at Christmas. “Was it my new haircut?”

She shook her head, running her fingers through my hair and messing it up a little bit. “No, it wasn’t that. Although it does suit you pretty well.” Her green eyes looked up at mine as she bit her lip. “I’m just happy we can spend some alone time together away from the craziness for an hour or so.”

“Mmmm…well we could find someplace quiet after for some
extra
special time.” I breathed in her ear. She looked so stunning in her simple outfit and just imagining her standing in front of me stark naked made me hard as a rock. Damn, and we were just about to go in and eat; I’d have to find a way to cover this so people didn’t see.

Bryn giggled and grabbed my hand, linking it with hers. “Let’s get through lunch and
maybe
I’ll consider that. But no funny business when we’re eating either,” she warned with an authoritative tone. Which meant I had to keep my hands and feet to myself or else I’d be in deep shit.

We walked into the restaurant hand in hand, and were greeted by owner, who walked us back to the patio decorated with flowers all around.

“Complimentary of the restaurant,” was all he said. He smiled widely at both of us as he walked back into the busy restaurant. I slid Bryn’s chair out for her, but she was studying the pink roses on a bush by the wall closest to us.

“I don’t think they’d mind us taking a few, would they?” She turned to me with one in her hand.

“Well, they match your shirt so we could probably make a getaway with them after we’re done,” I replied, grabbing my pocket knife out of my back pocket and cutting one of the roses off the bush. I pulled some of Bryn’s hair back and stuck the rose just above her ear. “Beautiful,” I murmured against her skin, and I heard Bryn let out a quiet “Ohhh.”

“You’re trouble, you know that?” she said as she sat down in the chair across from me.

I smirked at her, taking in the sight in front of me. I felt like I was on cloud nine, once again wondering how I was able to be in the same room as this girl. The waiter came out to welcome us, handing over menus, going into detail about the lunch specials they had. We both started out with lemonade while we decided on what we wanted.

Bryn looked up at me from the top of her menu and stuck her tongue out jokingly. “So I just have to say if any of this stuff tastes like those frog legs in Louisiana, I’m potentially moving down south.”

I shook my head as I decided on ordering chicken tacos. “You’re too cute when you wrinkle your eyebrows like that,” I said, setting my menu down and crossing my arms over my chest. I didn’t tell her that when she did that it drove me fucking insane in a good way. I imagined her doing that a lot when she was still living with her parents, especially when they were telling her what to do every second of every day.

She cocked her head to the side, still thinking, and then handed me her menu as she laughed. “I’m going to be brave and go with the calamari. I’ve never been a huge fan of fish.”

I held a hand to my heart and replied sarcastically, “That’s definitely being brave, alright…”

Bryn instantly kicked me under the table, causing me to mutter cuss words under my breath. Luckily, the waiter came back before Bryn could do more damage and we ordered. Once she was out of ear shot, I kicked the leg of her chair and Bryn squealed, holding onto the table.

She gave me her
don’t mess with me
look as she shot me the middle finger. “It’s on now.” I shrugged as if I didn’t do anything wrong and winked at her as I leaned back in my chair.

“I’ll look forward to it, my love.” I laughed and she pulled out her phone to snap a picture of me. “I wasn’t even ready, Bryn…”

“I know.” She smiled. “Those are the best ones though! I need a pic of you on my phone anyways.”

“I don’t like having my picture taken,” I said honestly. Besides photo shoots and pictures with fans sometimes after shows, I never cared to have my picture taken, nor liked looking at pictures of myself. The last one I looked at was the picture of Kallie and I on the magazine cover. Bryn would be in Kallie’s place if the shoot had gone my way.

“Well that’s a shame, because you’re pretty darn handsome and schmexy, if I do say so myself,” Bryn replied.

“What is it with you and
schmexy?
”

“I like that word, is that a problem?” she asked. “I’d take it as a compliment if I were you. Especially coming from your girlfriend.”

“You are so fun to rile up.” I rubbed my hands together. The look on her face was priceless. I liked to get Bryn riled up because sometimes she would mumble under her breath and say things that made absolutely no sense at all. “You sound better on stage when I get you going. Plus you bite your bottom lip like you’re doing right now, and that’s so fucking hot. I want to suck on that bottom lip where those teeth are right now and take complete advantage of you.”

Bryn had a devious look in her eyes as she continued to suck on her bottom lip just to mess with me; it was sure as hell working. I would’ve done something about it but our food was being brought out to us and my stomach was growling something fierce.

We both dug in as we basically ate in silence and enjoyed the scenery of Downtown around us. I ate my chicken tacos within a few minutes’ time and texted the guys to let them know we’d be heading back to the bus pretty soon. I was feeling good for most of the day, trying not to sneak pills into my back pocket. My life had grown too dependent on my addiction and I had to break this habit before it became unstoppable. Usually when I went so long without taking any form or pain killers, I would be impossible to work with. Bryn had seen me act like a monster, especially early on when she joined the band and I was jealous of how she was ‘seeing’ Damon, despite her telling me it wasn’t like that.

That fueled my fire, but I was in a dark place after I found out Lucy cheated on me with Tyler of all people. Lucy had been the first girl I had dated for a long period of time, so after that, I had sworn I wouldn’t take women seriously and fool around while I still had the chance. But once I saw Bryn, I knew I had to change my thinking and start trying to win her over with my good looks and charm. Ha, who was I kidding? I was far—
still
was far from a charmer, but hey, at least she saw
something
in me.

“Okay, I’m really impressed,” Bryn said as she swallowed her last bite of fish and took a sip of lemonade. “That was even better than the stuff our private chef used to make back home.”

“So my taking you here met your standards, Ms. Fancy Pants?”

Bryn snorted from laughing so hard. “Fancy pants, huh?”

“Well, it’s better than calling you rich girl or some other stereotypical nickname,” I said truthfully, but she knew I was teasing her. She had grown a lot since I’d gotten to know her over the past eight months. I couldn’t lie, seeing the dress she wore to the audition, I thought, “Oh, she’s just going to play some bubble gum pop song on a guitar she probably doesn’t know how to play.” But oh shit was I wrong. And glad of it too.

“Very true.” She smirked. Over the next couple of minutes we talked about music video plans, and Bryn was totally on board with releasing “Straight from the Heart” as our next single. She tried talking me out of it at first, saying that no one would like that song, but from the responses we’d gotten from fans who’d posted on our Facebook page and Twitter, it was some people’s favorite song off the new album. 

We got our bill and went back inside to pay, where the owner gave us his business card and said next time we were down in that area, that he’d let us hold a party on the patio free of charge.

Bryn linked her arm with mine as we walked back in the direction of where Hal had parked the bus.

“So what about finding somewhere to go after lunch?” Bryn looked at me with her puppy dog eyes, knowing full well that I’d do anything she’d ask me to with that damn look on face. We stopped in front of a bench not too far from the bus as I spun her and pressed her against the closest building I could find. Her back landed against the hot brick as my lips collided hard with hers.

“I say screw being private and just do it right here.” I groaned, Bryn wrapping her hands around my neck to pull me back down to her greedy lips. My dick was getting hard again in my jeans and I either had to take her right here against this brick wall in broad daylight or I’d be taking a cold-ass shower back on the bus before the show. I needed Bryn. I had to have her and there was no way around it. 

Our kisses became more intensified as I started to slowly un-tuck Bryn’s blouse from her high waist skirt, needing to feel her bare skin against my fingertips. Before I could get it fully free, I heard a loud fake cough from behind me.
Shit,
I secretly cursed as we broke apart and saw an older gentleman and what looked like his wife, who was walking with a cane.

We exchanged looks with them for a split second, the gentleman tipping his cowboy hat to us with a slight nod as he and his wife went on their way.

“That brings back great memories,” I heard the wife say to her husband as Bryn quickly tucked back in her blouse, her face flushing a deep shade of red. “To be that young again.”

I covered my mouth in response, not sure of how to react about being caught. Once they were across the street, Bryn and I couldn’t contain our laughter any longer.

Once we recovered from our uncontrollable hysterics, Bryn stood up straight again, messed with her hair a bit and whispered, “Do you think that will be us someday?”

I took Bryn into my arms and hugged her as tightly as I possibly could. Kissing her on her forehead, I spoke sweetly, “Yes it will, B. I can promise you that.”

***

When we told everyone about how we got caught practically mauling each other in the middle of Downtown by an older couple, each and every person on the bus died laughing.

“That’s what you get!” Vince pointed at Cale in a fit of laughter. At the time I was completely caught up in the moment. I mean, this guy just took me to the best restaurant I had eaten at in a very long time, and the tension could be cut with a knife. I wanted to skip the meal and have
him
for lunch, but we behaved pretty well. The food was amazing. I made a note in my phone to go back there next time we played in Texas; I wanted to show the place to Gina and Bethany. “I’m surprised no one threw rocks at you or anything to get you two to stop.”

“It’s not that funny, guys, so please focus on something else.” Cale threw a pillow at Vince and he dodged it as it instead hit Luke.

“Oh no, you won’t get away with it that easy,” Luke teased. Then he turned to me. “Don’t worry, Bryn. I won’t tease you about it—although that’s completely out there for you—but it’s so easy to hassle him and get away with it.”

I put a hand on Luke’s shoulder and said, “Well that makes me feel
slightly
less embarrassed!”

“It’s fucking hilarious!” Raptor shouted. “Happens to the best of us, Bryn. Don’t feel embarrassed. You’re taking a ride ‘On the wildddd side…’” he sang the last bit, quoting Motley Crue.

I chuckled at Raptor’s response. “Thanks, Raptor.”

“Let’s talk about something else.” Cale came up behind me, resting his chin on my shoulder talking only so I could hear. “Like how we’re going to have an amazing set tonight and finish what we started outside…” His breath on my skin was making my whole body tremble, and my knees weakened. “Because all I know is tonight I won’t be able to look at you onstage without wanting to take off each and every piece of clothing you have on. It’s way too tempting at this point.” Oh good lord. My insides were tossing and turning and I felt my panties get damper by the second. How was I supposed to play our hour and some odd minutes set listening to Cale’s amazing voice when all I’d be thinking about was sex?

He was trouble with a damn capital T. But I didn’t care. A little trouble never hurt anyone, and I was willing to cause a little trouble now and again especially since I was a free girl and didn’t have someone breathing down my neck setting rules for me.

I fanned myself as he let go of me, suddenly feeling warm. “It’s so on.” I winked at him, running as fast as I could away from him before he could catch me. Luckily, I had a small head start off the bus so as he tried to maneuver through everyone by the buses, I slowed down my pace a bit. Before I could get to the door, I accidentally bumped into Adam, Kallie’s bandmate.

He held his arms out to steady me as I almost tripped over his feet.

“I am so, so sorry,” I said, completely out of breath as I straightened out my clothes. Adam let out a hearty laugh and grinned.

“Are you trying to run away or something?” he asked me jokingly.

“Of course not.” I smiled back. Adam was decent looking, to say the least. He had dark blond hair that was tied back in a ponytail and had tattoos trailing down both of his arms, and some creeping out of the top of his t-shirt. Before I could say more, I felt Cale’s arms encircle me and I squealed as loud as I could.

“Ah hah! I caught up to you.” Cale couldn’t hold back his laughter as his fingers tightened their grip on my hips. “Thanks for stopping her, Adam.”

Adam shook his head and high-fived Cale. “Wasn’t trying to, but you’re welcome. I better get in and start practicing or Kallie will have my head chopped off.”

“Is she in some kind of mood tonight or something?” I asked and he shrugged.

“Hell if I know. She seemed pretty chill today, but something has been eating at her because when she gets that pissed off expression, that means someone is getting under her skin.”

I wanted to say it was probably my doing, but I didn’t want to drag anyone else into the situation. Only Gina and Bethany knew what Kallie said about wanting Cale, and I wasn’t planning on letting that cat out of the bag. Not yet at least. I’d confront her at some point.

“Damn, good luck with her, dude. I’ll be sure to stay out of her way.” Cale chuckled, his hand now on the small of my back as we stepped inside. “And kick ass tonight.”

“Always do!” Adam remarked, waving in our direction.

***

Everything felt like it was returning to normal. Cale wasn’t being moody like he sometimes was before a show and I just had a really good feeling about tonight. We were all in good spirits. I looked over at my best friends who were telling Raptor a funny modeling story while he was staring down Gina’s button up shirt and I sat down on Gina’s lap.

“So you really spilled wine all over that guy at the club?” I asked.

“Yes! He was dancing too close to me and was trying to feel me up while Bethany and I were dancing with one of our other friends.” Gina frowned. “He wouldn’t stop, so I grabbed the closest glass of wine that I could find and stained up his pretty little white polo he had on. That showed him.”

I giggled at Gina’s retelling of the story. There was never a dull moment with my friends that was for sure. Plus Gina was never the girl you wanted to mess with, even in High School. She was the tougher, meaner one out of the three of us, while Bethany was more reserved. I was the same way, minus the times when you got all of us together and we blended in the crowd pretty well.

“At least now you’ve got that guy.” I pointed towards Raptor, where he was now doing shots with Tyler and Cale.

Gina sighed. “Very true.” Then she covered her mouth. “Shit. I wasn’t supposed to say anything yet!”

I looked at her with a confused look. “What, are you two like official boyfriend and girlfriend and you couldn’t tell me?” I hugged Gina from where I was sitting on her waist and she nodded, trying to contain her obvious excitement.

“You bitch.” Bethany hit her arm. “When did this happen?”

“Today I guess? I don’t know!” Gina said nervously. “It just kind of…happened I guess.”

“Next time you need to tell us these things, girly.” I gestured from me to Bethany. “I totally support you though, because he is one of my good friends and all.” Then I whispered in her ear, “And he doesn’t smell either.”

“Jeez thanks, Bryn,” Gina replied sarcastically. “I’ll have to remember that.”

I slipped off Gina’s lap, walking over to grab a Diet Coke from where the drinks were sitting on the table when I noticed Cale fumbling in his back pocket for something. He didn’t see me looking at him, but the way his hand was shaking, it seemed fishy to me. I opened up my drink and took a sip, seeing that he pulled out a handful (well maybe 5 or 6) white pills, putting one back in his front pocket as he slipped the rest into his mouth.

And he told me he only took them when he
really
needed them,
I thought to myself angrily as I turned away before he caught me staring. Did anyone else notice? Maybe I was just making a big deal out of something when I shouldn’t, but taking all of those pills at once when he seemed perfectly fine? It didn’t make sense. What I should’ve been mad—no scratch that—
royally
pissed about, was that he lied to my fucking face when I confronted him on the bus. It looked like there was nothing wrong with him. I mean, he seemed the happiest he’d been in a while. That’s what I thought at least. 

“Everything okay?” I walked up beside him, just as I watch him slide another pill into his mouth without anyone noticing besides me.

“Oh…uh…yeah, of course, B. Just having some liquid courage before the show. I need it.” Cale let out a nervous laugh and his right arm wrapped around my waist as he kissed the side of my head. “You look really, really beautiful tonight. I don’t know if I told you already.” I rolled my eyes, wanting to say that this was all he’d been saying to me tonight. How pretty my hair looked, my green eyes, my outfit. Non-stop. It didn’t annoy me or anything, I just thought he would figure out something else to talk about.

“Don’t I always?” I asked, my lips forming a sly smile. “I mean you’re obviously with me for a reason.”

Cale chuckled and pulled me in closer. “It’s because you can play guitar better than any guy.”

“Well, you are good looking.” Vince blurted out as he came back from the bathroom. “I’ve told Cale before if he screws up with you I’d totally take you out, Bryn. I mean just as friends and all, I swear.”

“No you wouldn’t.” Cale glared at him. “I don’t plan on screwing up anytime soon, so don’t get your hopes up. She’s all mine.”

As much as I liked hearing him say I was all
his
.

***

As we played our opening song of the set, we were welcomed by high pitched screams and fists pumping into the air. By now it had become an almost nightly ritual, but I would still get giddy and nervous all at the same time. If I ever screwed up a note, these people in the crowd would know; and probably start throwing things at us.

Hope to hell that didn’t happen.

We were trying “Straight from the Heart” tonight since we were shooting the video for it next week in Denver where Richard Marx was going to meet up with us and record us playing the song at the show there. I was terrified about playing
my
song for the first time, even though people had already heard it on the album. I had started writing this song on the last tour, not even sure who it was about in the first place. I was still in a bad place at that point in time because of Ethan and was having nightmares of what occurred that night I dumped him, but they hadn’t happened in a long time. Maybe because in his own way he apologized?

“You guys liking the set so far?” Cale yelled, throwing his hands up and everyone yelling back responses. “Alright, we’re going to play a new one for you guys. We’re shooting a music video for this song next week and it’s off the record ‘New Beginnings.’ This is ‘Straight from the Heart.’” Instantly it felt like the noise level shook the stage because the crowd went nuts.

I kicked out the opening notes and began the song. Cale was singing my lyrics and I couldn’t contain my smile or my energy. I went from one side of the stage to the other, giving everything I had. I joined with him on the harmonies and everyone was on point. When we finished the song, it was safe to say that we’d be playing it every night for the rest of the tour because I’d never seen the crowd react like that to any of our songs besides “You Were Young.”

Cale and I locked eyes after the song was over with and he was beaming. He said a ‘thank you’ to the crowd and ran over to me, kissing me square on the lips. “Best one yet,” he whispered to me, high-fiving Vince and Luke before heading into our last song.

I could never get enough of this.