Hot Southern Mess (Hide Your Crazy) (21 page)

“Molly Anne, you have to know that i
t killed me to not say anything.” Reid broke the musical moment, setting Simon down next to him on the bed.

“I get that it wasn’t your place
, Reid. I know you all have this bro-code on the road, but for some reason I thought we were different.” I shrugged, trying hard to force the tears back from making an appearance again.

“I’m not going to lie to you and say that the guys on tour are complete gentlemen and secrets don’t
exist. Everyone tries to mind their own business, even if it’s something that someone doesn’t agree with. I hate saying that it’s the lifestyle of being in a successful band, but it’s the truth. Women on the road were nothing but filler, expendable to the point where we would get done with one, and another would be waiting to give it a go.”

I cringed at the last comment. I wasn’t a stranger to their extracurricular activities on the road, considering I’ve walked in on several of the boy
s quite a few times. It was still harsh and crude to hear Reid openly admit that women were used for a certain purpose, and then tossed out. Unfortunately, I was just that for Brantley, someone to occupy the time.

“Molly Anne, you are a different soul. You take no crap from anyone, and have no apologies for who you are. In a room full of people,
you always manage to capture everyone’s attention, even if you are just standing there doing nothing. The amount of balls it took coming on the road with a bunch of horny, alcohol dependent rock stars was nothing short of amazing. Not only have you stood your ground with all the groupies, but you have gained the respect from all the band members on this tour. Sure, there is one total fuck tard who shouldn’t have dipped into the honey pot with what he had going on back at home, but don’t let that one stupid decision bring you down.”

“I feel like a total hussy,” I managed to snort out, between tears and hiccups.

“Well, I’ve been known to be a man whore at times,” Reid joked, offering me a genuine smile.

Laughter overtook the small room as we both
lay back on the bed. Sure, I made a huge mistake in thinking that someone was who he claimed to be, but it didn’t have to happen again. I have always been the strong one, so I needed to start acting that way again.

Chapter 21
: And you thought Godzilla was pissed, baby you haven’t seen nothing yet.

We had to be ready and in the waiting cars at seven, so standing here starring at the time on my clock flash six-fifty didn’t sit well with me. I probably got the least amount of sleep out of the whole crew, since Reid and I stayed up until three, playing music and talking about everything under the sun.

“Elliot, you got the wakeup call
, right?” I asked one of the waiting body guards.

“Yes
, Molly, it rang through nice and early,” he scoffed, sipping the coffee cup in his hand.

Shaking my head
, I headed back into the hotel, stomping my way to the elevator. I smashed the call button several times, grumbling quietly at the men who better not still be sleeping.

The door opened and out rolled
Tysen and Ryder. “Morning Molly,” both boys chimed. Nodding my head, I rushed into the waiting lift, once again hitting the button to their floor a little harder than needed. My anger rose with each floor that passed. I told them to be downstairs and ready before seven. Did anyone ever fucking listen to me?

Stepping off on the top floor, I marched down the deserted hallway to one of the presidential suites. I didn’t know if it was Reid’s or Brody’s room, but didn’t really care who I got to first.

“Brody, Reid, get your lazy asses out here,” I yelled through the door, pounding my fist rather loudly on the wood. “Seriously guys, we need to go.”

The door down the hallway opened and out
stumbled Brody, looking like he just woke up.

“What good are wakeup calls if you don’t actually get up? We have to leave in like five
minutes Brody!” I hollered down at the man, who clearly didn’t give a flying fuck that we were going to be late. I was just about to storm after the beast when Reid finally opened his door, letting it swing open to reveal a woman getting dressed in the background.

“Seriously?
After last night, I find you this morning getting naked with another chick. Un-freakin-believable.” I scowled at the man and pointed to the elevator.

“Molly, I didn’t…..”Reid stammered.

“Don’t fucking care, and don’t want to hear it. Just make sure she is gone before you shut the door, okay?” I raged down the hallway to Brody’s room, where apparently he didn’t shut the door all the way. Bursting my way into his room, I found him sitting on the couch sprawled out.

“You have got to be joking,” I fumed. “Brody
, get the fuck up!”

Grabbing a banana out of the fruit basket in the entry way, I chucked it at his miserable slothful self, hitting him square upside the head.

“What the……………….oh, hey Molly,” Brody slurred, his eyes barely focusing on anything in the room.

“We need to go, like now
, Brody.”

Brody’s head fell back on the sofa and his eyes glazed over.
Really; right now? I didn’t need to deal with a drugged out stupid rock star. We had radio interviews in twenty minutes and a comatose drum player still in the hotel.

“Brody, wake the hell up.” I smacked the side of his face rather hard
. It stung when our skin connected, and the damn man didn’t even stir. Throwing my hands up in the air, I was about to pull my damn hair out, when I noticed the thin white substance that littered the glass coffee table.

“Really
, you fucking idiotic baboon? Coke? Genius idea, Brody, fucking genius!” There was no way I was going to be able to get this fool up and out the door anytime soon. Drugs were something I never messed with, but knew several people growing up who did. There wasn’t a quick fix for this stupid choice of his. He had to just ride out the high until he was coherent again, then I would strangle his stupid ugly neck for fucking today up. If he wanted to do drugs and ruin his career that was fine by me. Who was I to stop him? The nitwit wouldn’t listen to my suggestions anyway.

Grabbing my phone, I hit the button for Tiny and hoped he would pick up.

“Where you at, Molly?” Tiny answered quickly.

“Slight problem
, Tiny; is Reid down there yet?

“Yeah, I just got him into the car.”

“Okay, can you ride with the guys and make sure they get to the radio station. After it’s done just take them straight to the venue, got it?”

“Yeah of course, but where is Brody?”

“Well see that’s my problem. Any chance you can spare Elliot this morning?” I knew I couldn’t haul this man into the shower on my own, nor did I want to be the only one left with the slime ball when he came back to the land of the living.

“Sure
, Molly, I’ll send Elliot up,” Tiny commented.

“Thanks Tiny,” I said into my cell, ending the call and setting it down on the coke covered coffee table.

“You owe me, jackass,” I growled at Brody, who was still blissfully enjoying his idiotic high.  Why must men make my job difficult?

I had Elliot haul Brody into the large bathroom, as I turned the water on. So there I sat, on the counter, watching the fully clothed Brody get pelted by luke-warm water. I couldn’t just leave him, in fear of the dumbass drowning; but at least this way he wouldn’t have to smell the stench of booze and strippers that rolled off his body. A knock came from the partially closed bathroom door.

“Need anything else?” Elliot asked, shaking his head at Brody.

“Maybe more towels? I don’t want to leave a huge mess for the maid’s service later.” I sighed, realizing this was going to take a lot longer than I wanted.

“Sure thing,” Elliot replied, giving me a quick smile and disappearing around the door.

“So, Brody, since you can’t talk right now, all you get to do is listen. I have been through so much shit in my life. I grew up in a family where I was always the black sheep at any function. Never once did I ever feel included the entire time I lived with my parents. I was the child they wanted to hide, so they had my sister, who definitely made up for all my mistakes in being a McGlenister. I can count on my hand the number of times my mother told me she loved me, isn’t that sad?

Not only does my family suck my nonexistent balls, but so does my love life. You know I wasn’t asked out on a date till I was twenty one?
I was completely ignored in high school by both members of the sex. I had no friends, except my guitar, and the one time a male showed interest in me outside of a casual fuck he turned out to be a complete lunatic. I would have rather been called a slut in high school; at least they would have realized I was there, instead of just pretending like I didn’t exist.

So now, here I am almost twenty-six, with one failed relationship and no possibility of ever recovering from it. The moment I me
et someone, a man who I thought was decent and good, I was bluntly reminded by the cruel universe on how I would never be number one in anybody’s book. Sure, I might be good for a one night stand, and if it worked out, he would come around for a second helping later, but nothing other than a booty call.

There is a saying for girls like me, and no Brody, it’s not cold hearted bitch. It’s a ‘see you next Tuesday’ kind of girl. Here one day a week and nothing
more. At least I’m consistent in something in my life. After this tour, I’m sure you all can go on forgetting about me, since everyone else in my life always does.”

“Are you done having your pity party there
, Sunshine,” Brody grumbled from inside the shower.

“You heard that?” I winced, hopping off the counter and reaching into the large open shower to turn off the water.

“Put your big girl panties, on Molly, and deal with it.”

“I don’t
wear any,” I snorted

“Well
, maybe you should.”

I called Tiny to check in on how the interviews went, then texted Stephanie to let her know why Brody wasn’t present with them. She didn’t seem surprised when I told her he was too strung out to join the guys this morning; I was betting it wasn’t the first time someone found him like that.

“Hey Brody, are you almost ready?” I called out from the living room. Brody was finally coherent and alive for the most part, and I left him
alone in the bathroom to put himself together.

“I was serious
, Molly; you really need to deal with shit,” Brody remarked, stepping out of the bathroom, buttoning up his shirt.

“This coming from a man who was too coked out to get his responsi
bilities done this morning?” I hated being lectured when I was younger, and despised it even more now that I was older.

“This is the life I choose to live. It is my decision to do the things I do, and no one else’s. If I want to get blazed off my ass and enjoy my night, then I’m going to do so.”

“Yeah, but your little stunt is causing interference with your job,” I added, rolling my eyes at the unintelligent statement he gave me.

“You forget that without me you wouldn’t be here. So what
, I missed a radio interview. I’m sure the guys did just fine without me. It’s rock and roll, Baby; don’t get your panties in a bunch…………….oh wait, I forgot you don’t wear any,” Brody mocked, crossing his arms against his chest.

“I’m sorry
, Brody, I totally forgot who called the shots,” I taunted back, patting his chest and heading to the door.

“Did Reid make sure that chick left his room this morning?”

“What are you talking about?” My heart started to race, please don’t tell me she wasn’t there for Reid.

“Yeah, I went over to his room with some chick, we partied for a little bit in Reid’s room when I ran back to mine to take care of some things.”

“You mean snort some coke?”

“Yes, Molly. I wanted to get some California cornflakes,” Brody glared at me, stepping into the waiting elevator.

“So you just left her in there?”

“Ha
ha, yeah I guess I did. Must have been fun since we left her clothing in my room earlier,” Brody laughed, leaning back against the mirrored walls.

I really have a way of jumping to conclusions way before I actually know any facts. Once again, I looked like a total stark raving mad lunatic in front of Reid, when apparently he didn’t do anything. This was becoming a pattern of stupidity when it came t
o interactions with that man. Sighing, I watched as the digital numbers subtracted on the elevator wall. Maybe I should just wear a sign that read stupid.

We arrived at the arena during PD’s sound check.
I could hear the band blasting through the back hallways, as we entered the venue.

“I’m going to go find Megan. Do
you need anything?” I asked Brody before he disappeared into their dressing room.

“Maybe a hooker and an
eight ball?”

“
Not going to happen, jackass,” I yelled back, heading out for the sound stage. I knew he only said that for a reaction, and I refused to give him one. It’s like training a dog not that I ever had one growing up, but I have watched some T.V shows on it. You reward the good behavior and not the bad. Reacting to his comments was bad behavior; simply biting my tongue and not telling him what I thought of those comments was like the good behavior.
Holy shit, I needed more friends.

“Hey, how did this morning go?” I asked Megan, who was watching PD finish their set on stage.

“Oh fine;
we got here a little over an hour or so ago.”

“Any troubles with the
wife?”

“No
, not at all.  She was really nice and gracious for the help.” Megan smiled.

I really wanted to hate Brantley’s wife. Secretly
, I hoped she was a raving bitch, who was ratcheted to everyone and demanding all the time. However, from the small amount of time I spend around her and Megan’s take on her this morning, I was beginning to think I was the bitch in that story.

“Oh well I’m glad,” I lied through my teeth. How could such a total slime ball get a good
girl? Where in this universe is that right? “Well come on, I’ll quickly show you the ins/outs of their riders before I need to make sure the meet and greet is set up.”

Megan flashed a bright white smile, and nodded her head. I wanted to hate her
, too, but I doubted that would be possible. I really needed to work on my attitude, this was getting pathetic.

“Hey Reid, do you have a minute?” I asked as he walked through the door.

“Not really.”

“Please, it will only take a second,” my eyes begged, hoping he would give me a chance to apologize.

Reid raised his eyebrows, as I motioned for the door. The hallway was still littered with people milling about, but it was a lot more private than doing it in the meet and greet room.

“I just wanted to say I was sorry for this morning.
I had no right to get angry on a situation I didn’t have a clue about, and it was childish of me to act that way.” I had to bite the inside of my lip to keep my eyes from watering up; what a fricken’ girl I was turning into.