Sound of Heartache ("Sound of" Book 2) (14 page)

“
You kids gonna stand out here all night?” He drawled. His eyes were heavy-lidded and gleaming and Aimee could tell he was in the middle of a good buzz. She hadn’t even finished her one Midori Sour so she was completely sober.

“
Dude, get lost.” Brent told Jacob, not even glancing in his direction. Jacob sighed propped himself in the doorway. His arms latched onto the top of the door jamb and he pressed a large hand dramatically to his chest. Aimee couldn’t help but giggle.

“
I’m hurt. Truly. After all I’ve done for you.” Jacob heaved a giant sigh and Brent rolled his eyes.

“
Don’t let this guy fool you. He’s just a lazy-ass and doesn’t do shit for me. Except maybe drink my beer.” Jacob laughed, clearly not taking any offense to Brent’s insult. Aimee supposed they’d worked together long enough for things to just roll off.

Working up her courage, Aimee decided it was time for introductions. “We really didn’t get properly introduced earlier. I’m Aimee Lansing, an old friend of Brent’s.” Aimee thrust out her hand toward Jacob and he took it into his gently. His large hand engulfed hers and the shake felt more like a caress than anything else. Aimee flushed a little and Jacob chuckled. Clearly he was aware of his impact on members of the opposite sex.

“
Aimee. Nice to meet you doll. Heard lots about you, but not about how stunning you are.” Jacob grinned at her and Aimee’s heart thumped. He had a beautiful smile and she wasn’t immune to his charm. She did have a beating heart in her chest and eyes in her head.

“
Asshole. I always told you how pretty Aimee was.” Brent was defensive and Aimee laughed delightedly as she continued to hold Jacob’s hand. “Besides, that’s
Doctor
Lansing to you.” Jacob waggled his eyebrows at her title.

Aimee couldn’t believe how proud of her Brent sounded. She never figured it would matter that much to him that she continued on with her education. She knew she was very successful in her own right, but Brent and Jacob were multimillionaire rock gods. They toured to sold out shows. Was the M.D. after her last name really so impressive in comparison to their success? She wasn’t so sure.

“
A doctor, huh? Interesting. I could use an examination.” Aimee laughed again, a deep and genuine belly laugh, at Jacob’s flirtations. Brent groaned.

“
Dude. That’s just sad. Go get your own woman.” Brent told him, before pushing him out of the doorway. Jacob just winked at her and wandered out of the room, his black t-shirt stretching tightly across his broad shoulders. Aimee sighed. Everything about this night was just so damn surreal, including the group of sexy men she found herself in the company of. She caught Brent staring at her, a frown on his face.

“
Ah…” She thought frantically for something to say to detract from the fact that she had been checking out his friend. She had nothing. She shrugged sheepishly. “So, yeah.”

“
As long as you’re still leaving with me, I don’t give a shit whose ass you stare at.” Brent told her bluntly. She smiled up at him, nerves attacking her belly once again. She couldn’t believe she was really going to do this with him.

“
Definitely leaving with you,” she confirmed breathlessly. Brent tugged her close again.

“
We’re out.” He announced to the room at large. Aimee scooped up her purse and gave everyone a small wave. She was sure they’d all heard stories about her over the years and probably had some less-than flattering thoughts about her disappearing act, but if they did, they hadn’t let it be known. They had all been so nice and so accepting of her tonight. Even Ellie had been friendly, and Aimee had been so certain the other woman would pass judgment on her actions.

They left among a chorus of good-byes and began the process of making their way toward the elevators. This time they weren’t so lucky and Brent was stopped several times along the way for autographs and to answer questions. He did so patiently, never betraying his desire to be somewhere private. When they finally broke free of the last throng of people, Aimee’s steps slowed and she hesitated again. She wanted to be with Brent tonight but the way this was happening just felt
wrong
. She finally stopped and stood there, understanding coming to her at what she needed to do to make this right for them. Hooking up in a hotel room wasn’t going to provide any sort of real connection between them. It would be impersonal and close to anonymous.

“
I don’t want to go to your hotel room.” She confessed to Brent when he looked down at her, his eyebrow cocked, silently questioning why she had stopped. His brows drew together and the corners of his mouth turned down. His dark hair was flopped over his brow and he looked like a photo she’d once seen of Elvis on a beach in front of a hotel, pouty lips and all. Only less pretty boy and more rocker, if such a thing was even possible. But by the expression on his face, he had misunderstood her statement about not wanting to go to his room.

“
You don’t want this?” He asked her, disappointment laced through his voice. He let go of her hand and stepped back slightly. Aimee felt the forced physical distance like a punch to the gut.

“
No, no! It’s not that!” She backtracked quickly. She was making a mess of this. Brent raked his hand through his hair, and she watched as it flopped down toward his eye again. She hated that the look of frustration he wore was her fault.

“
I want you to come to my home.” She explained quickly. “It’s not personal here. It would be more real to me at my house.” She knew how stupid she probably sounded, but she didn’t care. She wanted to do this on her terms. “I don’t want an anonymous hookup, the same place you could have any other woman.” She blew out an anxious breath. “The truth is, I don’t want you to think of me as just any other woman.”

“
Wait, you live in Vegas?” He asked her, sounding shocked. “I thought you’d just come for the concert.” Aimee smiled widely at him, shaking her head. Brent was looking at her like she’d grown another head and she laughed a little. She probably seemed like the last person who would make their home in Vegas, but pediatricians were needed everywhere and at the time, it had just seemed to fit.

“
I do live in Vegas. I went to med school here in Nevada and when it was time to do my clinicals, I headed down here from Reno. And we just ended up staying.” Funny how the last nine or so years could be summarized so succinctly as if there hadn’t been a million things to happen in between. Brent’s eyes widened, and Aimee guessed it was probably her use of ‘we’.

“
And you want me to come to your home?” Brent asked quietly. She could hear the uncertainty in his voice. Aimee nodded and stepped into his space, finding the heat from his leanly muscled body tremendously comforting. She laced her fingers through his and found his palms to be as damp as hers. It was reassuring to find he was as nervous as her. After being surrounded all evening by his superstardom, she found herself wondering who the real Brent was. Sweaty palms meant he was human after all.

“
I very much want you to come to my home.” She told him softly. She had never wanted anything more, except maybe to have had him by her side when their daughter was born, but she couldn’t think about things like that. The past was impossible to change and what was done was done. Brent looked down at her, his expression grave, and she watched his Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed.

“
Will Brenna be home?” He rasped, his lips hardly moving. His eyes were wide and glittering, looked terrified and excited all at once. Aimee hated the fact that circumstance had brought them to this point. She felt a stab of regret that she had waited so long to come to Brent and, not for the first time, questioned the decisions she had made.

“
She’ll be home tomorrow afternoon,” Aimee confirmed. She wondered what her life would seem like to Brent. Things were pretty normal in her world, filled with a regular job and running Brenna to various practices and events.

By contrast, Brent traveled continuously, lived in expensive hotels, and partied regularly. Aimee had no idea how their lives would even begin to mesh and what was worse, she didn’t even know if he really wanted to. Brent had a life full of obligations and plans already set in motion and she was sure he hadn’t factored on her and Brenna disrupting his carefully constructed life.

“
You want me to meet her?” The words rushed from Brent and Aimee nodded nervously.

“
Oh yes.” She so wanted him to meet his daughter. And Brenna deserved to know her dad. Aimee just didn’t know what the outcome would be and not knowing was truly terrifying. With her response, Brent seemed to be reenergized. He grabbed her by the waist and pulled her in for a tight hug. Aimee breathed in his unique scent and tucked her nose into the hollow of his throat. Her arms tightened around his lean back and she relaxed into him.

After several long seconds, Brent pulled out of the embrace. “I’d really like to come to your home. And I’d like to stay until Brenna gets home tomorrow afternoon.” Brent looked resolute. And still terrified.

“
Brent, it’ll be fine. I promise.” Aimee desperately hoped she was making a promise she could keep.

“
What if she doesn’t like me?” Brent sounded completely vulnerable and Aimee gave him a reassuring smile. This was an easy answer.

“
I know she’ll love you. She’s been so anxious to meet you.” Brent still looked uncertain, so Aimee pushed on with the last bit of her confession. “Brent, she was the one who insisted I come to the concert tonight,” Aimee admitted breathlessly. Brenna had, in fact, been adamant that her mom reconnect with her dad.

Brent’s green eyes gleamed. “What the hell are we waiting for?” He asked ebulliently. “Let’s grab some of my shit and go!”

CHAPTER FOUR

Brent’s heart was still pounding in his chest. He couldn’t believe Brenna knew about him. Even more mind-blowing was that she was determined to meet him. He and Aimee needed to talk before he met his daughter so he could get a good understanding of exactly what Brenna had been told. He’d been afraid that Aimee had hidden him like a dirty secret but given her confession, that didn’t seem to be the case. He didn’t want to do or say the wrong thing and ruin his relationship with Brenna before it got off the ground. He had an idea that she and Aimee were tight so he needed to tread lightly.

He glanced over at Aimee, amazed anew that he was sharing the same space as her after all these years. He had given up hope and everything seemed surreal. Aimee’d given the driver her address and left the navigation to her neighborhood up to the wonders of GPS and a seasoned chauffer. Other than a few short words about their vehicle, the ride had been relatively silent leaving Brent to his thoughts.

He had to laugh at himself. He was being a ridiculous idiot. He was as nervous as a teen going on his first date. When he’d packed his overnight bag, he had carefully considered each item placed within. Were jeans appropriate to wear in front of his daughter? Should he wear short-sleeves or long? Hair styled in his usual pomp, or down? He had crammed twice as much as he needed into the bag so he would have the option of changing his mind. In truth, none of it mattered. If Brenna felt anything like he did, clothing would be the last thing on her mind.

Aimee scooted closer to him on the seat, surprising Brent. She had seemed to withdraw into herself as he’d packed his bag. He wondered if she was having second thoughts and then decided just to ask her.

“
Are you sure you want to muddy up the waters by getting physical?” The atmosphere between them had completely changed from the club. The sexual tension was gone and had been replaced by silent introspection.

Aimee’s eyes shot to his and she snorted indelicately. “The water is already pretty damn murky, don’t you think?” Brent lifted his shoulders in a half-hearted shrug. She wasn’t wrong.

“
Yeah. No doubt. I just don’t want to make tomorrow any harder than it’s already going to be.” Brent passed his hands through his hair. Aimee’s weight at his side was both comforting and disturbing. He tugged at the ends of his hair. He wasn’t sure if he was fucking coming or going at this point and he hated feeling so adrift.

“
Will you look at me?” She requested softly. Brent turned on the bench seat to face her. She looked up at him, her lush lips slightly parted. Time had done nothing but improve Aimee’s beauty and he struggled to stay on point with her.

“
What?” He sighed.

“
Let me tell you my position. And once I do, you can decide what the best thing to do is.” Although Aimee’s voice was soft, her face was set and she looked determined as hell. He weakened and ran his hand down her face. She blinked slowly and sighed.

“
That sounds fair enough,” he agreed cautiously. He doubted he would tell Aimee no to anything she proposed. He had never stopped wanting her and the moment he spotted her standing at his concert, his feelings for her crashed over him like a tidal wave.

“
I made an awful mistake when I decided not to contact you. I thought Brenna and I would interfere with your music. I was stupid to think you would choose music over your family, or that you would have to choose one over the other. I never should have made that decision on my own. In the beginning I saw it as a noble sacrifice. My only excuse is that I was so, so young and very terrified.” Aimee was uncharacteristically solemn during her speech. He watched as her hands twisted yet again in her lap.