As winter turned into spring, a lot of things changed. I spent most of my time in Tennessee, only coming back about three days a month to visit Andy, Kendra, and Gi. Brad and I bought five acres of woods near Andy's house and he started designing our future home. We each paid half for the land and both of our names were on the title.
I bought a used magenta Jeep Wrangler with a removable hard top, and finally returned the rental car which had been costing Brad a fortune. I kept the Jeep in Tennessee and drove it around without the top on, blasting my music with my hair tucked up in a ball cap.
I hadn't seen Bre or Steve since we went to Drew's grave, but I had talked with her over the phone a couple times. She was wearing her ring and they were back to being an official couple. Brad came to me every weekend, and Rev stopped by about once a month on his way back from hauling some captured trafficker to Clint. I didn't know if Brad was still sleeping with Bre or not, and decided not to ask as he had stopped asking me about Rev.
Brad and I set a wedding date for the third Saturday in August. We had met at the end of August two years prior. Ava would be about three months old, and Gi would be ten months by then. Those two little girls were going to be seven months apart, but the way their birthdays landed, they would end up being in the same grade in school. They weren't actually related but they each were related to my Drew, and had he lived, the three of them easily would have grown up together. It hurt my heart so much to think of that sometimes, I could hardly function.
Kendra and Bre had formed a bond through their children, and ended up becoming actual friends. Bre started babysitting for them so they could go on dates. They didn't have anyone else they trusted in the area other than Brad, who was obviously gone every weekend.
Bre's baby shower was on a Saturday in March, and I couldn't bring myself to attend. I made Rafe book us a show that night and used it for my excuse but I doubted anyone was fooled by that.
We had started making some serious money at our shows, and Rafe no longer had to seek out venues for us. They started finding us instead. We had traveled to several other states to perform and made two official music videos for 'Your Loss' and 'Whiskey Kisses'. 'Your Loss' had been in the top ten country songs in the U.S. for months and even spent a couple weeks at number one. We recorded 'True to You' and released it as a single, then started performing it with a lot of positive feedback. We opened for several big name country bands, and crowds became unmanageable at times.
Rev hired a bodyguard for me without my permission. He met him through Tim, who used to work with this guy in special ops. His name is Victor, and I despise him. He is a giant asshole but Rev said that was a good thing. He's completely ripped like Rev, but with super short black hair, scruffy facial hair like Brad's, brown eyes, and way less communication skills. His specialty is kicking people.
Rev had called Brad about Victor once he made his decision, and apparently they agreed on all this together, only telling me about it once it was done. I expected Brad to throw a fit about Rev stepping on his toes, and I was frustrated with being taken out of the equation, but because I was so thankful they had discussed it without fighting, I simply let it be. Brad also asked him to install a tracker in the bracelet he had gotten me, which Rev readily did, and they even met in person at the cottage without fighting so Rev could put the software on Brad's phone and hook up the device. Later, I told Rev that was the kindest gesture I could ever imagine from him. Therefore, I now wore my bracelet all the time because it meant something different to me than it had before.
Vic hired another four guys for his team, and they were with us at every show. Rev paid Victor a monthly salary, and Brad paid the other four bodyguards per show. Vic escorted me anywhere in public in Nashville, and was basically at my beck and call.
Rev wanted him to stay at the cottage but he was too awkward for me to live with, and I pleaded there wasn't enough space, so he lived in a tiny camper in the backyard, which annoyed me almost as much. Two of my guys still stayed with me at all times. We didn't need to pinch pennies as much anymore but I took comfort in them being there, and I think they liked being with me, also. It was usually Tommy and Clay because Jake was steadily dating Shane, and while he kept his stuff in a hotel room with Sam, he wasn't there much. Sam's wife visited him almost every weekend.
The guys still adored Rev but were barely cordial with Brad when they saw him. Jake vehemently protested my plans to marry Brad, but no one else said a thing about it. Rev also told me not to do it when I gave him the date, but he hadn't brought it up since.
I had taken one trip back to Texas in April with Rev. I really enjoyed all of his team, and Tim's family. The guys were all welcoming and friendly this time around. Lia and I spent time talking and bonding over our shared grief. At one point, Tim pulled me aside and had a very serious paternal conversation with me about Brad and Rev. He thought I was marrying Brad for the wrong reasons. He didn't think I should be with him at all, and that I should wait for Rev. I listened, respected his opinion, and gave him my reasons. I couldn't tell anyone, let alone myself then, that the driving force behind doing it was that I was scared if I didn't I would lose Brad for good.
He nodded, told me he respected my decision, and said he wanted me to call him if I ever needed help in the future. He gave me both his number and Lia's.
May was going to be a rough month. Bre was literally due five days before Drew's due date. There was a chance Ava could be born on his due date if Bre ran late, and I had no idea how I'd be able to survive that. I had spoken with Steve, Bre, and Brad about how to communicate with me about Ava.
We decided what would be best was if we didn't have any shows scheduled for the week of Drew's due date and I would come home that week, but if she arrived outside of that window, no one would tell me. I needed to be told in person at home so I could see her when I was ready, and so I had Brad there for support. Brad told Andy and Kendra this plan also. Plus, Brad promised he wouldn't meet her without me, and Bre and Steve knew I wanted it that way.
I really wasn't sure how it was going to go and I anticipated the upcoming event with trepidation.
...........................................................................
Bre had been with Brad another five times since January, and had resumed normalcy with Steve since the anniversary of Drew's death. By April she was so uncomfortable she didn't want sex with anyone.
Sex with Steve had improved greatly since her time with Brad. Other than the very first time with Steve, Bre had never instigated it nor took the lead on anything. While she loved Steve's consistently dependable routines, the bedroom was an area she preferred him to surprise her, and that wasn't ever going to happen without her initiative. Brad had opened her eyes to her own preferences and shown her how enjoyable it could be, which made her not want to settle for anything less. He also helped her to be so comfortable in her own body that her confidence increased enough for her to take the lead and ask for what she wanted. Her poor awestruck husband was more than happy to comply, but half the time seemed so shocked and bewildered, she could hardly refrain from laughing. He loved everything they did, though, and he told her so. He also made comments about her 'pregnancy hormones', which was clearly what he had attributed the change to.
She still spoke to Brad frequently and tried to keep him gently in line regarding Paige. Paige still set off his temper, most often on the topic of Rev, so when Bre felt Brad's jealousy getting the better of him, she found a way to make some time for him. It helped him, it helped her to help him, and she greatly valued their time together.
While it was convenient that Paige was never home for that reason, she knew Brad was lonely without her, and Bre herself missed her companionship. Paige had been mostly unfriendly and distant, and had only talked with her on the phone a couple times. Bre hoped when Ava arrived that Paige would come around. She had been talking with Kendra a lot over the past few months, and Kendra assured her that Paige was similar during her pregnancy.
You weren't having sex with Brad, too, though, Bre couldn't point out.
She was wearing her ring and still going to counseling a couple times a month to work through the hard feelings she had toward Steve and Paige.
Ava's sandy brown room was decorated with everything pastel pink, which contrasted beautifully with the dark brown carpet and walnut crib and dresser.
They had her baby shower at her parents', which Paige declined to attend, but Bre's heart was touched beyond belief when Brad stopped by the night before the shower with a gold bracelet that was an exact match to the one he had given her, except with an A engraved on it.
Bre opened it with Steve there and actually started crying.
"That's from Paige and I", Brad said, but she knew it was from him.
She flung her arms around his neck and kissed him on his scruffy cheek, not even caring that her husband was sitting right there.
Steve also hugged him right after she let him go.
"You're making me look bad, brother", Steve joked. "We love you, man. Thanks so much. You take care of our Paigie now. This is real rough for her, ain't it?"
Brad nodded, looking somber, as Steve hung his head and ran his hand through his hair, looking terribly guilty.
Bre knew she wasn't going to make it to the end of the school year, but she wanted to get as close as she possibly could. Unfortunately, her due date was terribly close to Drew's due date, and while she had explained to her doctor the horrors of Ava being born on that particular day, her doctor was not willing to induce labor for that reason alone. Therefore, Bre, Steve, and everyone they knew were praying multiple times a day that Ava would be born before then.
Ava had settled into an uncomfortable sideways position, and Bre was doing everything the doctor and her friends and sisters suggested to get her to go head down. So far it hadn't worked, and Bre was so uncomfortable most of the time she could hardly sleep, eat, breathe, or do anything without discomfort. Her doctor threatened her with a C-section if they couldn't get Ava head down.
By the first week of May, she was burned out and started wishing Ava would make her appearance. She had continued with as much exercise as possible throughout the pregnancy, but by April had resigned herself to only walking. In May she started increasing her walking as frequently and quickly as she could to hopefully induce labor. All that happened was her hips got so sore, she spent two days crying in bed with ice on them.
She was crabby and exhausted and miserable. Brad stopped by with little treats and movies he thought she might like. Steve massaged whatever was sore and took over all the housework, including cooking. Maggie and Binx were glued to her and watching her warily. Maggie had also taken to snuffling her belly and her ears perked up when Ava would move. Anytime Brad was around when Ava moved, she called for him and had him feel it. She told Steve he had never felt it before and Steve got to feel it frequently, so she hoped he wouldn't be jealous. Steve said he didn't mind. He wanted Uncle Brad involved.
She could never get over the thrill she felt as she watched the wonder on Brad's face, every single time. Steve was adorable with Ava, too, but it was expected from him. He was her father. The unexpected adoration from Brad is what tugged at her heart.
The second week in May, Bre was feeling achy all over, almost like she had the flu. She made it through two days of work, but by Tuesday night, she felt so awful, she considered not going in the next day. She was restless, achy, and nauseous. When she couldn't eat supper, Steve encouraged her to get a sub for the next day, so she did. They went to bed at nine. At ten, she got up and took Tylenol. Her back was killing her and she couldn't sleep. She decided to walk around for a little bit because laying down hurt too much. Ava was being incredibly still.
Steve was snoring as she took a lap past the bedroom, and it angered her so much she walked over and slapped his shoulder. He sat bolt upright, sputtering.
"Honey, what's wrong?", he asked after he focused in on her, and she explained.
"Maybe we should call a doctor", he said.
"I don't know", Bre said, then burst into tears. She was so miserable and she didn't know what to do.
"All right, hun", Steve said, standing. "You just calm down now. I'll call and see if we should be concerned".
Steve went downstairs to find the number for the nurse line while Bre paced the upstairs hallway with Maggie.
Suddenly she felt a pop and stopped walking, frozen. Maggie stopped at looked at her, head cocked.
What happened?
Then she felt a little trickle down her inner thigh and she knew.
Thank God. It's finally time.
"STEVE!!!!", she yelled as loudly as she could.
He came flying up the stairs three at a time.
She was still standing frozen. "Honey, I need you to stay calm for me because I don't feel calm", she started, staring into his worried blue-green eyes.
For someone with combat experience, her husband was really not as good in emergencies as one would expect.
"Okay?", he asked, looking terrified.
"My water broke. We need to go to the hospital".
"Oh my God", he said, getting pale.
"Get my bag and add to it the things on the list inside", she instructed him, slowly starting for the bathroom with Maggie keeping pace next to her.
Steve immediately grabbed her arm and walked with her to the bathroom. Once she got there she shooed him off.
"Go! Go!", she told him.
Maggie shoved her way in as Bre tried to shut her out. She sighed and left the door open, getting a pad on to hopefully soak up the fluid, and grabbing towels to sit on in the car as Maggie watched with concern wrinkling her smooth golden forehead. She was such a human-like dog. Bre snagged the bathroom supplies she would need and tossed them all in a small tote, which she handed to her husband as they met in the hallway.
"You get my phone?", she asked.
"In my pocket", he said. He was fully dressed. "Is this the rest of the stuff on the list?", he asked.
"Probably", she said. "Let me see it".
He handed it to her and she got a cramp.
"Ooh", she said. Then, "Oh.....owww...".
That was no cramp. That was a contraction.
"Bre, talk to me", Steve said, grabbing her shoulders.
She couldn't breathe. It hurt. Then it let up.
"That was a contraction", she said, looking over the list. "Yeah, we got it all. Let Maggie out to potty once more as we're getting in the car".
"We should take the truck", he said. "It's raining-".
"I AM NOT CLIMBING IN AND OUT OF YOUR FUCKING TRUCK IN LABOR!!!", Bre shouted at him with so much anger, she stopped walking and stared at him with her mouth open.
What was that?
"All right, hun", he said, like nothing out of the ordinary had happened. He cautiously took her arm and helped her downstairs and into the car after putting the towels on the seat.
"I'm going to get Maggie inside", he said. "Be right back".
Bre called the ER as she was waiting for him and gave them all her information and pregnancy details to make checking in easier. This was a tip she had learned from her sister, Bethany, whose four babies had all arrived in the middle of the night.
Steve climbed in and started driving before she was off the phone. She hung up and had another contraction, remembering she needed to try to breathe through it, so she tried and fared a little better this time.
"Call my parents and have them let out Maggie in the morning", she told him. He got on his phone and called while she texted her three sisters and her friends, excluding Paige but including Brad.
Only Brittany and Brad replied. Everyone else was probably sleeping.
Brittany said- You got this, Mama! Praying for you and Ava! Keep me updated! I can bring you anything you need, just lmk!
Knowing her sister, she probably wouldn't sleep a wink until Ava was out and she had met her.
Brad said- Everything will be fine no matter how she comes out. Please have Steve keep me updated. Stay calm. I love you.
Bre teared up. Brad knew she didn't want a C-section for many reasons, number one being because that's how Drew was removed. Steve had to watch his son be cut out of Paige and suffocate to death because his lungs weren't developed enough to breathe air yet. She had talked to Brad about how she didn't want Ava's birth to trigger those traumatic memories for Steve. It was bad enough they were sharing close due dates and she had his first name as her middle. She felt like she was tempting fate and Brad had very kindly reminded her that she didn't believe in fate, she believed in God.
That had been an impactful reminder for her and he was a hundred percent accurate. She felt a million times better after he had said that but now she was scared again. Ava wasn't head down yet so it was likely she was coming out the way Bre didn't want to have happen.
She replied- Thanks, honey. Love you, too.
Out loud she said, "Steve, please keep my sisters, parents, and Brad updated, okay?"
"Okay, hun. He ain't gonna tell Paigie, is he?"
"I'm sure he's not so stupid that I need to remind him of what she wanted", Bre snapped, feeling like punching her husband in the face as another contraction started.
...........................................................................
Steve was terrified but under control. His wife's behavior was disturbing but he knew why. He also knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that his daughter was coming out via C-section, which he knew his wife was going to be resistant to.
Right now the doctor was trying to explain to her the reasons why they shouldn't waste time trying to turn Ava, while Bre was crying and shaking her head no.
"Honey", he started, "this is going to happen. I need you to let it happen. The longer you wait, the worse it's gonna be. Ava's ready now. Let's get her out of there".
"You can't see that again!", she sobbed. "I don't want it to bring back memories and ruin her birth for you!"
So that's what this is actually about.
Steve placed his hand on her head and looked deep into her worried brown eyes.
"My dear, sweet wife. That is the very last thing you should be worried about right now. I am fine. This situation is completely different. I need you to calm down and cooperate so we can meet our daughter", he said, kissing her forehead.
He stared into her eyes and smiled. "Honey, it's okay", he said. "Let's get her out of there".
She still looked tearful but she nodded. He looked up at the doctor and nodded.
Bre grabbed his hand in an iron grip and he realized she was scared, too. He knew she'd never been hospitalized for anything. Her sports injuries had been minor- scrapes, bruises, and sprains, and she had always been extremely healthy.
This was completely new and frightening to her. He placed his other hand back on her head, grateful that she needed him and loved him again.
"Honey, look at me", he said.
She did.
"I love you and I am so proud of you".
She teared up. "I love you, Steve".
...........................................................................
At twelve thirty, Steve finally texted Brad, who hadn't been to sleep yet. He wasn't much for praying, but he was praying for Bre and her baby girl to be safe during this process.
Thank God, he thought, when he saw a picture of a healthy baby girl come through.
She was fairly big, at over eight pounds, and Steve said she had to have a C-section, which Brad had a feeling about and knew Bre was apprehensive for.
How's Bre?, Brad immediately asked.
Drugged still, he said.
Tell her she did good, Brad said, tearing up. Love you guys.
Will do, Steve said. Love you, too. When you gettin' Paigie here?
Brad sighed. It was still always Paige. Even when it was his wife and daughter in the hospital, he was still worried about his damn Paigie. At least he was better than he had been before the blow up about the ring.
I'm heading there Fri and bringing her home with me Sunday.
I'll keep ya posted when we get home and maybe you two can visit Sun, Steve said.
I'd like to, Brad said. He didn't know if Paige would, though.
...........................................................................
Saturday night we were playing at one of the biggest venues in Nashville, opening for one of my favorite male country artists, one of the biggest names in country music. To say we were excited was an understatement.
To me, people were people, and I had never been star-struck before with anyone famous I had met, but when we met with their band on Friday, I had to admit I was nervous. I had eaten at this guy's restaurant on my second night in Nashville.
He and his band were welcoming and down to earth, but also professional and no-nonsense when it came to the logistics of performing, which they had been doing for over a decade. He was going to have me perform a couple songs with him as I had come to expect from the people we opened for. He had a hugely popular duet on the radio right now about a couple who had broken up but still longed for each other. I knew the song and loved it, so when he tentatively asked about that one, I said yes enthusiastically!
"We gonna have to run through and be sho' now", he said in his slow Southern drawl. "Not that I doubt ya, lil' lady, but you gotta soun' jus' like her or the fans won' like it. It's too hot righ' now".
"I'm not offended and I understand", I replied instantly.
He motioned to his band and they took positions while my guys stood to the side. He instructed me how to stand and where.
"Y'all much smaller in person than I'da thought", he said with a grin, looking down at me.
I felt myself flushing. "I get that a lot, actually", I said with a laugh.
We ran through the song once with no pressure and without me trying too hard, so I could get a feel for how they did it. The second time through, when I wasn't looking at him, I shut my eyes and tapped into the emotions behind the words and channelled them into notes. I could very easily insert myself and my longing for Rev into the situation of the song, and I felt it. I heard my voice reverberating back to me easily with the impressive acoustics of that auditorium.
When we finished, Jake whooped and started clapping. "That's our Paigie!", he said.
The singer looked down at me and shook his head slightly. He looked impressed.
"You jus' migh' be better than her", he said. "Don' you ever tell her I said that".
I laughed and shook my head, feeling myself flush at the compliment.
"Hoo, dang", he said. "You have anythin' else of mine you know an like?"
"I know all your songs and I love all of them", I said, "but my favorite is this one. I don't think it makes sense to layer a female voice in it, though". I told him which it was, a sensuous song about sex without using those exact words.
He thought a moment. "Tha's one o' my favorites also, and it's pretty sultry. It could be hot". He grinned at me. "Le's play with it and see wha' happens. Jus' do what you want the firs' time here and we go from there".
He motioned to the band. Three times through and we had nailed it.
"I migh' have to re-record that one with y'all", he said, smiling. "I think I prefer it this way!"
I felt myself flushing. "Don't tease me".
"No, ma'am, I ain't", he assured me with a smile. "Le's do a third song. Suggestions?"
I shook my head. He looked around. "Suggestions?"
"Oh!", Tommy gasped. "Paigie, I can't believe you didn't bring this one up already! She loves whiskey!"
Tommy named off a song he had about whiskey not being able to erase an ex's memory, and I did love that song, plus it already had a secondary female voice layered in, not exactly a duet, but prominent enough that I wouldn't have to create my own part from scratch.
"I should have thought of that!", I said. "I adore that song. Please?!?"
He laughed. "Yes, ma'am", he said. "Le's giver a whirl".
We ran through it twice. I was so in love with that song I could hardly stand it!
"I don't want to be immature and dramatic", I said when we were done, "but I am literally going to die if I don't get video of us performing together. My boyfriend will be here. Is there any way we can position him to do that?"
"Yes, ma'am", he said, grinning. "I can do whatever I want". He pointed at his drummer and instructed him to get their manager.
"When's the boyfrien' gettin' here?", he asked.
"He will be with us when we come set up tomorrow. His name is Brad".
Victor strode up and interrupted us abrasively with a scowl. "Who's in charge of your security and where are they?", he asked the singer.
He told him and Vic strode off again.
"I'm sorry", I said. "He is...different...but he's apparently really good, so we deal".
He chuckled. "No worries".
Their manager returned with the venue's manager and his drummer. They talked about Brad being to the side of the stage for video but Tommy didn't think that would give a great shot, so they opted for the gap between the stage and the crowd where security would be.
Victor returned with his team and two guys I didn't recognize.
"The situation here is less than ideal", he said assertively to all of us. "Their security will be focused around the stage, I don't leave Paige, and my four will scan the audience and exits. That leaves this venue's security to cover entry points and any other irrelevant disturbances. You don't have enough staff to do that".
The venue's manager sputtered, turning red. "We've always managed just fine in the past!"
"With no issues. If you have an issue, we're fucked", Vic countered. "You need six more trained people. Can you do that?"
"I don't have six more on my payroll!", he snapped, looking exasperated.
Victor looked at me. "I'm not doing this unless we have adequate coverage. I need more guys. Which one of your boyfriends do I call for authorization?"
I bristled, flushed, and sighed. "I'd be fine if you let me carry my own gun".
He simply stared at me.
"Call Rev", I decided. "He understands what you're saying better".
He whipped out his phone and walked away.
Vic ended up getting five more guys for the following night and said he could accept that. Two of them were Mace and Ip from Tim's team. Rev covered the expense, which made me cringe, but I knew no one would let me proceed without Victor's clearance.
...........................................................................
Brad arrived late Friday afternoon. We were practicing at the venue already when Brad walked out on stage with a pass around his neck, looking irritated, with a more pronounced scowl than normal.
"What's wrong?", I asked.
"I had to jump through about fifty hoops to get in here. Victor could have said the word and fixed it immediately, but he chose to let me suffer through being searched and grilled for fifteen minutes before he spoke up. I fucking hate that man. Worse than Rev, actually".
I started laughing. I couldn't help it.
"Oh, my dear, I'm sorry", I said. "I feel the same".
The singer's manager and Rafe went on a supper run for us about an hour before the doors opened for the audience. "I got it", the singer said with a grin, paying the entire order for both bands, Brad, and every security team member.
Mace and Ip showed up while we were sitting around eating. I leaped up and rushed out to them.
"Hey there!", Mace said with a grin, catching me as I flung myself at him, wrapping my arms around his neck.
"Thank you for coming!", I said, releasing him and turning to hug Ip less aggressively, not because I liked him less but because to him it would mean more. "Victor wasn't going to let me perform without more security and no one argues with him", I said.
"You look...incredible", Ip said, still holding onto my waist after I released him. He was staring at me with that gleam in his light blue eyes again.
It had taken forty-five minutes and Tommy's help to first straighten and then curl my hair into perfect loose waves which hung to my waist, and I had on a soft, light-colored denim shirt dress with the sleeves cuffed up, a wide brown belt around my middle, and my brown and white cowboy boots. It hugged every curve, hit me mid-thigh, and we had unbuttoned enough buttons on top to make it interesting. I had on my silver P bracelet and silver hoop earrings, along with the silver studs Rev gave me that never left my ears.
Ugh. Brad was going to be annoyed by Ip.
I took a step back.
"Thanks. I need to look a certain way on stage", I said. "I hope you guys get to watch the show a little, even though you're working".
"I'm sure we will", Mace said, his smile suddenly dropping as he glanced over my shoulder.
I felt a hand on my hip and knew Brad had sauntered over. Without turning to verify it was him, I introduced them.
"Guys, this is Brad. Brad, these are friends of Rev's, Mace and Ip".
Brad extended his hand to Ip, who shook it but said nothing in reply to Brad's greeting. Then Mace shook his hand and said, "Nice to meet you", but it felt cool coming from the typically friendly man.
"They're giving Vic some help with security tonight", I explained.
"Why's that?", Brad asked, looking down at me.
"You know Victor. He's very thorough. He told all three security teams what their roles were going to be and then decided there weren't enough to cover all the entry and exit points and every anticipated anything".
Brad scowled at all of us. "Why didn't he get my approval before hiring more people, or are you two volunteers?", he asked.
"He called Rev", I interjected, holding my breath.
"Rev's paying you?", he asked them.
Mace nodded.
"Fine", he snapped rudely. "Go find Victor then".
He snagged my elbow and whirled me around with him, walking me roughly away.
"I'm fine with Rev paying his friends to be here but I need to be kept informed, Paige. I'm part of this and I need to know what's going on with your safety. Understand?"
"Yeah".
"Why the fuck didn't you tell me right away when I got here?"
He still had my elbow and was steering me back to the stage like a controlling, angry asshat. I'd be willing to bet Ip and Mace didn't like what they were seeing, and it made me embarrassed and slightly afraid for Brad. I also knew they were going to tell Rev.
"I don't know, Brad, because I have a show to perform and to me my singing is more important than the security detail", I snapped. "It's not what's on my mind right now".
He softened and dropped my elbow. "Sorry, babe", he said sheepishly.
"It's fine. Just settle the fuck down", I muttered.
The show went off without a hitch. While I enjoyed the rush of performances in huge venues like this, and enjoyed the sound of my voice in the amazing acoustics, I did miss the audience interaction in the small town bars. I missed dancing into the crowd.
Good ol' Vic would probably foam at the mouth if I tried doing that here.
When our band finished, there was a pause while Tommy spoke about our band, our songs, and our band pages. The guys were swapping out instruments and switching places while he was doing this. The singer stepped up next to me to thunderous applause while Tommy left and the other band finished setting up.
He spoke briefly about our band, about his roots and his early years in this town, and then told them he was pleased to be doing a few songs with me. Again, there was thunderous applause.
"I gotta tell y'all...", he said with a sexy smirk in his slow Southern drawl, "this lil' gal righ' here...she's the real deal. It's a real pleasure gettin' to sing with her, an' I mean that".
I felt myself flushing as the audience roared with enthusiasm. I smiled and shook my head slightly as he winked at me. Then he turned back to his band, and we began.
It was incredible! They were probably the best three songs of my life. Every cell of my body was flooded with the emotions, with the music, and with the impact of who I was singing with. I felt so alive, it was as if my soul were on fire.
The applause after each song was so stunning, I could hardly believe it. We actually had to start the next song in order to get them to stop cheering. At the end of the third song, he gave me a hug and I walked backstage to thunderous applause, greeted enthusiastically by Jake and Tommy, who were bursting over with excitement.
"That was the best performance I have ever seen!", Jake squealed.
Tommy could not stop grinning from ear to ear.
"Where is your man?", he asked. "I need to get this posted!"
I laughed. "He should be coming. Guys, that was so incredible! I can't even explain...it's like the most alive I have ever felt! Like my soul was on fire!"
"Girl, you were totally on fire!", Jake said. "My heart almost stopped about eighty times!"
"I had goosebumps", Sam said stoically, and the rest of us laughed hard at his serious face and deadpan dramatic statement.
He was so awkward sometimes.
Brad approached us, also beaming.
"Babe", he said. "Fucking WOW".
He handed his phone to Tommy. "Do what you need to with the video", he said, and Tommy did while the rest of us watched the show from backstage.
That guy had been performing for over a decade but didn't look it. He showed as much energy and enthusiasm as he probably had the first year he began. I was impressed. Plus, I loved all of his music. It was one of the best nights of my life.
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Rev was up north with Clint interrogating the scum he had confiscated. Back at his hotel that night, he got online and was thankful for Tommy posting videos of his love so he could see her big performance.
"Wow!", he said out loud.
Her voice took his breath away. He knew she loved this guy's music and they sounded amazing together. She sounded amazing. He could only imagine what that had been like live.
He putzed around, lifting weights and cleaning his guns until he got a call from Ip. He had asked those blokes to update him after.
"Hey, mate", he answered.
"Brad's a fucking dick", Ip snapped without greeting him.
"Yeah, he sure is. What did he do?"
Rev felt his pulse increase as Ip described Brad snapping at them and manhandling Paige right in front of them as he chewed her out about not running the security change past him.
"I couldn't believe he had the fucking balls to do that right in front of us, knowing we were friends with you!", Ip said in disbelief.
"Makes me think he can't control it", Rev said. "I don't think he's calculating enough to do it simply to get at me by knowing you'd report back".
"That makes me terrified for what goes on when nobody's looking then", Ip said.
"I know it, mate", Rev agreed.
"I took after him", Ip said. "Mace held me back, but then Brad dropped her arm after a minute so we let it go".
"You did right", Rev said. "A fight before her show would affect her performance".
"She was incredible", Ip said, sounding awe-struck. "I've never heard anything like it".
That poor bloke was madly in love with her, as Rev well knew.
"I know it, mate. I saw online. I'm disappointed I missed it in person".
"Anytime you need help protecting her again, you call me", Ip offered.
Rev chuckled. Poor bloke.
"You bet", he said.
Rev hung up with Ip and immediately called Paige. He wasn't sure if she could talk with Brad there, but he needed to tell her how proud he was.
"Hello?", her sparkling little voice spoke right to his heart.
"Hello, love. Bloody fucking brilliant, yeah? I am so fucking proud of you, sweetheart!"
"Thanks, Rev!", she said, sounding excited. "You saw from a band page?"
"'Course. Give that bloke a hug from me and tell him I appreciate him posting so quick. I'm sorry I couldn't be there. Fucking brilliant! I was blown away. I can't imagine what it would've been like it person!"
"The acoustics there were amazing!", she gushed.
"I really liked the three songs you did with him, love. They were really good".
She laughed lightly. "We can't afford his songwriters, but yeah, I loved them, too. I picked two of the three that we did".
"Brad near you?", he asked.
"No, he's inside".
"He knows I'm on the phone?"
"Yes".
"Clear your throat if he comes back out", Rev instructed, and then proceeded with what he had to say.
"I heard he was giving you hell because you didn't inform him of the security change?", Rev asked gruffly.
"I knew you were going to hear about that", she said quietly. "I'm sorry, Rev".
"You're sorry?!?", he growled. "Why the fuck are you apologizing for him? Knock that shit right off, love".
"I'm not...for him. I'm sorry you had to hear about it...when you're so far away...and you feel like you can't do anything about it, and you want to protect me, and you want to hit him. That's what I'm sorry about. I'm sorry about your feelings".
"For fuck's sake, love. My bloody fucking feelings aren't something to apologize for, either".
"They are to me. I don't like hurting them".
He was touched. "I'm fine, love. How are you? Did he hurt you? Has he dropped it?"
"He got scared about my safety and riled up because he thought you were stepping on his toes. After I explained, he apologized and dropped it".
"Good fucking thing, too. Ip almost took him out. Mace held him back, but I guarantee if it would have escalated, they both would have taken him out".
"I figured", she said, quietly.
"You're heading home tomorrow?"
"Yeah".
Rev knew she was probably going to have a rough week ahead of her.
"Love, you call me if you need me. If I'm going on a mission, I will turn my phone completely off. Otherwise, I will call and check in on you daily. If you're heading back to Tennessee, call and let me know, but no details in a message, yeah?"
"Of course, dear, I know that", she said.
"Bloody fucking proud of you, love", he said again.
"I love you", she said. "So much".
"Love you, too. Talk to you tomorrow".
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* Meeting Ava is next! Please Vote before reading on! *