Brooklyn & Beale, page 32
“I win,” Inky cheered, slapping a twenty-dollar bill on the table. “Pay up, fools. Mama needs a new tattoo!”
“What the hell?” Drew yelled. “How do you know? You don’t know!”
Inky nodded, still laughing. “I do know. I do. They totally banged.”
Chloe covered her face with both hands and bowed her head, her shoulders shaking. She should have been mortified that their friends made a bet about whether or not she and Reid had sex. The truth was, if they were willing to make bets, it meant they weren’t mad or disappointed in them.
“Can you explain how saying a steak sounds good led to Inky saying we banged?”
Chloe wiped under her eyes and shrugged. “I’m a bone.”
Reid looked around the table, bewildered. “Be honest. Let’s see a show of hands. Who dropped acid this morning?”
Drew chuckled and tossed a twenty on the table. “I can’t speak for the others, but I have not partaken in psychedelics in months.”
“Then what the hell is going on?” Reid asked again, annoyance slowly overtaking his amused confusion.
“We kept drinking after we checked in to the hotel,” Tom said in answer to Reid’s question.
“He might have told us about you finally straightening out your shit,” Drew added, his eyes drifting from Reid to Chloe.
Chloe sat back in her chair and sighed. “I need a drink.”
Tom shook his head. “No more alcohol. I’m already going to need earplugs tonight or my head might explode.”
“What I want to know,” Greer said, pulling everyone’s attention in his direction, “is if you’re going to stop being such a moody bastard all the time?”
Wide-eyed, Chloe looked from Reid to Greer. They had a way of setting each other off, and Chloe worried how this would shake out. Reid slid his arm around Chloe’s shoulder and leaned forward to look Greer in the eye.
“That depends,” Reid answered, his words clipped. “Are you going to stop hitting on Chloe?”
Greer looked at Chloe and winked. “I’ll do my best.”
Chloe laughed and leaned into Reid. “That’s really the best you’re going to get.”
With a sigh, Reid nodded as the server entered the room. “Let’s eat.”
For the next hour, the group ate breakfast and talked about the upcoming tour. Completely at ease, they laughed as they told Reid and Chloe about their night of drinking. No one looked at Reid twice when he rubbed his hand over Chloe’s shoulder or when he leaned closer to press his lips against her temple. It made her earlier worries seem silly. When the plates were empty and the table was clear, Tom clapped his hands.
“Okay, guys. We’ve got about an hour before we need to leave for the venue. Get your things together and meet back in the lobby.” With nods of agreement, everyone went their separate ways except Chloe and Reid, who walked hand in hand to her room.
“Did they replace that speaker from sound check?” Reid asked, adjusting the tuning pegs on one of his guitars.
“Yeah. They brought one over from another venue. We’ll have to get a replacement for the rest of the tour,” Tom answered as he typed out a message on his phone. “I’m going to go check on Drew and see if he found his extra set of sticks. This is what happens when I drink with you assholes; everything falls apart.”
Reid laughed. The entire building could have collapsed and it wouldn’t ruin his mood. Not now. “I didn’t drink shit. That was all you.”
“I still blame Greer,” Tom mumbled, shooting a glare at Greer before disappearing into the hall.
Greer sighed. “It’s not my fault he can’t hold his liquor.”
Reid laughed and slapped Greer’s outstretched hand. “He’s always been a bit of a lightweight.”
Greer shuffled his feet and cleared his throat. “Just so you know, I really am happy things worked out the way they did.”
Reid raised a brow. “Are we going to have a bonding moment?”
“Fuck you, Reid,” Greer chuckled. “I’m just saying. I always knew you getting back with Jess was a bad idea. You did it for all the wrong reasons. I was there the night that kid died. I know how much you blamed yourself. You might have thought Jess was the answer, but I knew better. It’s why I busted your balls so much. When Chloe came along, man, a blind dude could have seen how bad you had the hots for her.”
“Yet, you hit on her constantly,” Reid pointed out, annoyed and guilty at the same time. As much as he hated to admit it, Greer was right.
“She’s fucking hot,” Greer shot back. “If you wouldn’t have been with Jess, you would have been all over her. You can’t blame me for taking my shot. That being said, she’s also a cool chick to joke with. She never made it a thing. I like that about her.”
Again, Reid couldn’t argue. That didn’t mean he had to like it. “Well, I’d really appreciate it if you could stop taking your shots. My head is completely out of my ass now.”
Greer laughed. “I’m just glad to have you back, man. I’ve missed you.” He stepped forward and gave Reid a quick hug, slapping him on the back before stepping back. “Also,” Greer said, his eyes filled with mischief, “I knew you’d hit that.”
Reid laughed and punched Greer in the stomach, “You’re such a dick.”
“Yeah, well, so were you. But in all seriousness, I’m really looking forward to this leg of the tour. We’re gonna blow this fucker up.”
“Hell yes.” Reid pushed his hair back and cupped his neck. “I’ve got some things I want to talk with you and Drew about, but we’ll worry about that later. Let’s go do this.”
Reid stood center stage, inhaling deeply as his gaze swept across the venue. Behind him, Drew worked the crowd with his rhythmic drumbeats. The energy on stage was electric and it bled into the audience. Reid pushed his sweat-soaked hair out of his eyes as he leaned over his guitar and he began to sing. The melody of the song and the feel of Chloe standing so close caused a roughness to his voice he’d never heard. With heavy eyes, Reid twisted his head in her direction. Her body glistened with sweat and her chest heaved with every breath she took. All at once everything felt too big, too much, and not even close to being enough.
Adrenaline coursed through his veins like a drug. For the longest time, Reid thought he’d experienced every high that came with playing on stage, but he couldn’t have been more wrong. Now there was no holding back, no pretending the way Chloe affected him was all part of an act. It was just the feel of the music, the excitement of the moment, and it was only the beginning.
“What are you working on? Chloe asked, easing onto the seat next to Reid.
He looked up and smiled. “Just some new stuff. I’ve missed this so much. Although, right now, I’m ready to toss this thing out the window,” he groaned, lifting the notebook in front of him.
“I knew you’d find your words, Padawan.” Chloe tugged on her lip piercing and lifted her brows, her expression hopeful. “Maybe I could help? It could be fun.”
Reid looked from his notebook to Chloe. “Just, uh, it’s just on this page, okay?”
Chloe pulled the notebook from his hands with a devious smile. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were trying to keep me from seeing something you’ve written.”
Reid laughed. “That’s exactly what I’m doing. Don’t make me enlist Inky’s help in getting back at you if you read something you’re not supposed to.”
Chloe looked at Inky, who was smirking over the top of her magazine. “Don’t forget what we did to Greer last week.”
Chloe rolled her eyes, unable to stop the shudder that ran down her back. “You guys were wrong for that.” Chloe glanced at her own sock-covered feet and grimaced. “I wonder if the hair has started to grow back.”
Inky shrugged. “Do you see any socks lying around? Smell them? Because that’s all that really matters.”
“That’s because he’s pouting on the other bus!” Chloe laughed when she saw the disbelieving look on Reid’s face. “Okay, fine. He’s banging one of the girls with the other band. But I’m sure there’s some pouting happening as well.”
“I did warn him,” Reid pointed out.
Chloe nodded. It had been three weeks since their show in San Francisco, and for whatever reason, Greer had turned into a slob. Every time Chloe turned around, there was a shirt, pants, or a foul-smelling pair of socks lying around the bus. Knowing Greer’s laundry ritual, Chloe steered clear.
When Inky found a pair of Greer’s socks on the counter next to her sandwich, she lost it. The next thing Chloe knew, Inky and Reid had snuck to Greer’s bunk while he was sleeping and emptied a bottle of superglue onto his sock-covered feet. To say he was pissed when he ended up yanking the hair off his ankles and feet to remove the material would be an understatement. On the bright side, like Inky said, he hadn’t done it again.
Chloe worried their little stunt would cause the tension to resurface between Reid and Greer, but that wasn’t the case. Reid explained that until the tour in Europe, Greer had always been a slob. Chloe wondered why he’d acted so differently. She couldn’t be sure if it was her presence, or the beef between him and Reid. This time, however, everything was different. Better. Especially for Chloe. Bringing her thoughts back to the present, she looked at the notebook in front of her. As she read the words, a tightness formed in her chest. She didn’t have to ask who the song was about; it was crystal clear.
Seventeen, chasing a dream, looking for that perfect scene
Bulletproof and on the run, all she wants is a little fun
Slow down, girl, don’t move so fast just to become a part of the past.
Cocaine high she chose to fly, now she’s the tears in her mother’s eyes.
“Are you sure you want to do this?”
Reid slipped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her against his side. He stared out the window for a moment before dropping his eyes to the page. “Yeah,” he said with a nod. “I feel like I need to. So she’s never forgotten. A warning, you know?”
Chloe leaned her head against his chest and sighed. She loved the freedom of being with him the way she’d thought about for months. “I think that’s a really great idea,” she murmured. “Are you going to name the song after her?”
Reid nodded and grabbed the pen off the table. Across the top of the page, he wrote the name Francine. Chloe didn’t know what help, if any, she could give him for such a personal song, but the fact that he wanted her to be a part of it meant the world to her. “How are you doing with everything? I know how different it can be touring here versus overseas.”
“It’s not always easy,” Reid answered with a shrug. “Some days are harder than others. Some cities are harder than others. The ones I’ve visited a lot are the hardest. People know me. They know what I used to do. I can’t even be pissed when they offer me shit. It’s not like I walk around with a sign that says ‘Don’t offer me drugs.’”
Chloe turned her cheek into his chest and wrapped her arm around his waist. “You know I’m here if you need my help.”
Reid smiled and pressed his lips to the top of her head. “You help just by being here.”
With an exhale, Chloe twisted her head and placed a soft kiss on his lips. “Good. You wanna work on this song?”
“I do. I have some others too.”
Chloe grinned. “Oh yeah? So do I.”
Reid slipped his hand over the top of her thigh and squeezed. “Lemme see.”
“Okay. Be right back.” Chloe hopped to her feet and darted to the bedroom in the back of the bus. She looked around the space and laughed at the piles of clutter. There was barely room for one person, much less two. When she’d suggested staying in her bunk, Reid’s distressed expression shut down any possibilities where she wasn’t next to him. She loved it more than she let on.
A part of her felt bad for being so happy. Even though Reid chose to end things with Jess, she felt like she’d benefited from someone else’s heartbreak. It wasn’t an easy feeling to shake, but it was one she was willing to live with if it meant Reid was hers. And he was. Every single beautifully flawed part of him was hers, and it was nothing short of perfect. Grabbing her notebook, a giddy feeling bubbled inside her. She and Reid were going to make music together, and it was going to be amazing.
“What if we did this?” Reid asked, moving his hand down the fretboard of his guitar and playing a different chord.
Chloe hummed and leaned over her violin, plucking at the strings with her fingers to mimic the sound in a higher key. “Yes, I like it!”
Reid’s smile widened at her enthusiasm. He’d always been so protective over his music. The sound, the lyrics, the feel, all of it. He never imagined letting someone into such a personal part of his life, but he’d also never imagined any of the things Chloe made him feel.
“You two make me want to barf unicorns,” Inky snarked, throwing a Starburst at Chloe.
Reid cut his eyes toward Inky. “What exactly are we doing? Other than working on a song, that is.”
“Exactly.” Inky smacked the back of her hand on Drew’s arm. “You’re only playing around with chords and you still manage to make googly eyes. Tell ’em, Drew.”
Drew held his hands out in front of him. “I’m not dumb enough to get mixed up in one of your pissing contests with Reid. I’ve been around long enough to know better. Besides, I’ll take this over Europe any day.”
An unwelcome feeling settled in the pit of Reid’s stomach as he looked at Drew. He wondered just how difficult he’d been to deal with on the first leg of the tour. How much he’d let his personal issues affect the others.
Inky cleared her throat and stood. “Hey, Chloe. One of my favorite tattoo artists will be in Portland this weekend. Come look at the new ink I have picked out and help me decide which one to get.”
“Do you even have room for a new tattoo?” Reid asked, scanning Inky’s covered arms and legs as Chloe set her violin aside and moved next to Inky. His gaze drifted to Chloe, lingering on the spot just below her breast where his new favorite tattoo lay hidden. His eyes snapped to Chloe’s when she cleared her throat. Her brow was cocked, her expression colored with amusement. He shrugged. “Maybe she does.”
“Maybe she does,” Chloe echoed with a grin before following Inky to her bunk.
“You got it bad, man,” Drew laughed, propping his feet on Inky’s empty seat. “It’s cool, though. I’m glad you’re finally figuring everything out.”
Reid turned to Drew. “Europe was that bad?”
“Nah, not all the time. I had a lot of fun. It was just different. It was like you were never really there. I know you had a lot of shit going on, but it was more than that. The only time you seemed remotely happy was when you were with Chloe, and that only lasted as long as Greer wasn’t busting your balls.”
“Fucker,” Reid grumbled. “You’re right, though, I wasn’t really there. And when I was, well, I was being who I thought I was supposed to be.”
“But you’re straight now? This thing with Chloe, it’s legit, right? I’m not going to have to listen to another album of how fucking tortured you are, am I?”
Reid punched Drew’s thigh and laughed. “Screw you, asshole. But to answer your question, yeah. It’s legit. She’s the one.”
“No shit! It’s about time you figured out what the rest of us already knew. So the next question is, when are you going to ask her to join the band for good? I don’t think I can handle you moping around if we’re on tour and she’s touring with someone else, because you know it will happen. She won’t be sitting around twiddling her thumbs.”
“I know,” Reid sighed, pushing his hand through his hair. “It’s something I’ve been meaning to talk with you and Greer about, but I just haven’t found the right time.”
Drew waved his hand dismissively. “Nothing to talk about. Greer and I have been waiting for you to bring it up. We’re good with it. Chloe’s a cool chick, and she does good things for the group. Besides, it’s your band anyway.”
Reid smiled, relieved. “You sure? I know it’s my band, but I wouldn’t make a decision like that without talking to you guys first.”
Drew leaned forward and clapped Reid’s shoulder. “We know you wouldn’t. It’s why we put up with your shit. At the end of the day, you’re pretty fucking solid.”
Reid could only shake his head. The truth was, he couldn’t have been more grateful for his friendships with Drew, Tom, and even Greer. They might not always get along, but they were always there when he needed them. Looking down the length of the bus to make sure Chloe was still occupied with Inky, Reid grabbed his notebook and flipped to the page he’d hidden from Chloe. “There’s something I want you guys to help me with.”
Drew leaned forward and peered at the notebook. “Yeah? What you got?”
“It’s a new song I’ve been working on. It’s not finished, but I have the music ready. I want to play it at our last show as a surprise for Chloe.”
Drew pulled the notebook from his hand and skimmed over the page. “I dig this beat. I can totally get behind this.” Drew handed the notebook back and grinned. “Greer’s going to give you shit about writing a song for Chloe, though.”
Reid groaned. “I have no doubt. If I get copies of this to you and Greer, can you two work on it without Chloe finding out?”
“That’s no problem,” Drew assured him. “There’s a chick on the other bus I wouldn’t mind spending some time with. I can hop over there with Greer and we can practice in our free time.”
Reid slapped Drew’s open hand. “I can’t think of better things to multitask.”
“We’ll be in Portland in about ten minutes,” Tom said with a yawn as he stumbled down the hall.
“The girls wake you up?” Reid asked with a knowing smile.
Tom narrowed his eyes and grabbed a bottle of water. “Next time, send them to your room, okay? I did not need to know where Inky plans to get her next tattoo.”
Reid’s brows shot up as he and Drew looked at each other in amusement. “Oh?”
