Harmony, p.6
Harmony, page 6
I spy Maddie and head straight to her side. I’m not letting her out of my sight.
“What did you think?” I ask.
A wide grin splits Maddie’s pretty face. “You and Rory were even more amazing than you were last night. And your drummer’s good, Jess.”
“Yeah, he’s pretty amazing. I can’t believe Jett let us use him. He could’ve so easily screwed us all over. Claimed breach of contract.”
“Surely your contract has some kind of provision if one of you can’t perform. People get sick.”
“Of course it does. But it also means we don’t get paid for that concert. And drug ODs are specifically excluded.”
“They are?”
“Hell yeah,” I say. “Donny and Callie went through that thing with a fine-tooth comb, made sure the rest of the band and I understood exactly what we were signing.”
Funny, with my little sister on my arm, the groupies stay away from me like I’m poison.
Just as well.
After what happened with Dragon? I’m staying the hell away from these women. I already promised Rory. And myself.
Besides…
Only one woman makes me feel like I’ve never felt before.
And she’s at the hospital, at Dragon’s bedside.
I let my adrenaline pump through me, sang my heart out, made sure I gave the crowd a concert worth remembering.
But then, when our set was over, and my high started to slow down… I looked in the front row.
And I saw Maddie. Donny and Callie. Brock.
But no Brianna.
And a little piece of my heart died.
Chapter Ten
Brianna
My neck is killing me, my back hurts, and I haven’t had a good night’s sleep.
Of course I haven’t. I slept in a chair, next to Dragon’s bed in the hospital ward.
But I promised Jesse I wouldn’t leave his side, and I don’t plan to.
When I open my eyes and stretch, I find Dragon is awake, his hazel eyes wide open.
“When the hell can I get out of here?”
“I don’t know, Dragon,” I say. “Your doctor hasn’t been by yet this morning.”
He squints at me. “When did you get here?”
“I never left.”
“Oh fuck…” he says. “The concert. What happened with the concert?”
I’m not sure what to do to assuage him. Pat his shoulder? I hardly know him. I reach toward him and then think better of it. No touching. “I got a text from Maddie. She said it was fantastic. The backup drummer was great. So everything’s fine. You don’t need to worry.”
“Yeah, I do.” He rubs at his eyes. “I may have just lost my job.”
“No, we’ve got it all figured out,” I say. “You’re going to stay here until your doctor releases you, which may be later today. And then you’ll stay at the hotel in London while the band travels to Edinburgh and Glasgow, and then back to London.”
“And they’ll be using the other drummer?”
“Yeah. So you can take some time to rest and recuperate. I’ll be staying with you.”
“Scratch that,” a voice says from behind me.
My brother’s voice.
Donny and Callie are here.
“Hey.” A giant yawn splits my face. “What are you guys doing here?”
“Callie and I just talked to Dragon’s doctor, and he’s being released today. We decided we don’t want you to miss the rest of the tour.”
I wipe the sleep out of my tired eyes. “What do you mean?”
“He means,” Callie says, “that Donny and I are going to stay here in London at the hotel with Dragon. Make sure he has everything he needs.” She walks to me and touches my shoulder lightly. “You and Maddie came so that you could experience Europe together. I don’t want to take that away from my sister or you.”
It’s all making sense to me now. They’re more concerned about Maddie’s experience than mine. Maddie is Callie’s sister, though, and she did put off her last semester of college. And part of that deal was traveling with me.
“But…”
“No buts, sis,” Donny says. “Callie and I can come back to the UK anytime. And this way, we can spend some more time with Ennis Ainsley. We’d both like to get to know him better. In fact, believe it or not, I talked to Dale on the phone, and he and Ashley are taking a few days off to come to London to meet us here and spend time with Ennis.”
“So I’m missing my brother?”
“You’ll see him when the band gets back to London. He and Ashley will stay for the concert and then a few days more after the band leaves for Paris.” Donny shakes his head, chuckling. “Callie and I want to do this for you. And Ennis really wants to meet with Dale and talk wine. It’s all working out.”
I cross my arms. My brother’s right. It’s all working out for the best, but I’m exhausted and I’m feeling petulant. “Maybe I’d like to see Ennis again too.”
“Then you can. Callie and I are having lunch with him today. I’d love for you to join us.”
I stretch, rubbing my neck. “I need a shower.”
Donny holds his nose. “Yeah, you sure do.”
I want to stand and swat him, but it’s too much effort.
“You need some rest too,” he continues. “Go on back to the hotel. Callie and I will stay here with Dragon until he’s released, which should be before lunchtime, according to his doctor.”
“All right. But I hate that you’re missing out on your trip.”
He smiles. “Remember, our trip was only for the UK portion anyway. Callie and I will come back and see Edinburgh. Or maybe we’ll stay with Dale and Ashley after Dragon and the band set course for Paris. Nothing is stopping us from staying.”
“Except for your jobs,” I say.
“All I need to do is call Mom. She’s running the show now, and she won’t mind running it for another few days.”
That much is true. Donny is our mother’s Achilles’ heel. She and he have a bond the rest of us don’t share with her.
“If the two of you are sure,” I say.
“Absolutely,” Callie says, smiling. “This is what’s best for us and for you and Maddie. Donny and I have seen two concerts, one with Dragon and one without. We’re good.”
I give my brother a quick hug and kiss him on the cheek. “You’re awesome,” I say.
Donny wipes his cheek where I kissed him. “Don’t you forget it. Now get out of here, grab a cab, go back to the hotel, and shower, and see if you can get a few hours of rest. Then, I want you to meet Callie and me at The Old Bank of England on Fleet Street at one p.m. That’s where we’re meeting Ennis for lunch. Be sure to try the priest.”
As tired as I am, I laugh at my brother. Donny can always make me laugh.
After a shower, a few hours of quick sleep, and a pot of lovely English tea, I take a cab and exit in front of The Old Bank of England on Fleet Street. Another gorgeous building that I wish Diana were here to see, but since I know nothing about architecture and I’m starving, I don’t take the time to memorize any more details. I walk into the restaurant.
Dark paneling and brass fixtures adorn the dining room. On the walls are historical artwork, photographs, and memorabilia related to Fleet Street’s history as a center of journalism and publishing. A full bar stands to one side, and the seating options are varied and include wooden tables and cozy booths.
I spy Donny, Callie, and Ennis at a table near the back.
“I see my party,” I say to the hostess.
“Brilliant. Go on back, then.”
“Ms. Steel,” Ennis says, “so lovely to see you once again.”
I shake his outstretched hand. “Please, you knew me when I was a baby. Call me Brianna. Or Bree.”
“Then you must call me Ennis.”
He and Donny both rise, and Ennis holds a chair for me.
Callie’s holding the list of alcoholic beverages, and she hands it to Ennis. “You know way more than I do about this kind of stuff.”
Ennis stares at her hand.
“That’s a lovely ring.”
“Yes, isn’t it?”
“I noticed it when you were at my house for tea the other day, but I didn’t get this good a look at it. May I?”
Callie holds her left hand out, and Ennis takes it, eyeing the ring.
“May I ask where you got this?” he asks Donny.
Donny nods. “It’s actually a copy of a ring that used to belong to my mother. We haven’t been able to ascertain where the original came from.”
Ennis closes his eyes. “I never dared hope.”
“Hope what?” Callie asks.
“You still have the original, then? I’d heard it had been stolen.”
“Yes, it’s in my father’s safe,” Donny says.
“It has the initials LW inside,” Callie says. “Donny and his parents haven’t been able to figure out where it came from or why Daphne even had it.”
“Yeah,” Donny says. “My grandmother’s—Daphne’s mother’s—initials were LW. Lucy Wade. But she came from a modest background, and she never would’ve been able to afford a ring like this. It’s a fire diamond, and it’s priceless.”
“Yes, I know.”
Donny cocks his head. “How do you know about it?”
“Because I’m the one who gave it to Daphne.”
Chapter Eleven
Jesse
I tossed and turned all night in the room next to Brock and Rory’s suite, and when I finally did get some sleep, Brianna haunted my dreams.
Every song I’ve ever written went through my mind, and somehow I found a way to relate every one of them to Brianna Steel.
My thoughts and feelings have taken me over—and frankly, they’re disturbing.
By the time I get up and take a shower, it’s nearly noon. We’re taking a late train to Edinburgh tonight, and I can’t stand the thought of leaving Dragon here.
But he’s not ready to do the concerts yet, so we’re going to leave him here. He’ll be released to the hotel, and apparently Brianna and Maddie will be staying there.
I made arrangements to meet Brock and Rory for lunch to go over everything from here on out until Dragon can return to the tour when we head across the English Channel to Paris. Then I’ll have a little time to go see Dragon in the hospital before we leave for Edinburgh.
I hurry to the restaurant, making it just in time. Brock and Rory are already sitting at a table.
“I was just about to text you,” Rory says.
I yawn. “I overslept. It took a while for me to get to sleep, so I needed it.”
“You’re good. No rehearsal or concert today.”
I’ve always been the de facto leader of our band, but now that Rory has officially joined, she has taken charge. Funny, Rory always wanted to be a mother. It’s been her dream since she was a little girl.
Now she’s kind of acting as the mother for the band.
Honestly? I don’t have a huge problem with that. If she wants to take over leading, I’m good. She knows as much about music as I do, in some ways more.
“So,” I say, perusing the menu. “What are we going to do about Maddie? She was looking forward to seeing all of the UK.”
“Oh, right,” Brock says. “You don’t know yet.”
I lift my eyebrows. “Know what?”
“Donny and Callie have volunteered to stay here in London at the hotel with Dragon once he’s released. So Maddie and Brianna can continue on the tour with us.”
“Oh.”
I’m not sure how to feel.
I want what’s best for my sister—and she is putting off her last semester of college for this. I want her to be able to see the rest of our tour in the UK.
“Did they volunteer?”
“Yeah,” Rory says. “It was Callie’s idea, actually. She and Donny can come back and see the UK whenever they want, and this may be the only time Maddie gets the chance. So she didn’t want to take this experience away from her.”
Part of me jumps for joy at the idea that Brianna’s going to be with us for the rest of the UK tour.
Part of me dreads it.
I can’t be distracted.
But I can handle that. I can force Brianna out of my mind and do a good concert. I’ve proved that. But having her there—casually seeing her…
Constantly wanting her…
Her presence will make it all so much more difficult.
“Isn’t it great?” Rory says. “Everything has worked out.”
“Yeah, I suppose so,” I say.
She narrows her eyes toward me. “You don’t sound too excited.”
“Well, I think it was Brianna who volunteered to stay with Dragon.”
“She did,” Brock says, “but she also promised Maddie a wonderful experience. Something they could do together. So Callie decided, for Maddie’s sake, that Brianna should be with Maddie on this trip.”
It all makes sense, of course. Everyone’s thinking of our youngest sibling, and in truth, I get it.
“Jess?” Rory says. “Do you have an issue with this?”
I blink. “Of course not.”
“Good. Because it seems to solve all our problems.”
I shake my head. “All our problems? Our drummer’s in the hospital.”
“Yes, he is. He screwed up. But we’ve fixed it. We’ve got Derek as a backup drummer, and he’s fabulous. You said so yourself.”
I nod, saying nothing. No need to tell Rory of my doubts about Derek. I’m probably freaking out over nothing. So he runs his mouth off and says things he shouldn’t. Who doesn’t sometimes?
Rory pats my shoulder. “It’s not optimal. But we’ve got things fixed, Jess. The tour is going on as planned, and Dragon will meet up with us in Paris.”
“I know.”
“He may even be able to do the final concert in London once we get back here,” Rory says.
I look to the floor. “Yeah, I hope so.”
“If he can’t, we’ll use Derek.”
“Right.” I scan the menu.
Derek. The lifesaver. The guy who hates addicts. The guy who’d have my sister in the sack in a minute if he could finagle it.
Brock rises. “Excuse me. I’ve got to see a man about a horse.” He leaves the table.
“Brock ordered for us,” Rory says. “Traditional English breakfast.”
I slam my menu down on the table. “Maybe I don’t want the traditional English breakfast today. Did anyone ever think of that?”
Rory’s eyes go wide. “It’s what you’ve eaten every day since you’ve been here,” Rory says. “I just thought—”
“I am so tired of other people thinking for me. Making decisions for me.”
“Jess,” Rory says. “No one ever makes decisions for you. Where the hell is this coming from?”
I rise, rake my fingers through my hair, and then I plunk back in my seat.
Energy is sizzling through me. And those crows are pecking at the back of my neck again.
I’m angry. There’s no reason to be angry. Rory and Brock are right. Everything has worked out perfectly. More perfectly than we could’ve ever planned, given Dragon’s mishap.
And then I realize it’s not anger that I’m feeling.
No, it’s something much deeper, something that is inflaming my body.
It’s passion.
Angry passion, and I don’t want to have it.
And now…
Now Brianna will be with us.
Which is okay.
I can handle it.
I have to.
“Traditional English breakfast is fine. Black tea.”
“It’s on its way,” Rory says. “Now, do you want to tell me what that outburst was about?”
“Just everything,” I say.
“Yes, I know what happened to Dragon was horrible. But we have to look on the bright side, Jesse. He’s going to be okay. We found a replacement for the next several concerts. And if Dragon needs to go to rehab, we’ll keep Derek for the entire tour.”
“No,” I say adamantly. “I want Dragon. He’s a member of this band, Rory. We don’t turn our back on our own. He’s been with the band a long time.”
Rory draws in a breath, lets it out slowly. “And I haven’t. Is that what you’re getting at?”
“No… Yes…” I run my fingers through my hair again. “I don’t know, Ror. Give me a fucking break, okay?”
“What exactly is going on here?” Brock asks when he returns to the table.
“This is band business, Steel.”
“Wait, wait, wait…” Rory shakes her head at me. “Brock is my fiancé, and he’s a financier of our part of the store. You won’t talk to him like that.”
She’s right, of course. I’m being a dickhead, and I know it. “I’m sorry,” I murmur.
Rory shakes her head at me.
Dragon…
Why did Dragon have to fuck up?
Why did I have to sleep with Brianna Steel?
She’s inside me now, like a fucking virus I can’t shake. Or like a poison for which there’s no antidote. A poison that both gives me life and takes it from me with each dose.
And it’s eating at me. Eating at me, clawing at my heart.
The server comes with our tea, and I take a quick sip. The tea burns my tongue.
“Damn,” I say.
“Jesse,” Rory says, “you’ve got to calm down. We’re all sorry about what happened to Dragon. But everything has fallen into place better than any of us could’ve imagined. We still have the chance to make a name for ourselves on this tour.”
“Dragon should be part of it.”
“Yes, he should. But he’s not. Whether he was drugged or he took the drugs himself, the result is the same. Things couldn’t have worked out better.”
Things could’ve worked out better. Brianna could be staying here with Dragon. But then Maddie wouldn’t have anyone to experience the tour with…
Rory’s right. I don’t know why I’m being so obstinate.
Except I do know.
Because as long as Brianna Steel is on this trip, I will continue to be distracted. I can try to force her out of my head. I can focus and perform and do a great job.
