Chapter 19: Chapter 19

The countryside flying by outside the bus window had Bree mesmerized as she thought about how far away from Nashville they were traveling for the weekend. Zelda had booked two shows in St. Louis, one on Friday night and one on Saturday, which meant Bree would be spending her first night in a hotel while traveling with the band. She was so excited, she couldn’t doze off like some of the other bandmates. Even though they didn’t have a show that night, just the idea of traveling to a new town with these guys, preparing to play for two large crowds, had created a giddy excitement inside of her that continued to bubble to the surface throughout the drive.

Trent wasn’t with her. He’d decided to stay in Nashville that night and fly to St. Louis the next day since he’d already had meetings scheduled with some important clients by the time Zelda was able to book the shows. She missed him already, but it was also nice to have just her band on the bus as they headed out on this new adventure together.

Zach hadn’t quit--not yet anyway. He hadn’t said anything about it in the last two weeks, and she was hopeful he’d gotten over his reservations. She glanced across the aisle at where he was sitting, staring out the window, the way she had been for most of the trip.

She’d been afraid the situation between them might be odd after his revelation, but it hadn’t been. If anything, they’d become better friends. She’d warmed up to him, and the two of them joked around a lot. She still thought he was unbelievably hot, but she didn’t have those nervous butterflies around him now like she had in the past.

Cat came and plopped down in the seat next to her. “How’s it going?” the other girl asked, a grin on her face. “You look excited.”

“I am excited,” Bree admitted. “I can’t wait for the shows. This arena seats ten thousand people. That’s twice as many as the biggest show we’ve ever played before.”

Cat smiled. She was clearly happy but not as crazy excited about it as Bree was. She looked around to see if anyone was paying any attention to them. All of the other guys were asleep, and Zach was still staring out the window. Lowering her voice, Cat asked, “So… did he talk to you?” and nudged her head in Zach’s direction.

Raising both eyebrows, Bree asked, “About what?”

A sinister grin spread across Cat’s face. “You know. Feelings and junk.” She giggled, and Bree joined in, just because it seemed like the polite thing to do.

“A little,” she said with a shrug, trying to keep it nonchalant. “Why?”

“I don’t know. I was just wondering. Do you think he’ll take that other offer?”

Now, she had Bree’s attention. “What other offer?”

“Oh, he didn’t tell you?” Cat’s face was a mix between a child who’d been caught with her hand in the cookie jar and someone who’d done something naughty and wanted to get caught, like she knew that Bree probably didn't know what she was talking about before she’d opened her mouth. “The Gunslingers asked him if he wanted to join their band.”

Bree felt her blood begin to boil at the audacity of another band trying to move in on her territory. “They did what?”

“Sorry--I figured he would’ve told you before he told me.”

She shook her head. “No, he said he might want to look at other options, but he hadn’t mentioned he had another offer.” The idea of him leaving made her furious, but she realized she didn’t own Zach. “If he wants to go, there’s not much I can do to stop him.” Bree hated to admit it, but it was true.

“Unless….” Cat stopped talking, but her face said she wanted Bree to figure out what she was thinking

Bree had no idea, though. “Unless… what?”

“Unless… you, you know, reciprocate his feelings.” Cat looked at Zach and then at Bree, shrugging and making her eyes wide.

Hardly able to believe her ears, Bree asked, “Are you kidding? I have a boyfriend, Cat. One that I love. A lot.”

“Okay, I’m sure you do. But so what? You’re a famous singer now, Bree. There’s nothing wrong with having a little side piece.”

“Are you serious?” Bree asked, still staring at her like she was a crazy person. “Yes, there is. There’s a lot wrong with it, Cat. I’m not famous, by the way, but even if I was, there wouldn’t be anything okay about that, that’s for sure.”

“Well, if he quits, our band’s not going to be the same. Kell isn’t as good as him, and you know it. Besides, I heard Kell’s going to start playing with Sizzler. Then what will we do?”

“I don’t know,” Bree admitted. “But we’ll figure it out. Hopefully, Zach will stay. Besides, I don’t think he feels that way anymore. I think it was just a little crush… but it’s over now.”

“You think?” Cat scoffed, leaning back in her seat with her arms folded. “I don’t. He just mentioned it to me yesterday. So….”

Bree stared at her for a moment. “Mentioned going to play with another band?’

“Yeah. Because he’s infatuated with you.”

It was hard for Bree to believe Zach would say that to anyone, especially Cat. It wasn’t as if the two of them were friends. But the keyboardist’s suggestion certainly wasn’t an option. She'd just have to hope Zach decided to stay of his own accord. Because having a little side piece certainly wasn’t a possibility, and she wasn’t breaking up with Trent.

***

The phone wouldn’t stop ringing. Most of the time, Trent welcomed that sound because it usually meant more business coming in. But today, it was beginning to jar his brain. Rather than happy clients calling, it was mostly people who were supposed to come in and get equipment and other important infrastructure set up so that his people could better do their jobs.

Celia was handling most of it. Trent had wanted to give her the best office for all of her hard work, but she’d fought him on it and said she’d feel bad having the largest office with the best view on days when he was in the office. He’d insisted, but she refused to be properly appreciated. Instead she was in the room next door, coordinating everything while he tried to concentrate on getting all of the positions filled. She was doing a great job, but the walls were thinner than he liked, and every time her phone rang, he checked his.

He was worried about Bree.

It was stupid for him to even feel that way, but that nervous sensation in his stomach was there nevertheless, and every time his phone rang--or Celia’s rang and he thought it was his--anxiety washed over him.

Exactly what he was afraid of, he couldn’t quite put his finger on. Anytime someone was taking a road trip there was the worry of vehicle trouble or a wreck, but that really wasn’t what he had on his mind.

It was Zach.

Over the last few weeks, he’d deduced that she was worried about Zach quitting. While Trent understood Bree was concerned about keeping her band together, he had to wonder if it wasn’t something else as well. The two of them seemed awfully close on stage. Sure, Bree treated her other bandmates the same way, leaning against them during a solo or giving them a flirtatious smile. She even looked at Cat in an overly friendly manner from time to time, but Trent couldn’t help but feel his blood pressure rise when she got too close to Zach.

He knew Bree wouldn’t cheat on him, and he didn’t think there was anything going on between them other than a little harmless flirting on stage. But it still hurt to think about them together. And now, she’d be staying in a hotel room just down the hall from his for the next few nights. Trent wouldn’t be there until tomorrow.

Celia walked through his open door, talking before Trent even looked up. She started to explain when the people she’d hired to run the drop points for the Wi-Fi would be there, but about halfway through her statement, she stopped. “What’s wrong?” she asked, her forehead crinkling.

“Huh? Uh… nothing.”

“Bullshit,” Celia said, standing in front of his desk. “I haven’t known you long. But I know that look.”

Running a hand through his hair, he tried to decide how much to tell her. “It’s nothing. It’s just… Bree’s on the road with her band. I’m just worried about her, that’s all.”

“Worried about what? Does she have a lousy driver or something?”

He smirked at her. “No. I just don’t like being away from her.”

Celia’s eyes burned a hole through him for a moment before she asked, “Does this have anything to do with that hot guitar player?”

Now it was Trent’s turn to stare at her. “What do you mean?”

“Oh, come on. A quick Google search of Bree’s band turns up a picture of all of them. Her guitarist is smoking hot. Even a dude who’s one hundred percent straight can easily admit that.”

“I may have noticed the girls staring at him… some.”

“So… are you worried about him?”

“What? No. Why would you think that?”

Celia shrugged. “Because I would be. If it was my girlfriend. On the road with some sexy guitar player.”

“Well… I’m not worried about Bree. She would never cheat on me.”

“Have you ever been cheated on before?”

It seemed like an oddly personal question. Trent nodded, but that wasn’t enough for her. She continued to look at him. “My ex-fiancé cheated on me with my best friend.”

“Oh, God, Trent. I’m sorry. That sucks.”

“Yeah. But… it ended up being a good thing. It’s the reason that Bree and I were able to get together.”

“And you’re not even the least bit worried that Bree will think that she’d rather be with a hot guitar player who’ll be there every time she turns her head than a boring accountant? I mean I don’t think you’re boring, but she might.”

“I don’t think she thinks I’m boring,” he countered. “She knew what I was when we got together. She’s never complained.”

“Does she listen when you come home and talk about numbers?”

“Sure.” Trent shrugged, but then, he had noticed a few times recently Bree’s mind seemed to be elsewhere.

“Okay. Hopefully, you have nothing to worry about. But… if it were me….” She didn’t say more, only headed back toward the door.

Whatever it was she’d come in to tell him must’ve not been important anymore, and he wasn’t going to call her back to find out.

Trent wasn’t worried about Bree cheating on him with Zach. But he was a little worried that she might break up with him to be with Zach, especially now that Celia had reminded him that Zach really was more cut out for Bree than he was.

With a sigh, he turned back to his work, trying to concentrate and forget about Bree for a while, but that was nearly impossible, and every time Celia’s phone rang, he jumped and looked at his.