Chapter 23 Cody
“That was one hell of a concert, Cody. You really lit up Nashville,” Victor says, clapping me on the back with a grin.
I force a smile as I nurse a glass of whiskey backstage while my band relaxes with some groupies after another successful headliner.
I’d quit drinking years ago, but ever since Mae reentered and then rapidly exited my life again, it seems like a habit I’ve decided to pick back up.
Glancing over at my drummer, who’s entertaining a pretty brunette on his lap, I realize we have a short two-day break now, and all I want is to spend it with Mae.
Holding her, kissing her, making love to her, telling her that what I’ve been feeling is forever.
But after singing the song I wrote for her on the tour bus last night and watching her leave the concert midway through it, I think I’ve finally realized that won’t be happening.
She wants nothing to do with you, man.
I can’t understand what went wrong. We were doing great, hell, better than great.
I'd fallen in love with her again, though I hadn’t said it yet.
Even after her parents tried to meddle in our relationship, Mae reassured me that we were solid and that she had told them to back off.
I was going to meet her daughter, we’d talked about the future and yet, just one week into my tour, she decides to pull the professional publicist card.
It didn’t make sense then and I still don’t get it.
I know she takes her job seriously and had been upfront about never sleeping with a client but what we had was never a client-publicist relationship. What we had extended beyond Mae and her firm. What we had extends to a decade ago.
I wanted to know she was mine while I was gone.
I wanted to know she wasn’t seeing other guys while I was on the road.
But she thought this would be better for me, so that I could pose with women, my fans, and pretend to be a single guy to maintain this facade when all I can think about is her.
Fuck…
“Need some company?” a sultry voice whispers, interrupting my thoughts. I look up to see Tamara, a fellow country music singer who’s on tour with us, leaning in way too close.
I’ve known she’s had a thing for me for a while, but I’ve never wanted to go there, especially after the recent drama with Harper. Fucking her would be an attempt at forgetting Mae but nothing could ever truly get me past her. Even if Mae doesn’t want me, all I see and want is her.
“No thanks,” I shoot back, emptying my glass as Tamara scowls and rolls her eyes.
I sigh, considering calling it a night and heading back to my apartment alone but then Harper waddles over to me, much more pregnant than she was the last time I saw her.
Great. This fucking night just keeps getting better.
“Hi, Cody,” she says.
I nod in response.
“Look, I’m sorry about everything that went down last month. I genuinely thought you were the father. I wasn’t trying to hurt you.”
Sure, you weren’t.
I grunt in response.
She sighs and then clutches her stomach. “Ugh.”
My brows raise. “What was that?”
“I don’t know. I’ve been having some sharp stabbing pains.”
“Isn’t it too early for contractions?”
She nods. “I’m only twenty-two weeks along.”
Though it isn’t my place to say anything, I figure she might need the push to take care of herself and get that looked at. “You should probably go see a doctor. My cousin was going on about premature labor before thirty-eight weeks and the potential risks.”
She nods. “Yeah, you’re probably right. Do you mind driving me to the hospital?”
I laugh and sit forward. “That’s a great way to start the rumor mill up again, Harper. No thanks. Plus, I’ve been drinking.” I shake my empty drink in my hand, ice rattling to draw her attention to it.
She sighs, slumping into the chair next to me. “Guess I’ll just suffer.”
I wave my hands to get Victor’s attention again. He steps away from his conversation, coming over immediately. “Hey Vic. You got any plans except going back to the hotel tonight?”
“Nope, why?”
“Harper needs someone to take her to the hospital.”
He doesn’t hesitate. “You got it.”
Harper huffs as she stands up again and looks down at me. “Would it have been the worst thing for this baby to be yours?” she demands.
Of course not. I’ve always wanted to be a dad someday. But I envisioned that being with someone I loved. Not a casual fling I had while on my first tour. Someone that I could have a family with. Grow old together with.
Someone a lot like Mae Sterling.
“Get yourself checked out, Harper,” I say, dropping my empty glass on the table before pushing to stand.
When I make it to the curb, I pull up the drive-share app to get a ride home thinking that might help distract me from this shitty night.
But after changing, showering and sitting on my bed for what feels like an hour, I’m still frustrated over Mae.
I debate sending her a text or just showing up at her house and demanding she explain herself, but I don’t want to accidentally stumble across Elsie if she's still awake and betray Mae's request not to introduce her to anyone she's dating.
My phone rings and I look down to see Victor’s name across the screen.
“What’s up?”
“Hey, you said your publicist and cousin were at the concert tonight and left early, right? Mae Sterling?”
I nod, sitting up, my heart racing. “Yeah.”
“They’re here at the hospital.”
“Are they ok?” I demand.
“Mae said your cousin went into labor and is having her baby."
What?
"I'm on my way,” I respond and hang up to rush out the door.