37. Maddie
37
MADDIE
“Where’s that handsome fellow of yours?” Pops asked as Maddie walked into his hospital room.
She glanced over her shoulder at the empty space behind her, then back at Pops and raised a brow. “What am I, chopped liver? Brooks has to come with me now?”
Pops chuckled, waving her comment off with one hand still connected to plastic tubing. “No, but you’ve brought him for the past four days. I just assumed he was coming.”
She sat in the chair beside his hospital bed and set a food storage container beside him. “He’s on his way to Baltimore for his arraignment.”
“Arraignment, huh?”
“Audrey’s deadbeat dad is suing for custody and showed up at Brooks’s concert at the beginning of the month to taunt him. He threw the first punch, but Brooks punched back and the as— jerk is pressing charges.”
Pops smiled. “You don’t have to pretend you don’t swear in front of me, kiddo. Believe me, whatever you say, I’ve heard worse.”
“Yeah, but you’re my angelic grandfather. Although, what was up with that sausage talk with Brooks?” She shook her head. “You didn’t know he was talking about me, did you?”
“That was all Brian, first of all. And of course I knew Brooks was talking about you. He got here and holed himself up in Jason Cavanaugh’s rental place, and the only person he could have met was you. I knew who he was the second I met him. He’s a good-looking kid. Old soul. Needs to figure some things out, but so do you. I like him for you.”
His approval meant more than Maddie could say, but she just smiled.
Since her discussion with Brooks the other morning, they’d fallen back into their routine before the attack. Nights together, days mostly apart. Except with bodyguards, now. And Brooks had been busier than ever trying to sort his contract with the label in online meetings with his lawyer.
But she was happy. Brooks seemed more relaxed, even, now that their security had increased.
Pops reached for the container. “What’d you bring me?”
“Um, they’re dark chocolate-covered dates filled with natural peanut butter. As close to healthy as I could get. They won’t be sweet enough for you, but Bunny’s been on patrol. She even checked my bodyguard’s pockets to make sure he wouldn’t sneak you something.”
“Depriving an old man of his favorite foods isn’t going to make him want to live any longer,” Pops said, wrinkling his nose at the container. “Dates remind me of roaches.”
“But they’re not. ” She nudged the container closer to him. “Just try them. Doesn’t have to be now. You can wait until I’m gone so you’re free to spit them out if you don’t like them.”
“You know, I’m glad you’re here without Brooks,” Pops said, settling back against his pillow. “Because I have an important discussion to have with you.”
Maddie tried not to show her alarm. “How important?”
“Eh, pretty important. To me, at least. And the future direction of my company.” His blue eyes searched hers. “I wish I’d had this talk with you a few months ago, but I didn’t, and I worry this isn’t a good time for it, but I’d like you to take over as the face of my operation. You do too much behind the scenes. I think going from me to you makes the most sense, but it’s a lot of responsibility.”
Pops wants me to step into his role?
The revelation was astounding.
Her face must have expressed shock.
“I know any of you kids could carry the torch, but you’re the most like me. Jake has the personality for it, too, so he’d be a good backup if you don’t want it, but I want you to think it over. Seriously. I’m not sure if I’ll be up for filming in a few weeks or not—maybe—but I’ll have to talk it over with the doc. But either way, I want whoever is stepping into my position to be there so we can start the transition.”
Wow. They’d all talked around what would happen after Pops passed, but never made a solid plan because, well, none of them wanted to even really think about life without Peter Yardley. She was tempted to tear up now, even considering it.
“I—” She stared at him.
How could she ever fit into his shoes?
She couldn’t. Plain and simple.
Her grandfather was irreplaceable.
“Pops, I-I don’t know what to say.”
He set his hand over hers. “You don’t have to answer now. I’ve already talked about this with my production team and your father, by the way. Just to make sure that my wishes were known. But I know there’s a lot to consider, especially because your heart may just take you elsewhere.”
Her heart.
She blinked, his full meaning dawning on her.
Brooks.
Being the face of her grandfather’s company didn’t just mean taking on more responsibility. It meant even more permanency here in Brandywood.
Her grandfather filmed here. He was available to his fans here. Brandywood was a huge part of Peter Yardley’s brand.
Pops squeezed her hand. “I don’t want you to decide based on what you think I want to hear, Maddie. You need to do what’s best for you. Brooks is in your life now, and he doesn’t live here. I don’t know what his plans are or where he’s heading, but as much as I would love for life to be a fairy tale, I can tell you from my minor exposure to fame—it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. Living in a small town would be very difficult for a man like him.”
Standing, Maddie crossed the room to the small sink and turned on the faucet. She needed a moment to collect her thoughts, especially since Pops was discussing significant issues. She splashed water on her face and gulped down a mouthful of water.
Brooks’s voice filled her memory. “I’m not about to drag you into that prison with me. You deserve the sun on your face, to live your life with complete, uninhibited joy, free of scrutiny. I refuse to take that from you.”
Unable to face Pops, she asked, “Why would it be so hard for him to live here?”
She set her hands on the counter, her shoulders sagging as the water swirled around the drain, emptying slowly.
“It’s not impossible, just difficult. Not a lot of privacy, for one. Just think about how easy it is to be found here. He’d be recognized constantly, unable to blend in when tourists are around. And remember how half the town started hating me because of the Depot? People would do the same to him eventually. Complain about the circus he brings into their lives. Not a lot of opportunities for rock stars in a small town like this, either. He’d have to travel constantly, and we don’t even have a good airport nearby.”
“Why are you telling me all this?” she whispered. She’d asked the damn question, but the answers weren’t what she wanted to hear. She turned to face him, her heart breaking.
The person she loved the most in the world—her pops—was giving her an impossible choice to make.
“You have to consider all of this, Maddie. It’s all got to factor into your decisions with Brooks and with my offer. Your family, too. You’re a smart girl, and I know you’ll make the right decision.”
“You think I should break up with Brooks? Is that what you’re saying?” She studied the wall of devices and plugs behind him, unable to look him in the eye.
“Gosh, no. I see how happy he makes you. You know me, I’m a romantic.”
“Then why offer your role to me at all? Why make this so much harder on me?” She didn’t want to be mad at her grandfather, especially while he was in the hospital recovering from a heart attack and bypass surgery— from protecting her ...because of Brooks.
His face filled with regret. “I was hoping I might have a few more years in me before I had to hand the reins over. But I don’t. This heart attack proved that time is something I’m running out of. Besides, if things don’t work out with Brooks, and you found out I didn’t offer you the job because of that, you probably wouldn’t like me very much. If it’s something you wanted, of course.”
His logic was sound, but still . . .
. . . what am I supposed to do now?