8. Brielle #2
She looked disappointed. “Sure, Eli, I wouldn’t want to ruin your tough guy image.” She rolled her eyes. “God forbid people think you’re a human with feelings.” She walked away irritated.
What the hell just happened?
I didn’t have time to find out. A few seconds later, Brielle’s best friend Amani walked in. She walked around saying hello to everyone. She nodded toward me.
“Nice to see you,” she said, giving me a side hug and shaking Beck’s hand.
“You too. What are you doing here?” I asked.
“Brielle’s boss, oh sorry, I mean boyfriend, is making her work a show tonight. They have a new featured artist this month, so she has to be at the opening. I told her I would take her if she drove home later so I could have some champagne.” She looked from Brielle to me. “Care to join us?”
I looked at Beck, and he shrugged. I looked out at Brielle; she wasn’t paying me any mind as she said goodbye to everyone.
Does she still have a boyfriend?
“I don’t think Brie would enjoy that very much. I think I pissed her off somehow.”
“That doesn’t take much.” She laughed. “I love her, but she gets mad too easily.”
I didn’t dare comment, just smiled and nodded. She wasn’t wrong.
“Here.” She handed me an invitation to the gallery tonight. “If you change your mind, here is the address. It’s open to the public.”
“Thanks.”
She looked at Beck. “If you do come, make sure you come find me. I would love to show you around.”
“Noted,” Beck said with a smirk.
Brielle came walking over and linked her arm in Amani’s.
“Ready?”
Amani looked at her and smiled. “Ready.”
As she walked away I spouted, “Have fun with your little boyfriend.”
She stopped and turned toward me. “Not that it's any of your business, but he won't be there tonight. That’s why I need to be there.” She paused, seeming to think about something. She looked at the whiskey bottle on the counter next to me. “Let me know if you need a ride or something later.”
I scoffed. “I’m fine without you.”
Well that took a turn. What the fuck was I doing?
Lincoln cleared his throat behind me. “What the hell are you doing, dude?”
As soon as the door clicked shut behind Brielle, I looked back at Link. “I don’t know, dude. She pissed me off.”
His eyebrow went up. “How?”
“How what?”
“How did she piss you off?”
I ran my fingers through my hair, agitated that he asked. “I don’t know, dude. She just…fuck I don’t know. I gotta go.”
“You are not driving.” It wasn’t a question, he was telling me.
I turned toward Beck. “You’re driving.” He nodded and started saying bye to everyone. I looked back at Link. “See, I’m fine. No help is needed from you.”
“Don’t fucking do that. I don’t know who pissed in your Cheerios, but it wasn’t me. Next time you talk to Brielle like that, I’ll knock your fucking teeth in.”
I saluted him. “Got it, boss.”
Beck and I walked around the gallery admiring some of the sculptures. Most of the artwork on the walls looked like someone had just thrown paint on it, but the sculptures were something else entirely. They intrigued me, and I couldn’t look away.
Amani found us first. “She’s at the food table,” she whispered. Amani grabbed Beck’s hand and led him away.
I smiled in thanks. Just as I was about to walk up to Brielle, I saw a tall, straight-laced man with a sharp jaw walking up to her.
I looked down at myself in my ripped, black jeans.
I was already dressed nicely, or so I thought.
I had on a nice shirt and an acceptable jacket, but this place was another level of nice.
Brielle stepped back from him with her happy expression faltering. Even from this distance, I could tell her smile was fake. It was the same smile she gave me the first time I met her at the bar in Tennessee. She definitely didn’t want to be there that night.
The more I watched, the more the weird vibe the guy was giving off intensified. Something about him just seemed off. After watching them interact for a few minutes, I realized he was acting drunk. Is that what I look like?
“Hey, you’re Elijah, right? From Reckless Riders ? I would know you anywhere.”
I glanced at the two guys standing next to me. “If you would know me anywhere, then why did you ask?” I smiled so they would know I was somewhat joking.
“Can I get your autograph?” the taller one asked.
I glanced at Brie, realizing she had moved on to another conversation with someone else, so I ripped my gaze away from her and focused back on the two men standing beside me with doe eyes. “Sure, got a pen?”
“Yeah.” The shorter one pulled a permanent marker from his pocket.
“Got any paper? What did you want me to sign?”
Both guys rolled up their long sleeves and put their forearms out to me. I looked down at their arms and back up at them.
“You’re joking, right?”
“Hell no, you’re our favorite. You sign our arms, and we will get them tattooed tomorrow.”
I’ve never had anyone ask me to sign their body other than a boob or two for fun when I was really drunk.
“You guys know I’m just the singer, right?” I chuckled.
They both nodded eagerly.
“Okay,” I said wearily.
I signed both their arms, and they both excitedly shook my hand and high-fived each other. “Thank you so much. I can’t believe we met you here of all places. We will tag you on social media when we get the tats.”
I nodded. I don’t bother with social media, at least not on a personal profile. All pics of me are safely vetted on the band's profile. I wouldn’t trust myself to run my own with how often I do stupid shit.
Once they walked away, I glanced back, only to see that Brielle was no longer at the food table.
Something in my gut told me I needed to find her.
I walked around for about a minute and saw Beck and Amani making out in one of the corners behind tall sculptures while everyone else was going about their night.
I walked to the back of the gallery where there was a room that looked like an office. Before walking in, I saw the guy Brie had been talking to with his back to me.
Please don’t let her be in there.
Brie’s panicked voice came from inside, “NO! It’s too late.”