12. Where To Begin – Tess
Islide my tablet into its case, stealing glances at Brad gathering things on the other side of the studio. His worn leather jacket hangs distractingly over a nearby chair. My fingers can’t help but trail along the buttery soft material as I pass, imagining the warmth remaining from his body heat.
Caught up in the tactile memory, I don”t notice Brad moving around until we nearly collide next to the door.
”Whoa, sorry!” His hands catch my elbows, igniting the inches between us.
My breath hitches being wrapped in his faded cologne so close. Smokey gray eyes lift to hold mine, our push-pull tension suddenly crackling in the confined space. I sway unconsciously nearer, forgetting all the professional lines we blurred during our phone call last night.
“It’s okay…” I exhale.
Just then Charlie bursts in and the sensual haze dissolves. Brad”s fiery gaze drops abruptly, but the electric undercurrent remains brewing between us.
”Dad, did June”s dad tell you I”m sleeping over tonight?” Charlie runs around in a whirl of sparkles and red curls.
Brad blinks in surprise at the sudden change of plans as she tugs on his sleeve. ”Uh no, guess it slipped Ian”s mind mentioning that little detail...”
”So now you have the whole night off!” Charlie announces brightly. Then her expression turns scheming beyond her years. ”You can take Tess on a date.”
My eyes dart to Brad”s, pulse hammering, but he just coughs out an awkward laugh. ”Baby girl, I”m sure Tess already has plans.”
His apologetic glance sends a secret thrill through me as Charlie”s bubbly playing holds momentum. ”No, she doesn”t. She’s free too. Aren”t you Tess? Pleeeease say you”ll have dinner with my daddy.” The wide-eyed Disney princess turns her charms in my direction.
I bite my lip, hesitating only briefly as warmth rushes into my cheeks. Guess there”s only one possible response to such a sweet matchmaking attempt. I meet Brad”s gaze. ”Well apparently my evening is wide open now...”
Brad rakes a hand through his hair, something unreadable shifting in his eyes as Charlie awaits my response expectantly.
”Dinner would be great,” I say, hints of a shy smile emerging. Brad studies me for a lingering moment before amusement finally claims victory over whatever silent debate just happened behind his inscrutable expression.
”Alright troublemaker, let”s get you over to this surprise sleepover then so you”re not late.” Brad scoops a protesting Charlie up, chuckling as he tickles her. Their giggles wash away any remaining tension between us.
He meets my eyes over Charlie”s shoulder warmly. ”Meet you back here in an hour? I know a place nearby we can walk to, best barbecue in the city.”
My grin spreads slowly picturing a glimpse into Brad”s world beyond these studio walls. ”That sounds perfect actually. It”s a date.” The enthusiasm bubbles out before I can let any second thoughts creep in.
Brad”s eyes crease with an echoing smile that quickens my pulse and lingers long after they”ve disappeared through the door with a giggling Charlie.
I’ve got a date with Brad Chambers.
Holy shit.
My hands tremble slightly swiping on a layer of mascara. Brad Chambers waiting for a date across town and I”m freaking out like a teenager again.
When my phone lights up with Ivy’s face, I pounce gratefully. ”Help, I panicked and wore my maroon blouse, black jeans. Too dressy? Too boring?” I ramble anxiously.
My best friend squeals through the line. ”You landed a hot date and didn”t tell me? Spill. I want all the tea.”
I smile despite the maelstrom raging in my head. Ivy listens eagerly as I dish about the crazy audition details ending with surprise matchmaker Charlie’s proposal. ”So now I”m dressing like a soccer mom about to seduce a rockstar.”
Ivy coos affectionately. ”Honey, that man won”t care if you wear a paper bag. Just let him see that shining spirit underneath. Wear a red lace bra for inspiration, though - and easy access.”
I flush wildly imagining such presumptuousness. Will tonight be more than just dinner conversation? How far am I willing to take this?
My muscles coil tightly wondering if I”m ready for wherever my impulsiveness might lead if romance knocks our guarded walls down for good.
”It”s just...this is the textbook rebound fling scenario, right? Maybe I’m still reeling about Corey?” I nibble my thumbnail as I pace, phone squeezed between my shoulder and ear.
“Girl, you dumped him. And good riddance,” she snaps. “Besides, that was months ago. His name hasn’t even come up since then until you just said it. It’s not that at all.”
She’s right, of course. It’s not rebound. I’m just freaking the hell out.
”Okay, but this is a rockstar we’re talking about here. I know better than to get sucked in when the writing”s basically tattooed on the bathroom wall already.”
Ivy sighs sympathetically. ”The heart wants what it wants, babe. Maybe the beauty is embracing the wild ride for however long it lasts. No regrets.”
I smile softly despite the cartwheeling nerves in my gut. ”Look at you, getting all Zen on me. But seriously, can I risk the fallout here? Jeopardizing the client relationship with the label if this crashes and burns? And where does Charlie even fit in?” My breath hitches as I focus on all the confusing emotions.
”Okay, valid worries,” Ivy soothes. ”But that precious girl clearly ships you two together. So, I say slip on that red lace for luck and let yourself be swept away on the tidal wave already pulling you under. The answers will come in time if it”s meant to be.”
”It”s just...I could jeopardize everything I”ve built if things crash and burn here. I can barely keep my focus straight whenever Brad is in my general vicinity. People will notice how unprofessional I get.” I sigh, flopping back on a pile of discarded tops strewn on the bed.
Ivy makes an exaggerated sound of enlightenment. ”Oh, now we get to the real inner turmoil. Girl”s got it bad for Rockstar Daddy...”
I lift my head to glare at the phone. ”Don”t call him that. But yeah, you”re not wrong.” I cover my flushed face in embarrassment.
”Hey, ain”t no shame in that game. Just shows you”re human. I”m sure you can set reasonable boundaries when needed.” Ivy”s breezy reassurance smooths my ruffled feathers.
I twist a lock of hair thoughtfully. ”It”s just...I catch his eye sometimes and forget what I was even doing. Those smoldering looks short circuit my damn brain.” I laugh softly, nerves ebbing to cautious excitement again. ”But yeah, hopefully some professionalism kicks back in when I have to actually work.”
Ivy giggles triumphantly. ”See, you got this. Now go rock his world.”
My eyes squeeze shut as I exhale slowly, letting her advice seep in. Maybe she”s right. Resistance against the untamable is exhausting. I grab my faded leather jacket as anticipation flutters dangerously across my heart. ”Well, here goes nothing. Time to go catch that wave and see where it carries me. Wish me luck.”
“Good luck!” she sings.
Damn her encouragement.
My boot heels click on the asphalt as I make my way toward Brad”s car, fresh nerves and excitement running riotously within my chest. Get it together, I remind myself. This is just two adults sharing a casual meal.
Except my pep talk does little to calm the inner swarm of butterflies that have resurfaced as I take in Brad leaning against the gleaming hood of his car. His rolled-up sleeves showcase tattooed forearms that always seem to quicken my pulse. The one of the word CHAOS especially poignant given the circumstances.
As he looks up to greet me with that magnetic smile though, the atmosphere shifts subtly. Gone is the distant rockstar front he usually puts on to conceal the real him. Tonight, it”s just Brad meeting my gaze, open and at ease in a way I”ve only glimpsed in a few unguarded moments before.
He straightens from his casual lean against the car as I approach, eyes glinting warmly beneath the amber streetlights.
”Hey there. Wasn”t sure if you”d really show up after Charlie pulled that whole matchmaker thing earlier.” He combs back his hair with his fingers, awkwardness creeping in as we hover on the precipice of date territory neither of us expected.
I smooth my blouse self-consciously, going for lighthearted recovery. ”Are you kidding? Getting the inside scoop on the best hole-in-the-wall barbecue dive in town? I”d have to be crazy to turn that down.”
The small insertion of humor dissolves the tension a little as we fall into step together, shoulders brushing occasionally. Brad”s fingers drift tentatively toward mine, and I soften my hand into his, savoring the warm connection kindling to life on this unexpected evening full of possibility neither of us planned on...yet somehow feels fated at the same time.
Our linked hands swing lazily between us, perfectly in tune with each stride down the fading sidewalk. No pressure exists to fill silences that feel as easy as our private laughter. Still, I crave to know more of the layers beneath Brad”s polished facade.
”So, tell me...how does the great Brad Chambers actually unwind on his nights off?” I ask.
Brad chuckles low under the flickering streetlights. ”I’ve become pretty boring honestly. Just average stuff like browsing songs or videos, having a beer or two. Maybe hitting a show on the strip if friends are playing.”
I tilt my head thoughtfully. ”What? No wild hot tub parties on super yachts overflowing with models?”
He snorts, playing along. ”You found my schedule, huh? Nah, the rockstar perks get old quick. These days I just need good company, and that’s hard to come by.” His eyes hold mine meaningfully before darting away shyly.
I glimpse the real man so few have earned access to and savor his trust opening up. Hand squeezed gently, I redirect playfully to keep things light. ”Well, I’ll try my best. We have incredible barbecue and my sparkling conversation to look forward to.”
Soon we”re nestled in a cozy corner booth, chatting easily as we await our food. I hesitate, but curiosity wins out. ”So, even though things didn”t work out romantically, it seems you and Ren made things really positive for Charlie as co-parents. Was that always smooth sailing?”
Brad nods thoughtfully, taking a sip of his beer. ”Honestly, things got messy for a while after the split. But we finally realized Charlie had to come first. Well, I finally realized it. I wasn’t exactly a model father in the beginning. Once Jude came along, he helped mellow the drama.”
”That”s really great you worked through things for her sake.” I smile gently, the shadow in his eyes at old regrets achingly familiar. I redirect playfully before melancholy can creep in. ”What about you though? Still fighting off groupies?”
I don’t know why I keep bringing up groupies. Maybe because in my research of the band, it’s all I saw with Brad. One after the other, and some even on repeat. Deep down, it’s a real fear that it’s the only relationship he can have. If it is, my heart is about to get broken.
Brad”s eyes sparkle reading me clearly. ”Well, there may be a few still trying their luck, but I”m pretty focused on just one incredible woman lately.”
A surprised smile spreads across my face as Brad”s fingers interlace with mine across the checked tablecloth between us.
”Oh, is that so?” I arch a teasing brow, heart racing. ”She must really be something to keep the infamous playboy”s attention away from all those glamorous temptations.”
Brad”s thumb traces distracting circles on my wrist as he leans in. ”She”s smart as hell, refreshing as a rainstorm in the desert...and so damn beautiful it hurts sometimes.”
His poetic words dissolve my ability to volley any sort of witty quip back at him. Blushing, I glance down shyly before meeting his smoldering gaze again. ”Well, hopefully she feels the same about you.”
“I hope so too.”
Our charged stare lingers, words unnecessary to convey the attraction amplifying with each revealed layer tonight. As tempting appetizers arrive, breaking the tension, I know I”m already in too deep falling for this beautiful man.
Way too deep. And, way too quickly.
The savory aroma of sizzling meat envelops us in this tucked away booth, cocooned from the outside world. Lost in animated conversation, everything fades but this man whose smallest gestures transfix me. How his calloused fingertips skim my wrist bone idly during pauses...the heat of his steady gaze refusing to release mine each time our eyes catch.
My skin prickles, hyperaware of these electric undercurrents circulating stronger by the minute. I imagine the scratch of his beard I ache to feel grazing my neck. This exhilarating attraction threatens to ignite full force with each subtle shift closer beneath the low lighting of the restaurant.
”So will I get to enjoy more of your company when you’re not fixing the next crisis of the week?” Brad asks lightly when finally locating stray words again.
But a smoldering tension arises in the understated question. My heart skips imagining how this magnetic pull between us might deepen. I wet my lips that have gone suddenly dry. ”I”d really like that...”