Chapter 24
Twenty-Four
DEREK
“There he is,” Charlie says when I arrive at Tyler’s house.
His home is gorgeous. One story, thousands of square feet on a few acres with animals, and professionally decorated. He splurged with our first big payout so Amy could move out here. She has yet to visit Nashville.
I join Aiden and Charlie who sit at the dinner table in front of platters with muffins, cut fruit, bagels and spreads, and deviled eggs. The napkins are from a local restaurant. I grab a muffin and tear off the top. Best part and the only part that should be eaten.
“Fucking must make you hungry,” Charlie snickers.
“Shut it. Chuck the Chuckler.” I laugh at my stupid joke and choke.
Tyler places a glass of water in front of me and sits across from me. “Don’t need to ask how the rest of your night went.”
“It’s still going so if we can get this over with,” I eye Aiden, “I’ll be on my way.”
Aiden glances over at Tyler, then back to Charlie and me.
“What was that look for?” Charlie leans forward, his shoulders tense and alert. “Did you call this meeting?” He watches Tyler like he’s a prisoner with no cuffs in front of an idling car.
Tyler cranks his neck from side to side. “I did.” He makes a point of making eye contact with Charlie, then me. “I asked Aiden to scout a replacement for me, and I think he’s found one.”
My hand freezes with a piece of muffin halfway to my mouth. Charlie sucks in air.
The guy from last night. He knew. He fucking knew.
“What the fuck.” Flies out of my mouth. “Some random guy off Broadway bars knows this before we do? Has he already signed some contract and we have no say?” I’m standing, muffin discarded on the table. There’s a slight tremble in my hands. “You’re my brother.”
Tyler sets an elbow on the table and rubs his forehead.
Charlie curses.
A replacement. This isn’t some I’m thinking about doing this. He’s made up his mind. Without us.
“Sit,” Aiden says. “Give Tyler a chance to explain.”
“Amy’s pregnant?” Charlie asks.
I sit because I can’t fucking figure out why he’s leaving.
Tyler straightens. “No. Not yet.” He sends a glare my way before continuing. “But she will be, and she’ll need me there for the pregnancy. I don’t want to miss the birth. And I don’t want some stranger watching my child while she’s at work.”
“I don’t know, a ton of parents do it all the time.” Yes, I hear the sarcasm in my voice.
If Tyler’s pissed off look had a message, it would read, ‘fuck you and die.’ Message received.
“I’ve been on the road for most of the fourteen years we’ve been married. That’s like being married for less than three years. I have to invest in my marriage. In being a dad.”
“What the fuck does that mean?” Is he asking me to do math?
Tyler’s jaw ticks. Aiden stares at both Charlie and me. The staring duel ends when Charlie huffs.
“It means he wants to be home with Amy,” Charlie says, his voice much less stressed than mine. “You’re a great husband. If it counts for anything. I’ve seen the women who come up to you, man. You’ve got willpower made of steel. And I know you’d do anything for her. So, if you want to have a life, be a dad, I’m real fucking happy to be an uncle. The Muddy Boots is us three, no one else. And I don’t know about getting on the road again without you.”
“Don’t fucking say it.” Is this it? Is Charlie going to make the call to end us? Tyler already has. What the hell is happening?
“I won’t,” Charlie says. “I want Tyler to know this is still his band. This is still a part of him no matter where he is.”
Fucking Charlie.
“Thanks.” Tyler’s voice breaks, and then he’s watching me like he’s waiting for me to say something.
“Let’s give them some space,” Aiden says to Charlie.
Sweat beads at my temple.
When they’re gone, I ask the question looping in my head. “Why didn’t you talk to us?”
“Wouldn’t have changed the outcome,” Tyler says. “I thought you’d understand. I’ve been watching you. This whole thing where you don’t know if you’re going to see your son next month or not is fucking scary. I don’t want that. I want to be there. I want a family. I want to be the dad I never had. I want to be the type of father you had.”
My head rears back. “He’s yours, too.”
“Your dad was there even after your mom left. He took me in when he didn’t have to. When there wasn’t anyone else to help raise three kids, he could have sent me back to the foster home. And maybe he didn’t have the best role model for how to be affectionate, but he was there for you, for Jesi, and for me. He was there. He stayed.”
“You have a home here. It’s ready for a family. We could cut back on touring. We can do local shows, take a break. Amy won’t be alone. Emily…” As I say her name, the uncertainty of the future shuts me up. “They could help each other.”
“That’s not the point.” Tyler shakes his head at the ground. “Amy and I have been hanging on by a string, and something has to give, or my marriage is over. ”
My eyes whip to his face. For the first time, I don’t see my calm best friend. The lines around his eyes and the downturn of his lips are signs he’s been thinking about this for some time. I’ve been distracted with Emily and the kids. What has been going on with my brother, my best friend, to make a major decision and not involve us?
“You didn’t tell us because you thought we would have changed your mind.” I temper my tone.
“I’ve been on this path for a long time because it’s you and Charlie.”
The fucking bond between us is stronger than ever. Like Charlie said, this will always be his band, too. Fuck. I hate his leaving.
I walk over to him and fold my arms around him and pound his back with my palm. “You’re going to be a great dad. I can give you pointers when the baby is six.”
Tyler lets out a watery laugh. “Everything going good with Emily?”
“Still figuring things out, but it’s looking better.” I don’t tell him we’ve decided little beside spending a ton of time naked and in bed. I still don’t know where we left things this morning. Or if she’ll be there when I get back.
“I found Rip for you,” Tyler says. “He’s the right guy for the band.”
As much as I hate Tyler leaving us, I know I’ll honor his choices. “Then it’s a done deal.”
Will Emily be waiting for me at home or did she bolt for San Diego? Lack of clothing or luggage would never stop her from running away. I carry the two suitcases from the hotel and consider the aftermath of Tyler’s departure on the future of the Muddy Boots as I trudge up the stairs to my place. Is she on the other side of the door, lounging on my couch, watching TV? Or asleep, recovering from the most amazing night?
This morning, the idea of more kids was like a lump of wet clay. The last two hours, and after talking with Tyler, I’ve molded it and threw it in the kiln. My mind and my heart know the answer. Tyler listed his reasons. Too similar to mine. My love for James and Victoria burst me open in ways I never predicted and opened the door for Emily to walk in with her mama bear attitude and voice of an angel.
I push my front door open, and the familiar silence welcomes me home. I slow my movements in case she’s asleep and set the suitcases against the wall. As I scan the empty living room, I remove my shoes. I pad to the bedroom where the bed is made and the bathroom door is wide open. No place else for me to look. She left.
I check my phone. Nothing. I squeeze it, ready to fling it against a wall.
Two hours. I was gone two damn hours. Fuck. She quit on us. She quit me.
Her memory surrounds me, making it difficult to breathe. I grab my keys from the table by the entrance heading no place in particular.
A scratching noise from the kitchen stops me as I reach the door. There’s a faint moan. What the?—?
“Derek?” Emily’s groggy voice travels from the kitchen.