Chapter 29
VAN
After my call with Greg, I headed back to the theater to make sure the crew had finished packing up our stuff and that nothing was left behind.
Given the mishaps over the past few days, I was hesitant about walking back into the venue. I didn’t believe in the supernatural, but even I couldn’t deny that the place felt haunted.
I was hoping it would be empty and quiet.
Nope.
There were still pieces of equipment on the stage that our crew was moving out, and downstairs, the dressing rooms had yet to be emptied.
I wound my way back up to the rear exit and found Ace in the alleyway behind the building, supervising the equipment haul into our parked trucks.
“How come everything isn’t cleared out yet?”
Ace shook his head. “Two of our guys got sick last night, and the door to the dressing room in the basement wouldn’t open. I texted you an update this morning.”
I checked my phone, but I didn’t see any message from him. “I didn’t receive it.”
“The Wi-Fi signal in this place is shit,” Ace grumbled.
“Anyway, I went ahead and called building management and told them we’d need until the end of day to get everything out.
We got the dressing room door unlocked a half hour ago, but I’m still shorthanded, so it’s going to take another few hours. ”
“I can help move the clothes and stuff out of the basement.”
“That’d be great, thanks.”
“No problem. Say, did you have a good time last night?”
Ace’s face flushed. “I did.”
“Cool. Colm seems like a nice guy.”
“He is—a true southern gentleman. Did you know he studied engineering at college before getting a modeling contract? He’s a tech nerd like me.”
I shook my head. “I had no idea.”
“Too busy staring at his pretty face?” Ace teased.
“Not quite. Between you and me, I was hoping Colm wouldn’t show up at all.”
Shit, I couldn’t believe I said that.
But this was Ace, and I’d known him for years. The man was a first-hand witness to rockstar shenanigans, and nothing shocked him.
My feelings for Brodie least of all.
“Oh really?” Ace replied with a knowing grin. “Well, no worries there. In fact, I’ve already made plans to meet up with Colm in L.A. in a few weeks.”
“No shit?”
Ace nodded, and his cheeks darkened.
“You aren’t worried that… wait, sorry, I shouldn’t—”
“Ask your question, Van.”
I bit my lip. “You’re not concerned about the age difference between you?”
“He’s mature for twenty-five, and I work in this crazy business, so I’m probably immature for thirty-eight,” he chuckled, then cleared his throat. “I’m more concerned about how quickly everything happened. Like, am I making a fool of myself by chasing after someone I just met?”
“I don’t think it’s chasing if he’s agreed to meet up.”
Ace pushed a lock of his long hair behind his ear. “We’ll see what happens. God knows this job ain’t easy on our personal lives. Still, I can’t imagine myself in a nine-to-five life.”
“As Brodie would say, do what feels right to you. Lots of people do long-distance long-term. It’s not ideal, but there isn’t one way to have a relationship.” I paused and shook my head. “Listen to me, like I know anything about that.”
“So, you and Brodie?” Ace commented.
I glanced around, but no one was close enough to hear, and his crew was too busy loading up the trucks.
“Yeah, me and Brodie. The band knows, but we’re not telling Greg yet. Not until we know for sure that what we have is solid.”
“Makes sense. I mean, if we had to tell Greg about every coworker we fucked around with, well, he’d be firing all of us, and the company would have no goddamn employees left,” Ace chuckled.
“Like I said to Brodie, I don’t want to know.”
“Yo, Ace!” someone in the crew shouted from the back of the closest truck. “Is that the last of it?”
“Nope, there’s still three boxes of equipment on the stage to bring out and all the shit in the basement!” Ace yelled back.
Then Ace turned to me. “If you can start clearing the basement, I’ll be back inside in fifteen to help you.”
“Will do.”
I meandered back into the building and down into the dark basement, only to find Brodie and Dawson standing outside the dressing room.
Brodie was wearing wide-leg jeans, a plain black t-shirt, and platform booties. He’d shaved his morning scruff and was wearing lip gloss.
All I could think about was the way he kissed me last night with those gorgeous fucking lips of his.
And this morning.
I wanted to walk over and pull him into my arms, but I was highly aware of Dawson’s presence.
Not that he didn’t suspect already, given where he left us last night.
Not to mention the dopey grins on mine and Brodie’s faces right now. Jesus, so much for keeping this under the radar.
“What are you doing here?” I asked.
“I left something in the dressing room,” Brodie replied, his hands in his pockets.
“I could’ve picked it up for you. What did you leave behind?”
“Um, one of my favorite rings. The gold signet with the lion’s head. Maybe you can help me look for it?”
Thankfully, whoever had opened the door this morning left it open and added a doorstop so there would be no more locked-in situations.
“I’ll wait out here,” Dawson announced and leaned against the wall of the hallway.
I motioned for Brodie to go first.
As soon as we were out of sight of Dawson, I slid my arms around Brodie’s waist and pulled him in tight against my chest, his ass cradling my crotch. I slid my nose along his neck, inhaling his spicy scent and placing soft kisses and gentle nips on his skin.
“I haven’t touched you in three hours,” I growled against his skin. “It feels like three days.”
Brodie turned his head, and I captured his mouth, kissing him as deep as I could at this angle.
I’d gone four years without his kisses. Now I couldn’t imagine going without for one fucking minute.
“I’ve unleashed a beast.” He smiled against my lips.
I playfully growled and bit his earlobe.
“I can’t remember why we’re in here,” I muttered and kissed his jaw.
Brodie turned in my arms. “It looks like there are racks of clothing and stage items that need to be sent upstairs, not to mention I need to search for my ring.”
“Right. I guess we better get to that.”
I gave him one last kiss and then headed for the dressing table. “When was the last time you had your ring on?”
“When I took my makeup off after the show. Pretty sure I placed it right here on the table here.”
I glanced over the surface, but there was nothing but a box of makeup wipes. I opened the drawers, but they were empty inside.
“Let’s move the table; maybe it fell behind.”
Brodie and I each took one end and slowly moved the antique dresser away from the wall. There was nothing but dust and cobwebs behind it.
“Search the bathroom. I’ll check the clothing racks. Maybe you placed it in a pocket of something you had on.”
Ten minutes later, and despite searching everywhere, there was no sign of Brodie’s ring.
I shoved the clothing racks into the hallway, and Dawson kindly offered to start taking them upstairs. I did one final sweep of the room and the bathroom.
“I’m sorry, sweetheart; it looks like your ring is gone. Maybe you dropped it on your way to the stage? We can check upstairs if you’d like.”
“Yeah, let’s do that,” Brodie replied, but he didn’t move.
“You all right?”
“Better than.” He nodded. “I’m just taking a minute to reflect… it’s nothing.”
He shook his head and looked away.
“What? You know you can tell me anything.”
“This probably sounds really lame, but this place feels special to me now. After last night. Our first kiss. I’m never going to forget what happened here.”
Brodie finally looked at me, and the heat in his gaze stoked mine. Brodie’s sentimental side made my heart ache as fiercely as my cock. Every part of me was wide awake. I’d never felt so alive.
“It’s not lame at all. In fact, that’s the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard you say.”
I pulled him in tight.
“And I’m sorry about your ring.”
“It’s okay. Hopefully, someone will find it eventually. Who knows? Maybe it’s a sign that we’re meant to come back here again.”
“Maybe the ghost took it,” I teased.
A brush of cold air slid over my neck, and I jolted.
“Did you just touch my neck?”
Brodie’s hands squeezed my ass. “Wrong body part.”
“I think we should get out of here and let the ghost have their venue back.”
“Good idea,” Brodie remarked and kissed me.
This trip turned out to be much more than just a concert. It was a turning point in my life. I walked into this place as one version of myself, and I was walking out as another.
Did I have all the answers as to whether Brodie and I would make it long-term?
No, I didn’t.
But wherever he was, that’s where I wanted to be.