I can hear audible laughing from the other side of the door, and I realize that this is not some crazy coincidence –this is a prank from my darling brother and his best friend. I have to give it to them; this is hard to top. I grab my towel from the metal bar on the wall and wrap it around myself as fast as I can. The tarantula has made its way to the back of the toilet, and I know this is my moment. Moving quicker than ever before, I hop out of the shower, unlock the bathroom door, and run smack dab into Braxton’s chest. He’s so much bigger than me that the impact is nothing to him. His hands touch my arms. “Em, did you meet Hairy?”
I push him out of the way, wriggling out of his grasp, and put as much distance as I can between that furry, terrifying arachnid and myself. Cade walks into the bathroom and within a few seconds, has the large spider sitting in the palm of his hand. He is smiling evilly as he walks out of the bathroom with his arm outstretched. “Come here, come say hi,” he taunts me.
“No! No!” I scream. “Keep that thing away from me!” I’m jumping on and over the beds to distance myself from both my brother and Braxton, neither one of them can be trusted. I don’t care that I’m in a towel; I’ll go running out the door if I have to.
Cade and Braxton have a few more laughs at my expense before they give Hairy back to his rightful owner, and my heartbeat returns to normal. “I hate both of you!” I scream as I run back into the bathroom, locking myself in it once more.
I can hear the guys high-fiving and congratulating one another on the most epic prank yet. They win, I lose. Oh well, I tried.
***
“Em!” Mischa’s long, light brown hair and brown eyes come into view. She looks adorable, sporting a short flowery dress and red wedges.
Hopping out of the van, I run to embrace her. I’ve never been away from home for this long before.
“I missed you!” she says into my hair. “I’m dying to hear everything.” Even though we talk every week, I haven’t been completely honest with her and my stomach is in knots thinking about telling her the truth.
After loading her small carry-on into the back, she hops into the passenger seat and we are off. “Where’s Cade?” she asks, glancing into the back of the van with a disappointed smirk.
“He’s back at the venue. Your flight was so close to their time to go on; he said he’d just see you back at the show.”
She nods, staring forward at the road. “I can’t believe this summer flew by so quickly. I feel like it was just yesterday that Cade was ranting and raving about being asked to go on tour.”
I nod. “Yeah, me too. I miss Puss and Boots, and you, and my bed.”
Mischa laughs. “I figured you would say that. How are you doing without your babies and your thousand-thread count?”
I roll my eyes. “I’m serious. Do they miss us? Do they even notice we are gone?”
Mischa continues to laugh at my expense which only frustrates me more. I shake my head, sighing.
“So, final thoughts – are you happy you made the decision to go?” Mischa asks me curiously.
“I don’t know if I would say that I made that decision, but yeah, I don’t regret it if that’s what you’re asking.”
“Has Cade been behaving himself?” Mischa questions, glancing at me.
I scoff. “When has Cade ever behaved?”
We both break into uncontrollable laughter. “You’re right. You’re right.”
I’ve really missed my aunt. After my parents had passed, Mischa tried so hard to fill their shoes. The first few years were tough, but eventually, we both let her in. We became extremely close with each passing year, and by the time she began seriously dating Zach, it felt a bit like betrayal; her splitting her time between him and us. They’ve been together for four years now, and I don’t think he’s going anywhere, so I’ve come to accept his presence in my life.
“I’m excited you’re here for this,” I say squeezing her hand lightly.
“I’m excited I’m here as well,” she replies.
“There’s something I want to talk to you about,” I begin hesitantly, unsure I’m doing the right thing by even bringing it up.
Mischa looks back at me earnestly listening. “I’m all ears.”
I take a deep breath, gaining the courage I need. I don’t even know why I am so nervous; I know Mischa loves me and only wants my happiness. “Something happened between Braxton and me.”
Her mouth falls open and her hand immediately goes to cover it. “Cereal?” It’s been an inside joke between us for years to use cereal in the place of serious. It always puts a smile on both of our faces.
“Cereal,” I repeat, grinning back at her.
“Oh my God, Em! Why didn’t you tell me?” she exclaims.
I shrug, gripping the steering wheel tighter. “Well, for starters, there isn’t much to tell; we’ve only kissed a couple of times.”
“A couple of times?” Her responses mirrors Breigh’s reaction or how I could imagine it would be telling her for the first time again.
“Should I be prepping for our birds and the bees talk again?” Mischa jokes, sticking her tongue out at me.
I smack her lightly on her upper arm. “I’m still a virgin.”
She throws her hands up in surrender. “Hey, I didn’t ask, just offered.” You would think this would be a weird conversation to have with an aunt, or motherly figure of any sort, but I don’t hide anything from Mischa. After she put her life on hold to take us in and give us a chance, I’ve owed her mine. You can only imagine what losing a parent can do to a twelve-year-old child, not to mention losing both. Without Mischa and Cade, I wouldn’t be here today.
“So, do you like him?” she asks simply, settling back in her seat.
I nod, unable to hide the grin spreading across my lips. “Yeah.”
“So, what’s the big deal then?” she asks, throwing her hands up for emphasis. It doesn’t take her long to answer her own question. “Cade?”
Doesn’t it always come down to Cade…
Chapter Twenty-Four:
Braxton
The final show was one for the books. An unforgettable night that will be embedded in my brain for a very long time. The venue was packed, leaving just enough room to wiggle through. And tonight, we celebrate. We booked the place out for another three hours to hold an epic sendoff for such an incredible tour. I’ve been on a lot of tours in my time and played on a lot of bills, but this one will be difficult to top. I could say it was just about the music, my bandmates, partying, and having a good time, but I know there’s a blue-eyed reason behind my why.
I’m anxious about Emerson’s expectations of me once we go home. Does she expect me to be her knight in shining armor and we ride off into the sunset? Because as amazing as that fucking sounds, I know Cade wouldn’t allow it over his dead body. It doesn’t help that she’s my freaking next door neighbor, either. There is no way to avoid the situation, not to mention that Cade is still my best friend and bandmate.
Mischa, Cade and Emerson’s aunt, came out for the final show, and by the look she is giving me, she had a conversation with Emerson about us. I know Mischa well enough by now that she wouldn’t be grinning back at me so merrily if it weren’t for that. I glance over at Cade and he is beaming back at them. Good, he doesn’t suspect anything…yet.
I feel someone sidling up next to me, and I look to my right to see Tabitha, one of our biggest fans. Her short hair is dyed violet and it makes her brown eyes pop. “Braxton,” she purrs.
“Tabitha,” I follow suit, saying her first name. “I’m surprised to see you here.” I pull her into a side hug quickly before releasing her.
She grins back at me seductively. “What are you talking about? I’ve been texting you the last few weeks, and you said you couldn’t wait to see us.” She’s referring to her best friend, Hope. She’s Tabitha’s chubbier, yet bubbly counterpart. They’re a package deal. I don’t think I’ve ever seen one without the other.
“Oh, you’re right!
I’m sorry, time moves differently when you’re on the road,” I say, making up some lame excuse. In all actuality, I probably did text them back and tell them to come. I’ve always had a decent relationship with my fans; and what can I say, I’m a flirt.
“Can we get a picture?” Hope asks, seemingly appearing out of nowhere.
“Of course, of course,” I reply as we pull a random person to take the photo.
I spend another fifteen minutes chatting up Hope and Tabitha before I excuse myself and let them move on to one of the other guys in the band. They love and appreciate all of us equally, so it works out in my favor.
Making my way through the crowded venue, my eyes land on Cade, Emerson, and Mischa toward the back of the room. Expertly maneuvering between the human walls, I approach the trio. “Hey,” I say simply.
“Hey,” Cade replies, lifting the drink in his hand as a greeting.
“Braxton, I haven’t seen you in a while,” Mischa says with a slight head nod. “You know, I can’t say I miss the extra electricity, dishes, or the overall mess.” She’s giving me a hard time, one of her favorite things to do. We’ve always had a decent relationship. Honestly, I think she was just thankful for someone to give Cade a distraction from his tragic life. In the beginning, I was more talkative and adventurous, and after a while, it became less about his deceased parents and more about our friendship.
“You’re hilarious,” I finally reply. I’m curious to how she reacted when she found out about Emerson and me. I wonder if she was appalled or supportive. I wonder if she will say anything to Cade.
“You guys want to get something to eat?” Mischa offers up, glancing around between all of us.
Emerson nods. “I’m starving. You guys ready to go?”
I’m not one to say no to food, but I don’t feel like I’ve had enough time to see everyone I wanted to tonight. I have friends in all the bands I was planning on celebrating with, and I’d feel guilty leaving, especially knowing this is our last night together. “You know what, I think I’m going to hang back and visit with all the guys before they start heading out. It’s the last time I’m going to get to see most of them for awhile.”
Cade nods. “I’m good.” He throws his arms around both Emerson and Mischa’s necks. “Let’s vamoose.”
I chuckle as they walk off. Cade walking off with a girl on each arm? I wouldn’t expect anything less.
Grabbing another whiskey sour from the bar, I make my way over to my buddies from Tanks. By the time Cade and the ladies return from the restaurant, I’ll have managed to work the room in its entirety. People are already beginning to leave and the crowd is thinning out.
I pull out my phone and shoot Emerson a quick text. I don’t want her to be upset with me since I didn’t tag along. Hey, will I get to see you later? Simple and to the point. I stuff my phone back into my pocket and go back to mingling with my friends.
Chapter Twenty-Five:
Emerson
“So Em is screaming her head off, and then out of nowhere, we hear her blow-dryer! She was trying to blast the sucker away!” Cade tells the story animatedly.
Mischa is laughing so hard she’s gripping her stomach. It’s Cade’s charm, nothing new.
My phone vibrates and I pull it out quickly to check who messaged me. To my surprise, it’s Braxton.
Cade’s eyes wander toward my screen, and before I can shield it from his view, he’s seen the sender name. “Is Braxton texting you?” he asks, glancing between me and the phone hidden in my hand.
I’m not a good liar, so the easiest thing to do is tell a version of the truth. “Yeah,” I reply nonchalantly.
“Well, what does he want?” Cade asks, his eyes scrutinizing my every move.
I shrug. “He just asked how much longer we were going to be here. I think he might want us to order food for him.” Okay, so that’s a stretch, but it’s more believable than anything else I might come up with.
Mischa is eyeing me so hard it would be obvious to a stranger. I can’t even return her gaze because I know if I do, I’ll feel too guilty to remain quiet. “So, Cade,” she begins and my blood pressure skyrockets. I have no idea what she is going to say next, and that kills me. “Have any of your friends hit on Emerson while she’s been on tour with you?”
Cade’s face scrunches up in disgust. “What? Hell no. They know better.”
Mischa laughs lightly. “Are you telling me that if one of your friends liked Emerson, you wouldn’t entertain the idea even a little bit?”
Cade’s head spins around so quickly, I’m surprised he doesn’t have whiplash. His eyes are burning me alive. “What is she talking about, Em?” he asks, dropping his burger.
My cheeks are burning up, and I have no idea what to say. I shake my head, trying to think of something to fill the unavoidable silence.
“Give me your phone!” Cade orders and I’m so terrified I almost obey.
But I’m not anyone. I’m his sister, his twin, and I know him better than anybody else in the world. “No,” I say firmly.
“Cade,” Mischa says softly, attempting to calm him down.
“Not now!” he barks with fire in his eyes. “Give me the Goddamn phone!” he bellows, slamming his hands down on the table. Other patrons have stopped what they are doing and all attention is on us. I know we are going to be kicked out any minute now.
“You want to know what the hell she was talking about, Cade?” I say in a low voice. “Braxton. He likes me and I like him, end of story… and there ain’t a damn thing you can do about it because after we get home, I’m moving out.”
Cade’s eyes are manic, and I can see sweat beginning to form on his forehead.
What looks to be the manager of the restaurant is headed toward our table, so I stand preemptively. “I’m sorry, but we are going to have to ask you to leave,” she says softly. “You guys are disrupting our guests’ dining experience. We’ve brought the check, so if you can gather your belongings and follow me.”
I don’t wait to hear anything else before storming out of the restaurant. I’m already going to be stuck in a car with that asshole all the way back to the venue, and I am not looking forward to it one bit. Speaking of, I should probably warn Braxton that I gave up our little tryst before he finds out the hard way. Reaching for my phone, I swipe to unlock it, but nothing happens. I swipe my finger across it again, but it stays unresponsive and black. Shit. I haven’t had a chance to charge my phone since yesterday, and I completely forgot how low the battery was.
When Cade comes out into the parking lot his shoulders are stiff, he’s wearing a scowl, and he doesn’t even bother to wait for Mischa to catch up. He’s fuming. He doesn’t say one word to me as we all shuffle back into the van and drive in silence back to the venue. After it’s been an awkward few minutes, Mischa finally breaks the silence.
“You guys, I didn’t mean to cause this rift between you two. You’ve always had each other’s backs no matter what. Don’t let something as silly as this come between you.” I know she means well, but at this moment, I want nothing to do with Cade. All he cares about is ruining my life for his own gain. I can’t take it anymore. Honestly, I don’t know what I did to deserve such treatment.
When we pull up to the venue, Cade makes a show of turning off the van and slamming the door on his way out. “Well, aren’t we mature?” I say to Mischa as we watch him stalk inside.
It doesn’t compute to me what he is doing until I hear the commotion from the remaining people at the venue. Only Tanks van and ours remain in the parking lot. “Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!” I hear as I go racing inside, my heart beating out of its chest.
It’s not a pretty sight. Braxton is on the ground, his lip cut open, and a nice shiner on his right cheek, and Cade is standing over him still in attack mode. The guys from both bands have restrained him temporarily, but he is fighting to get closer.
“Seriously?” I say as I make my way in between the two of them. “I’m your sister.”
 
; “He’s my best friend,” Cade replies with a bite.
“I’m your sister!” I practically scream. “My happiness should mean something to you, but all you care about is yourself.” I take a deep breath, attempting to calm the tidal wave inside of me. “You know what, I’m done.” Throwing my hands in the air, I surrender and turn on my heel, walking back the way we came.
“Emerson!” Mischa calls after me, but I need some time to myself. Time away from my overprotective twin brother. I need fresh air.
***
I haven’t seen Braxton since everything went down. I’ve been texting him, but he’s been unresponsive. I don’t blame him. I would be upset too. I never got the chance to warn him.