THE BIGGEST STAGE (A Brothers of Rock - WILLOW SON - novel) (2 page)

“
Don
’
t snap at me! You
’
re not
…”

That
’
s
where it always broke down.

Yes, Tessa was not Wendy
’
s mother. Tessa was well aware
of that. But when her father left all three of his girls and never bothered to
care, it put a lot of the world on Tessa
’
s
shoulders. And when their mother got sick and died, the rest of it became Tessa
’
s problem. Being nineteen,
dropping out of college, and staring at a sixteen-year-old sister and a thirteen-year-old
sister
…
it was a lot.

But Tessa managed.

“
Wendy,
you need to figure things out. I want the name of your landlord so I can talk
to them directly. Text me the login information for your cell so I can look at
that.
”

“
Are
you kidding me?
”
Wendy
snapped.
“
What am I
…
in prison?
”

“
No.
But you
’
re not responsible
to take care of yourself, are you?
”

“
Oh,
that
’
s real nice to say. I
worked tonight, got cut early because the restaurant was dead, and have ten
bucks in my pocket
…”

Ten bucks after spending how
much, Wendy?

“
I
’
m sorry you had a bad night,
”
Tessa said.
“
Just do what I said, okay?
”

“
Yeah,
fine.
”

Tessa took a breath.
“
Have you heard from your sister
lately?
”

“
I
haven
’
t talked to Anna in
two days.
”

“
Okay.
I have to give her a call next then.
”

“
I
have to go. Scott is calling me.
”

“
Don
’
t get involved with him!
”
Tessa yelled.
“
Please
…”

The call went dead.

“
Shit,
”
Tessa growled.

She climbed out of the car and
walked to the front of the hotel. Once inside, she stood at the counter,
desperate to get into her room and draw a hot bath. Lose herself in some
bubbles, whatever booze was in the minibar, and then get a good night of sleep.

The woman at the counter ruined all
that.

We don
’
t have your reservation.
We apologize.

Tessa heard the words
…
twice
…
and just stood there.

Tired. Annoyed. Ready to explode.

“
So
what do I do? Sleep in my car?
”

“
I
can call another hotel for you,
”
the woman said.
“
We work
with two others in the area. I can assure you, I will do everything I can to
help.
”

“
Yeah,
sure.
”

Tessa wheeled her bag out of the
lobby and back outside.

She looked up to the sky and it was
full of stars.

No, no, no
…

That was one of the last things her
mother told her. To look at the stars. That she would be up there, waiting and
watching. That when things got hard, just look up. Remember she wasn
’
t alone, no matter what.

Tessa swallowed and felt the lump
in her throat. It wouldn
’
t
go away.

She exhaled, her bottom lip
quivering.

Her cell went off, again, and it
was the damn hotel calling her.

“
Hello?
”

“
Hello.
Is this Tessa
…”

“
I
’
m right out front.
”

“
This
is Jane. From the front desk
…”

“
I
know,
”
Tessa said.

“
Good
news! We found you a room! It
’
s
at one of our sister hotels
…”

Tessa felt tears fill her eyes.

She turned, feeling embarrassed.

But she also felt watched.

She blinked, and climbing out of a
cab at the end walkway to the hotel was some guy staring her down. Maybe it
should have been creepy, but it wasn
’
t.
At all. The guy was sexy. He wore an off-white shirt that hugged his arms and
shoulders in all the right ways, jeans that were ripped in all the right
places. His hair was messy, the right way. He stared the right way. Everything
…
the right way.

But everything about the guy - who
actually seemed a little familiar - screamed one word.

Wrong.

(2)

Colby heard nothing. He could only
stare at the woman as she stared right back. Her eyes were still glossy and she
slowly moved the phone from her ear. He had plans for the night, but there was
an obvious detour in front of him.

And there was nothing wrong with
it.

He approached her with the same
confidence he approached everything in life. It wasn
’
t about succeeding or failing, or winning or
losing, it was just about living. There were plenty of times in Colby
’
s life when he got a drink
thrown in his face. Or slapped across the face. Or even punched in the face
because he hit on a woman who had a guy.

That
’
s
just life.

You take hits and you keep living.

“
Are
you okay?
”
he asked the
woman, gently touching her arm.

She cleared her throat and blinked
faster.
“
Yeah. Fine.
”

“
I
don
’
t like liars,
”
Colby said.
“
Don
’
t have time for them.
”

“
I
said I
’
m fine.
”

“
I
’
m calling you a liar.
”

“
Then
you don
’
t have time for me.
Good thing we don
’
t know
each other.
”

“
That
’
s something we could easily fix.
”

“
Hitting
on me now? Please.
”

The woman turned and Colby touched
her shoulder.
“
Wait a
second, pretty eyes.
”

The woman looked back, a grin on
her face.
“
Really?
”

“
What?
Your eyes are beautiful. I love amber eyes.
”

“
Something
tells me you say that to every woman you meet.
”

Colby shrugged his shoulders.
“
It got you to look back at me,
again.
”

“
Fair
enough.
”

The woman then squinted a little,
opened her mouth, then shook her head.

“
What?
”
Colby asked.

“
Nothing.
Nothing at all.
”

“
Okay.
So why don
’
t you start by
either telling me your name or why you were a little upset just now.
”

“
I
was supposed to have a room here. They lost the reservation. Probably gave it
away to someone who paid more.
”

“
Bastards.
”

“
Exactly.
No worries. I have another room at a different hotel.
”

“
Well
that
’
s not good.
”

“
Oh?
”
the woman asked.

“
You
leave this hotel and my night is ruined.
”

The woman laughed.
“
You
’
re pretty good. I
’
ll
give that to you.
”
She then
nodded to her suitcase.
“
I
travel for a living so I
’
ve
seen and heard
…”

“
Colby!
”

He looked back and saw the rest of
the band approaching. And with the band came attention. There were a handful of
people already starting to move toward them.

“
Ah,
shit,
”
Colby said. He
looked at the woman.
“
Hey,
pretty eyes, we gotta make a run for it.
”

“
Run
for
…
wait a second
…”

Colby got closer to her. Stared
down those pretty amber eyes.
“
Do
you know who I am?
”

“
I
’
m not sure.
”
She looked beyond Colby. Then
to the people calling his name. (The people calling the entire band
’
s names.)

“
Yeah,
we
’
re Willow Son. Ever
heard of us?
”

“
No
freaking way,
”
the woman
said.

“
Look,
these people are going to go nuts soon. I
’
ll
stand here and take it if it gets me a few more minutes of talking to you. But
when I start signing stuff, it
’
s
going to take a while.
”

“
You
’
re crazy.
”

“
No.
Colby. Lead singer.
”

He winked and the woman blushed.

“
Hey,
man, we have to move,
”
Jett
said getting close to Colby.

“
We
don
’
t have security right
now,
”
Ryker said.
“
We need to get upstairs.
”

“
Colby!
I love you!
”
someone
shouted.

Colby looked around.
“
I love you all, too!
”

People whistled and cheered.

“
They
’
re coming for you too now,
”
Colby said, and put his hand to
the small of the woman
’
s
back.

“
You
’
re serious right now,
”
she said.
“
You
’
re really Colby from Willow Son.
”

“
The
question is this
…
do I look
better or worse in person?
”

The woman grinned.
“
I
’
ll
never tell you that.
”

Colby reached down and grabbed her
suitcase.
“
Come on, pretty
eyes. Let
’
s move.
”

“
Wait
a second
…”

“
No,
”
Colby said. He started to move.
He kept moving, taking the woman
’
s
suitcase. There was a good chance she could scream for help. Or attack him.

But he had a way of just knowing
things about people.

The woman hurried to catch up to
him.

Hustling at his side, she said,
“
My name is Tessa. And I can
carry my own bag.
”

Colby looked at her as they charged
into the lobby of the hotel.
“
Tessa?
That
’
s a pretty name. But I
like your other name better, pretty eyes. As far as the bag goes, let me be a
gentleman
…
at least once
for tonight. I
’
m a
rockstar, so you never know what you
’
re
going to get.
”

He winked again and Tessa sighed.
She was still blushing as she hurried with Colby, and the band. The elevators
opened, and Colby got in first. He put his hand out, stopping the door. The
rest of the band got on.

Then Tessa stood there.

“
Pretty
eyes, what are you doing?
”
Colby asked.

“
You
’
re really serious
…”

“
Look
behind you,
”
Ryker said to
her.

Tessa looked back. There were
thirty people rushing the foyer. Security was there, but the two men were
quickly overruled, as fans of Willow Son shouted and yelled for them.

Rightfully so, they were still fans
of the band. It had been a hellish month already since the record company
shutdown and split itself up. Just because Willow Son was out on the street
didn
’
t mean they didn
’
t have fans. That
’
s what the record companies didn
’
t understand. They stuck their
damn noses in spreadsheets and financial reports, forgetting that true bands
and rockstars were built on the passion of music and power of their fans. What
Willow Son put out on the stage was only given right back by each and every fan
who cheered and sang back at them.

Colby reached for Tessa
’
s hand.
“
Pretty eyes, you have two choices. Get on the
elevator with us or stay there. Either way, I
’
m
keeping your bag.
”

Tessa
’
s
jaw dropped.
“
I
…”

“
Tick-tock,
”
Brantley said.
“
Pretty eyes.
”

Colby hated to admit it to himself,
but his heart was kind of racing right now. Of course he didn
’
t plan on stealing Tessa
’
s damn suitcase. He wasn
’
t exactly that crazy. Then
again, he really didn
’
t
want her to just slip away right now.

Kind of foolish, right?

But Colby looked at life the same -
he went after what he wanted. No matter what.

Tessa finally stepped forward.

Once in the elevator, she rested
nicely with her back ever-so-gently grazing Colby
’
s
chest and front.

Van hit the button for the top
floor and the doors shut just as the wild fans were there, smacking their
hands, calling for Willow Son.

Tessa looked back at Colby.

He looked down at her and smiled.
“
We
’
re
safe. I promise.
”

She grinned.

Damn
…
pretty eyes. Pretty
smile. Pretty woman.

**

Tessa stared at the blurry
reflection of herself in the elevator doors. If she looked back she would see a
band. A bunch of rockstars. Willow Son.

Had she not just listened to some
of their music a few days ago? Had she not seen several articles posted online
and social media about the band being dropped by their label? Rumors swirled
that they were all in trouble again, led by the wild man front runner, Colby.

Colby
…
lead singer
…
and guy that
was holding her suitcase.

Hadn
’
t
she just been on the phone with Wendy? Dealing with Wendy
’
s personal problems of a life
she couldn
’
t manage. And
now she was on an elevator with Willow Son.

They were rockstars and their
wicked pasts were nothing unknown or new. Of all people to casually run into, this
had to have been the bottom of the list. It wasn
’
t
anything but trouble behind Tessa. She figured they were probably the reason
she didn
’
t have a room to
stay in tonight. They probably showed up and demanded a room and got it based
on celebrity status.

The elevators finally came to a
stop and the doors opened. Tessa took a step forward and she felt Colby
’
s hand touch her waist. Any guy
that dared to try such a slick move in a bar or something would have gotten an
elbow to the gut. But Tessa let this slide.

Why? Because he
’
s famous? Rich? A
rockstar?

“
You
guys go first,
”
Colby said.
“
Me and pretty eyes have to
talk for a second.
”

Tessa turned, moving Colby
’
s hands off her waist. She didn
’
t necessarily like the feeling
of him not touching her, but it seemed very weird for him to actually want to
touch her. There had to have been a hundred prettier and more willing women
right downstairs in the lobby.

The band slowly filed off one by
one.

Brantley, the drummer of Willow
Son, stopped and eyed Tessa.

“
Huh,
”
he said.
“
You do have really pretty eyes.
”

Tessa felt her cheeks burning hot.

Brantley was gone, and the doors
started to shut.

“
Is
this your floor?
”
Tessa
asked.

“
Yup,
”
Colby said.

The doors shut, and Colby reached
out and hit the emergency stop button. The elevator made a jumping motion and
then stopped. Tessa put her hands out and touched the walls. She sucked in a
breath.

“
What
’
s wrong?
”
Colby asked.

“
You
want the truth? I
’
m
terrified of elevators and planes.
”

“
Wait,
”
he said.
“
And you travel for a living?
”

“
Yeah.
That
’
s just how much I love
my job.
”

“
What
do you do?
”

“
I
sell drugs,
”
Tessa said
with a grin.

Colby raised an eyebrow and then
backed up.
“
For real? You
sell
…”

“
I
work for a drug company,
”
Tessa said.
“
I travel the
country attending meetings and selling to facilities, hospitals, blah, blah
…
trust me, nothing as exciting
as what you do.
”