Yes to Everything (7 page)

By the time they finished, Brooke was dead on her feet but Vaughn wanted her to go through the candid shots of her with her siblings. “Um, Vaughn, I absolutely hate this one. Don’t you dare, I look like a frigging porn star.” Several men behind her sighed but didn’t disagree.

She pointed to the one where she’d poured water on herself. “God, did you manage to get every embarrassing moment?” She was blushing at the image showing her shaking her ass inside the engine of the tractor. “None of these where my brother is upset. That’s private, goddamn it. And no to the white trash wet t-shirt contest shot. Good lord.” There was laughter around her. Turning to the photographer, she whispered, “I want copies of all the ones with Jackson and the girls. Okay?” He nodded with a gentle smile.

They went through hundreds of shots he’d taken of the twins and Brooke. The overall feel was sensual and it made her warm seeing what they’d looked like while being photographed. “You do manage to capture specific, uh, emotions, don’t you, Vaughn?”

“It is why I am the best, Brooke. You are a beautiful subject, easy to photograph. The twins have always been so as well. The three of you together, well, I have to say this is some of my most provocative work and all of you are still dressed. Ah! I almost forgot. Travis asked me to work with the, er, photo of you that caused you much embarrassment, yes? We’re going to add it to the portfolio of the three of you. I had the Bradshaws take specific positions for me. Tell me what you think.”

He searched the hard drive of the computer in his trailer and found what he was looking for. He clicked it and the image of herself she’d been dealing with for two years filled the screen. There were gasps and whispers behind her about how gorgeous she was. He’d cleaned it up and enhanced the sharpness. “Good lord, it’s so clear now.” She didn’t sound happy about that.

Then he clicked a button and the Bradshaw brothers appeared on either side of her, sleeping. “Holy shit…” Logan and Decklan groaned behind her. They were bare from the waist up, what looked like the same sheet pulled over their lower halves that strategically covered her. Their dark hair was deliberately tousled. One brother was on his back, the other on his front. Their physiques were stunning.

“I’m assuming the…the thought behind this is I’m allowing this picture to be taken while the other was taken without my permission?” Vaughn nodded. “It certainly looks very real for two photos taken two years apart. Wow. You’re good.”

“Thank you, Brooke. I’ll make sure you receive copies of all the photos. Many are going into your tour book, website, and album insert. I’ll be meeting all of you at two or three shows to get live concert shots. It will be a pleasure to see you again, as it has been a pleasure to meet you.”

He stood and took her hand, kissing her knuckles. “I need to get back, get these sorted and into production. I will create a separate CD of everything and include the family photos for you, yes?” She nodded. “Take care of yourself, beautiful Brooke.” Then he was sweeping from the trailer to his car, followed by his assistant.

The rest of his staff began breaking down stuff outside and packing items away but Brooke didn’t move. The twins came to stand beside her, all of them staring at the photo still on the big screen.

“It’s amazing how real that looks, isn’t it? Almost like a memory I’ve forgotten.” Neither man said anything, not sure what she wanted them to say. “There is no way we can sleep together. You’d be crucified in the press. Even this photo can’t be used for a while. One day under eighteen and the parent groups will stage protests. Either way, you’ll be portrayed as my corruptors. They’ll say that you used your fame and our age difference to seduce me – obviously young and oh-so-innocent – into bed with you. It will be twisted into something dark and ugly.” She turned and leaned against the counter, facing them. “You know I’m right.”

Logan and Decklan stared at the picture for another long moment before dropping their eyes to her face, their gazes almost a physical touch. She was so aware of them after hours of their hands on her body that she wanted to cry with need. They looked upset but nodded slowly. She stood up and pulled each one down for a kiss on the corner of their mouths. They touched her back and stomach. “Y’all go blow off some steam and I’ll see you tomorrow in Dallas. We’ve got lots of work to do so I’ll see ya later, boys.”

Brooke escaped into the house and peeled off the too-snug clothes. Slipping the sundress back on, with a bra this time, she took all the braids and clips out of her hair and pulled it all up into a disheveled bun as she walked back outside barefoot. The girls were sitting with Jack and it looked like the ice cream was almost done.

Gradually, the photo crew had everything back in place, bringing the sofa back in the house, and loading their vehicle. She waved at them as they headed down the drive to the main road.

Brooke was surprised when Logan and Decklan stepped up on the porch. She stared at them over the kids’ heads for a moment, noting their resigned expressions. Quietly she asked, “Ice cream?” They nodded and she smiled.

All of them silently accepted that their relationship would have to have boundaries if any of it was going to work. There was too much at risk, not the least of which were their reputations, to allow sex to ruin it.

Brooke was glad they were still willing to be her friends because she was going to need them to deal with everything coming once they started recording and touring. As grounded as she was, the life of a country star was unknown to her. She had people depending on her, who needed her to keep it together.

After she made huge BLT’s, she warmed up her fresh peach cobbler and scooped ice cream over it, smiling as the brothers took the bowls with a smile and groaned at their first taste. They took their time over the food, talking and laughing as if they’d all known one another for years.

Almost like a family, Brooke would think more than once.

That was the day two of country music’s most hell-raising bachelors became surrogate uncles to two sweet little girls who missed their daddy and a growing young man in need of male companionship.

It was the first time Brooke glimpsed who they were behind the public persona. Witnessed the humor, the kindness, the shared upbringing they had in common. Saw the men they might be one day behind the mask of the good-time cowboys with too much charm and money, dark male beauty, and an overabundance of sex appeal.

Sexually innocent but wildly curious, with a horrific sense of loneliness no one knew she carried, it was when Brooke realized she was going to fall in love with them, both of them, despite her best intentions.

And it was going to hurt.

A lot.

Summer 2007…

The members of Broken Bronco busted their ass in the studio and finished the last tracks for the new album over two exhausting weekends. As planned, Brooke picked up all the kids from school on Fridays and drove straight to Dallas, coming back late on Sunday night.

Without Jeanette, her assistant-slash-nanny, the schedule wouldn’t have been possible. She kept the kids safe and entertained all weekend so Brooke could focus on her new career.

A career she loved beyond all reason.

The brothers added a couple of her original songs to the album which had shocked her silent until she’d burst into tears. At first uncomfortable, they eventually didn’t try to hide that they were laughing at her but handed her Kleenex so she guessed that was something. They were Broken Bronco; she would have never considered asking to add her own songs. It moved her that they’d thought of her.

Every weekend morning, before they got started, Brooke brought her three siblings to the studio with her after an early breakfast at their hotel. They’d get there before everyone else and she’d play with them, all of them jamming on the nicer, newer equipment.

Logan caught them at it one morning and asked a tech to record them. He and Decklan went into the soundproof room and picked up their guitars. They did several covers of the kids’ favorite songs amid laughter and teasing.

When Jeanette took them out for the day so Brooke could get to work, she listened happily while the younger Kincaids told her all about the jam session. The girls were on cloud nine and Jackson was very proud of his sister.

The quiet and unassuming woman was a lifesaver in every sense of the word for the Kincaid family. Brooke owed her so much and her siblings adored her. Little by little, she was pulling her from her quiet shell. It was hard to remain isolated around the Kincaid kids. After almost three months of constant interaction, Jeanette was finally beginning to laugh out loud.

There was a wrap party the weekend after they finished the album and all of them took their time getting fancied up at the hotel. Jackson looked sharp in his dark brown suit and Brooke teared up a little at how grown up he was getting. The moment he was ready he started going insane with a pair of drumsticks on every hard surface of their suite.

Since Brooke was a bundle of raw nerves about her upcoming appearance, it was all she could do not to beat him to death with them.

The girls were beautiful in blue-green silk little girl dresses with fluffy layered skirts that made them look like wood sprites. While Brooke pulled on fancy silk stockings she’d never owned before, they danced on the tile of the hotel bathroom floor, loving the sound of their shiny dress shoes on the marble.

The moment they were released from the bathroom, they headed into the living room and passed the time dancing together. Jeanette got several photos of all of them. The Kincaids had realized weeks before that she was creating a photo journal of their summer and Brooke’s first tour. There wasn’t a more thoughtful person than the gentle woman they’d happily absorbed into their little family.

The oldest Kincaid wore a dress that had been picked by someone else and as she pulled it on, she realized it was gorgeous but not something she would have thought to get for herself. Also blue-green, it was a fitted bodice with spaghetti straps that flared into delicate layers of chiffon at her hips. The hemline was uneven and didn’t fall further than her knees. The shoes were four-inch matching stilettos.

It was a dress made for a grown woman and it was the first time Brooke truly felt like a woman. It was enough to give her chills since it was officially her eighteenth birthday. When Sidney, the brash young redhead Brooke had chosen as her stylist, pulled her hair into a sophisticated up-do, she felt beautiful.

Laughing at her look of awe, Sidney asked, “Are you ever going to cut loose and let me get crazy with your style?” Brooke shook her head with a shy smile and the other woman laughed, “Then I’ll have to keep trying, honey, because you are too pretty to be good all the time.”

With a wink she finished with the girls and Jackson before giving Jeanette a quick color lift around her eyes and cheeks against the shy woman’s protests. “Jeanette, you have a damn pretty figure. This sheath is perfect for you, classy and pretty. Accept your loveliness.”

Jeanette’s face was bright pink and she thanked Sidney softly. Sidney’s own dress was a sexy black number that highlighted her athletic figure and made her hair and eyes pop. More of a risk-taker, she went more dramatic with her hair and makeup, wearing tall black platform pumps that screamed ‘sex’. All of them were impressed when she emerged from the third bedroom with a grin.

“I so love parties. We’re going to have a blast!” Hands on her hips, she told Becca and Molly, “No rowdy drinking games tonight, young ladies. No gambling. No flirting with cute men. Are we clear?” Both girls were in fits of giggles.

A limo took them to the hotel where an enormous ballroom had been reserved by the studio. Media people were waiting, VIP rope held back spectators, and Brooke’s nerves jumped in reaction. Hesitating to get out, Logan and Decklan appeared outside the limo to help each of the kids, Jeanette, and Sidney out before taking Brooke’s hands and tugging her gently onto the red carpet.

Placing her hands in the bend of their arms, putting theirs over hers to keep her in place, they paused several times for photos as Jeanette maneuvered the kids inside. “Breathe and smile, Brooke. That’s all. Don’t worry about a thing. We have you.”

Relieved to get through the doors at last, the brothers told her to take a deep breath as they entered the main ballroom and at least a thousand people began to clap and cheer. Brooke started to back up only to have Logan and Decklan take a subtle but firmer grip on her.

Leading her directly to the stage, they performed two of the album tracks without giving her time to get nervous. It was the first time she hadn’t had to throw up before performing live. There were so many ovations she began to blush furiously which the monitor behind her displayed beautifully.

They took turns dancing with her and leading her around to introduce her to all the people she’d never met before. Meeting Toby Keith in person had almost made her faint. He leaned down to kiss both her cheeks and told her the music industry needed a woman who still knew how to blush. Tilting her head up, he wished her luck and she stammered a thank you. He watched her with a toothy smile as the twins led her away.

Around and around she was spun and introduced and fawned over while being simultaneously awestruck. When she met Reba there were no words for how she felt. She literally went silent with her hands folded in front of her. With a gentle smile, Reba pulled her off to the side and they whispered quietly.

After a several minutes, she brought Brooke back to the Bradshaw brothers. “I like her so take good care of her, boys.” They nodded and she kissed Brooke’s cheek then left with a smile.

“I’m going to have a fit. I cannot believe…did that just happen? Did I just have a conversation with Reba? Am I dreaming right now because I think I’m in the hayfield. I must have bumped my head.” Laughing, the twins took her over to the kids and she grabbed the three of them. “Reba…Reba talked to me and kissed my cheek.”

Becca asked in awe, “Which one?” Brooke pointed and Becca touched it. “I’d never wash it ever. I’d let it get dirty and would not care.” Then she whispered, “I saw Toby Keith, Brooke. I did. He is huge in person and so cute.”