Chapter Three
The wince appeared on her face as she pulled into her driveway. Sitting in the spot that her pickup truck usually sat in was Tim's slightly beat up Pontiac Sunbird. Usually, the sight of it would bring a smile to Brooklyn's pretty face, but this time, she winced, groaned, and rolled her eyes. Taking a deep breath, she pulled in beside it, but stayed far enough away because she knew how Tim backed up out of her driveway, and the last thing she needed to end this day was to get a dent.
The radio shut off when she turned the key in the ignition. The blinds on her windows flickered, so he knew that she was there. She had been hoping that she could have stayed there for a little while, getting her nerve up to go in the house. Now, she had no choice.
That didn't stop her from taking her time. It must have been the slowest she ever moved to collect her bag, and get out of the cab of the truck. She paused, pretending to look through the glove compartment before she actually did slide down to the ground. The door didn't open, which wasn't exactly a good sign, but she figured that maybe it was locked. Shaking her head as she slowly walked to the front door, she pulled the keys out of her bag just in case. The door swung open easily when she put her hand on the knob, and she swallowed thickly.
She couldn't help but think about the scolding she was about to get from letting another man, that wasn't her manager or her brother, stay in her house without Tim's permission. That was something that irked her. He had to give his permission for her to do something like that, but he could have a female friend stay over any time he wanted. She rolled her eyes at the thought as she pulled off her cowboy boots and left them beside the door, that she swung shut with her hand.
Tim liked to have power over her, liked to tell her what to do. Brooklyn fought back constantly, but he usually won anyway. The whole possessive nature of him was getting to her, but she loved him, and couldn't ever think of leaving him. She found it funny how people that were in love would do anything to stay in love, or keep that love. "I'm home," she called. "Tim, are you in the living room?" she asked, putting her bag down on the small table beside her before looking in the living room.
He sat there, the picture of relaxation, on her couch, watching television. "How was your day?" he asked without looking up.
Eyes wide, she sat down beside him and dropped a kiss on his cheek. He didn't respond to that, either. "Oh, it was okay. Now that we have the song and musicians picked out, the basic arrangement is going to be started tomorrow, and should be done by then. After that, JC and I are going to start the lyrics. I'm hoping that we can finish that in two or three days. He's only here for another week, so we have to be done by then." The smile on her face was pure pride. She felt this way every time that she started a new album, though towards the end, she never felt the same.
"That's wonderful." His tone was flat, something that was scaring her a little. Brooklyn leaned over and picked up the switcher from the table, shutting off the television. The commercial for potato chips was quieted halfway through. "Why did you shut that off?" he asked.
Her eyes bore into his and she sighed. "Tim, something's wrong. I thought that you and I talked out our problems, but lately, we've been fighting them out. Why? What's wrong?" she asked, putting one hand on his knee.
"What makes you think that something's wrong?"
If that wasn't the stupid question that he could have asked, she didn't know how to top it. She couldn't believe how ignorant he was being. The look in his eyes was more than enough to tell her that he was lying, and lying was something that Brooklyn didn't take very well. In fact, it was the worst thing in the world to her. She had been lied to many times in the past, and each time, she hated the person for it. Now, her boyfriend, the person that she trusted most in the world, was lying to her. Hell, worse than that, he was being quiet about what he was feeling.
She could remember why she had fallen in love with him. At first, she thought that he was just attractive. Short, dirty blond hair in a close cut, light brown eyes, and slightly built. The first date she had accepted, thinking that nothing could have come from it. Instead, he impressed her enough to make her want to go out with him again and again. Everything from flowers to a fine restaurant. What she loved most about him was that the entire time, he treated her as Brooke, not Brooklyn Turner, the singer. She was a normal person around him. When they edged the year and a half mark, thins began to change. He became more jealous of every male she was around, whether he knew them or not. He started telling her what to do, even though he knew she was a very independent person. Worst of all, the fights started. It was like she wasn't good enough for him, and now he was treating her like Brooklyn Turner, the singer, and not Brooke.
"There is definitely something wrong. God, would you just tell me already? I'm getting sick of you hiding what you think and feel from me. We've been together for two years now. Don't you think you could trust me a little better?" she asked him, trying not to roll her eyes at the way he was acting. That would have been the worst thing to do.
He turned to look at her, his eyes slamming into hers. For the first time since she knew him, she didn't want to look into them. "Well, maybe if you spent more time with me instead of running around after your little boy toy, I might be able to tell you what's wrong. You haven't been home for dinner in ages, you never call me...you're ruining this relationship."
Brooklyn jumped up like she had been burned. "Excuse me? You knew, when we started this relationship, that I had a job to do. My job is a little different from most, yes, but it's still a job. I'm living out my dreams and aspirations, and you're telling me that I'm ruining this because of that? Please, Tim. You're acting like a jerk. You never cared before." She stopped, and felt the familiar pricking of tears in her eyes. She wasn't about to let him have the satisfaction of her crying in front of him. "I'm sorry that I've been busy lately, but I can't help it. I get time off when I'm told, just like any normal job. The only difference is that I can't call in sick if I want to head down to see a football game or baseball game with you. I can't just sleep in and come in late." Her arms crossed under her breasts, and she slouched, her entire body language screaming that she didn't like the way this was turning out.
"Oh, so it's my fault, right? I'm the one that keeps asking if you're going to be home or not. I'm the one that calls you. I'm the one that makes the damned effort. All you can do is run after your little pop star, trying to impress him." His eye flashed dangerously at her, but she couldn't stop the words from flowing from her mouth.
She didn't even know what she was saying until she heard the words. She wasn't even thinking what she was saying. "I'm so sorry that I care about what I do with my life. I...that's what this is all about, isn't it? Not about my job. It's about the fact that I'm working with JC, isn't it?" She waited for him to nod, but didn't see it. Instead, she continued. "You've been a jealous prick for too long, and I'm sick of it." Her voice raised considerably to the point where she was screaming. She knew not to scream, at least not loudly, and not for a long time. She didn't want to wear out her voice before she was recording, but at the same time, Brooklyn wanted to make her point. Screaming was the only way that she could get him to listen, it seemed. "There is nothing going on between JC and I. My Lord, I just met the guy. Yes, I've spent a lot of time with him. He's nice, and to tell the truth, it would be nice to have a friend like him. He's very talented and resourceful, but I am not sleeping with him. You don't trust me at all and this is ridiculous."
"Don't you dare scream at me," he shouted, standing up. He started to stalk towards her, and she moved back, in fright. He seemed possessed at the moment. His eyes were practically shooting fire, and the old saying, if looks could kill, came into her mind. He definitely could have killed her with that look. "Don't you dare, ever, scream at me. You have no idea what you're talking about. You don't think I notice the looks that you two pass between each other? You don't think I didn't notice the way that he calls you Brooke? I'm not blind, Brooklyn. I can see. I do have two eyes."
"Then open them up and look around. Tim, there's nothing between me and JC, other than friendship, and at this point, I can't be that sure. We've known each other for three days. Three freaking days, Tim. Nothing compared to how long you and I have known each other." She rolled her eyes now, and he caught it. The idea that her luminous green eyes were rolling at him made it worse. He was beyond livid at the point. "Do you really think, that if I met a guy three days ago, I would automatically dump you because I think he's attractive?" The look on his face intensified. "Bad choice of words. I didn't mean that I find him attractive. I mean, yes, he is, but I don't see him like that. Oh, I'm just going to shut up now."
Tim seemed to growl from deep within his throat, and he moved closer to her. "Damned right you're going to shut up. You're going to shut up and listen to me." Her eyes seemed to snap at him, and he moved closer. She took another step back, the tears coming back to her eyes. "You know what you're going to do, Brooklyn? You're going to march into that studio tomorrow, you're going to look that guy straight in the eye and tell him that he's not going to be on your CD. Instead, you're going to pick out a nice female country artist, and leave it at that. You just let that guy run back to wherever he's from, and then you'll be done with it. You're also going to tell Joseph that you're going to take a little vacation, so that you and I can have some time together."
She stood up straighter, despite the fact that one tear had fallen from her eye. "He has a name, Tim. It's JC, not t guyright?" He could taste the triumph in his mouth when she said that. "And I won't. I am going to work with JC on this song, hell, it might even turn out to be a single. I refuse to work with some female artist just because you told me to, and I will not take a vacation. This album needs to be started, needs to be finished, needs to be out on the market. I will not do any of what you just told me, all right?" she shouted. "And my name is Brooke, for Christ's sake. Brooke, not Brooklyn. I don't want to be known as a suburb of New York to my boyfriend, if you're even that anymore."
He continued walking forward until she was in a corner of the living room, next to the bookcase. "What did you just say?" he practically whispered.
With a deft move of her head, she flung the hair from her eyes and smirked. "I said, I will not do what you told me too, all right? There is no way in hell that you're going to run my life, or my career. You may think you can, Tim, but you're dead wrong. Dead wrong." Idly, the tune to one of the songs she was hoping to put on her album ran through her head. She always had weird thought when she was confronting someone, and this was no different.
She was still hearing the words and the melody in her head when it snapped to the side. A stinging started, and the tears were back in her eyes, falling without her knowing. Her hand came up slowly and cupped her cheek. "That was the wrong answer, Brooklyn. You want to try again?" he asked in a quiet tone.
Her eyes raised to look at his and she cowered slightly. "You hit me. You son of a bitch, you hit me."
"Damned right, and I'll do it again if I have to." She continued looking at him like he was crazy. Never in her life had anyone raised a hand against her in anger. Tim, least of all. She couldn't even think of the words to tell him how she was feeling, but she realized what she was feeling probably wasn't the best thing to talk about at the moment. "Now, listen to me. You're going to do exactly as I told you, right, Brooklyn?" She didn't move, but the tears continued falling. "You're going to do this because you love me." He paused and looked at her, his breathing calming down a little. He didn't look as angry now, but she was still terrified. "You know I wouldn't have hit you if you hadn't deserved it, right, honey? You weren't very nice, and you needed to learn a lesson. I only did it because I love you. Just like you love me." His head dropped and he placed a kiss on the top of her head before backing away slowly, towards the doorway out of the living room. "Don't worry, honey. Once you do this, everything will be just fine, Brooklyn. Just fine."
She waited until he disappeared out the door before she ran towards the front door, locking it quickly. She set the security alarm and sunk down beside the door, pulling her knees up to her chest. Her hand was still over her red cheek, as the tears flew steadily. Normally, when Brooklyn cried, she never made a sound. Now, a ragged sob escaped from her, as she closed her eyes.
By the time she finally stood up, her breath was hitching in her chest. She stumbled into the kitchen and reached above the fridge, pulling out the ice bag that Tim kept there. Unlike her, he drank on the weekends, and he usually used it when he had a hangover. This was the first time that she was going to use it.
She unscrewed the top and opened the freezer, pulling out a few ice cubes. She dropped three into the bag and picked it up, pressing it against her chest to get the air out of it. She spun the top back on and rubbed the ice through the material with the palm of her hand until it became cold. Her hand brought it up to the side of her face, where she hoped it would help. There was no way that she was going to stay in her house tomorrow, because she didn't want him to drop by and visit her. Her only escape was the studio, since her brother was still on vacation. Her only problem was, she was worried that the hit would show up on her face.
"God, what am I going to do?" she whispered to herself as she closed the freezer door and leaned against the fridge. She closed her eyes against the new batch of tears and tried to stop herself from sobbing again. She didn't want to let herself fall into this, because it wasn't her. Brooklyn Turner was not a person that stood there and let herself cry. Usually, she would do something about it.
The phone rang suddenly, and she naturally moved towards it. Instead of picking it up, she shook her head and pulled back her shaking hand. It was probably just Tim, adding insult to injury, she thought, and walked into the living room. She needed to sit down, if anything.
Beside the couch where she was sitting, the answering machine kicked on with her usual message. Her cheerful voice filled them room. "Well, hello there, whoever you may be. You've reached the great and wonderful Brooklyn Turner, but unfortunately, she can't be here to take your call at the moment. Knowing me, I'm on tour somewhere. Anyway, just leave a message, with your name and number, and I'll be sure to get back to you. Don't worry, there's no time limit, so you can talk off my ear...once I get the message."
The usual beeps went off, and she listened to see who it was, her finger poised on the volume button. If it was Tim, she wasn't about to listen to the message. "Hey, New York. I thought that you would be at home, but I guess you're out with your boyfriend," JC's friendly voice began. She moved her finger and laid down on the couch, still holding her ice bag against her face. When she heard his voice, she wanted to pick up the phone, but she knew that JC was too perceptive. He would immediately ask what was wrong. That wasn't something that she wanted to go through right then.
Instead, she moved so that her ear was closer to the machine. She may not have wanted to speak to him, but she could still draw comfort from the friendly tone he always seemed to use. "Anyway, I was just sitting here bored, and decided to call you. There's not a hell of a lot to do around the hotel, considering that I'm not really allowed out without security. Is it like that for you, too?" He paused and chuckled. "Never mind, I can answer that myself. Seriously, there was nothing on television, and you're the only person I know out here."
She smiled slightly and put her hand on the answering machine, over the speaker. "You know, it kind of surprised me to have your machine pick up the call. I figured that you were going to be there, after what you told me today. Well, I guess it doesn't matter. So, you have one of those talk as long as you want things? I think I may just take you up on that offer." That didn't even cause a smile to spread on her face, like it normally would. Nothing seemed funny or cute to her at the moment. "Okay, what can I say so that you're not listening to a bunch of silence. I know, I've been meaning to tell you this, but I didn't really know how to approach this. I'm actually kind of glad that you decided to let me sing with you for your album. I'm very grateful for the opportunity. Lance was definitely right when he said that everyone says you're such a great person. You really are, New York, and you're very talented."
She could hear him take in a deep breath and she could feel the beginnings of a smile, but it wouldn't come out. Not like that one had. "You're probably thinking that I'm an idiot right now, but the truth is, I'm more than happy to work with you. When I first met you, I knew that you were a force to be reckoned with, and I was right. It's definitely going to be fun." He chuckled. "I think I'm just going to hang up before you think I'm totally psycho. Have a good night, or morning, depending on when you're listening to this. I'll see you tomorrow. Bye, New York." She could almost imagine him winking, and shook her head slowly.
Only when he hung up did she realize how much she needed to talk to someone. Not necessarily JC, she thought, because she didn't know him all the well, but she needed to talk to someone. Without even thinking, she picked up the phone and dialed the familiar number, waiting for someone to pick up. When someone did, she almost started crying all over again. "Austin? Hey, it's Brooklyn."
Brooklyn forced herself to smile, even though it was tight on her face. No mark or bruise had shown up, and the redness had disappeared before she went to sleep. Not that she got much sleep that night, she reminded herself, as she walked into Curb Records of Nashville and went straight to the elevator. She and JC had planned to meet in one of the rooms earlier that morning, but she was a little wary of it.
At first. The moment she stepped into the room and saw JC sitting at the table, sipping a cup of coffee, she couldn't help smiling. "Morning, New York." He smiled up at her as she came in and sat down. "You look like you didn't get a lot of sleep last night. Are you all right?" he asked. She was surprised to hear the genuine concern in his voice.
"Not much, really. Bad dream," she added. It all seemed like a bad dream, so she didn't feel that she was lying. With a tired smile, trying to hide her wince, and leaned on her elbow, looking at him. "You look like you slept quite well. I hate you for it," she said, covering her mouth as she yawned.
He looked at her face carefully. "Why don't you try to get a little sleep. I don't mind. I haven't read the paper yet, and I probably need a few more cups of coffee before I'm ready for anything," he said, smiling at her.
She yawned again. "I would love to, but I probably couldn't sleep if I wanted to." Her attention went over to the small couch in the corner, and she looked at it longingly. JC saw where she was looking and grinned to himself. He stood up, feeling his back protest as he did so, and walked over to her side of the table. She didn't even seem to notice as she yawned a third time, still looking at the couch.
He took her arm and pulled her up, walking her over to the couch. "Lay down, and get some sleep. I'll wake you up before we need to go in the studio, all right?" She nodded and laid down on the couch, pulling her feet up. He smiled and moved back to the table, sitting down and picking up the newspaper he had brought with him. Even before he opened it, he could hear that Brooklyn fell asleep, shifting to get more comfortable on the couch.
Chuckling to himself, he opened the paper and started to read through it. He had just gotten to the sports section (and through three cups of coffee) when he checked his watch and noticed that they had to be in the studio to record in a half hour. He crouched down beside the couch and watched her for a moment, not wanting to wake her up. She looked peaceful and at ease...which he had noticed she wasn't that morning.
Sighing deeply (and giving up on his idea of revenge for the moment), he pushed her shoulder gently, watching as she shifted and groaned. Her eyes didn't open, but he knew that she was awake. "I'm up," she mumbled, before sighing. "At least, I think I am." Her feet swung over the edge of the couch and sat there for a moment, pulling a hand through her hair. "Let me guess, we have to be in the studio, right?" she asked, covering her mouth as she yawned.
"Not yet. In a half hour. I thought you might want a cup of coffee or something." She nodded and stood up, rubbing her eyes as she walked over to the coffee urn. Pouring herself a cup, she sat down at the table across from him and reached for the paper, flipping through it before pushing it back.
Her voice was still laced with sleepiness, and they were both glad that they weren't actually singing that day. "Have you ever noticed how depressing the news is?" she asked him. He looked at her, confused. Opening the paper, she began to read. "Killings, missing people, school fights...it's the same every morning. I try not to read that sort of stuff."
JC chuckled, sipping his last cup of coffee. "So, what do you read of the paper?" he asked.
"Entertainment, sports, and the stocks. All I need to know for the day. Who's sleeping with who, who's beating who, and how good my stocks are doing." She grinned brightly, but it fell short when she felt the familiar tightening. She had slept on that side of her face, and it was more sore than it had been when she woke up the first time this morning.
He caught the look on her face and leaned across the table a little. "Are you sure you're all right, New York? You're not looking so hot this morning."
She smirked and sipped her coffee. "You sure know how to impress a lady," she said quietly, wanting more than anything to go back home and crawl underneath the covers for the day. She didn't want anything to do with this Thursday. It was just too much for her.
"I didn't mean it that way. Are you coming down with something? You look kind of pale." He didn't want to add what else he was feeling. She was looking a little like her own shadow was startling her.
Brooklyn shook her head and drained the rest of her coffee with a sigh. "I had a bad dream last night, that's all. Nothing major. If I was coming down with something, I would be the first one at the doctor. That's just the way I am. Thank you, for the concern, though." She smiled a little, as much as she could take without the pain coming back to her face. "Thank you for the phone call last night, too. It definitely made my day better." If it was anyone else, he would have thought that she was flirting with him, but it was Brooklyn sitting across from him. She, as far as JC could tell, as genuinely sweet and to top it off, she had a boyfriend.
He shook his head with a smile. "No problem. Where were you last night? More importantly, should I go into hiding?" She couldn't help grinning at the laughter dancing in his eyes, even if it did hurt.
"Ah, I wouldn't worry about Tim. He's as gentle as a pussy cat." The obvious lie caught her off guard, but she continued anyway. "We worked through everything last night, more or less. A straight talking to told him that you weren't about to kidnap me and fly me off to God knows where to be your squaw."
"You don't know how much I want to. Please, say you'll be mine, New York."
She shook her head slowly, brushing the hair out of her face. "I take it that you're never going to use my name ever again. I like it, though. I definitely like it." With a sigh, she checked her watch. "Come on, we have to head to the studio," she said, picking up her bag. She had already dropped off her guitar in the studio before she came up here, since she didn't want to be carrying it everywhere with her that morning. Of course, she didn't know that she was going to take an impromptu nap on the couch, but it seemed lately that she couldn't make a plan to save her life.
They walked down the hall to a slightly busy room, where Brooklyn stood there for a moment with her hands on her hips. "Well, now, don't you look like a sorry bunch of people. What did you do on the past four days, feed yourself twenty four hours a day?" she asked the five people standing towards the back. Introductions and hugs were done, before Brooklyn and JC walked into the connecting room. She picked up her guitar out of the case and began to tune it, while she looked at the sheet music in front of her.
With a wry smile, she looked around. This is what she loved, she thought, as she watched everyone scurry around, trying to get everything ready. The music in front of them was bound to change ten more times throughout the day, and it looked like it had already been changed a few times. Her eyeglasses went over her eyes, and she scanned it quickly, trying to remember the changes that had been made. "We almost ready?" she called out.
"Just a second, Brooke. You want to give us a couple of bars and see if the level is right?" a man asked. She nodded and took her pick in hand, strumming a familiar song to all of them but JC. "You would play that one. All right, JC, would you mind giving us a few bars now?"
Without a word, JC played the same part of melody he had played at Brooklyn's house, before he stopped and looked towards the glass encased room. "Cool. Let's get this thing started. Brooke, you'll need to use the headphones. Don't come in...well, you can read, I'm sure."
She reached for the bulky headphones and pulled them over her ears. "I wouldn't be too sure about that. My English teacher would have loved to tell you otherwise," she said with a shake of her head. The man behind the glass smirked.
They were given a warming before JC started to play. She listened to both his playing and the rough cut that her musicians had done that morning, as she readjusted the guitar on her lap. She counted off in her head, and started to strum, looking at the papers that were spread across the top of the piano for her.
The first time they went through it, they weren't being recorded, and Brooklyn had a strange thought that what they had just done was probably what they were going to do for the entire morning. She kept her thoughts to herself, and waited to hear what the man was going to say. "That was good, guys. Exactly how you have to do it when you're recorded. Do you want to do it now, or should we let Brooklyn have a little bathroom break?" he asked, trying not to laugh.
Brooklyn pushed off the headphones so that they hung around her neck and she smirked at the man. "Excuse me, but my bathroom habits have changed since that album. It wasn't my fault that I drank so much coffee in the mornings. I just...had to go. When a girl has to go pee, a girl has to go pee. No ifs, ands, or buts, about it." She held onto her guitar and stuck out her tongue. "I'm sure we can do this once before I actually do have to go to the bathroom."
JC looked to see her musicians shaking their heads and laughing, though he couldn't hear them. The headphones were replaced, the two of them got ready, and they waited for everyone in the room to be set up again. Once they were, they started one more time, almost as good as the first time. Halfway through, a strange twang came from Brooklyn's guitar, causing both of them to laugh. "Sorry about that. Just let me replace the string and we're as good as new," she said, getting off her tool and reaching into her guitar case.
Replacing the broken string didn't take very long, and by the time she sat back down, the music was cued up for her a second time. They couldn't start from the middle or any other place than the beginning, because it was too complicated for them to get it right.
By the ninth try that day, lunch was called, and the two slid out the door quickly before they could be asked to stay. "Food. I need food." JC chuckled at her comment as they stepped into the elevator to the lobby floor. It seemed that every day, at the same time, they were in the elevator, to head to the diner. Not that either of them minded. Both liked the familiar pattern, since the music industry could be so unpredictable and unfamiliar three quarters of the time. Brooklyn had to stop herself from climbing into the cab of her truck and driving back home when she looked at it. It looked like her only haven.
All during the night, Brooklyn had been sitting on her couch in the music room, almost rigidly. The instrumental of the song was playing on her stereo, and the page with the lyrics were in front of her, as she tried to make sure she knew her cues. It seemed a little wrong it sit there and just read the words that JC was supposed to sing, but she had no choice but to sing like this.
Every time a car went by on her road, or she saw a shadow pass by her window, she couldn't help flinching a little. Everything seemed to be Tim coming over, and that was the last thing that she wanted. She needed to relax a little, but she didn't see how that was possible. If she didn't keep busy, she kept flashing back to what happened the night before.
Sighing, she dropped the paper on the table and walked over to the CD player, shutting off the machine. Silence filled the room for a moment before a pair of headlights swept through the room. She groaned and walked over to the door, checking to make sure it was locked. She knew that Tim would have his key with him, so she had also slipped in the deadbolts, to make sure that he couldn't get in.
The engine outside shut off, and she leaned against the opposite side of the door, as she listened to someone get out of the vehicle and slam the door shut. Whoever it was sounded angry, or not paying attention. All she needed was an angry person. Her ears listened carefully as someone walked up her driveway and onto the porch. No knock sounded, but she could hear keys dangling in the person's hand as they searched for the right one. She closed her eyes and prayed for stability, as she heard the key slip into the lock. It turned with its usual click, and the door opened slightly. "What the...she would do this to me, wouldn't she? Brooke? You in there?" a voice called.
She almost broke into tears when she heard it. Hurrying to unlock the deadbolt, she swung the door open and grinned, despite the pain. "Austin! My God," she exclaimed, jumping into his arms. The bags he was holding fell onto the porch with a loud thump, and his arms wrapped around her. She pulled back to place a kiss on his cheek and smile at her brother. He had the same honey brown hair was her, kept a little long, but without the honey blonde streaks she had. Same green eyes, but his face was a little more broader, definitely more masculine. "What are you doing here?" she asked, pulling him inside and throwing his bags in after him.
He laughed as he pulled off his shoes, and tossed them beside her cowboy boots. "You're still wearing those?" he asked, pointing to them. He turned around to look at her. "You're looking great, Brooklyn. A little tired, a little pale, but good, nonetheless. Did you sleep well last night?" he asked, putting a hand on her forehead. She rolled her eyes as he went through his usual procedure of checking her over to make sure that she wasn't sick and that she was still his sister, in a way.
"I'm fine. You still haven't answered my question, but you look like you need some food. I know I do, hint hint," she added, pushing him with her elbow. She closed the door and locked it before she pulled him into the kitchen.
He looked around, before opening the fride and looking inside. "Your lack of cooking skills never fails to amaze me. I'm here because, unless you've forgotten, you said that I could stay here now that I stopped payment on my apartment." She nodded knowingly. "I can't believe that you forgot about me, Brooklyn, but that sounds like you."
She smiled and hopped up on the counter, as the phone rang. "Just a sec, and then you can grill me," she said with a smile, leaning over to pick up the handset. "Hello, Turner residence," she said, trying not to laugh at Austin's face.
"What's up?"
Trying to get more comfortable, she watched as Austin took out some food at random and went to look through her cupboards. He was taller than her, so he didn't have to hop up on the counter, but when he made his way to the cupboard that she had been looking through the night that JC was there, she couldn't help laughing. "Hey, JC. Nothing's going on over here, other than the fact that my brother's trying to cook me something."
He chuckled. "I hope he's better at it than you are." Her mouth dropped open and her eyebrows raised dangerously high. "Oh, close your mouth, New York. You're catching flies."
"You already know me too well, boy," she said with a chuckle, looking to see Austin spin around, his eyebrows raised much like hers had been. She waved him away. "So, what can I do for you, or are you bored again?" she asked sarcastically.
"Nope. I was planning on watching Jay Leno for awhile, but I just wanted to know when we had to be at the studio. I don't exactly remember."
She shook her head, almost like he could see her. "We're not meeting at the studio. You have to be up and at the diner by nine because I want breakfast. Hope you don't mind," she added.
"Not at all. I'll see you there, then. Thanks."
She hung up the phone and looked at her older brother's face. "Don't go crazy on me, now. I'm still dating Tim." His face dropped, and he turned back around without a word. "I know, I know. You don't like him, and he doesn't care for you, either. That was JC, the guy that's singing with me on the new album. Nothing more than that. Man, you and Tim think too much alike."
He let out a half snort, and shook his head while he cut up a few vegetables. "I really didn't want to know that." He paused for a moment, and reached for another piece of celery. "So, who is this guy and has he been treating my baby sister good?"
"Baby sister? I'm your only sister, so I have to be the baby of the family." He turned around to give her a look, but joined in when she started to laugh. "He's nice. You probably don't care for the type of music he sings, you and I being such big country fans and all. He sings pop music, the group NSYNC, really. Still, he's cool. Amazing voice, and he plays the piano like a dream."
Austin smiled as he started to peel a carrot. "Come here and do me a favor. I'm not cooking, but you can at least make the dip for me. Just dump that packet into that bowl and add six tablespoons of sour cream." She nodded and walked over to mix the powder, as he kept talking. "Hate to tell you this, Brooklyn, but you've got that sound in your voice like you've fallen in love," he said with a laugh.
"You goon. You'll never drop that, will you? Just because I said I thought that John Michael Montgomery's dimples were sexy...not like you don't drool all over Faith Hill whenever her videos are on." He grinned brightly at the comment and started to cut the carrots beside her on the wooden cutting board. "How long are you staying here?" she asked.
"How long am I welcome?" he asked.
The first thought that came into her mind was that Tim wouldn't come over as often if her brother was staying with her. That made her smile a little, since she wanted to give him a little time to cool down before they talked about what happened the night before. "Your welcome as long as you want to be here. You know that, Austin. When have I ever kicked you out of my house?"
He stuck his finer in the bowl of ranch dip and sucked on it for a moment. "Perfect. You kicked me out of your house last New Years, when you called a taxi for me and forced me into it."
She rolled her eyes. "You were deadset on leaving, you were drunk out of your mind, and you wanted to drive. It was the only way I could actually get you home, and you have to admit, I paid the driver quite handsomely. I could have left you to do that, but no, your little sister does it for you. I swear, if you don't love me, there's something terribly wrong there." They brought the dip and sliced vegetables to the table and sat there, munching slowly. "So, how was your trip. How is California this time of year?" she asked.
"Hot, like always," he said with a smile. "It wasn't bad, but I would much have rather been here with you." She sighed and batted her eyelashes at him comically. "Have you had a vacation yet?" She shook her head because she was busy chewing on a piece of carrot. The piece that was still in her hand reached out for the dip and sunk into it again. "You better be glad that I don't mind you double dipping."
"Yes, Mr. I Went To Cooking School. Like double dipping is a crime." She rolled her eyes and ate the piece of carrot, sighing happily. He knew how to make her happy, and vegetables with ranch dip.
He smiled at reached for a piece of celery. "How have you and Tim been getting along?" he asked innocently. However, he kept his gaze on her, waiting to see her reaction. She smirked but didn't say a word. "Is it that bad?" he asked.
Brooklyn brushed back her hair behind her ears and sighed. "It's not that bad, I guess. It's just that he's into his fighting, you never spend enough time with me and I hate you career, arguments. Not only that, but he accused me of sleeping around with JC. I mean, come on. I have to be the most loyal person in the world."
"I'll give you that," he murmured.
By then, she was on a roll. "I suppose he's just looking for a scapegoat, since he doesn't want to tell me what he's really feeling. The only thing I don't like is that he's pulling JC into this. He's one of the sweetest, nicest people I've ever met, in fact, he's sort of like you. Just because I think he's sweet doesn't mean that I'm sleeping with him. I just wish that he would get that through his thick skull, and that he would understand that I have a career in which I have to travel and be away for long periods of time in the studio."
Austin shifted in his seat and picked up a carrot stick, dunking it blindly. "Well, I understand that, but then again, I've been with you since the beginning." Brooklyn nodded and stole a piece of celery. "Maybe you two just aren't going to make it. You never know. He probably just can't help but miss his bank account every time she's on the road."
She stared at him as her eyebrows crept up very slowly. He matched her look, almost like every time she pulled the look on him. "That was cruel. It's also not fair. He's been living off of his bonds that his parents gave him when he was younger. I do not give him any money." She broke off and ran her hands through her hair. "Well, not much. I occasionally pay for pizza or for dinner or something, but not very often."
"I love how old fashioned you are." He chuckled before looking at her. "I'm sorry, Brooke. I didn't mean that. I just don't like that guy."
She smiled, shaking her head slightly. There was no one that she loved more in the world than her brother, but she couldn't help thinking he was wrong. There was nothing wrong with Tim in her mind, but he had thought that from the moment that he had met her now boyfriend. It stuck in her mind how much they disliked each other, but tried to keep it civil, for her sake. Still, no one was more important in her life than Austin, and if he ever told her to leave him, she probably would, no questions asked. He would never ask that, though. She knew that. He had told her many times that he could have stopped her from doing many things, but he wanted her to learn from her own mistakes. She just didn't think that Tim was a mistake.
"All right, I believe you. Now, let's go get your room set up, because I am dead tired." She caught his look and smiled charmingly, the one smile that caused him to do whatever she wanted. This time, it was because she wanted him to believe her, and the smile would do it. "I had to be up early this morning, that's all."
JC was having his usual morning conversation with Molly when the door to the diner opened again. The conversation usually consisted of JC trying to explain that he wasn't interested in Brooklyn, and Molly trying to convince him that he was. She had been singing the girl's praises the past few days, and he had listened carefully, but kept denying it, which was the truth. He wasn't interested in Brooklyn. "Molly, there will never be anything between me and New York. She has a boyfriend, and we both have very busy careers. Simple as that."
She shook her head and filled up his coffee cup for the first time that morning. "Honey, you two were made for each other. I think you're just too cute. Besides, she needs a good man like you."
This time, he shook his head. "Molly, there is nothing between us and there never will be. She's a sweet girl, but I'm not interested in her that way."
A masculine voice answered from behind him, and for a moment, he thought it was Tim. "Thank the Lord, because I don't want to hear that." He turned, very slowly, waiting to hear more, but instead, he was greeted by the sight of Brooklyn punching the arm of a man that looked suspiciously like her.
"Hey, good morning. Molly, leave the poor guy alone, all right?" she asked with a smile, slipping onto her stool. Austin sat beside her, laughing.
Her mouth dropped open before she smiled brightly. "Well, hello, stranger. It's been awhile since you've been around here. How was your vacation?" she asked, pouring two more cups of coffee.
Austin grinned brightly. "It was good, but lacking of that diner food that I love so much. Can I have my usual, please, if you remember it."
"Of course I do. Brooke?" She nodded, distracted, as she sipped her coffee. "All right. I suppose you want the same, too, JC?" He nodded as well. "Boy, you're a talkative bunch. I'll be right back." That comment made Brooklyn burst out laughing when she remembered forcing JC to scream in her kitchen. It definitely was an experience.
She turned to look at him and smiled. "You look awake. That's good," she said, brushing her hair behind her ear. That gesture was something that he would probably always associate with his memory of her. "JC, this is my older brother, Austin. Austin, this is JC Chasez, the artist that's collaborating with me on the new album." She smiled down in her coffee cup and leaned back as the two shook hands. "I dragged him along with me, because he has to get to work somehow, and I'm his only ride."
Austin raised his eyebrows slowly, causing JC to chuckle. It was strange to see someone do the expression that he was used to seeing on Brooklyn's face. She matched it, turning to look at him. "Excuse me, I have a car, Brooklyn. I could have driven myself."
She smirked and turned back around. "Yeah, but you would have gotten stuck halfway to Nashville. You have no gas, and of course, you don't have enough time in the morning to fill it up, so who has to drive? That's right, baby sister right here. Uh huh, that's me." She turned back to JC and grinned. "He's just so annoying, isn't he?"
His eyes widened and his hands went up in the air. "Oh, no way. I am not getting involved in your family argument. Just ignore me."
With s sigh, she stood up from her stool. "I'll be right back. Play nice boys," she said, pushing her brother as she walked by. Both men waited until she had disappeared into the bathroom.
Austin seemed uncomfortable, but a look of protectiveness crept into his eyes. "JC, let me ask you something." JC looked worried, but he chuckled, to reassure him that he wasn't going to do any damage. "It's not about Brooklyn. It's about Tim, her boyfriend. Have you met him yet?" he asked, sipping his coffee as he watched his reaction.
JC was more that used to speaking in interviews, and he made his face blank, like the question wasn't affecting him. "Yeah, I met him two days ago. Why?"
He leaned forward a little and smiled. "Did you like the guy?" When JC thought about him answer, he continued. "I'm not telling Brooklyn, she won't even know about this conversation. I just want to know what you think, and I want the truth. Nothing but the truth."
"Okay. As long as she never hears about this." Austin nodded quickly, and crossed his arms on the bar, smiling as Molly as she walked past. "I didn't care for him all that much. He seemed...I don't know how to put it."
"Possessive, jealous, angry...should I even bother to go on?" He turned to look at the young singer and smiled. "I know that you're not going to be around here much longer, and I don't know how close you and Brooklyn are, but I can't be at the studio with her, as much as I would like to. If that bastard comes anywhere near her, speaks to her in the wrong way, whatever, can you make sure that she's all right? You don't have to beat him up or anything. Tell me and I'd be more than happy to, but if something seems amiss with them..." he trailed off, unsure of how to continued. "Well, just watch out for her. If anything happens to my baby sister, I'm putting the blame on the bastard, but you're around her more than I can be during the day. That's all."
He nodded and picked up his coffee. "Yeah, no problem." The words slipped out easily, but suddenly, he was contemplating what Austin had told him. He wanted him to protect her, as if he was sure something would happen. A frown appeared on his face, but hid it quickly by sipping his coffee very slowly. He didn't think that what was happening between Brooklyn and Tim was all that bad, and he didn't want to interfere with Brooklyn's life, but that one comment stuck in his mind.
She reappeared and pulled herself up on the stool moments before the food appeared in front of them. "Thank God. You'd think Austin would actually cook my breakfast once in awhile."
"Honey, I cook all day long. I cook for a living. What makes you think that I want to cook for you?" he asked, adding syrup to his pancakes.
Brooklyn had to swallow a bite of her omelet before answering, but she was more than happy to. "You have to earn your keep, buddy. You're not staying at my house for free, you know. I mean, I have bills to pay, I have stuff to buy, I have..." she trailed off, trying to find something else to add.
"You're rich," both men said in unison, not looking up.
Her mouth dropped open, and she slammed her fork down. "Fine. Just gang up on me." She cleared her throat and picked up the silver utensil, proceeding to eat again. "And for your information, I'm not rich. I'm well off. I'm sure that JC understands what I mean."
He nodded, pushing his now empty plate away. Austin followed closely, and Brooklyn looked up with a shocked look on her face. "What? If you would stop talking and eat, you might be done faster, too. At least your food wouldn't be cold." She made a face and continued eating slowly, watching the clock above her head with one eye. By the time she was finished, both men were working on their third cups of coffee. "Well, we need to be in the studio in about ten minutes. Should we head over?" he asked.
She nodded, as dropped some money on the counter, before Austin picked it up and threw it at her. "My treat, for once." He pulled out his wallet and dropped enough money for all three breakfasts. "If you don't put that money away, you don't want to know what I'm going to do to you," he warned JC, as he was pulling his wallet out. His hand came back slowly and he shook his head.
"Take it. Believe me, Austin never pays for anything. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity." She grinned as the three of them walked out, and very reluctantly, Brooklyn reached into her bag, passing her brother her keys. "You know that I'm doin this under protest. I should just make you walk." She sighed and looked over at her truck, gleaming in its parking spot. "Listen to me, if anything happens to my truck, you're dead. I don't care if you're my brother, or that you're bigger than me, or that you can beat me up in a second. I will kill you. Please, park around the back, too. It's secured." She stepped up on her toes and placed a kiss on his cheek. "Have fun and bring something good home for dinner. Maybe that roasted chicken that I love so much.
He grinned and walked over to her truck, unlocking the driver's side door. "What did you do without me, starve? Have a good day, you two," he called before slamming the door behind him. Both of them waved, and walked across the street to the studio.
"He's going to do something bad to my baby, I just know it. It's my only form of transportation, and he's going to mangle it. Great," she moaned as they walked into the building. She waved to the front desk secretary and got into the elevator beside JC. "So, how has your morning been?" she asked him.
Leaning against the wall, JC shoved his hand in his pockets and smiled. "Obviously not as fun as yours. What time did you wake up?"
She started to laugh, rocking back on her heels. The sound was one of pure happiness, something that made him smile. She seemed to have forgotten whatever was bothering her the day before, because he thought that she looked a lot better than yesterday. "Austin was freaking out because first, he couldn't find the new recipe that they're using at the restaurant today, and he also couldn't find that white thing that he calls a chef's outfit. To me, it looks like a bag, but hey, just my opinion. Plus, that hat. Now that's attractive." She giggled again as the doors opened and they stepped out. It was still early, and there didn't seem to be a lot of people in the building yet. He knew that it was going to change within the hour.
They walked into a different studio than the day before, and she smiled at the people sitting around the room. Once everyone was introduced, the two of them went into the glass encased room, sitting down on the stools. Brooklyn and JC slipped on the bulky headphones, listening to the woman behind all the of technology. "Are the two of you prepped and ready for this?" she asked cheerfully.
Brooklyn nodded and leaned forward into the microphone. "Yeah, just about. I suppose you have something for me to warm up with, don't you?"
The woman nodded and played around with a few buttons, but didn't look up. "Hurt me okay? It's all I could come up with on short notice."
"Work for me." She sat there, waiting for the music to start, and when it did, she smiled, licking her lips before the melody began.
"Don't act like I don't know what I'm talking about,
Don't forget that I'm the one, who knows you inside-out.
You can't even answer when I ask you what's wrong,
Just how much longer can the silence go on?"
She stopped after the chorus and smiled. "I'm warmed up."
"Okay. JC, I grabbed one of your songs, too. You don't know how hard it was to find out but I hope one off of your CD will do fine. Here you go." He completed his warm up, and the two sat there, waiting for the song they had worked on yesterday to begin. Brooklyn shifted the papers on the music stand in front of her, trying to find the right on. She finally did, and placed it in front of her, putting on her reading glasses.
The first take was okay, but they weren't being recorded for that. Once the music was cued up, they went through it again, but stopped halfway through when JC sneezed. He smiled innocently. "Sorry about that. Didn't mean for that to happen."
The tape was recued, and Brooklyn leaned forward, singing her part first. She was broken off after the second line, being told that it wasn't good enough. "Boy, you guys make me feel awesome about this," she said sarcastically, rolling her eyes behind the glasses. By the time Brooklyn finished with her first verse, it was a little past lunch, and they dropped the headphone tiredly on the stands, before walking out. They were told to be there in exactly an hour, which meant they wouldn't have enough time to run into the diner. Her glasses were pushed up on her head as they made their way down to the crew room at the end of the hall. "Believe me, you don't want to be in the cafeteria. It takes forever to even get to the food," she said with a smile, opening the door. The tables were stacked with sandwiches, fruits, and every kind of junk food available. She picked up a chocolate doughnut and sighed, dropping onto a chair. "Is it just me or is the first song always the hardest?" she asked, closing her eyes as she bit into her food.
JC chuckled, picking up a bag of chips and passing her a bottle of water. She grabbed at it blindly, and opened the top, sipping at it. "It seems to be. It probably doesn't help that you're singing with someone, either."
"Just because I'm a solo doesn't mean that I can't sing with anyone," she said, mock chastising him. "I mean, come on. I have talent...I hope." She broke out into laughter. "What, you think it's your fault? You of all people should know how long it takes for them to actually be happy enough with the song to use a portion of it," she said with a smile. Her eyes were still closed.
He grinned, even though she couldn't see him. She seemed to sense it, though, and she opened her eyes to look at him. It was that same boyish grin that made her smile back. "I wasn't blaming myself. I was going to blame you." She looked up at him, still smiling. He couldn't help laughing at the fact that she was so unaffected by his comment. "Does anything bother you?" he asked, leaning back in his chair.
She crossed her legs and finished off her doughnut. "I lot of stuff bothers me, but why worry about it? I'm too young to have gray hair." Shrugging, Brooklyn snagged one of his chips and chewed it furiously for a moment. She had that same thoughtful look on her face that she had worn when they had been looking over the songs together to choose one. Her brow was furrowed, and her eyes were squinted, while she bit her lip. He examined her closely, knowing that she wouldn't catch on to that.
He had never really taken the time to look at her, but now, he was glad that he did. Her slightly tanned face had a small dusting of freckles over the bridge of her nose, making her seem more cute than beautiful. When his eyes were pulled away from the freckles, he noticed that she was beautiful, but not incredibly. She looked more...normal than most girls he met. Her dark green eyes showed the intelligence and humor that she applied to everything in life. They twinkled, catching the overhead light, and he could just catch the gold flecks hidden in them. Her cheekbones weren't pronounced, her lips weren't full like all the women that tried to hang off of him when they went out, but she did have the same thick, long eyelashes that they did. He hadn't seen a woman without makeup in a long time, but she pulled it off, and looked better, in his opinion. There wasn't anything fake or phony about her. She wasn't the thinnest woman, she wasn't the most well-endowed, but she still looked beautiful.
Her head finally came up, and he busied himself with looking into his chip bag to pull one out. "Sorry, what were we talking about?" she asked, blushing. "I think I lost track of it."
He smiled, grabbing his bottle of water. "That's okay, I did to." They both feel silent, and Brooklyn reached onto the table, taking hold of another doughnut. She ate quietly, looking up at the lights in the ceiling. For some reason, she had fallen into her thoughts and couldn't get out of them.
The phone ringing in the little room startled both of them before Brooklyn picked it up, pressing the flashing button. "Hey, you've reached the crew room," she said pleasantly. She nodded a few times. "Sure, put him through." She waited, twisting the phone cord around her finger. "Hey, Tim. What's up?" she asked. JC watched her closely, Austin's words bouncing back to him. She made a face before rolling her eyes. "I'm working right now. Can't it wait?" Her voice was getting impatient. "Tim, it's my lunch break, and a very short one at that. JC and I have been working on the song since early this morning and-" He figured that she was cut off, since she quieted slightly.
"Do you want me to leave?" he mouthed to her. She shook her head and listened intently.
"This isn't funny. I can't believe that you're doing this to me, at work of all places." Her eyes widened. "No, calm down, all right? I didn't mean it like that. No, I won't be able to meet you for dinner. I'm going to spend it with Austin, since he came home last night." She let out a short groan of frustration. "No, we're not going out. He's bringing home some of that chicken that I love. Why, afraid that someone's going to hit on me?" Her voice snapped at him, and JC couldn't help trying to stand up to leave the room. He didn't want to be involved in the argument, since he knew that Tim didn't care much for him, but he also wanted Brooklyn to have her privacy, just in case she really wanted to let him have it.
Instead, her les were thrown across his lap to keep him there, and she gave him a glare, almost asking for help. "Tim, don't....how dare you. I am not sleeping with him. Would you like him to tell you that?" she asked, looking towards JC. He shook his head quickly, putting up his hands like he had that day at breafast. She smirked at him, the gesture alone telling him that he was a wimp. He nodded willingly to that, making her burst out into laughter. "No, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to laugh and interrupt you. Please, continue. I'm just so interested." She closed her eyes, as if in pain, and listened intently. "Yes, Austin is staying at my place. Where else would-" She broke off and stared at the phone. "That is the last time he hangs up on me," she said, putting the handset down. "And what's up with you, the big wimp?" she asked teasingly.
He took in her slightly pale face, and her dismayed eyes before smiling brightly. When she didn't smile back, he knew something was up with her. "He doesn't care for me, as it is, and I don't want to get involved. You don't know how nasty guys can get when there's no female around to hear them."
The eyebrows went up, causing him to laugh. "Oh, really? And do you think that us females are perfect? We can talk incredibly nasty if need be. I just choose not to," she added, trying not to laugh. "Seriously, though. I stand by my comment that all men are scum. Except for my brother. He's a different kind of scum."
He nodded slowly, using her eyebrow trick. She covered her mouth, laughing harder in his presence than before. He stopped himself from joining her and kept the eyebrows in the air before he had to drop them. "I could probably use a little more practice with that look, but it wasn't that bad, was it?" She shook her head, quieting down to the occasional giggle. "So, you're telling me that I'm scum?" he asked slowly, watching for her reaction.
"Did I stutter, JC? I believe that I called you scum...why?" she asked, a nervous giggle entering her voice. The smile disappeared from her face. "Why are you looking at me like that?" she asked before her eyes widened. "Bye," she said quickly, getting out of her chair moments before he reached for her. She ran out the door, JC close on her heels.
She turned the corner and avoided a collision with an intern, who grinned as he watched her run by. She continued down the hall until she hit the stairs. She didn't want to risk waiting for the elevator, especially when JC was about to get revenge for two things that she said to him. She could hear his laughter echoing in the stairwell as she thumped down in her cowboy boots, gripping the guardrail to pin her around the corner. She looked up briefly, to see him further away than when he had started, but still close enough.
Brooklyn burst out of the stairwell into the lobby and grinned as she pushed past two men in suits, who smiled and laughed before continuing. JC came out after her and watched her retreating figure as she turned the corner. Since he was wearing sneakers, and he had longer legs, he caught up to her as she ran outside into the courtyard. A few people sitting around, including some of the recording artists, looked up, cheering on JC, even though they didn't know him. Brooklyn usually shot her mouth off, and this was a usual occurrence at the studio.
She managed to get halfway across the courtyard before his arms wrapped around his waist and he pulled her up into the air. "Take it back, New York," he warned her.
She shook her head as she was hung up over his shoulder. Now, everyone was paying attention to them. "Isn't someone going to help me over here?" she called out, looking at all the faces around her, all of which were trying desperately not to laugh.
"Knowing you, Brooklyn, you deserve it," a man called out, grinning. She dropped her mouth open and stared at him for a moment.
"Fine, see if I buy your next CD, Tim," she added, before pounding on JC's back. "Put me down. I refuse to take it back and you can't make me."
He grinned as he gripped her legs a little tighter. There was a small fountain in the middle of the courtyard that caught his attention, and he walked over to it slowly. Once he was there, he turned around to let her see. She let out a terrified shriek and began to squirm even more. "Don't be too sure about that, New York. Don't be too sure."
Chapter Four
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