Chapter Fifteen
"You are spoiled." He said the words slowly, as if talking to a child. Brooklyn turned around and swung her purse at him, hitting him on the arm. "Seriously, you're spoiled."
She nodded slowly. "And who was the one that wouldn't come down to Nashville to go shopping with me if I didn't use the Rent-A-Bodies? Hm...I think that was you, JC. Of course, I could be wrong. It could be just another cute pop star that I mistook for you, but somehow, I doubt it." She stuck her tongue out and started to walk down the street.
He smirked, following after her. Looking over his shoulder, he was happy to see the three bodyguards behind him. Brooklyn had to do a lot of talking to get them to follow him, instead of her, like they were hired to do, but somehow, she managed to do it, and do it well. Now, the three guards were at his disposal for the day, but he honestly didn't want to know how much extra she had paid them for their services. "Weren't you just the one that bought a four hundred dollar dress and is having it delivered to the studio so that they'll put it on the bus for you? Of course, I could be wrong. It could be just another cute country star that I mistook for you, but somehow, I doubt it." Her mouth fell open when she heard her own words being thrown back at her.
"You're an evil, evil man, Joshua Scott Chasez. That's all I have to say about you."
"Thank you." He walked closer to her, and bent his head down to her ear, whispering lowly. "You know, I love the way you say my name," he said, trying not to laugh. She shook her head with a laugh. Pushing him away, she stopped in the window of a confectioner's shop, looking longingly at the chocolates that were being made by hand.
With a smile and without turning her head, she spoke to him. "You better be glad that I enjoy this adorable little act of yours because normally, I wouldn't put up with it. If you weren't famous and so wanted by millions of screaming teenagers, you wouldn't be around anymore."
He slid his arm around her waist and pulled her close to him in a half hug. "Please, New York, I know that you enjoy this, and enjoy it far too much at that. Besides, I may have the screaming teenagers, but you have the forty and fifty year old men that want to put their cowboy boots under your bed."
Turning her head to look at him finally, she smiled into his cobalt eyes. "Are you jealous that there isn't a place for your...sneakers under there?" she asked, after looking down at his feet. "I mean, there's not a lot of room under there. I have certain spots for certain men, but I just haven't found yours yet." Pulling one of his tricks, she raised herself up on her toes and put her hands on his shoulder, moving her mouth suspiciously close to his ear. "Unless you'd like me to clear a spot for you." With an evil grin at his shocked face, she moved back and walked into the shop.
"I've been corrupting her, I see, and that's not a smart thing to do," he confided to the closest bodyguard, who had smiled at Brooklyn's comments before he followed her in. Instantly, he was hit by the warming scent of melted chocolate and a few other smells that he couldn't distinguish. "New York, you're drooling. They should be thankful for the glass case, huh," he said to her, rubbing a hand over her head.
The whole morning and afternoon had been nothing but a big joke fest to both of them. From the teasing, to the occasional disgusting joke, they had been trying to get each other since they had woken up. Austin had already claimed defeat, going over to a friend's house, but pride was on the line for the two of them, and they weren't going to back down so easily. Brooklyn's fiery attitude and quick tongue had helped in the contest, but JC's well-thought responses and occasional friendly flirting was helping him out immensely.
Without missing a beat, she smoothed down her hair and grinned. "Sorry, I was drooling at your reflection. I really have to meet your parents and thank them for parenting such a beautiful child." She pretended to gag herself with her finger after that and moved over to look at the selections of fudge.
"Oh, do you think that highly of me? You're putting me up on a pedestal here. I'm going to have a complex soon."
"Believe me, you already do," she muttered to herself. "Three pieces of this, please," she said to the woman behind the counter, smiling brightly at her. "Hey, JC, what do you think about fudge?" she asked, a slow grin spreading on her face.
He shrugged his shoulders. "It's okay, why?"
"Well...I probably should have been more clear." She stepped closer to him and ran her hands up his chest, much to the surprise of the woman. She wrapped them around his neck and started to play with the hair at the nape of his neck. "What I meant to say," she began, lowering her voice to a sultry tone, "is what do you think of being covered with fudge and having me lick it all off?" she asked, placing a slow kiss on his cheek.
When she stepped away, he blinked twice and let out a deep breath. "If I faint, does that mean that I lost the contest?" She nodded with a giggle. "Don't faint. Don't faint. Come on, you can do this, you're not going to faint," he repeated to himself, closing his eyes. Finally, he reopened them and grinned at her. "No effect on me whatsoever."
"My ass," she whispered, paying the woman and walking by with the small box of fudge.
"And what a fine behind that is. Back that ass up, girl. Back that ass up."
Giggling, she covered her mouth and batted her eyelashes at him innocently. "Why would you say that? 'Cause baby got back?" she asked with a wink, skipping away from him.
"Wait, I thought that you only listened to country and alternative. When did you start to listen to pop slash rap music? New York, you're cheating. You're lying, cheating, scum."
She stopped and turned to look at him. Her eyes sparkled in the late morning sun, before she pulled a pair of sunglasses down from where they were nestled in her hair. "Oh, so now, I'm scum? If I remember correctly, that position is already filled by the entire male population of the world. Don't you remember my declaration when I first met you? That all men are scum, and I think I added something about you in there."
JC nodded, sighing. "Yeah, you said, 'present company included', and those were your exact words."
"So, you have a better memory than I do. Big deal. Oh, and the Sir Mix-A-Lot song? An old boyfriend from high school said that it was my song one time." She smiled sweetly, her right hand going towards her engagement ring. She had forgotten that she had taken it off that morning and put it in her purse so that no one would notice it. She sighed softly, to herself, when she realized it. They had started walking down the street when he wrapped his arm around her again. She read the question in his eyes and smiled faintly. "Temporary truce?" He nodded. "I'm sick of living a double life. I know that it's been going on for a long time. I mean, there's Brooklyn Turner, the singer, and then there's Brooklyn Turner, the...what? I don't even know. I just...I can't wait to let everyone know about the engagement so that I don't have to do this anymore."
Again, he nodded. "Publicity can be a bitch, but I think that you're pretty well used to it by now." She nodded slowly. "So, when are you letting every one know about the...you know," he added, just in case anyone had been listening.
"I have no clue. I have no interviews coming up anytime soon. I'm going to have to talk it over with everyone and see what they say. I have a feeling that I won't be taking off the ring for the award show, so if I don't mention it before that, I suppose that's when everyone is going to know." She sighed, and looped her arm through his. "Can we stop talking about this for a moment? I want to enjoy this day. I haven't been able to spend a day like this with you in ages. I miss it."
He grinned, waiting for the red light ahead of them to change. "Are you kidding? These shopping trips with you are the highlight over my vacations. You're not all...girly about it."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing. I didn't mean anything by...damn, you got me again. This contest still isn't over, you know that. You haven't won yet."
With a laugh, she pulled him across the street, waving to someone in a car. It was obviously a fan, because the window rolled down, and she shouted how much she loved Brooklyn. "That makes a person feel wanted," she said with a little chuckle. "I will win this, JC. There is no way that you can beat me. I've always won these contests." She stopped talking for a moment and then looked up at him. "Hey, how are we supposed to know when we win, anyway? We never discussed that."
His mouth opened, and then shut quickly. He frowned, walking along with her. They hadn't talked about how the contest would end. All he knew was that their prides were at stake, and the winner wasn't going to let the loser down easily. "I'm not sure. I guess it's just like calling 'uncle'. We should have thought this out."
Her head nodded. "Yeah, most likely. Of course, that isn't your strong suit, now is it? Thinking."
"Gee, New York, did the light bulb just come on?"
"Cute, JC. I can smell the wood burning."
"Uh huh. I can hear your wheel turning. You need to oil that sucker."
"Did you find two brain cells to rub together?"
They had just gotten into the heat of the contest now, and both could tell that this was heading towards the end. They were shooting out comments lightning fast, and not putting all that much thought into it. Now, it was a contest of comebacks, and it couldn't last that much longer.
"I'm not the one that has the blonde hair," he said, picking up a piece of hers and running his fingers through it. That was the one guilty pleasure that he had towards Brooklyn. He could never get over how soft her hair was. How it smelled, how it felt, how it looked...he loved everything about it. Her hair was her glory, her one indulgence, and he could tell why.
She smiled brightly and pulled the hair away from him. "Highlights, and they're natural, thank you very much. "Wait, I was mistaken. You only have one brain cell, so I suppose that you had to fold it in half and rub it together." Her smile was triumphant. She knew that she had this one in the bag.
Instead, his cobalt blue eyes narrowed, despite the fact that they were sparkling in the sunlight. It was an impish sparkle, one that she was used to by now. "Really," he began dryly. "At least I have that one brain cell. That's more than I could say for you."
It was a risk to use a longer insult, which gave her more time to think of a response. She looked at him, confused for a moment before she groaned. "I'm out, dry, spent, gone. I can't think of anymore comebacks. Congratulations, JC, you won."
Her voice had been soft, but he had heard her anyway. "What was that? I couldn't hear what you said."
"You won," she ground out, louder than before.
His face showed confusion. "I'm sorry, I must be getting hard of hearing as I get older. I couldn't hear a word that you said. Would you mind saying it again?"
She watched him before her mouth dropped open. "I can't believe you. You heard perfectly well what I was saying, but you were trying to be all cute, pretending that you couldn't hear me. Forget it, JC, you know exactly what I said, and I won't repeat it again." Tossing her hair over her shoulder, she started to walk ahead of him.
Hurrying to catch up to her, he lengthened his already long stride and made his way to her side, looking down at her with a bright smile. "So, you think that I'm cute? You already called me adorable, and now you're calling me cute. I'm flattered, really."
Rolling her eyes with a laugh, she walked towards a coffee bar on the corner. "Believe what you want," she threw back at him, her laugh sounding out along the street.
One of the bodyguards frowned slightly, looking towards the one standing beside him. "I thought that they said the contest was over, and yet they're still competing? I don't get it."
The other smiled. He had been the same guard that had followed them on her publicity tour, and he was more than used to their attitudes. Guarding the two of them (or one) had never been a chore, because they always seemed to make the day more entertaining, and less like a job. "You're talking about Brooklyn Turner and JC Chasez, right?" he asked with a smile. When the first guard nodded, he started to laugh. "This is normal for them. Actually, compared to the last time, this is pretty tame. I swear, those two were either married in a previous life or they were neighbors that hated each other. At first, I was confused when I saw them together for the first time, they seemed like they were dating, but it's all friendly."
"Too bad."
JC watched Brooklyn open the door to the coffee bar, making a motion with her hand. Instantly, the guards stepped back and waited outside. Everything that they did seemed to be from very subtle hand commands from Brooklyn, for them to either step forward or step back. He was more than interested when he saw it, but didn't bother to comment on it. "New York, it's a beautiful day, and we're getting coffee? It's hot out there."
"Who said that I was getting HOT coffee? I plan on getting an iced coffee. It's the best in town." She smiled and stepped up to counter, giving them her order and waiting for him to order as well. As soon as he was done, she leaned against the counter, further down, breathing in deeply.
He turned around to lean on the counter with her, but so that he could see her. "No, I was serious. Lately, you keep making these 'cute' and 'adorable' comments. What do you seriously think?"
Again, her eyes rolled and she laughed. "I can't believe that you're asking me this. This isn't something that two friends are supposed to talk about."
"Yeah, they are. Come on, be honest. I'm actually curious." She shot him a bad look, and he had to laugh at it. "Nice one, New York, but it won't work. I'm not asking because I'm interested in you that way, but because I just want to know what you think. It's not like it's a hard question." Silently, she raised her left hand, smiling brightly. "No, that doesn't factor into it, either. That's like saying that you can't watch drool over the actors on Days, like I know you do."
Her voice was small, and almost taken over by the loud noises of the coffee bar. "That's what they're there for." Sighing, she nodded slowly. "Okay, I can answer you, but only because I choose to. You understand that, don't you?" He nodded slowly. "And then, since I have to do this, you're going to be completely honest and tell me what you think about me, okay?" That was no problem for him, so he nodded again.
They were broken off when the coffees they had ordered arrived, and they took them, walking back outside. Dutifully, the bodyguards followed them as they started back towards the studio. They were both a little burned out from shopping, and both of them had made a nice dent in the amount they were carrying in their wallets. "So, you haven't answered me yet," he said, nudging her as she took a sip of the coffee through her straw. He couldn't help but watch the way her lips closed around it, pursed, and drew on it.
"Let a girl think, okay?" They were both quiet for a little while longer, before she spoke up again. The studio was just in view them, her truck gleaming in the parking lot. "I don't suppose I really thought about it before," she began. He couldn't tell from her tone if she was lying or not, but he believed her for the moment.
His head nodded very slowly, just once. "Yeah, that's why you were checking me out that first day in the studio, huh?" he asked, a small smile playing on his lips.
Her head whipped around, and her mouth dropped open. "You saw me? You never said a thing about it before. You're an ass," she said, hitting him before walking ahead of him.
Sighing, he hurried to catch up with her again. She may have been short, and her legs weren't that long, but she could definitely put distance between them when she wanted to, and she did it quickly. "I didn't say anything, because I didn't want you to know that I did the exact same thing that day. I mean, it's pretty normal, don't you think? We had just met each other."
"Then how come I never saw you checking me over."
"Not over, but checking you out, really." He waited for Brooklyn, who thanked and said goodbye to the bodyguards, and leaned against the truck as he shook their hands and thanked them again. She unlocked the doors and slipped into the passenger seat, pulling the seatbelt over her shoulder and snapping it into place. "So, you still haven't answered me," he said once he was situated in the driver's seat, turning the key in the ignition.
She leaned back in her seat and sighed. "I don't know. This all seems so embarrassing," she said, reaching to turn down the radio from its blaring level they had it on that morning. Lonestar quieted down, to the point where she could barely hear Richie McDonald singing. "I know, I know. I'm an engaged woman, and it's not breaking a law if I look at a man and think that he's attractive, but I don't know. Talking about it with you is just a little strange. You and I normally don't go into things like these."
"So? I promise, it's not going to affect our friendship, or the way that I look at you, if that's what you're worried about."
She started to laugh, and soon, couldn't stop. She leaned forward, bringing her knees up so that her forehead had something to rest against. Her back moved up and down with her laughter, and he could tell that she was already crying. Chuckling under his breath, he took one hand off the wheel and patted her on the back. "Are you sure that you're not going to die? I could turn around and take you to the hospital...even if I don't know where it is," he added in a bewildered voice, his hand back on the steering wheel. She couldn't stop laughing for the life of her, and he was beginning to enjoy it.
Her laughed had always been infectious, and he started to laugh along with her. "Why the hell are you laughing?" she asked in between her spurts of giggles.
"I don't know." That sent her off again, but this time, she leaned her head back, her feet back firmly on the ground. He had been right; tears were rolling down her face, dripping onto her shirt. "Why are you laughing?" he asked her once he had gotten himself under some sort of control.
Her shoulders moved in a shrug. "Just the way that you said that, like I was really concerned that it would change our relationship if I told you what I really thought about you. I mean, come on. You have the best morals and values out of all the men that I know, and you think that it's going to..." She trailed off and started to chuckle again when she thought about it again. It wasn't the same hard laughter that had taken her over before, but it was still a delightful sound. One that he could listen to for the rest of his life.
When he thought about that, the smile on his face disappeared quickly, and he stared through the windshield, maneuvering the truck around a tight corner. The same thought that had been bothering him for the longest time, the one of losing her to the bastard that she called a fiancé. "Thanks," he said quietly. He couldn't believe that now, the thought of losing her was bringing tears to his eyes. He never thought that she could ever mean that much to him, but she did. At first, he thought she was just another friend that he loved, but didn't consider that close. That had changed quickly, and he couldn't imagine his life without her. He could barely remember what it was like before her.
Instead, he blinked away the tears quickly, taking a deep breath. She didn't even notice, and he was thankful for that. It wasn't like him at all to get all emotional about something, but this time, he had. It wasn't something that he wanted to admit to her, either, because then he would have to tell her why he was getting emotional, and he didn't want her to worry about it. He could already hear what she would say in his head, her sweet voice telling him that nothing like that would ever happen, that nothing could come between them, and she wouldn't allow it. She might not allow it, he thought, but she wouldn't have much of a choice, no matter what she thought or tried to do.
"Yeah, well, I can be sweet. Sometimes," she said with a laugh, not noticing that his attitude had completely changed. "Okay, I can do this now. I swear I can." Again, she laughed. She had been laughing all day, and even though her stomach was beginning to hurt, as well as her face, she couldn't help it. He put her in such a good mood whenever he was around that she didn't want to stop laughing. "So, we're talking appearance wise, and absolute honest truth, right?" He nodded, not taking his eyes off the road. "Oh, wow. Don't hold this against me, but what I'm about to say is going to ruin my credibility of a strong, independent, man hating woman." There was no response from him, and her brow furrowed a little. She nudged him with her elbow, smiling. "The least you could have done was smiled, but a laugh would have been better."
He forced a small smile on his face, turning to look at her for a moment before his eyes went back to the road and concentrated on it. "Sorry about that."
Her head shook. Now she knew that something was wrong, but from his body language, which she had almost become an expert on, she could tell that he didn't want to talk about whatever it was. "No problem," she said quietly, and to herself. "Anyway, like I said, this could be damaging to my reputation, so I would be more than pleased if we never mentioned this again."
Clearing his throat, he nodded. "Don't worry about it."
"Oh, but I will. Just because that's the type of person that I am. I'm going back to my childhood here. Pinkie swear? A promise can be broken, but a pinkie swear is for life," she said, a teasing smile playing on her face.
Finally, he grinned, like he normally would. It lit up his whole face, but most importantly, it took the tired look out of his eyes, a look that had just recently settled in. Taking his hand off the wheel again, he extended his hand, all the fingers curled in but his little finger. "It's been years since I've done this," he said with a laugh. "I can always count on you to bring me back to my younger years."
She hooked her little finger around his, and they shook it once, both of them laughing like little kids. "Like I said, this is really...weird," they said in unison, before nodding. "I'm glad to know that you feel the same way, even though you were the one that brought it up."
"That was before you told me that I was going to have to tell you what I thought, too. I was fine with it when it was just you telling me, but now? It's a whole new ball game, New York."
A smile on her face, she played with the bottom of her shirt. "Yeah, I suppose it would be." Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes, running her hands thought her hair before they opened and looked towards him. "You have a lot of flaws, I'm not going to tell you that you don't. You know that, too, and I can tell by the way that you carry yourself. It's almost like, because you're in the public eye, you think that those flaws are more noticeable, and you try to hide them." He wasn't liking where this was going, but another smile overcame her, and her eyes started to sparkle at him. "Constant terms for men are 'handsome' or 'sexy' or, at the very least, 'cute'. None of them apply to you."
Now, a frown settled on his face. This wasn't going the right way at all. He knew that she didn't mince words, he learned that the moment that they had met. She wasn't afraid to say something, and she wasn't going to hide whatever she was feeling, but this was going to an extreme. It was almost like she wasn't considering what she was saying to him, and how it would make him feel, but that wasn't like Brooklyn at all. Actually, it wasn't like his New York at all.
"I know that it takes a lot to make a man beautiful. There was very few of them in the world. Despite what someone may say, it's true. JC, I can tell by your face that you're not at all impressed with this." She hid the smile, not wanting him to see it. She was having fun now, knowing that he was thinking the wrong thing.
"I can say that you're being honest, but...damn, it's not like I have that big of an ego, New York. You don't have to cut me down that much."
She looked out the window, watching the road rush by. They were almost in Belleview, and she couldn't wait to get home. "I'm not. Maybe, if you actually listened to what I was saying, you would understand. I said that it takes a lot to make a man beautiful, and, please ignore the blush that's taken over my face, but despite all your flaws, you are one of the most, if not THE most beautiful man that I've ever seen. There, are you happy?" she asked.
Laughing to cover the blush on his face, he drove past the sign that welcomed them to Belleview. "You're so far off base, it's not even funny." She chuckled, letting him believe what he wanted. To tell the truth, she was enjoying this. It was the first time that the two of them had really talked, not just their usual banter. It was the first time that she was happy opening up her heart and soul, her inner most thoughts to someone. "Now, you, right?" She nodded with a sigh, rubbing one hand on her denim covered thigh.
"If you must. Hit me with your best shot. Just don't do too much damage," she said lightly, smiling at him.
"Like that's even possible," he said, rolling his eyes as he stopped at the red light and tapped his fingers on the wheel, thinking. It was getting too quiet, starting to bother her, but she refrained from saying anything. Soon enough, he started to talk. "All right. You basically know how I feel, but if you want to hear it again, and increase that ego that you're getting, I'll be more than happy to tell you again. Truth is, you're beautiful. Gorgeous, even. It all depends on your attitude. One day, you're the beautiful singer that everyone knows, the next, you're as adorable as could be."
She smiled, looking at her house as it came into view. "I think it all boils down to attitude, really. I mean, how couldn't it? My mom always used to tell me that if you feel beautiful, you put yourself off as beautiful, simple as that." She sighed, taking off her seatbelt when they entered the driveway. "Sometimes, I wonder if it's the truth or not, though," she muttered, slipping out of the truck.
He sat there, watching her for a moment before opening his door and following her. "Believe me, it doesn't matter how you put yourself off, New York. You're beautiful, anyway." But she was too far ahead of him to even hear the words.
"Thanks," she said quietly, looking over at him. Her eyes were covered with sunglasses, trying to hide her tired eyes from the early morning sun. "What are you going to do for the next few hours, anyway?" she asked him.
JC shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. I'll drive around for a little while, maybe go see a movie or something. I'm kind of cautious about going somewhere without your guards, but a movie theater is dark enough."
Laughing, she opened her door. "Whatever you see, don't tell me how it ends. I might want to go see it if it's any good," she said, leaning over to kiss his cheek quickly. "See you later." He waved to her, as she walked towards the studio. Pausing for a moment, she looked up to see the sign that read 'Curb Records of Nashville', the country division of the popular label. Her breath stopped in her throat, remembering the first time that she had ever walked up to the building and did the same thing.
It was that same feeling that she carried with her as she pushed open the doors. This time, it was for an entirely different reason, and she wasn't crazy about it. It was almost like impending doom had settled around her, when this was supposed to be one of the most joyous times of her life.
Smiling at the front desk receptionist, she stepped into the elevator. The doors shut in front of her, and she pressed the button for the floor that she spent most of her time on, to the point where to was nicknamed 'Brooklyn's Floor'. Seeing that no one was in the elevator, she slipped her hand into the pocket of her jeans and pulled out her engagement ring, looking at it before she slipped it over her finger. It was a perfect fit.
The doors opened, and she headed down to the meeting room that everyone was waiting in. She let out a breath that she never knew she was holding before pushing open the door, forcing a smile on her face. "Morning, everyone. How are we doing today?" she asked, heading straight for the coffee urn in the corner. Coffee was the last thing she needed, but it was what she wanted. She poured herself a cup and sat down at the table, being sure to use her right hand to lift and sip from the mug.
"Morning, Brooke. I'm surprised that we were able to pull you in here. I heard that your boyfriend is in town," one woman said with a teasing tone.
Her eyes snapped over to her, and a large grin settled on her face. "Mia! Talk about being surprised to see someone. You haven't been here for ages. I'm sorry, did I pull you away from your latest boy toy?" Mia Coltrain, a tall woman that had always had a special place in Brooklyn's heart, shook her finger at the country singer, chuckling to herself. Mia had always been a curiosity to Brooklyn, but she had been the closest thing to a best friend before JC had shown up in her life. They were complete opposites, appearance and attitude wise. She was a loud demanding woman who figured that if she told the sun to rise in the morning, it would. The differences in their appearance was obvious to everyone. Mia with her light brown skin and dark brown eyes contrasted beautifully with Brooklyn's tanned skin and bright green eyes.
"Well, I heard from Joe that you needed to talk about publicity, so I had no choice but to come in. So, what's this big announcement that you have to make, or are we supposed to sit on the edge of our seats in anticipation while Joe goes through the boring stuff." Mia lifted her hand to her mouth and yawned loudly, making her point.
Brooklyn smiled nervously and turned to Joe. "Do you mind if I go first? If I don't, I have a feeling that I won't make it through this meeting." He nodded, while she looked around the room at everyone. It seemed that everyone who was going to be working on the tour was there, and it only made her feel more nervous. She settled her eyes on one of her bandmates before grinning and looking away. "I probably shouldn't have kept this quiet for so long. Only three people know, but I know that I always have to bring everything up with you."
"Blah, blah, blah. We know all of this, Brooklyn. I don't have all day, you know. You can stop with the flowery speech and get on with it already. Besides, I know that you don't want to miss Days." She giggled at her publicist's words and brought out her left hand, putting it on the table.
Mia and Joe let their mouths drop open. "Yeah, Tim proposed on New Years Eve, and I said yes. I'm officially engaged."
Her publicist was the first one to talk, and she started to shoot rapid fire questions at her. It didn't seem like she was even stopping to take a breath. "Congratulations. So, who knows about this? When is the wedding? When are you planning on letting the press and your fans know? Have there been any rumors about it, because I haven't seen any? You do realize that you're supposed to be recording a new album in December and January, right? This better not interfere with your schedule, but I'm sure that Joe will bring this up with you. Brooke, do you even know what you're doing?"
Brooklyn raised her hand wearily. "I know, I know. I've thought a lot about this, and if you would just give me a moment to explain, I would be more than happy to." She sipped her coffee nonchalantly, trying to ignore the look that Mia was shooting at her. "First off, Austin knows. Tim knows, obviously. JC knows, too. JC being JC Chasez, the artist that I collaborated with? If you want to talk to him, I can call him and tell him to come back down here."
"Like he would fly out from wherever he is to talk to me," she said, rolling her eyes.
Everyone was looking between them like it was a tennis match. Now, all eyes were on Brooklyn. "Are you kidding? He's in town. He's been staying at my place for a few days. Every time that he comes out, he stays at my house. Right now, he's driving around Nashville, looking for something to do before we go out for lunch."
It was obviously a mistake to say that. Mia choked on her coffee and leaned forward, coughing hard. Finally, when she looked up, her eyes were flashing. "You have to be...he's staying at your house? Has anyone caught onto this yet, or are they still in the dark. Damn it, that's the last thing that we need. He's a well known pop singer, right?" Brooklyn and Joe nodded, rather weakly. "Great, so we have the second most popular female country singer in the world as of right now, sharing her house with the second most famous pop singer in the world. Really, Brooke, how much more stupid can you get? I can envision the headlines now on the Enquirer. 'Pop Star and Country Star Shares The Same Bed.' I'm sure if you wait long enough, they'll be a mention of you being pregnant with his baby. You may not understand this, but a lot of their fans listen to popular country music. Gee, I wonder which country singers they could be listening to, then. Could it be Faith Hill and Brooklyn Turner? Why don't we throw in Garth Brooks and Tim McGraw while we're at it."
"Mia, damn it, would you shut up for a moment?" It may have been a fight, everyone knew that, but they knew Brooklyn and Mia quite well. Business was business, and it would be dropped the moment that they walked out of the room. They would be acting like the best friends that they were once they were in the hallway, but everything that happened in the meeting room was business. This was all it was. "Don't you think I've got it covered if it happens? Austin is living with me again. As in older brother, Austin? As in the one that's close with JC if the press ask. The three of us have talked about it before, and we all agreed to go that route if need be. We even worked up a story to go along with it."
"Okay, fine, so you have that covered. Everything else, though? When it comes to business, I wonder where your head is sometimes. I understand that you're twenty five now, and I'm sorry that I missed your birthday, but sometimes, you act like your thirteen and don't have a care in the world. This could impact your career, and you're not worried. Well, excuse me for caring and excuse me for doing me job, Brooklyn."
A groan escaped Brooklyn, and she shut her eyes, rubbing her forehead slowly. "Every single time that I've been out of the house, I've taken the ring off. I haven't talked to anyone about what's happened. I sent Austin down to pick up the bridal magazines for me." That was a lie, and Mia could see right through it. She had actually gone down herself, but she hadn't thought that it would have been such a big deal. She didn't realize that she could be caught for that, but luckily, her publicist wasn't calling attention to it. "The wedding...I'm hoping to have it this summer. That should be enough time to plan it, I think."
She nodded slowly. "I can't believe that you're dropping this on us right now. Right before the tour, right before the awards show...this is ridiculous. When are you going to plan the wedding? When are you going to find the time?"
"During the tour, while we're traveling on the road. If you wouldn't mind helping me, that is. Mia, this is very important to me. You have to understand that."
"I do understand that, but it's just that we have so much to do before that...don't think that I'm not happy for you. We all are. It's just that a little advanced notice would have been nice. You've most likely been flying so high that you forgot what it's like to be back down here. I know that you have a lot on your mind, and I'm not just talking about your engagement." Brooklyn nodded slowly. Mia knew that her parents had died around this time, but she didn't know all the details, other than the fact that it still bothered Brooklyn. "I just have a few more questions for you. When do you want to announce to the world that you're soon to be Brooklyn Arizona Croft."
She brightened at the reference to what would be her married name. "Actually, I've been thinking about keeping the last name Turner, or maybe hyphenating them, but that doesn't answer your question," she said with a little giggle. "I'm not sure. My first public appearance is the ACMAs, so I guess that would be the best time." Her shoulders moved in a shrug.
Mia nodded. "Yeah, you've got the whole media circus there then, and it's going to have national coverage, because Entertainment Tonight is going to be there. I'll arrange for you to speak with them, and you can drop the ball then. You're going with Tim then, I suppose?"
Even Brooklyn caught onto the slightly dismayed tone that she had said her fiancé's name with. Mia didn't care much for him, everyone knew that, but she made an effort to get along with him, just for Brooklyn's sake. "Actually, I'm not. I already had a date before he proposed. I'm going with Lance Bass."
Joe stared at her blankly for a moment. "Lance...who?"
"Lance Bass, another member of NSYNC. He was the one that I was talking to on the phone when JC was here before, remember? Austin was busy, and I figured that Lance would enjoy the show a hell of a lot more than JC, since he's a country music fan." Again, she shrugged.
A sigh sounded from across the table. "This is going to be a little sticky, then. I mean, you're engaged, you've been seen with JC publicly before, and now you're taking another member of the group to the awards show. Brooke, how can you keep all of it straight?"
A mischievous smile spread on her face. "Oh, like you're life's not complicated." She didn't say anymore, but Mia knew what she was getting at and winked at her.
"It is, very complicated, but we're not talking about me. Joe, do you have any questions before I go on?" He shook his head, enjoying the conversation between the two women, just like everyone else in the room was. "Okay, so I just want to remind everyone that everything that's said in this room is NOT to leave this room, is that understood? It's just like when you used to play truth or dare when you were younger, though some of you might have trouble remembering that far back." She shot her gaze at Joe and grinned brightly. "Brooke, just a few more things before I let you go. You really didn't have to come to this meeting, but I see why you wanted to now."
Her head nodded. "Thanks, Mia. I knew that this was going to be a little bit of a problem, but I figure that we can keep this thing together."
"Great, so this is what I want you to know. You are not going to wear that ring out in public, all right? We don't need any rumors floating around, especially if you're going to be around JC a lot."
"He's heading back to Orlando for his own tour tomorrow," she mumbled.
"Well, then we don't have to worry, but still, no wearing of the ring. If any kind of rumors come up about it, we'll just say that we have no idea what they're talking about, and that we haven't heard of any engagement. If that happens, when you break the news, you have to make it sound like we knew nothing about it." Everything was one giant lie, it seemed like, but Brooklyn was beginning to relax a little more, knowing that it was all being taken care of now. The stress she had been feeling was lifting, little by little, as Mia continued talking. "When you're at the ACMAs, you can mention why you're there with Lance, what your relationship is, who the designer of your dress is, what color your underwear is for all I care. If they don't bring up the ring, you don't talk about it, all right? I'll tell Entertainment Tonight that you have a big announcement to make to them, and then and ONLY THEN, may you talk about it before someone asks."
Slumping in her chair, she bounced her foot impatiently. She almost felt like she had been called to the principal's office for something that she did wrong in class. "I remember. Let them come to you, don't go to them. You drilled that into my head a long time ago."
"I'm glad to know that you actually listen to me sometimes. From now on, keep your distance from JC and Lance, when you go to the awards. I don't mean that you can't hang around with them, but try to remember that you're putting yourself out as a friend, and nothing else. Try to refrain from hand holding, arms around the shoulders, playful pushing...basically, anything that can be taken as flirting. That should be it." Brooklyn stood up with a smile and picked up her purse, checking her watch. JC wasn't supposed to be back in the parking lot for another hour or so, but she could wait out there, in the warm sunlight. "I really hope that you know what you're doing, Brooke."
When she turned, for the first time, she saw a strange light enter Mia's eyes. It was almost like she knew something Brooklyn didn't. She paused for a moment, looking at it, before smiling to reassure her. "Don't worry about me. I've got it all covered. You didn't used to call me Super Woman for nothing," she said with a laugh, walking out the door.
Her sneakers made no sound as she made her way to the elevator. As she waited for the doors to open, she pulled the ring off her finger and put it in the purse on her shoulder. When the doors open, she walked in, pressing the button for the lobby. A man standing in the back, dressed in a suit, smiled when he recognized her, causing her to grin back. When the doors opened, he waited for her to leave first before following her and heading down the hallway.
She walked out into the parking lot and smiled when she saw the truck sitting there, all the windows open. Jogging over to it, she stuck her head in the passenger side window, smiling when she saw JC sitting there, reading a paperback novel. "I thought that you said you were going around town for a little while."
He looked up, smiling at her. "You're out early. Was it as bad as you thought it would be?" he asked, watching as she opened the door and slid in beside him, looking at the cover. Her eyes squinted as she looked at it.
"No. Mia, my publicist, freaked out at me for a few reasons before she calmed down and started to plan everything. I don't have to worry about a thing, other than remembering not to wear my ring. Since when do you wear reading glasses? You never needed them before."
Taking them off, he put them back in their case, which was sitting between them. She hadn't even noticed that he had brought them with him when they had taken off that morning, but then again, she wasn't completely awake when they drove to the studio. "That's because I was wearing contacts last time. I'm supposed to wear those for driving, too, but it's too bright out. Besides, I can see just fine." She scoffed at that. "We haven't gotten into an accident yet, have we?" he asked her.
Her head cocked to the side as she thought. "No, but that doesn't mean anything. So, you still haven't answered me. Why were you sitting here, reading."
"There was absolutely nothing to do. I was too much of a wimp to actually get out of the truck by myself, so I just drove back here. I know, boring, huh?" he asked.
She shook her head, smiling. "You're just being cautious. In the position that you're in, that's smart. I'm just thankful that I don't have to worry about that sort of thing. So, the two of us aren't just going to sit here. Breakfast has already worn off, so why don't we head across the street and get some lunch?" she asked.
"I'm so there, it's not even funny. I'll race you."
"You're on."
Later that night, as JC was coming up the stairs, he was surprised to see that the light in Brooklyn's room was still on. She had gone to bed at least an hour and a half ago, but a faint strip of light came from beneath her door. He knocked softly, opening the door before she could saw anything. "Hey, what are you still doing up?" he asked her, walking in and shutting the door.
She turned to look at him. Already she had changed into what she considered pajamas, a pair of track pants and a tank top. The blankets were pulled up to her waist, and she had propped her pillows against the headboard, leaning back against them. Her eyeglass clad eyes looked at him seriously. "Couldn't sleep. I figured that I would read myself to sleep. Are you just heading to bed?" she asked.
Walking further into the room, he jumped over her and landed beside her on the bed, grinning brightly. "Yeah, I was, but I'm not tired. That's weird for me." She laughed and put a bookmark in between the pages of her book to keep her place, and leaned over to put it on the floor. He reached behind him and moved the pillows on his side so that he was laying on the bed in the same fashion that she was.
Her reading glasses were put on the night table, and she turned on the radio beside her softly, stretching her arms above her head. "I can't believe that everything is happening so quickly. I mean, both of our tours are just about to kick off, we're going to be traveling around the world. Nights like these are going to be a distant memory soon enough."
"I know what you mean. It's day like these that I love, when I can just be myself. Pretty soon, it's time for us to plaster those God awful smiles on our faces. I have to become JC Chasez, lovable and desirable pop star, and you're going to be...yourself. Man, this bites," he added with a laugh.
She grinned, turning her head to look at him. "I wouldn't go that far as to call you lovable and desirable, but hey, whatever floats your boat, honey." He laughed, watching as she struggled with the pillows to make herself more comfortable. Gently, he lifted her forward and slipped his arm behind her, letting her relax against it. "Thanks."
"Anything for you." She giggled, resting her head on his shoulder. They both quieted down, lost in their own thoughts. After a few minutes, he looked down at her and smiled to see her peacefully asleep. "So much for not being tired," he whispered, brushing a lock of hair out of her face.
He wasn't about to move. He didn't want to wake her up, just because he was going to walk back to his own room. The way that she was leaning against him, there was no way that he could get out of the bed without her waking up. Very slowly, he started to slide down, bringing Brooklyn with him.
She moved in her sleep, causing him to freeze and watch her. After a little while, her brow unfurrowed, and he breathed a sigh of relief. "You're not exactly helping all that much," he muttered to her, continuing until his head hit the pillow that slid down with him. Being as careful as possible, he slid underneath the covers and made himself more comfortable, putting his arm out to the side to shut off the lamp beside him. The room enveloped in darkness, and the only sound he could hear, beside the radio that was playing incredibly softly, was her deep and even breathing.
A smile came over his face as he heard her version of Beaches Of Cheyenne come on, still in heavy rotation. It was strange to have her sleeping beside him, her head on his shoulder, while she sang to him. He closed his eyes and allowed himself to be taken over by her voice, the sweet but sensuous tone that she sang with. With the song, he pictured the video that she had shot in his head. Having already seen it, it wasn't much of a problem at all.
Before he knew it, sleep started to overcome him, and he turned his head slightly, resting his face against the top of her head. The scent of her shampoo floated to him, penetrating his tired senses. It was that smell that he fell asleep to, the same one that he would carry with him for all his life.
Slowly, Brooklyn opened her eyes when she felt the early morning light land across her face. Groaning, she moved her head closer to the warmth underneath her, not realizing where it was coming from. Almost lazily, a new scent hit her. It wasn't the scent of her pillows or blankets, of the scented candles that she sometimes burned, or even of her own shampoo or perfume. Instead, it was one that she knew. A cologne that she knew.
"Screw it, it's too early," she mumbled to herself, swallowing before rolling over. Underneath the covers, her arm trailed across some type of fabric, something that felt like a tee shirt. "Okay, this is getting a little weird," she said to herself, hitting the radio with the top of her hand. It shut off in the middle of a George Strait song.
The person laying beside her rolled over onto their other side, and she finally cracked her eyes open again to look at the clock. "Wow, it's nine already." She thought about her words and sat straight up. "Crap, it IS nine." She looked over at the other side of the bed and spied JC, curled up underneath the blankets. Impatiently, she hit his shoulder, forcing him to wake up. "Damn it, come on. You're going to be late for your flight."
He sat up, rubbing his eyes, before looking at the clock. His eyes widened. "Damn. I'll go shower and finish packing."
She couldn't help but be warmed by his sleepy voice. She always thought that a man's voice was at its best when they had just woken up, and his caused her to blush slightly. It sounded so ruff and rugged, completely different from his usually smooth, almost satin like voice. "Yeah, just hurry up," she added, throwing the blankets off of her legs as he rushed out of the room.
Walking over to the mirror, she took a look at herself and groaned. "Wow, I'm surprised that he didn't scream when he saw me. I look horrible." She knew that she wouldn't have enough time for a shower, especially now that he was taking one. Sighing to herself, she started to pull the brush through her hair, yanking hard on the few tangles that had made their way in there during sleep.
As her hands rubbed her face, she thought back to last night. She couldn't remember falling asleep, but she did remember JC coming into her room. She groaned again, taking her hands away from her face. Her red and tired eyes looked back at her. "Oh, the Visine is definitely calling me this morning," she said to herself, walking into her bathroom. She found the small bottle and put a drop in each eye, blinking quickly. "Now I know why I don't like to use that stuff," she mumbled to herself, listening to see if the shower had turned off by now. It had, and she turned on the faucet, sticking her toothbrush underneath. "This is not going to be a fun day."
If she could have seen what was happening in JC's room, she probably would have never stopped laughing. It was the quickest he had ever packed. Usually being a perfectionist, he was throwing his clothes back into his suitcase quickly, not caring if they were going to come out rumpled or not. He had enough time to do a few loads of laundry before his tour kicked off in two days, so he wasn't too worried.
Another pair of pants flew threw the air, over his shoulder, landing almost perfectly in the suitcase. Since it was his last piece of clothing, he turned quickly and shoved the sleeves and pant legs that were sticking out of the sides back in, and shut it, zipping it up and locking it quickly. The key slipped into his jeans pocket, and he picked up the suitcase, taking it into the hallway.
Brooklyn emerged from her room at the same time, dressed casually in a pair of khaki pants and a dark red tee shirt. "Are you ready?" she asked him. He nodded quickly, following her down the stairs. They didn't care that they were hitting them too hard and stomping through the house, with Austin still sleeping upstairs.
As soon as their shoes were on and jackets had been placed around their shoulders, they both ran out the door. "My flight is in an hour, exactly. Think we can make it?" he asked.
She nodded, picking up his suitcase with ease and throwing it in the back of the truck. "No problem. I've made it there in thirty minutes before. Hop in." She slammed the driver's door behind her and started the engine before she put on her seatbelt. One hand on the wheel, and one of her seatbelt, she pulled it over her shoulder and handed the end to him as she backed out of the driveway.
Pushing the piece into place, he leaned back, slipping a pair of sunglasses and a black ball cap on, waiting for the ride of his life.
He wasn't too disappointed. Brooklyn had broken a lot of rules to get him to the airport in time, at least fifteen miles, if not twenty, ahead of the speed limit every time. She had even taken the chance on running a red light, seeing that there was no one else at the intersection. That had caused him to grab onto the side of the door tightly enough to make his knuckles turn white, just waiting to hear a police siren behind them.
As soon as she had parked, they both jumped out, Brooklyn not even waiting to lock the doors. Instead, she climbed up in the back of the truck, using the back tire as a step, and grasped his suitcase, tossing it out to him. He caught it and watched as she jumped back over the edge, landing perfectly on her feet. "Let's go," she said, taking his ticket from his outstretched hand. Instead of stopping at the desk, she headed to the row of computer terminals and scanned his ticket, pressing in the correct numbers. Seconds later, his boarding pass printed out and she handed it to him. "There you go. Just check in your luggage and you'll be on your way," she said with a tight smile.
Instead of leaving her there, he took her by the wrist, pulling her along with him. She followed with a laugh as he checked in his suitcase and started towards the gate his flight was supposed to be taking off from. Both of them slowed down considerably when they saw that no one had boarded yet. They both stopped on the outskirts of the waiting area, and Brooklyn didn't hesitate to slide her arms around his neck.
Almost instantly, he put his arms around her small waist, pulling her closer to him, and holding her tightly. "You know, it's getting harder and harder to see you off," she said quietly, her face buried in his shoulder. He nodded, breathing in the scent of her shampoo and perfume. He didn't want to think about the inevitable, but he didn't want to leave.
The flight attendant called for first class passengers to board, and Brooklyn tightened her arms. "I have to go, sweetie," he said lowly when she didn't want to let go.
Slowly, her arms came from around his neck, and she nodded, brushing her hair out of her eyes. "Yeah. Be sure to say hi to your friends from me. Have a safe flight."
On impulse, he picked up her hand and kissed it softly. "So long. I'll be sure to come back."
The tears clouding her vision disappeared. "I know you will. So long."
As he handed his ticket to the flight attendant, waiting for her to check him in, he thought about what she had taught him. Never say goodbye. It seemed like she spoke those words ages ago to him, but it filled him with new hope. He started towards the plane, a smile on his face. It was a determined smile, one that Brooklyn would chuckle at the moment she saw it. "I'm not ready to say goodbye to her yet. If I have to fight to the death to keep her in my life, I will, but I won't say goodbye. No matter what that bastard wants."
And with that thought, he left Nashville, and left one of the greatest friends that he had ever made for a little while. Like he promised, though, he would be back.
Chapter Sixteen
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