Page 83 of The Publicity Stunt

Maybe that's why he's been thinking about his mom so much more lately.

"Losing Mr. Hanks has been one of the hardest moments of my life so far. He was a beautiful soul who took pride in his students. He lost his own son many years ago, but we became his surrogate children. He was a proud parent when any one of us succeeded, and he found disappointment in our mistakes. But through all of it, he never judged. He guided us through the many life-changing decisions of high school. But more than that, he showed up for everyone, and I know he looks down and loves how many of us showed up for him today."

Her lip quivers, and she takes another deep breath, pulling herself from the microphone to wrangle her strong emotions. Kace watches, trying to figure out if she needs help, but like the true performer she is, she pulls it together.

"I've been asked to perform a song today, and I've written one specifically for Mr. Hanks. Please bear with me."

The crowd cries softly, and she moves to the piano and sits down. Kace didn't know she knew how to play because she only ever played guitar on stage. Her fingers move masterfully across the keys, and she takes another deep breath as the haunting melody fills the room. Tears threaten to spill from her eyes, but she holds it together to sing the beautiful and tragic song written for the man she saw as her father.

Kace tears up as she finishes the song, and if there was a dry eye in the house before, there isn't one now. Bri's gaze sets on him before looking at Tessa crammed into the middle of the pew with her family. When she stands, there's no hesitation as she walks past everyone right to him.

The moment his arms wrap around her, she breaks down. He shifts to help shield her from view of everyone as the pastor steps up to the microphone and starts the processional.

"I need to get out of here," Bri whispers. "Can you help me with that?"

"I got you, baby," Kace says and gently guides her outside, where Bobby and the rest of the security team wait.

Bobby walks up quickly, but Victor steps forward and holds a hand up. "We have this."

Cameras line up on the sidewalk, and Kace wants to scream at everyone to leave her alone. She's grieving a wonderful man, and she doesn't need flashes of this posted online with comments about her hair or makeup. Instead, he just does what he can to help shield her from everyone as they make it into the back of their car.

"Do you want to go somewhere?" Victor asks as they settle in.

"The burial is right after this. This was so much harder than I thought it would be," Bri says and takes a shaky breath. "And I expected it to be difficult. I'm sorry for breaking down. I really thought I could hold it together."

He rubs her back as she catches her breath. "You lost someone very special to you. If anyone knows how that feels, it's us, sweetheart. You have nothing to apologize for."

Her entire body shakes as she breaks down again and hugs his father tightly. Seeing them together makes Kace want this for the rest of his life. His father and Bri and him. Maybe a few kids one day.

"Did you write that song in a week?" Kace asks, trying to find a safe change of subject.

Pulling away, she wipes her eyes. "Uh, yeah. I wrote it two days ago, actually. I sat down at the piano, and it just came out. It's one of the fastest songs I've written."

"It was beautiful," Victor says.

"Thank you. Wait, don't you have a game today, Kace?" Bri asks.

He nods. "I took an absence. Coach understood I needed to be here."

"You didn't have to, but I appreciate it."

"Baby, you don't have much of a support system, and I saw Tessa with who, I'm guessing, were her parents in the middle of a pew. Knowing you, you would've stood off to the side and held it together until you broke. You need a safe space to feel this, too."

She lets out a chuckle as her lip quivers. "It's like you were able to experience my family firsthand,” she says and gives a sarcastic chuckle. “They played the hell out of that footage."

"I really want to pop your father in the nose," Victor says and shakes his fist in the air.

Laughing, Bri sighs. "Kace almost hit my brother. If there wouldn't have been cameras around for evidence, I would've let him. Someone needs to knock them all down a peg or two."

"You definitely did that. And Tessa. Good for her for calling out their lies. It's funny how the six-bedroom house suddenly shrunk into a three-bedroom where your adult siblings stayed with parents who can't make ends meet. Maybe, I don't know, getting a job to contribute? Or, and here's an even crazier thought, move out," Kace says.

"That's just plumb crazy, Kace. How dare you suggest the family adult! Adulting is hard!"

"If they ever attempt to badmouth you again, the entire world will jump down their throats. It was honestly one of the best things that could have happened, I think. Especially when they replayed over and over how your brother said he wanted to smack you," Kace says. "I still wish I would've popped him. The lawsuit would've almost been worth it."

Victor shakes his head. "I'm really glad they didn't edit the footage to make you look like a terrible person. You stood up for yourself, and you put them in their place. You finally said enough is enough, and everyone in the world watching was impressed. That took more strength than most people have."

Bri tilts her head as she looks Kace up and down. "Are you lifting semi-trucks in your spare time?"

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