Page 105 of Without You

“Hey, Dad.”

“Son.” He nods, standing wide and looking so much like his son it’s a little freaky. “What’d he say?”

“His legal team is taking care of it as we speak. He got a text while we were talking that the video was uploaded directly to a website from a phone. The IP address is already being tracked and they’re sending notices, or whatever it is they do, to get it taken down. The prosecutor will need to know if we are going to press charges, which, just to say, I’m leaning in that direction no matter who it was because that fucker stood outside of my shop and recorded us having sex as well as smeared your character by spreading lies that you are a cheater. The thing is, it was far more than just spreading a lie. It was actively trying to ruin someone.

“Chase is pissed, as he should be, and I have no idea how it would go if you accepted his job that he offered you but he said he’d protect you if you do decide to accept it.”

“Hold up. What job?” Johnny asks.

I turn to him. “He offered me a job to travel with the band to be their massage therapist, basically.”

“Bullshit. He has the hots for you and wanted you with him. You’re not taking it, are you?” Johnny says vehemently.

I shake my head and give Brody a little squeeze. “Not anymore. I was thinking about it, because it seemed like a really good opportunity and the money he offered would be a game changer for me. It was also something I figured I’d never have the chance to do again, and thought maybe it would be… interesting, I guess. But now I know I’ll just be in the spotlight and stared at, gossiped about, and slandered so no, I’m not going to accept it. I was on the fence anyway, because he’d asked me out a few times and I was afraid it would be awkward but also because…” I turn to Brody, “don’t let this freak you out, but because of you.”

He grins. “Doesn’t freak me out but it does make me happy. I didn’t want you to take it, either.”

“Why didn’t you say that? I wanted your truth, B.”

“No way was I going to stand in the way of something you truly wanted. That wasn’t my choice to make for you, babe.”

If I wasn’t already falling for him, that would have tipped me right over the edge.

I kiss him lightly on the cheek. “Thank you. You can’t know how much that means to me. But I brought it to you because I truly wanted to know where you were on the idea of me being gone.”

He looks at me closely, back and forth between my eyes as if he’s trying to get a better read on me. “Do you need me to say it?”

“Say what?” I ask, even though I know what he’s talking about. It just makes me nervous to admit to wanting his opinion on what I do with the next several months of my life. Is it too soon to figure Brody in as a factor of a decision like this? I’m sure some would say yes, but it sure doesn’t feel like it’s too soon. In fact, it feels like he’s the primary factor in whether or not I would have said yes or no to Chase’s offer, even though it’s no longer in question.

He doesn’t seem to be bothered that his friends and dad are in the room when he takes me by the hands, facing me. “A few months ago, these nut jobs and I got rip roaring drunk and almost made a fool of ourselves as we interrupted Hannah’s wedding reception. I looked over and saw this gorgeous blonde with lips I couldn’t get out of my head and my world changed. Not because of a contract I had just signed, but because of the girl I had a hard time looking away from. Katie, without you, none of this,” he gestures to the shop and office, “matters. None of it. I want you with me as often as I can have you and if I have to prove to you, I’ll enjoy the hell out of that. But hear me, and I’ll repeat it as many times as it takes for it to stick, then I’ll say it a thousand more times, the reason why I’m happy right now isn’t because of a job or money. It’s because of you. Could I survive a few months without you around me every day? Probably. But I don’t want to.”

By the time he finishes talking, I’m a bundle of emotions, tears flooding my eyes and a lump forms in my throat. “I needed to hear that,” I whisper.

“Sorry I wasn’t clear enough earlier.”

Brody kisses me, a closed mouth kiss on the lips. “Apparently I’m a words speak louder than actions girl.”

“Good to know,” he says, winking.

“Now that that’s settled, is Chase going to fix this?” Gil demands to know. “For sure, he’s going to.”

“Yes. He promised me he’d make it right and make sure that everything was taken down immediately. And yes, he’s still planning on speaking to the press. We can’t guarantee there won’t be blowback and that no one comes snooping for information. He warned me that just because we do our part in telling the truth, that doesn’t mean everyone will believe us or that they’ll let it go. We can only do so much.”

“Yeah, I kind of figured that. I think I want to text Hannah and see if she’s weird with me. I mean, if it actually is her, you know?”

Johnny hoots. “Do it. Can I help? I want to see her squirm. We know it’s her. There’s no way it isn’t.”

“Should I?” I ask Brody and he shrugs.

“Why not?”

I move to my coat and grab my phone, unsurprised that I’ve missed multiple calls and texts from my sister, Maria, Cami, my mother, and a few others. I know everyone is likely worried and I’ll respond later. But right now…

I bite my bottom lip trying to think of how to start and settle on something simple, not wanting her to be suspicious.

Me: Hey, girl! Just wanted to check in because we haven’t talked since the wedding. Hope everything is going well.

I wait patiently as the text changes from Delivered to Read.

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