Chase the Road (A Brothers of Rock - GONE BY AUTUMN - Novel) (19 page)

“
He
’
s shit without you,
”
Sam said.
“
Just for the record.
”

“
What?
”

“
You.
Blake. Come on. I know the deal. I have no clue what you were trying to prove
with that other guy. Maybe it was just to take away that lonely feeling, and I
get that. But if you know, then you know.
”

“
Well,
I know,
”
Maya said.
“
He just doesn
’
t
…
listen
…”

Sam laughed.
“
Blake? Not listening? That doesn
’
t sound like him
…”
Sam rolled his eyes.
“
Look, from the second I met them
- and you - you all were just going along your own paths. It just so happened
those paths were the same. Once things change a little here and there, it gets
harder. But that
’
s what
makes things worth it. To fight to stay on the path or to give another try.
”

Maya sighed. She quickly ran
through what had happened with the engagement ring from Hunter.

Sam rubbed his chin.
“
Damn. What did you do after
that?
”

“
I
told Hunter what I meant to say the night he gave it to me. That it was over.
Really over. It had been over. I sent the ring to his place, along with his
key. I want nothing to do with it, Sam. I just want Blake. Only Blake. That
’
s how it had always been. Or it
was supposed to be.
”

“
I
know,
”
Sam whispered.
“
You
’
re still here, Maya. So
’
s Blake.
”

“
For
how long? I can wait years, but what kind of life is that?
”

“
Do
you love him?
”

“
Of
course I do.
”

“
If
you can live a life feeling love
…
true love
…
that
’
s not a bad life at all.
”

“
And
if that love isn
’
t
returned?
”

Sam grinned.
“
Oh, trust me, it
’
s returned. He loves you to
death.
”

Maya curled her lip. She was
annoyed by it all.

“
Can
we talk about something else?
”

“
Sure,
”
Sam said.
“
Here are the touring numbers
from the last week.
”
He
took out his cell and pressed a few times on the screen.
“
It
’
s
looking great. We have full backing and promotion. Basically, we can determine
how long to ride this out. I figure if we market a new song every few songs, we
can build some serious buzz for the next album.
”

“
Release
it before or after the tour?
”
Maya asked.

“
Not
sure yet.
”

“
We
should maybe do it at the end. Something completely unconventional. The last
night of the tour is when the album drops.
”
Maya snapped her fingers.
“
Hey,
can we get it televised?
”

“
What?
”

“
The
last show. Invite the world to it. The launch of the album and the last show of
the tour
…”
Maya started to
pace and nibble on her fingernail.
“
Yeah.
Imagine how
…
how amazing
…”

“
Not
a bad idea,
”
Sam said.
“
Let me get on the phone with Dan
over at the office and see what we can do. I
’
m
sure someone will know someone who can get the wheels turning.
”

“
Yeah,
”
Maya said.
“
I
’
m
just picturing it as some kind of huge invite thing. Air it on television,
online, stream it across the globe. And the true lucky fans are the ones with
tickets to the actual concert. Can we do it outside?
”

Sam
’
s
eyes looked like they were spinning. He smiled and nodded.
“
Love your ideas, Maya. Someone
else does too.
”

Maya looked over her shoulder and
saw Blake standing down the end of the hall. Maya waved. Blake waved back.

Then he kept walking.

Shit.

She didn
’
t want to live a life waving
…
where was that going to get her?

Maybe it was time to just go after
him. To put it all on the line.

After the show. Tonight. This is
it. All or nothing.

(19)

Blake felt the ring digging into his
leg the entire show. He never played a show with the ring in his pocket. He
never had a reason to do it, except for right now. Because there were two
choices. He could either throw it into the crowd and let someone have the damn
thing. Or give it to the person who rightfully deserved it.

Just hearing Maya talk to Sam
twisted Blake
’
s heart so
much. She was so passionate about the band and the dream. It was like she was
the sixth member of the band. Not even that, she was the woman he loved. Bottom
line. And if Blake had to fight a million people to get to Maya, he would.

The show went smooth. The crowd was
big and loud. But all Blake could do was look down at the set list taped next
to his drum kit and count down the songs. Waiting for that last one. Waiting
for that encore to come. And waiting until it was actually all said and done,
standing at the front of the stage, taking a bow.

Maybe some women dreamed of a
romantic night and something above and beyond when they were given a diamond
ring, but Blake wanted to offer himself. That meant shirtless, sweaty, out of
breath, sore from playing a two hour show, but he
’
d
give the most important thing to Maya. His heart.

When the show ended, Blake cut off
stage and went on the hunt for Maya. She usually waited for the band at the
side of the stage, but she wasn
’
t
there tonight. So Blake charged along the backstage area, looking. He opened
every door he could find, calling for Maya.

He found Sam in the Gone by Autumn
dressing room, a phone to his ear. Blake spun Sam around and Sam put up a
finger. Blake gritted his teeth and pulled the ring from his pocket. He showed
it to Sam and Sam
’
s eyes
went wide.

“
I
got to go, Dan,
”
Sam said.
“
Give me a minute.
”
Sam ended the call.
“
Is that for me?
”

“
Yeah,
Sam, it
’
s for you. Let
’
s get married. What the hell
…
who do you think it
’
s for?
”

“
Maya
…”

“
Where
is she?
”

“
I
…
she left a few minutes ago. I
don
’
t know
…”

Blake growled and darted out of the
room. He ran through the back of the building and was outside a second later.
He looked around and saw the tour bus, the trucks, a lot of cars.

Then he saw Maya
…
standing near one of the cars,
one her phone, pacing. When she spotted him, she opened the backdoor to the
car.

Blake started to run at her. He
feared the car was going to speed away, leaving him to forever wonder what
exactly was going on here.

But Maya never got in the car. She
just stood there. Frozen, lips quivering, her cell phone gently sliding down
from her ear. She quietly tucked the phone away.

“
What
are you doing?
”
he asked.

“
I
don
’
t know. I think I was
trying to buy a plane ticket maybe.
”

“
You
think? Why?
”

“
I
don
’
t
…
I can
’
t live like this, Blake. I have to be all or
nothing anymore. It just
…”

“
Maya,
I
’
m sorry I flipped out,
”
Blake said.
“
But I found an engagement ring
in your bag. And I had to endure hearing you say
I love you
to someone
else. And I had to stand on the side of it all for years
…
killing myself while you were killing yourself. We
’
re damn fools, sweetheart. But
we can be damn fools together.
”

“
So
that
’
s it then? We are just
damn fools together?
”

“
That
’
s not good enough?
”

“
I
didn
’
t say that
…”

“
What
do you want? More proof?
”

“
What
if I said I did?
”

Blake loved that Maya was being
defiant. She was cute when she tried to be bold and bitchy. He loved her even
more for doing it. Because she was the one setting things up right now.

Blake took her by the hand and
pulled her close.
“
Come
here. I
’
ll show you. I
’
ll prove it all to you.
”

“
Blake
…”

“
No,
”
Blake said.
“
You
’
re right. You want proof, you got it.
”

“
I
didn
’
t mean it
…”

“
Of
course you did. I was dying inside thinking about you with someone else. Then
you and I had our chance. Finally. We were alone. Just you. Just me. Just us.
It was perfect and beautiful. But then the second reality came into play
…
it got fucked up.
”

“
I
fucked it up,
”
Maya said.

“
No,
sweetheart. Reality did. Because
…”

Blake didn
’
t finish the sentence. He instead just walked, Maya
’
s hand in his, and he led her
back to the arena. They were just south of Atlanta, and being in a random spot
just seemed so damn fitting for everything that had happened in their lives
together.

Blake had his eyes set and ignored
everything around him. Even when Maya was calling his name, asking what they
were doing. He just kept walking. He dodged the roadies pushing cases of
equipment and the stage set up down the hall. There was still time before the
stage would be taken apart.

That
’
s
where Blake went.

Right back on stage. In front of an
empty arena, among the rumbling and murmuring of all the guys working their ass
off to get Gone by Autumn
’
s
stuff packed into trucks and moved to the next venue.

But none of that mattered.

Blake took Maya to the front of the
stage and stood there with her.

“
Right
here,
”
he whispered.

“
What?
”

“
Right
here. This is where I want to be. With you. I stand here each night and am
amazed at the people. I sit behind the drums. I strum a guitar. I sing. I do it
all for them. But the passion to make all that happen
…
it comes from you. You, sweetheart. You
’
re the fire in the band. You
’
re the one that makes me do
this. That
’
s what reality
is. You and me together, Maya. That
’
s
what it
’
s always been.
Nobody else could get in the way of our reality but us.
”

“
So
how do we fix that, rockstar?
”
Maya asked with a grin.

“
Simple
…”
Blake dug into his pocket and
took out the ring. He took Maya
’
s
hand and opened it. He put the ring in the palm of her hand.
“
This is yours. It
’
s been yours for years.
”

Maya looked at the ring and gasped.
“
Blake
…”

“
I
bought this before we went on that first tour all those years ago. When you and
I
…
when things didn
’
t work
…”

“
You
were going to give that to me that day?
”
Maya asked. Her eyes filled with tears.

“
Yeah,
”
Blake said.
“
But I get it. So I kept this for
you.
”
Blake closed her hand
around the ring. He squeezed tight to Maya
’
s
hand.
“
I love you, Maya. I
’
ve never loved anyone like I love
you. And I never will. No matter the city, the stage, the song, any of it
…
it
’
s always been about you. And it always will be.
”

“
Blake,
this is all or nothing. I can
’
t
do anything else.
”

“
Good.
With you, I have everything. Without you, I have nothing. I
’
ve carried that damn ring around
for years and years. Waiting for the perfect moment. And then I realized
…
every moment we have is perfect
when we
’
re together. So now
you have the ring. You have my heart. What else do you want?
”

“
A
kiss.
”

“
Deal.
”

Blake gently touched Maya
’
s face, his thumb stroking her
cheek. He came forward and pressed his lips to hers. His heart raced faster
than anything he could ever remember. Faster than Gone by Autumn
’
s first practice. First song.
First show. Faster than playing for twenty, thirty, forty thousand people.
Faster than getting that first seven figure royalty check and realizing the
rockstar dream had come true.

They kissed again and again, until
there was a group of grumbling throat clears.

Blake looked back and saw the rest
of the band standing at the side of the stage.

“
You
two love birds done?
”
Ryan
asked.

“
Nope,
”
Blake called out.

He turned to kiss Maya again and
all the guys stormed the stage. They ran to Blake and Maya, making a circle,
hugging them.

“
About
time,
”
Gabe said.

“
Can
you imagine the Gone by Autumn wedding?
”
Asher asked.

“
I
wonder if they
’
ll hire a
band to play,
”
Tanner said.

“
I
’
m the best man, of course,
”
Ryan said.

“
You?
”
Asher asked.
“
Wait
…”

“
I
should be the best man,
”
Tanner said.

“
How
about
best men
?
”
Maya asked and giggled.

“
Smart
and beautiful,
”
Blake said.

Blake stood there with everything
he could ever ask for. Four guys that were as close as brothers; a band,
rockstars, the crazy, fun loving guys that made up Gone by Autumn. And the
woman he was going to spend the rest of his life impressing, loving, caring
for, and making damn sure that he was her favorite rockstar.

Ever.

“
Gone
by Autumn,
”
Blake whispered
and kissed Maya.

Her lips fluttered against his.
“
Gone by freaking Autumn
…”

The dream, alive and well, lasting
forever.

~*~*~

It was a stupid tradition, but it
always seemed to work for Colby. He liked to rest his voice after a show and
the backstage wildness by climbing to the top of the tour bus and chilling out.
He had a cold beer in his hand, his other hand rubbing his throat, feeling the
effects of belting out classic Willow Son songs.

The rest of the guys were scattered
between the arena and the tour bus. Everyone was living it up and taking
advantage of the rockstar lifestyle.

It was all Colby had known in life.
Music was his life.

From the time he was able to hold a
guitar and attempt to strum all the strings, making nothing but noise right up
until he learned two chords and wrote ten songs from those two chords, it was
the most addicting thing in the world. Better than booze. Better than drugs.
Better than sex.

Maybe.

Colby finished his beer and set the
bottle next to him. Out beyond the arena were the lights of the city. With that
came the road. The back roads, the city streets, and the highways and
turnpikes. Traveling coast to coast, country to country, making sure everyone
heard the music Willow Son had to offer. It hadn
’
t
been the easiest of roads since the band formed, but that
’
s just how life went.

“
Colby!
”
a voice yelled.

Colby leaned over the bus and saw
bassist Van standing on the ground.

“
What?
”

“
I
hate when you do that,
”
Van
said.
“
Keep thinking you
’
re going to fall off and break
your neck.
”

“
Haven
’
t fallen once yet. What
’
s up?
”

“
Phone
call for you,
”
Van said.
“
Andy
…”

Colby nodded.

Andy -
Anderson
- was the
band
’
s manager.

Van threw the phone and Colby
managed to catch it. If he had missed the grab, the phone would have crashed
and broke into pieces. Strange enough, Colby was more about the phone breaking
then himself falling off the bus.