THE BIGGEST STAGE (A Brothers of Rock - WILLOW SON - novel) (18 page)

Colby stood in shock. He looked to
his left and saw how shocked Tessa was. She wore nothing but a bed sheet. Her
pretty eyes looked ready to explode with tears.

This was why
…
fuck fate.

Fate kept throwing Tessa at Colby.
He wanted her. He wanted to grab her, hold her, and take her for the rest of
his life even. But there were dark truths that not many people knew about. It
would haunt Colby for his entire life. Each time there was a picture, or a song
or something, there would always be people who spoke up. They spoke the truth
they believed because Colby fed into it.

Just like with Dan last night. The
guy was still tracking Colby down, wanting to make things right.

Make things right.

Colby wasn
’
t sure what that even meant.

“
Colby
…
we
…”
Jett started but then saw Tessa.

“
Hey,
”
Ryker said.
“
You
’
re from
…”

“
Bad
timing?
”
Harry asked.

“
Never,
”
Portis said.
“
Sweetheart, sorry to interrupt
the morning.
”

Tessa swallowed.
“
That
’
s fine. I was just leaving.
”

Colby watched Tessa walk to the
bedroom. He couldn
’
t let
her go, could he? His decisions would change Tessa
’
s life though. If he hurt her now, the pain would
go away soon. If he kept spending time with her, falling for her more and more,
the pain would be worse.

A hand clamped on Colby
’
s shoulder.
“
Dude
…
are you listening?
”

He looked at Brantley.
“
No. Not at all. What the hell is
this? An ambush?
”

“
She
’
s the one from the pictures
online,
”
Portis said.

“
She?
”
Colby asked.
“
She has a name. Tessa.
”

Portis put his hands up.
“
Sorry.
”

“
Look,
I need a minute here. We were
…”

“
Colby,
”
Harry said.
“
This is important right now. We
have to capitalize on the video. We have to finish up the studio stuff.
”

Portis closed in.
“
Hey, Colby. I have my legal
department already helping out.
”

“
Helping
out with what?
”
Colby
asked. He peeked over his shoulder, wanting to go after Tessa.

I didn
’
t mean to snap at you, pretty
eyes. I didn
’
t mean
…
I just don
’
t want you hurt
…

“
That
guy,
”
Portis said.
“
Heard about him trying to attack
you. Dan, right?
”

“
How
did
…”

“
There
’
s nothing hidden,
”
Portis said.
“
If I
’
m going to take on Willow son, I have to take
everything. Good and bad. We
’
re
going to make sure he can
’
t
get near you again.
”

Colby
’
s
head spun even more.
“
Dan
is just a regular guy. He
…”

“
He
has no right to go after you. Threaten your life.
”

“
Just
let Portis help,
”
Harry
chimed in.
“
Okay? Just
focus on the music. The band.
”

“
Let
’
s order something to eat,
”
Van said.
“
Everyone take a breath.
”

A door shut and Tessa was there.
Fully dressed.
In the same clothes from last night.

Colby ached for her. He felt bad
she had to leave like this. She had her phone to her ear. He wasn
’
t sure if she was faking the
call or not.

She got to the door and Colby went
after her.

They left the room and he darted in
front of her. He put his hands out.
“
Tessa
…”

She looked at him. She lowered the
phone.
“
What?
”

“
This
isn
’
t right. I
’
m sorry I
…”

“
No.
We
’
re friends, right? You
don
’
t want to give me more
of you, Colby. That
’
s fine.
This is all fate. We got to meet up and hang out. I
’
m sorry if I made it more.
”

“
What
you saw
…
that comment. Last
night, that guy
…”

Colby had the words. But he felt
Tessa slipping away.

“
I
have to go. I have to meet up with Christie and get moving.
”

“
Let
me call for a ride,
”
Colby
said.
“
You shouldn
’
t be anywhere alone. In case you
get approached.
”

“
I
know nothing, remember?
”

Tessa put a hand out and touched
his chest. Then she pushed at him.

“
Yeah,
”
Colby said.
“
I remember.
”

“
I
just have to go,
”
Tessa
said.
“
I
’
ll see you
…”

Tessa lowered her head and walked
down the hall. It left Colby alone. Horribly alone. Yet behind him, Willow Son
waited. Harry waited, eager to get the deal done. And Portis, ready to sign.

Christ, with the flick of a pen,
Willow Son would be officially in the studio again. Officially have new
material to sell and play. They
’
d be back on stage, back on tour in no time.

All Colby could do was stare. He
watched Tessa get on the elevator and leave.

She
’
d
read the stories soon enough. She
’
d
know what everyone else knew.

But maybe
…
someday
…
if fate allowed it
…
Tessa
would know the truth.

(18)

Wendy looked depressed as she
stared out the passenger window of the car. Tessa had her hands tight on the
wheel, eyes on the road, wishing she could stare aimlessly out the window.
Wishing she could be carefree and just waste her time and her goddamn life on
nothing.

But Tessa promised not to go too
crazy on Wendy. This was the first time in almost a year that she, Anna, and
Tessa were all going to be together at the same time. They were just a few
minutes away from the suburb outside Sacramento where Anna was still living.
Still painting. Still surviving and living a fantasy.

Life was anything but a fantasy for
Tessa.

If she wasn
’
t confused already about Colby, she had to field
emails and calls from people looking to talk to her. To figure out who exactly
the
mystery woman
was from the pictures. To explain why Colby hadn
’
t been seen with Tessa since.
Yeah, it had been a couple weeks, but in the world of media, weeks were more
like years. The calls had slowed, but a few still came in. The emails
continued, sounding pathetic and spammy, with one person from some blog in
Florida with the nerve to send pictures of Colby attending a party in Los
Angeles.

At a strip club.

With women hanging off his arms.

The first picture, the women
were dressed
…
the
second
…
they were
topless.

Big, fake boobs. Colby with arms
around their waists.

The announcement was made that
Willow Son and Portis were going to sign some kind of big deal. The songs
recorded were released. Of course, the slow one was stuck at number one
…
which meant the damn thing was
on the radio all the freaking time.

Wendy reached for the radio on the rental
car. She turned it on, hit one button, and Willow Son blared through the
speakers.

“
Nope,
”
Tessa said and turned it off.

“
What
was wrong
…”

“
I
don
’
t want to hear it,
”
Tessa snapped.
“
I don
’
t want to talk. I don
’
t
want
…”

“
Okay,
”
Wendy said.
“
Sorry.
”

Tessa opened her mouth. Ready to
scream
You fucking should be!
but she couldn
’
t do it. She swallowed her words and focused on the
road.

Colby had sent her a handful of
texts, wanting to make sure she was fine. Tessa gave him the benefit of just
replying with
Yes
or
Yup
but nothing more. She resisted the urge
to look him up online, almost afraid to see what she
’
d read. She had enough on her plate taking care of
Wendy and Anna. She couldn
’
t
take on a guy. Not a rockstar. No matter how good he was in bed or how damn
sexy he looked
…

“
You
know
…
if I had thought
anything bad about Scott
…”

Tessa gripped the wheel tighter.
She saw the corner coffee shop in the distance. Part of her wanted to stop and
just lay into Wendy right now. She hated the idea of getting into it with Wendy
in front of Anna, but maybe that
’
s
what needed to happen.

Let both her sisters know where
things stood. Just because Tessa had a good job and money didn
’
t make her a support system. She
had her own life to live.

Tessa sighed.

What life?

When she got a break from work, she
thought about work. She went places with Christie and watched the nights slip
away as Christie lived and Tessa was just the friend tagging along. Now, Tessa
was afraid to go into a bar or club. She feared someone would recognize her and
it would be stupid fanfare. Or worse yet, Christie would entice it to happen.
Christie thought it was amazing that Tessa had been photographed with Colby. In
fact, Christie saved the picture of Tessa and Colby kissing and made sure to
show everyone at work. Sure, it was quite the wild feat to end up in the arms
of a rockstar, locking lips, but there was more to it.

Tessa parked the car and Anna was
outside, waving.

“
Thanks
for talking,
”
Wendy said as
she exited the car.

She went right for a cigarette.

Tessa gritted her teeth.
How
could she afford those? Oh, that
’
s
right, from me
…

Tessa grabbed the cigarettes and
shook her head.
“
Inside,
now.
”

“
Whoa,
”
Anna said.
“
What happened?
”

“
She
’
s pissed at me,
”
Wendy said.

“
Pissed
…”
Tessa shook her head and held
the door open.

They sat near the window, ordering
coffee.

“
How
’
s your art project?
”
Wendy asked Anna.

“
Fun.
Really fun. Almost done.
”

“
Then
what?
”

“
I
don
’
t know. I
’
ll stay here as long as I can.
There
’
s a lot more to paint
if they want. We kind of went too fast on this one. But it
’
s so fun.
”

Wendy looked at Tessa.
“
Going to ride her ass for not
having a future?
”

“
I
didn
’
t say a word to
anyone,
”
Tessa said.

“
What
’
s going on here?
”
Anna asked.

“
Your
sister gave all her money - excuse me, my money - to a guy,
”
Tessa said.

“
That
’
s not fair,
”
Wendy said.

“
Explain
it then.
”

“
In
front of Anna?
”

“
Why
not?
”
Anna asked.
“
What
’
s wrong with me?
”

“
Oh,
you didn
’
t know?
”
Wendy asked.
“
Big sis Tessa hates when we talk
in front of the baby.
”

“
Wendy,
”
Tessa growled.

“
What?
Why?
”
Anna asked.

“
I
never
…”

“
Don
’
t lie,
”
Wendy said.

Tessa sighed again.
“
Fine. Anna, I
’
ve always felt for you
…
okay? So I
’
ve tried to
…”

“
Protect
her. Baby her.
”

“
Shut
up, Wendy,
”
Anna said. She
looked at Tessa.
“
You
’
ve felt for me. Why? What
’
s wrong with me?
”

“
You
never really got to know Mom,
”
Wendy said.

The table went silent.

Shit,
Tessa thought. Her
heart was already twisted. She didn
’
t
feel like talking about their mother. But Anna
’
s
eyes were big. So innocent and pretty. Wendy was hardened. A thick shell around
her fragile soul.

“
That
’
s what you think?
”
Anna asked.

“
We
came here to have coffee,
”
Tessa said.
“
And talk.
”

“
So
talk,
”
Wendy said.

Tessa nodded.
“
I took it all on my shoulders,
okay? Because Mom asked me to. She needed me to take care of you two. I tried
my best. And I
’
m sorry,
Anna, if I held you back at all. And Wendy? You need to figure it out.
”

“
What
happened?
”
Anna asked,
looking at Wendy.

“
I
gave Scott more money,
”
Wendy said.
“
I took the
extra rent money that Tessa gave me and gave it to Scott. To help with some of
his fines. They were going to put him in jail.
”

Anna shook her head.
“
You
’
re an idiot.
”

“
Shut
up.
”

“
Don
’
t pick on each other,
”
Tessa said.
“
It
’
s
…
what else happened?
”

“
I
’
m getting booted for good,
”
Wendy said.

“
Why?
”
Anna asked.

“
Scott
came over, drunk and high. He used the money to buy drugs to deal out. Cops
were called and all hell broke loose. He
’
s
gone now. For a long time. But I
’
m
out of a place.
”

“
Where
are you living?
”

“
I
don
’
t know,
”
Wendy said.

Anna slowly looked at Tessa.
“
Are you
…”

“
What?
What
’
s my option? Put her
in my place? Put her in a new place?
”

“
I
never asked,
”
Wendy said.

“
So,
what?
”
Tessa snapped.
“
I send you out on the streets?
You
’
ll end up
…”

“
I
’
m not a baby, Tessa,
”
Wendy said.

“
You
need to figure it out!
”
Tessa yelled.

People looked at them.

Anna touched Tessa
’
s hand. Then she reached for
Wendy
’
s hand.
“
Christ. Look at us.
”

“
Yeah,
”
Tessa said.
“
Look at us.
”

Anna shook her head.
“
I remember her, you know. I
remember her well. It hurts that she
’
s
gone. I live the way I do because I don
’
t
want to settle. I want to travel and live. Nobody needs to worry about me.
Ever. Got that?
”

“
You
float,
”
Tessa said.
“
I don
’
t get it.
”

“
You
don
’
t have to,
”
Anna said. She looked at Wendy.
“
Why are you messing with
those kinds of guys?
”

Wendy blinked. Tears filled her
eyes.
“
Because I have
nothing else. There
’
s no
…
connection. Our father left us.
Our mother died. I just want to feel loved.
”

“
We
love you,
”
Tessa said.

“
You
take care of me,
”
Wendy
said.
“
Every time we talk,
we fight.
”

“
Because
…”
Tessa swallowed hard.
“
Because I
’
m too involved.
”

“
I
don
’
t need a mother,
”
Wendy said.
“
I need a sister.
”

“
I
told her that before,
”
Anna
said.

Tessa put her other hand to Wendy
’
s free hand. The three sisters
sat at the table like they were about to pray or hold a seance.

“
I
’
m really sorry then,
”
Tessa whispered.
“
I got lucky with my job. I make
really good money. I want the same for you.
”

“
But
that
’
s not what we want,
”
Anna whispered.
“
I
’
m
happy. So happy. I
’
ll
figure it out.
”

“
So
will I,
”
Wendy said.
“
But I need to know you care and
love me. That you
’
re there
for me to call and just talk to. Sometimes I just want my sisters. To drink
with. To laugh with. To cry with. Not someone breathing down my neck.
”

Tessa nodded.
“
Okay. Fine. Where do we start
then?
”

They all took their hands back.

“
I
need a place to stay,
”
Wendy said with a flicker of a smile.

“
Yeah
…
,
”
Tessa said.
“
What
’
s your plan?
”

“
She
can stay with me,
”
Anna
said.