The Greatest Show (Willow Son #5/Brothers of Rock #20) (13 page)

“
I
get that. You have every right to be worried. I would be worried with me. I don
’
t understand any of this. How to
be a good father. But I
’
ll
damn try.
”

“
I
like watching you with him. He likes you.
”

“
I
hope so. I
’
m sure he
’
ll hate me someday.
”

Emma smiled. She leaned in and
kissed him.
“
Sleep here
tonight.
”

“
I
plan on it. I like my morning wake up for pancakes when I
’
m on the couch.
”

“
No,
Brantley. Sleep here, in this bed, with me. Hold me tonight. I want to feel
you.
”

“
We
should probably get dressed though,
”
Brantley said.
“
So we don
’
t get busted.
”

“
Good
call. See, you
’
re thinking
like a parent already.
”

They climbed out of bed and eyed
each other as they dressed. It was the first time Emma could remember being
post-pregnant and not caring about someone looking at her body. No running from
the bed to the bathroom and returning with a towel around herself.

That
’
s
what Brantley did to her. For her.

They climbed back into bed and
Brantley nestled up against her body. Their fingers interlocked and Emma shut
her eyes.

She felt safe. She felt protected.
She
felt loved.

**

Brantley watched as Emma started to
fall asleep.

How could this be so real?

One thing Brantley knew, he didn
’
t want it to end. No matter what
it took to work everything out. He
’
d
do anything for Seth
’
s
health. He
’
d do anything
for Emma
’
s happiness.

After a few minutes, Emma
’
s lips moved.
“
I
’
m
sorry about your family.
”

“
No.
Don
’
t be. You have bigger
things to worry about. I shouldn
’
t
have let any of that get to me now. Or years ago with us. I
’
ll never forgive myself.
”

“
You
have to, or else we have no future.
”

Brantley squeezed at her.
“
You deserve happiness, Emma.
Whatever that is to you. I want you to have it.
”

“
Thank
you.
”

Brantley kissed her cheek.

A few seconds later, Emma said,
“
Let me see what I can do
…”

“
About
what?
”

“
That
concert. I want to go. I
’
ve
never done anything crazy like that.
”

“
Oh,
you
’
ve done crazy stuff,
sexy
moves
,
”
Brantley
whispered.
“
Like hooking up
with a rockstar and having his baby. That
’
s
pretty intense.
”

Emma grinned. Her eyes were still
shut.

Goddamn, she
’
s so beautiful.

“
No,
listen,
”
Emma said.
“
I want to go with you. Just you
and me. If this concert means something to you. I want to go. I
’
ve never been on a private jet
before. I
’
ve only been on a
plane a few times.
”

“
Okay,
”
Brantley said.
“
Get some sleep. I
…”

He caught himself.

Was I just about say I love you
to her?

Brantley quickly shut his eyes, as
though he could block away what just almost happened.

Deep down, he was nodding to
himself
…
yeah, I was
going to say it.

**

Somewhere lost in a dream, Brantley
and Emma were still together in that diner. He made damn sure to go after her
and tell her there was no way she was getting away from him. After they hugged,
kissed, and cried, they went back to her place and made love.

Brantley took a job as a mechanic
and played guitar on the weekends.

Seth was born, healthy and stayed
that way.

Yeah, sure, Brantley resented the
success of Willow Son, but he got to play covers on the weekend, drink draft
beer for free, and usually walked away with a couple hundred dollars in his
pocket. Hell, Colby even stayed in close touch and was working on getting
Brantley some writing credits on the next album.

Life was simple. Life was
struggling. Life was good.

It wasn
’
t perfect but what was? Wasn
’
t that the fun in it? Struggling, finding the best
in someone during the worst times, and then saying
…

“
Wake
up, Mommy!
”

Brantley stirred and groaned.

He felt an elbow crash against his
chest.

Then blankets were pulled over his
head.

“
Good
morning, Seth,
”
Emma
’
s voice said.

She then started to unleash a fury
of kicks at Brantley, making it damn clear he had to get out of the bed before
Seth saw them together.

Brantley slithered to the side and
put his hand down on the floor. Sadly, this wasn
’
t
his first
in the sheets escape.
There were a few times when a
significant other had come into the room and Brantley had to wiggled his way
under the bed and wait things out. One time, really strange, it was a woman
that came home to her girlfriend.

He managed to get to the floor and
stayed there, staring up at the ceiling.

“
What
are you doing up so early?
”
Emma asked.

“
The
clock has an eight first. That
’
s
what time I get up. Where
’
s
Brantley? Did he sleep on the couch? I didn
’
t
see him.
”

Brantley smiled.

The kid
’
s looking for me. I like
it.

“
No,
Seth, he
’
s
…
you know what? I
’
m hungry. Let
’
s go make something to eat.
”

“
I
want pancakes, please,
”
Seth said.
“
And I want to
flip them. Brantley showed me how.
”

“
Yes
he did. I
’
ll have to thank
him for doing that.
”

They left the room and Brantley
popped up. He looked around and stood up. He grabbed his shirt and put it on.
He then checked himself in the mirror and slowly left the room. Once he was
halfway down the stairs did he realize he
’
d
have to explain why he was upstairs.

Before he could backtrack, Seth
spotted him.

“
Hey!
”
Seth said.
“
Where were you?
”

“
Taking
a shower,
”
Brantley said.

“
No
you weren
’
t. The water wasn
’
t running. And you look messy.
”

Brantley looked at Emma.

They were both frozen.

“
Brantley
…
and I
…”

“
Secret
ninja mission, kid,
”
Brantley said.
“
I thought I
heard a noise. I went to check it out and got lost in the attic. Okay? I
figured you could use the rest, Seth. You fight bad guys all day. It wasn
’
t a bad guy though. Sorry.
”

“
Oh,
”
Seth said.
“
I don
’
t believe you.
”

Seth turned and walked away, going
for a chair to drag it into the kitchen.

Brantley stared at Emma.

At the exact same time, they both
smiled.

It felt like family.

**

Brantley was outside on the porch
again.

“
Portis
isn
’
t thrilled about
sending two planes,
”
Harry
said.

“
I
don
’
t care. This is a
medical thing, Harry. If something happens with
”
-
my son
-
“
the kid
I need to be able to fly out right away. I
’
m
not going to stay long either. I
’
m
trying to figure this thing out. Work with me. Pay the cost out of my account
then, I don
’
t care. I
’
m not going to put Emma in a bad
position. And I
’
m not going
to leave Seth hanging if he gets sick.
”

“
Okay,
okay,
”
Harry said.
“
I
’
m
just telling you in case Portis gives you shit later on.
”

“
I
’
ll deal with it then. Just send
me the time for everything.
”

“
Got
it. And hey, that new song sounds good. Really good. It
’
s just missing lyrics.
”

“
Talk
to the lead singer.
”

“
I
did that. He said to talk to you.
”

“
Go
back and talk to him. I
’
m
not writing lyrics right now. I
’
m
busy with my
…
with my
family.
”

“
Good
for you. I
’
ll text you all
the details.
”

“
Harry.
Speaking of that
…
I
’
m going to text you something.
Don
’
t share it with anyone.
Look at it and help me with it. Okay?
”

Harry started to talk and Brantley
hung up.

Brantley turned and saw Mike
standing on the porch.

“
Hey,
”
Brantley said.

“
Rockstar,
”
Mike said. He was in roughed up
clothes, his flannel sleeves rolled up, looking like he just came from work.
“
You
’
re skipping the town, the state, going across the
country?
”

“
Yeah.
Just for a show. We
’
re
lining up the next opening act.
”

“
Private
jet?
”

“
Yes.
If anything happens
…”

Mike stepped forward and touched
Brantley
’
s shoulder.
“
I heard what you said. What you
’
re doing now. That means
something.
”

“
I
can
’
t imagine what everyone
has been through in all this. I want to try and show Emma something outside it
all. I want her to see my life for a night. I
’
ve
seen her life and it
’
s
amazing. I
’
m not going
anywhere either. She was nervous about me helping and leaving. I respect that.
But I
’
m going to prove it
to everyone.
”

Mike squeezed tight.
“
I hope so. I never thought I
’
d be talking to my daughter
’
s guy friend or whatever and
having her leave in a private jet. Here I was, worried about her speeding in a
car.
”

“
It
’
s a rockstar thing,
”
Brantley said.

“
Yeah.
Well
…
you better learn
about the father thing too.
”

The front door opened and Seth was
there, yelling,
“
Pop!
”

“
Hey,
big man!
”
Mike said.

He crouched, his knees popping, and
Seth dove into his arms.

“
Hey
Pop, guess what?
”
Seth
asked.

“
What?
”

“
Brantley
stayed the night.
”

Mike looked up.
“
Oh?
”

“
Yeah.
He did it before but slept on the couch. This time, he woke up and fought bad
guys in the attic.
”

“
The
attic, huh?
”
Mike asked.

The kid is ratting me out
,
Brantley thought.

“
Yeah,
”
Seth said.
“
I don
’
t believe him. I think Mommy was afraid and
Brantley was checking her closet.
”

“
Okay,
Seth,
”
Emma said.

Mike stood up and patted Seth on
the head.

“
Well,
”
Mike said,
“
I hope you both enjoy your
night.
”