No Chance by Lisa Suzanne
CHAPTER 10: BRETT
“She’s coming,” I announce.
Four heads turn in my direction, and I’m met with wide eyes from everyone gathered here in a huge suite at some fancy hotel in Phoenix. Karl’s here, too, and I’m late for a quick band meeting, but I had to call her first to find out what’s going on.
Tommy’s perched across one couch. “She’s coming?”
Dustin and Tyler are sitting in some chairs across from him, and Karl stands near some windows.
I press my lips together and nod. If anything, he’s the one who will be most affected by this sudden turn of events. He was expecting the party bus, and instead I’m inviting along a woman we don’t know along with a baby. That’s hardly a place for the drunken and/or stoned shenanigans we get into—or the sex, but Tommy’s not particular about needing a bed or about it needing to happen on the bus, just as long as he gets his.
“She says she doesn’t have any other choice,” I say, if nothing else to fill the silent surprise in the room.
“There’s always a choice,” Tommy mutters, and I can’t help but think that sounds awfully familiar.
Dustin, Tyler, and Karl are quiet, and then it’s like everyone springs into action at the same time. Everyone except Tommy.
“Amanda can help out with the baby,” Dustin says at the same time Tyler says, “Anything you need, man, we’re here.”
“What can I do?” Karl asks.
I clear my throat as I stare dumbly at the men who are brothers to me. “I, uh, don’t really know,” I admit.
Tyler stands. “Then what you need is help figuring it out and delegating.”
“We’re booked solid today,” Karl reminds us from his spot near the window. We’ve got media interviews this afternoon and another private event tonight—this time just an appearance at a local club. But that really limits what I can do to transition Hannah and the kid from their apartment to the bus.
“Dani can help,” Tyler says.
“Thanks,” I murmur, and I truthfully feel like I’d be fucking lost without these guys.
“Amanda can watch Luna if Danielle needs help,” Dustin offers. “She would love to help however she can. We have a fairly good idea already of what we need versus what we thought we needed.” They have a five-month-old baby they brought along on this tour, a little girl named Maya.
I have these experts all around me, and I feel like I’m having an out of body experience. Maybe I’m a little hungover after numbing myself last night, but none of this feels real. I still haven’t even accepted the fact that I have a kid, and by tomorrow he’ll be living on my tour bus.
I still don’t want kids. I still want the life I’ve been living the last thirty years.
But want it or not...here they come.
Instead of a band meeting, Tyler and Dustin call in the real bosses running the show: their women.
“What’s going on?” Danielle asks.
“I don’t know how much you know, so the short version is that I have a kid. His mother died a couple nights ago and his aunt tracked me down and they’re coming on tour with us.”
Neither woman seems surprised by the first part of what I say, but the whole coming on tour with us seems to throw them for a loop.
“Both of them?” Amanda asks.
I nod. “The aunt is all the kid has, and I don’t know what the hell I’m doing so I told her I’d pay her to take care of him.”
“Why are they coming on tour, though?” Tommy asks. “Can’t you pay her to take care of him at their place?”
I blow out a breath. “It’s complicated, all right? This just felt like my only real option.”
“Whatever,” Tommy mutters petulantly. “Don’t I get a say in this?”
He has a point, but before I get the chance to plead my case, Danielle gives him a pointed glance then looks at me. “You’re doing the right thing, Brett,” she says softly. “This has to be confusing and difficult for everybody. But we’re here to help. What does she need?”
“She?” I ask.
“The aunt,” Danielle clarifies.
“Hannah,” I say. “I have no idea. She needs to plan her sister’s funeral before we head to SLC, for one thing. She works at a bar, so she needs to quit. She needs rent. She goes to school, so she’ll need to get in touch with her professors. Beyond that...” I trail off and shrug. “I have no idea.”
“She just lost her sister,” Amanda says softly. “She needs her friends. She needs support.”
“And that’s where we’ll come in,” Danielle finishes.
Amanda nods. “We’ll do whatever we can.”
“You two are...” I trail off. I haven’t been the nicest guy to either of them. I always looked at them as these two outsiders who weaseled their way into the lives of some of the best guys I know and tried everything in their power to tear apart our band.
My conversations with Tommy tell me he feels the same way about them.
But now I’m realizing how wrong I’ve been this whole time.
They’re not here to tear us apart. They’re here to help us grow. I’ve been stuck in the same place for the last decade, and while I’ve enjoyed every second of the ride, maybe it’s time for me to grow up a little. And nothing will kickstart that process faster than finding out I’m responsible for a kid I didn’t even know I have.
“You’re the best,” I finally finish. “And I’m sorry I didn’t realize it sooner.”
