Page 43 of Extended Bridge (Passionate Beats #2)

Chapter Twenty-Five

“ Y ou look like shit.” Where’s the affable Luke I’ve come to know?

Bennett’s responds, “Fuck you.”

“He aggravated his injury,” I supply.

The manager sighs. “Great. As if we didn’t have enough to handle. Let’s talk in your room so you can get checked out.”

The three of us make our way to our room—no more pretenses that I’m sleeping anywhere else.

Once Bennett’s changed into shorts and I’ve evaluated him, he sits on the sofa with an ice pack.

True to his word, only then does Luke begin.

“I’ve been in contact with our PR team. They liked the presentation you guys gave during the Louisville show, but it obviously isn’t enough to counter the shitstorm from today. ”

Clearly.

He focuses on me. “Your clinic is also in the news. I assume you know about the graffiti incident?”

Bennett squeezes his own left thigh. “The spider?”

“Court and I have everything under control. She had the wall repainted and we put out a press release. ”

Luke adds, “Which didn’t contain the fallout.”

I remember being too distracted to open Court’s second text—the one she sent after reporting about the local paper picking up our press release. “What do you mean?”

“Black Widow spiders now are painted on the sidewalks outside both of your At Your Service PT clinics. This time with sayings beneath them.”

My hand flies in front of my face. “Michelle. I guess we were too clever in our press release.” My shoulders slump. “We should have outed her as the culprit.”

“Perhaps.” Luke reads something on his cell. “Have to hand it to you, though. Creating a contest for T-shirt slogans about spiders was an excellent idea. However, Michelle”—he glances at me for confirmation of her name—“only took it as an added challenge.”

I’m speechless. I have to get back there and deal with my business while I still have one to handle.

Bennett shifts forward in his seat, addressing his manager. “How serious is this?”

“Not going to lie, it’s more than annoying but less than a fatal crash.”

Well, there’s that. I find my voice. “We’ll fix it.” No other choice.

Luke returns his attention to the lead singer. “Your collective problems are now the band’s problems. This is a UC crisis.”

Bennett’s hand fists on top of the ice pack. “How many times do I have to tell you that I wasn’t the father?”

“Do you have anyone to back you up?”

“What? That I wasn’t sleeping with Lissa back then?”

“That’s exactly what I mean.”

The room goes still.

“It was high school. It’s not like I’m still in touch with any of those people. I wasn’t even close with them when we were in class together.” His green eyes search the ceiling for answers.

“Fine. If not them, how about your mother? Would she be able to vouch for you? ”

A humorless laugh falls from his lips. He opens and closes them several times, causing empathy to rise up in me. I answer for him. “Every mother believes the sun rises and sets on her child. No one would believe her.”

Bennett and I share a glance. Luke exhales loudly. “You’re right. C’mon, B, you must have had friends back then.”

“My best friend back then was Curtiss. The jerk Lissa referenced on the show today.”

Luke cracks his knuckles. “All right. We’ll think of something. Maybe do research into the hospital she must’ve gone to with the miscarriage. Perhaps we can get the records.”

“Not with medical privacy laws.” My physical therapy training comes in handy sometimes. “You might be able to get something out of the staff. Off the record, of course.”

Luke’s coffee-colored gaze impales me, before moving to Bennett. “Keep thinking about witnesses.”

“What about the bullshit that Jenna’s breaking up the band? I hate that she’s being portrayed as the enemy.” Bennett reaches over and squeezes my hand.

The manager semi-smiles at our joined hands. “I can handle it.”

“You shouldn’t have to,” I reply.

The fact Bennett’s standing up for me, even in the face of all the crap Lissa dumped on his lap, makes my heart flip. Despite the whirlwind swirling, I have faith that nothing will come between us.

Luke gets to his feet and paces around the room like a cornered tiger. “Coop, Río, and Tris are on your side. Have to give it to you straight, though, 007 and the Hilliards are less likely to come to your defense.”

Bennett moves the ice pack on his thigh. “007 participated last night.”

Was that only last night? My shoulders lower. “Has Darren’s mother said anything else to the press?”

“No,” the manager assures me. Then takes it away. “I have almost zero faith she’ll stay quiet in the face of Lissa’s interview.” He checks his phone. “Right on time, Francis and Logan reached out to her for her opinion.”

No need to read it.

Luke’s pacing accelerates.

Bennett’s phone blares an Eminem song. He picks it up, silences it, and tosses it onto the coffee table. In response to my angled head, he says, “Mom.”

Could this day get any worse?

“I’m going to call the PR team to strategize. Maybe reach out to Jeremy Davis again. He’s written good articles about UC in the past. For the love of God, do not leave this room.” He takes a step toward the door. “And don’t call in to any shows, podcasts, or reporter friends. Got it, B?”

“Not going anywhere,” he grumbles.

When Luke focuses on me, I raise my hands and nod. Satisfied, he stalks out of the room.

Bennett opens his arms wide. I can’t resist his invitation and crawl into his embrace, careful not to disturb the ice pack or reinjure his pulled muscle. With my head on his upper pecs and his chin on top of my head, he says, “We’ll figure this out.”

I don’t want to say this, but I feel the need to offer. “I should go home. The clinics are suffering because I’m not there.”

“No. They’re being targeted because you’re mine.” He tugs me tight. “Doesn’t matter where you are, no one can change this fact.”

I let his confidence buoy my flagging spirits. “I’m causing you problems with the band. Pierce won’t talk with you.”

“He was talking last night. He’ll get over it.” He shrugs. “Or we’ll hire a new bassist. You’re the most important person in my life.”

His first admission causes warmth to spread throughout my chest. The last one, though, not so much.

“That’s not right. The band needs its bassist. You need him,” Pierce seemed to be getting over my imaginary role in his best friend’s death last night.

Then there’s Darren’s mother, who equally hates me—although that’s nothing new.

And Michelle’s vendetta against me back home.

Add Lissa to the toxic brew, and we’re sinking fast.

“I need you more.”

Not wanting to continue this endless cycle without an off-ramp, I remove the ice from this thigh and suggest he check out the muscle pull. He gets to his feet and begins to do an abbreviated version of our exercises.

I follow him. “Does anything hurt?”

“No.” He even tries full-blown skater leaps. “Okay, these hurt.”

“They’re more advanced. So long as the others don’t bother you, I think you’ll be fine. Why don’t you take a shower?”

“Join me?” He holds out his hand.

“As inviting as that sounds, I better reach out to Court. I need to make sure the clinics are all right.”

He frowns. “Why don’t you turn it over to UC’s PR team? They’re professionals—I bet they can fix things for you without breaking a sweat.”

My hands fist on my hips. “It’s my business, Bennett. I can handle this.”

“All I’m saying is why bother? Take advantage of the team around me. That’s what they’re here for.”

“I’m not in the band,” I remind him, emphasizing my point by poking his chest. “UC retains them—of which I’m not a part. If no one else, Pierce will tell you that.”

He steps backward. “Sheesh, I’m only trying to help you.”

“I’ve been handling my business all by myself for years now. I think I know what I’m doing.”

“I’m sure you can, Sweetheart, but wouldn’t you prefer to pass all the work over to someone else? That way, we can enjoy our time together.”

His mansplaining rubs me the wrong way. I stab him with my evil eye. “I am perfectly capable of running my business.”

“I wasn’t saying you’re not. Only that you should let the professionals do their job. ”

“Professionals?” My voice rises. “Like how you defer to Luke’s every suggestion?” Low blow , but I’m mad.

Anger suffuses his body. “You do you.” He storms out of the room, muttering “Lissa,” and “Curtiss,” and “mother” as he makes his way to the bathroom. Before he slams the door, I hear my own name added to the list.

The cocky lead singer of Untamed Coaster can shove it. I’m the reason At Your Service PT exists, and I’ll keep it afloat, dammit. I punch the button for Court.

“Hey, you,” she answers. “I got the sidewalks repainted.”

Of course she could troubleshoot this, but it’s my mess to clean up. “I appreciate it. Guess my press release didn’t work as well as we hoped it would. I think it’s time for me to stop gallivanting with a rock band and come home to deal with all of this.”

“I have it handled from here. What more could you have done? Repainting makes it go away.”

“For what? A day? I’m thinking about installing security cameras. Even though Michelle’s been good at avoiding being caught on video from the street, I’m sure to catch her red-handed with more strategically-placed cameras.”

“Well, that’s not a bad idea. But you can contact companies online and I can oversee the installation.”

“At both locations? What about the new one that’s just getting renovated?”

“Right now, there are only two places. Felipe and I got this.”

“What if?—”

“Jenna. What is this call really about? Did you get into a fight with Bennett?”

I shout, “No!” A second later, I take a deep breath. “No, we’re not in a fight. Not a big one, anyway. He’s just being...a privileged rock star.”

“Well, he sort of is one, right?”

“Totally.” I plop onto the sofa. “It’s my responsibility to make this issue at the clinics go away. ”

“I hear you.” A pen taps on a desk. “There is something I’ve been keeping from you. Cancellations are on the rise again. I triple checked, and patient numbers are definitely lower.”

My stomach knots. “You shouldn’t have to take on all of this. The business is my responsibility.”

“You deserve this time away. With a super-hot, talented singer who makes your world shatter.”

My knees knock together. “I never said that.”

“Didn’t have to. How about this? I promise to keep you in the loop about numbers and graffiti outside if you send me a picture of Coop that I can’t find on the internet.”

The object of her interest catches me off guard. “Coop?”

“Come to think of it, a photo of Río would be fine, too. Both of them are not bad on the eyes.”

“None of the band is,” I agree. “You know all this is rubbing me the wrong way. I really should be home.”

“How about this. If cancellations increase by ten percent, I’ll give you a shout.”

“Ten percent?” I tuck my hair behind my ear, and it immediately pops out. “Five.” I shove it back again. “If anymore graffiti appears, I’m there.”

“Seven and I’ll handle the paint.”

My guess is the actual number is pretty high if she started off this negotiation at ten percent.

I’ll give her another week but if anything else happens, I need to be there.

It doesn’t matter what’s going on with UC.

Our conversation ends with me promising to send her a previously unseen photo of the guitarist. And drummer.

On the table, Bennett’s phone rings again and the name “Ma” appears. The shower’s running. She’s probably worried after seeing Lissa’s interview. I sit straighter. No way could she be as bad as he says. I swipe his phone. “Hello?”

An older woman’s voice asks, “Who’s this?”

“Mrs. Hardy, this is Jenna Westfield. I’m, ah, friends with your son.” Not sure he’d want me to classify our relationship differently with his mother.

“Oh you are, are you? Westfield. You’re the one people call the Black Widow?”

Thinking this wasn’t my best idea, I deflect. “Bennett’s taking a shower.” Crap. That sounded bad. I plow ahead, “Can I take a message?”

“Now you’re his secretary too?” When I remain silent, she continues, “Well, tell my son that I saw the interview with Lissa. Let him know I remember when he was in high school and fawning all over the girl like a lovesick puppy. I also recall his father dying on me.” She huffs into the telephone.

“Just a few moments later, my son left me behind to join that damn band of his, and never looked back. If his sister were here, she never would’ve abandoned me like he did. Got all that?”

Her venom is palpable, and it spikes my own simmering anger. In as even a tone as I can muster, I reply, “I’ll let him know you won’t be any help in rebutting Lissa’s claims.”

“Damn straight.”

She starts to say something else, but I’m done. I don’t want to hear it, so I pretend to have a bad connection and disconnect the call. The man never stood a chance with such a loathsome woman in his house.

Next, my phone chirps with an incoming text. Seriously? Who else wants to bother me today? My sister’s name appears.

I know you’re busy, but I’m having a hard time juggling kids, work, and hospital runs.

Hospital runs? I thought she and her husband had this all figured out. Between her schedule as an anesthesiologist and her husband’s cosmetic surgery practice, things always seemed to be organized chaos in their home.

What are you talking about?

How don’t you know?

She can be so dramatic!

Tell me

Ma’s been diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. She has weeks to months to live

My phone falls to the floor, my sister’s texts bouncing off the walls of my mind. Especially “How don’t you know?”

How don’t I know?

Because I’ve been playing physical therapist with a cocky rock star, who swept me off my feet and away from all my ethics.

Because I delved into the fantasy life of touring, with everything I needed provided at the crook of a finger.

Because Ma called me several times and Bennett distracted me from answering, causing me to treat her almost the same way his awful mother treats him.

On a sob, I rush to my suitcase, tossing my clothes into it without caution.

The bathroom door opens and Bennett comes out, wearing a towel around his waist, UC pendant hanging off his necklace, and wet hair framing his face. “Where are you going?”

“Home! I never should have left!”

Next up is the last book in the Passionate Beats trilogy, Mic Drop ~ this time with dual pov’s ~ which releases next month.