Page 17 of Mic Drop (Passionate Beats #3)

Bennett

I smile at Jenna’s text. Yes, Sweetheart, I miss you more. Not wanting to engage in a text discussion, I FaceTime her. She answers from behind the steering wheel. “Are you driving?”

“I’m going to Ma’s.”

“I need you safe. Call me from her driveway.” I disconnect the call. I better set up some ground rules for future conversations. Number one will be no texting—or FaceTiming—or any calls or texts with whomever—while driving. She has to stay safe.

The plane lands and Ashley passes me my bag. “Thanks. I’m sure I’ll be seeing you again real soon.” I knock on the cockpit door and give my appreciation to the pilot and co-pilot as well.

A black SUV waits near the flight of steps attached to the jet. With a quick wave to the crew, I hop into the vehicle, surprised to see our head of security himself driving. “Hey, Elias. Looks like I scored the top dog today.”

He adjusts his sunglasses. “Good trip?”

I think back on everything that happened on this short jaunt.

Faith’s medical condition got sorted, although not in the way we’d hoped.

She did give me her blessing to ask her daughter to marry me, which promptly led to us getting engaged.

“Yeah. I would say so.” Curtiss’s call was an unexpected bonus.

“That’s good. I’m taking you straight to sound check.”

“Thanks.” As I watch the scenery pass, the sky seems bluer than normal. The trees greener. Even the architecture is more vivid. In my hand, my cell chimes with an incoming FaceTime call. I hold it up. “Gotta take this.”

Jenna’s sitting in her car, clearly parked. I spot some familiar landscaping. “Good. You’re at your mother’s.”

“Had to practice the ‘obey’ part of our upcoming vows.” She ruins her statement by giggling like a schoolgirl.

“I didn’t even imagine the word would be in our vows. But now that you mention it, I do like the sound of it.”

“Forget it, Rock Star.”

“A guy can dream. I’ll loosen you up.” I blow her a kiss.

She shakes her head. “Anyway, what was so important that you had to call me before you even landed? And how could you do that? Calls can’t be made on airplanes.”

I love her na?veté. “That law doesn’t apply to private jets. They let us do whatever we want on there.” I stick out my tongue and move it up and down. “If you get my drift.”

She pretends to be scandalized. I know better. “Settle down, over there. Talk to me.”

I do. I tell her about the shocking call with Curtiss and how I can get out from under the vile shit Lissa’s spewing. She fills me in about her interview with the Record News . “And,” she finishes, “I did it. Court and I talked with Hayden.”

I do a quick mental rolodex and can’t place a Hayden in it. I hope context will help. “Was she helpful?”

“She really was. She had a great idea for how we can do even more with the spider thing. I didn’t tell her about Michelle, though. I think if her idea works—and with some tweaks both Court and I think it will—it’ll be even better than calling her out by name. ”

Got it. Hayden’s on the UC PR team. I file her name for future use. “I’m glad you got some outside help. Care to share this idea?”

She wiggles in her seat. “No.”

I love when she plays the coquette. Hell, I simply love her. I don my best puppy dog eyes. “Not even one little hint?”

“Fine,” she fake huffs. “We’re going to use the attributes of a spider to our advantage.”

All right. I didn’t see this coming, and I can’t even imagine what would be considered a positive about a spider. “Not sure what on earth that would be, but I trust you. Can’t wait to see the campaign.”

“Hayden’s working up some ideas. I promise to show them to you when they’re ready.” Her eyes drift toward the house and she squints, leans forward, then rears backward. “I think Ma just fell. I have to go.” She unbuckles her seatbelt.

Before she can disconnect the call, I beg, “Text me what’s going on.”

“I will.”

The phone goes dead before I can tell her I love her.

From the driver’s seat, Elias says, “I hope everything’s all right with Jenna’s mother.”

Because we still have a ways to go to get to the stadium.

Because I’m raw after our conversation. Because I need an outlet and he’s always been the face of discretion—being our head of security and all—I admit, “Her mother’s been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

She looked pretty good when I saw her today, but I’ve noticed a decline in her health since we first met.

Doctors say she has maybe a couple of months left. ”

“Wow. I’m sorry.” He turns left. “Please let me know if there’s anything I can do. Jenna’s a doll. I liked her before,” when she was with Darren remains unsaid. “She’s grown up since then. You two are a good fit.”

Two fingers rub over the bridge of my nose. “I love her.”

“Great to hear. You’ll figure out how to help her mother.”

I don’t unburden myself on Elias any further. He doesn’t need to hear of the multiple doctors who have examined her, only to reach the same prognosis. I simply say, “Or be there for Jenna.”

We continue our ride in silence, pulling up to the back of the stadium where a crowd has gathered behind iron gates. His knuckles clench around the steering wheel. “Stick with me, Bennett. I’ll get you into the building without any issues.”

“Will do.” My mind remains in Aroostook. I need to get an update from Jenna about her mother. Why hasn’t she called me back yet?

He pulls to a stop as close to the doors as possible. We get out and the mood in the crowd shifts. Like it always does. Although, this time, excitement is interlaced with something else. Hostility?

“Bennett!” Someone screams my name. My head whips to the sound. I let my performance mask fall into place, smile, and raise my hand.

Followed by, “How could you abandon your high school sweetheart when she was pregnant?” My arm lowers.

“How could you be so heartless?” I keep my face trained on the cement.

“Why are you with the Black Widow? She’s nothing compared with Lissa Baker!” My stride lengthens.

“I can’t wait to see you perform tonight!” This final shout, at least, makes me feel somewhat better.

Elias nods at the security guarding the door, which the burly guy opens. I give him a thumbs up and follow Elias into the stadium. Once the door closes, I lean against the wall. Now I understand why he picked me up at the airstrip. “Christ.”

“I was hoping we would’ve avoided any interactions with the public before I got you inside. Things escalated since Lissa’s latest interview.”

“I’d say.” We resume walking toward backstage. “I might have a lead that will end things. Still working out the details.”

“Good to hear.”

Elias doesn’t ask me if what Lissa’s been spouting is true. Guess it doesn’t matter to him either way, but I have a need to set him straight. “For the record, she wasn’t pregnant by me.”

“I believe you.”

His trust shocks me, given it’s still only a he said, she said situation. A couple of steps later, I say, “Thank you.”

We turn the corner and Elias opens a door that leads to the stage. This is my domain. Better prepare myself to perform, even if it’s only pregame. Before I even can close my eyes to visualize the staging and our performance, Elias puts his hand on my shoulder. “I’ve got your back.”

His heartfelt sentiment lodges in my throat.

This man has been like a father to me since I joined UC.

For the first time, I wonder what his home life is like.

Does he have a wife? Kids? I need to talk with Luke and get the dirt on him.

See how I can make his life better. It certainly can’t be easy dealing with the five of us on the regular.

My cheeks puff. “I’m forever grateful.”

“B, you’re back!” Luke walks up to us as Elias melts into the background. Where he always is, ever vigilant. Making sure his charges are safe.

“Hey, Luke. What did I miss?”

“The usual. Ready to run through sound check?”

No mention of the shitstorm swirling around me from outside. Not wanting to cause anymore headaches or discuss my fiancée—I have a fiancée!—I reply with the expected, “Of course.” I hop onto the stage and run through the regular ritual.

After the sound check, we enjoy an amazing catered meal from one of New Orleans’s famed restaurants in one of the rooms tucked away in the bowels of the stadium. “These people really know how to cook down here,” Coop notes.

The rest of the band chimes in with their favorite dishes.

The discussion gets heated over gumbo versus jambalaya.

I let their talking swirl around me, with our opening act providing the background music.

My mind’s firmly in the Hamptons, hoping Jenna’s mother is all right. She still hasn’t texted me .

007 asks, “Which do you prefer, Bennett?”

“Huh?” I glance around the table.

“What are you looking at?”

“I’m waiting for a text from Jenna, if you must know.”

Our bassist runs his palm over the table. “Gotcha.”

On edge from waiting for Jenna, I can’t take his passive-aggressive shit tonight. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

007 raises his hands. “No offense, man.”

Yeah, right. He’s had it out for Jenna since she first set foot backstage following the movie premiere. I erupt, “You better get used to her. Jenna’s my woman. We’re getting married.”

Five sets of eyes home in on me. Luke is the first to find his voice. “Come again, B?”

I toss my napkin onto the table. “There’s a lot of shit going on.” I spring up and take longer strides than usual, ignoring the tiny twinges from my pulled muscle.

Luke comes up next to me. “How about we save this for after the show? You guys are on in twenty.”

I hang my head. Since when have I been led around by a woman’s fingernail before? Since you fell in love . I force my body to face the table. “Sorry, guys. Jenna’s mom is sick. Like, really sick. Right before sound check, she fell. I’m waiting to hear a status update from Jenna.”

The table stills. “Jeez, Bennett, we’re sorry to have been busting your balls,” Coop, ever the wise peacemaker, says.