Page 13 of The Brave and the Reckless (Bravetown #1)

Ace Ryder. Bad To The Bone. FanEdit

YOURMISSINGSOCK: the number of times I’ve watched this feels illegal…

E SRA

“What do you think?” Vivi leaned back, blush brush in hand, to let me admire her work.

My reflection somehow looked like I belonged on a pop music stage in a sparkling leotard, while simultaneously oddly like I just sprang fresh-faced from the last season of Bridgerton . “I’ll never be able to replicate this on my own.”

I wasn’t bad at makeup, but this kind of full beat was levels beyond my winged liner, shimmery highlighter and contouring stick essentials.

Even the guys masked in bandanas had sat down at the brightly lit vanity tables to do their foundations and brows in layers.

They’d been so much quicker than me, who had to be tutored step-by-step.

They were all off to get their staff photos taken within minutes.

Picture day saved me from the humiliation and pain of horseback riding, but this was yet another part of the job that I was not equipped for.

“I filmed a tutorial, don’t worry,” Vivi said.

“You filmed a makeup tutorial just for me?”

“Yes, well, partially.” She tilted her head from side to side, blue tresses swinging over her shoulders.

“I thought it would be good for you to have, but I also just posted it online in case anyone wants to do their own Annie Lou makeup. Obviously, the pink lipstick I use in the video won’t look the same on you, because you’re a deep winter and I’m a light spring, but just stick to this shade and you’re good.

” She waved the little tube of Russian Red in my face until I plucked it from her hands.

“I have no idea what you just said but will not stray from this lipstick,” I promised.

“Perfect, just give me a shout when you run low.” She swiveled around to grab her makeup bag.

The momentum in her turn knocked against the table and my thermos cup wobbled off the edge.

Both of us dove forward to catch it, fingertips knocking together and completely missing the cup. “Oh shit. Sorry. Darn it.”

The cup clattered to the floor, last remains of iced coffee splashing from the lid on to my skirt.

“It’s okay. I’ve got it,” I said as I dipped down to pick it up, saving us from knocking our heads together too.

“I’m so sorry,” Vivi squeaked, hands still flailing through the air. “Oh god, your costume. ”

“It’s fine,” I assured her. “You can barely see it. I’ll pose strategically.”

“I’m so, so sorry. I can run and get you one of your other costumes.”

“It’s a teeny-tiny speck, don’t worry. Really.”

Vivi was still biting her lip and staring at the stain, so I pulled out my phone to get her mind off the little faux-pas and told her to cue up the tutorial.

I gasped at the video on my screen. “Vivi, this has like thirty thousand views.”

“Hmm? Oh, yeah.” She shrugged and filled a Ziploc bag with Annie Lou makeup items.

“Are you internet-famous or something?”

“No,” she laughed, “I’m probably one of the few people here who isn’t.”

Before she could elaborate, the door to the fitting room flew open. It smashed into the wall, startling the guy strapping on the undertaker costume.

“Coffee delivery,” Adriana trilled in a perfect high note.

She spotted us at the vanity table and beelined over, handing out cups from paper trays as she went. She had braided little golden beads into her blonde curls that clicked against each other and against her dozen necklaces as she went. “Don’t you look pretty, Annie Lou?”

“Thanks,” I laughed but shut up when I caught Vivi’s pursed lips. She muttered something about not liking coffee and scurried off. Adriana shrugged off the cold shoulder and placed the trays on my vanity table. I raised my brows at the various cups. “What’s all this?”

“Told you I’m buying everyone’s affection back with drinks. Figured they didn’t have to contain alcohol for it to work.” She grinned and handed me an iced coffee. “And you get one as a reward because you already like me.”

I narrowed my eyes at the milky concoction, because my coffee order nowadays usually contained a lot more whipped cream and razzle-dazzle. “Thanks, but I…”

“There’s like twenty pumps of caramel syrup in that.” She rolled her eyes at my stunned expression. “Please, you shop for groceries like a teenager who’s home alone for the weekend.”

“Thank you.” I took a sip and glanced down at the phone in my lap, Vivi’s video playing in silent mode. “Okay, before I embarrass myself in front of everyone. Vivi just said something.”

“What did she say? Do you need me to fight her? She’s Renee’s daughter, you know, so fighting her could lose me the only other friend I have.”

“No,” I laughed, “appreciate it though.”

I told her about the tutorial and Vivi’s insinuation afterwards.

“I sent you the video, didn’t I?”

“You sent me some old news report,” I said, recalling the video about the theme park’s history.

“And the algorithm didn’t send you down a whole spiral of fan videos?”

“I watched a few, but…”

“Oh, sweet summer child.” She checked over both her shoulders, narrowed her eyes at the other three people in the room, then grabbed my hand. “Come with me. Let Aunty Adriana tell you about the birds and the bees.”

We settled on a bench outside. This small corner of the park had been closed off for the day, and a photographer had set himself up a short way down the street.

“Richard, daddy mayor, started the whole thing by posting actually educational content. You wanna be on his team on trivia night,” Adriana explained, and opened Richard’s profile on her phone.

I’d met him earlier because he plays Annie Lou’s father.

Online, however, he seemed to explain the Old West in full costume.

“Heather kind of blew up, well… because she’s hot and can do stunts in a leather corset.

” I’d not met Heather yet. She played the female bandit in Ace Ryder’s gang.

But her profile was one thirst trap after another.

“Vivi does a lot of behind-the-scenes things, but she only posts once in a blue moon. But still, so many park fans just want to know how the machine runs.” The most recent video on Vivi’s account was the makeup tutorial.

Even the other few had a decent number of views.

“Lucas’s account is the biggest, and it’s where things get interesting for you.

How do I say this without you losing faith in mankind?

” Adriana grimaced as she brought up Lucky Luke’s profile– which boasted hundreds of thousands of subscribers.

“People wanna bone Annie. People wanna get boned by Kit, as well as Ace. And more than anything, they want Kit, Ace and Annie to bone. In any constellation, really. Kit and Ace is probably the most popular ship. There’s fanfiction.

Don’t read the fanfiction. Lindsey– she was Annie before you– said it really fucked with her head. ”

“Don’t sugarcoat it or anything,” I muttered as I reached over and scrolled down dozens upon dozens of videos. He had to be posting multiple times a day.

“Sorry, but I figured you’d discovered the Bravetown fandom by now.

That Bravetown show from like fifteen years ago only had three seasons, but it’s turned the whole park into a cult classic.

” She brought up her browser and had a fanfiction window open with a single bookmark click.

It brought up hundreds of results. “Noah also has socials, but it’s just him in costume reacting to fan videos.

Lindsey had an account, too. Mostly singing musical numbers in Annie Lou costume though.

You could totally start one. As far as I know, there’s a couple of rules Renee makes people follow, but it’s a good side hustle. Do you have any special talent?”

“I can recite the Hippocratic oath in three la—” I cut myself off when her words finally registered. “I’m sorry. Hold on. Noah has an account where he actually posts videos and engages with his fans?”

“Yeah, people get a kick out of being roasted by Ace Ryder. Here.”

Adriana switched apps again and handed over the phone, opened to Noah’s profile.

A familiar dark-hat-and-bandana combination greeted me.

All the videos were split-screen, one half Noah-as-Ace and the other half a different video.

Some of those showed random women’s faces as they yelled at their phone cameras, others were videos of Noah filmed in the park.

It was like a Brad Mondo cowboy special.

Ace Ryder barely reacted. He raised his brows, crossed his arms, shook his head in disapproval and tsk-ed at the videos.

At the very most, he pulled the bandana off his face and smirked in a way that made even my stomach clench– so his fans were probably fainting.

“Wow. Thank you. Oh, this is brilliant. Do you think he’d hate being called an influencer? A thirst trapper?”

“You know, your job would probably be easier if you tried to get along with him,” Adriana giggled. We’d texted extensively the last couple of days, so she was all up to speed.

“Where’s the fun in that?”

“That’s the spirit. That’s why we’re best friends already.”

“Oh, okay.” My chest seized at those two silly little words.

I blinked. I’d never really had a best friend.

Fuck, I’d barely had friends. First I’d been in and out of hospitals, and then I’d been too focused on school.

Since dropping out, I hadn’t really stayed in one place long enough to even make friends.

“Am I getting a friendship bracelet with that title?”

“Sure.” She grinned. “I’ll get you one.”

“Ez, you’re up!” Sanny waved his cowboy hat at me as he walked over from the photo set. “Hey Adriana!”

“Hey Helper Carl!” she called back, offering him a big smile. “Did you serve face?”

“Oh, I served,” he laughed and did a strange vogue-esque hand move around his face. Goofball.

“Sanny, we’re friends with Adriana now. Get on board,” I said.