Page 4 of The Break Out (Denver Dragons #3)

4

S pencer’s tour seemed to fly by. Once the hockey season was over and the Dragons were eliminated in the first playoff round, Jared joined her for the rest of the summer, and she has been over the moon. I’ve been excited for her and looking forward to when things are going to settle down and we all return to Denver.

Drama has been suspiciously absent, which has made me be a bit more on edge waiting for the other shoe to drop, but it hasn’t. The most dramatic thing that has happened has been the fact that my sister ghosted me when we had our stop in Washington.

I tried, I really did, but I wasn’t going to chase her down. But I am determined to meet up with her during the break. I told Brent about what happened, and he just said she would come around. He can be so calm even in the worst situations and I wish I could be that way, but that’s not the way I’m wired.

Here we are, the last show of the tour, and I’m standing on the side stage with Jared while he is fixated on the redhead on stage like always. I’ve snuck some pictures of him to show Spencer so she can see the complete awestruck, loving look he has for her at all times.

Sometimes I want what they have.

Other times I’m convinced that it won’t ever happen for me.

Connections like that are rare. I’ve had a front row seat to a few romances that have that special, undeniable connection and I feel like the odds are not in my favor.

Spencer has it.

My brother has it.

I’m not likely to find it.

And that’s okay, even just seeing it gives me butterflies. That will just have to be enough.

My phone goes off in my hand, pulling me from my thoughts and I look down to see an alert for news on Spencer that I have set up. When I click on it, I almost drop it from shock. The picture staring at me is of Spencer and her ex, Kenneth, from a happier time, earlier on in their relationship. He’s kissing her cheek while she’s smiling so wide her eyes are squinting. The caption says, “Loving life recently.”

I want to launch myself through the screen and strangle the man. He knows what he’s doing and while I know it’s an old picture, the general public won’t. He wants people to think he’s been with Spencer when she has made her relationship with Jared very public .

Luckily, Jared isn’t paying attention to me or his phone, so I sneak away to call Kenneth’s publicist. She answers after two rings.

“Hello?”

“Delete the picture your client just posted,” I snap. I don’t have any particular issue with her, but I’m fuming, and Spencer doesn’t need this right now.

“What picture?”

“I’m glad you don’t know about it, but it needs to go away before more damage is done.”

I hear shuffling then a deep sigh of annoyance. “It’s gone.”

Refreshing the social media, I double check that it’s deleted and it is. Though, I’m sure tabloids have already picked it up and I’m about to spend all night fixing this.

“Take away his access to social media, or something,” I huff.

She gives a humorless laugh, “If that was an option I would.”

“Thanks for deleting it.”

“You’re welcome. I’ll talk to him.”

Using my connections at every news outlet, I’m furiously sending emails lightly threatening them not to use the photo or write a story if they want any further interviews or exclusive news from Spencer .

Before I know it, I hear Spencer announce the end of the show and thanking everyone that was a part of the tour. Sending off my last email, I take my spot back on the side stage to be there and not let her know that anything is wrong.

She can know, but not until tomorrow. She gets to enjoy tonight.

Of course, as soon as the lights turn off she’s running our way, but only has eyes for Jared. She bounds toward him, throwing herself into his arms and he instantly picks her up in a tight embrace like they are the only two people in the world. I can’t help my smile.

I can’t hear what he’s saying to her, but I’m sure it’s a bunch of sweet and loving words while all I can do is watch in awe. When he finally puts her down, I speak.

“I’m so proud of you, Spence, your biggest tour so far is done. How do you feel?” I don’t have to feign my excitement, despite the drama happening behind the scenes I am genuinely excited for her.

“Everything,” she breathes, “overwhelmed and in a way glad it’s over. I’m ready to relax for a bit.” She leans back into Jared’s hold.

“And I’m excited to have you around for the entire season.” Jared nuzzles into Spencer’s neck and part of me feels like I’m intruding during an intimate moment with them.

“Me too,” Spencer nods. “You excited to spend some time in Denver?” she asks me .

I nod. I can only hope that the drama will be minimal in our lives so I can enjoy my relaxation time as much as Spencer is going to.

I’ve officially been a resident of Denver for one whole week. Moving is always its own special brand of chaos, but lucky for me I have a brother who I love to put to work, and his girlfriend has two other boyfriends who got roped into helping me by default.

Of course, there was a lot of yelling. A little bit of crying. Okay, all the yelling was between Brent and me because that’s our love language to each other. And the crying was Chandler because she’s pregnant and cries over everything.

The reason this time? She’s so glad I’m going to be living close to them when their baby is born.

Once everything was moved into my new studio apartment, I take it all in. My newest chapter.

“You’d think Spencer Sparks would pay you enough to get something bigger than this,” Brent teases.

“You’d think as team captain you’d learn not to be such an uptight douchenozzle, but here you are.”

He swings his arm around my neck, yanking me into his side roughly. My face is forced into his chest, and I start pushing against him as hard as I can to let me go.

“Get off me, you tree.”

“Come on, shorty, you can do better than that. ”

I jam my knee against the back of his, causing his leg to buckle and he lets go just as Chandler comes back inside and chuckles, catching the tail end of our scuffle.

“You two are going to be so happy to live so close, aren’t you?” She beams with a teasing tone.

“Not a chance. Chan, I will hang out with you whenever you want. Brent, get fucked.” I jam my elbow into his side causing him to grunt.

She just shakes her head at us. “I’m going to make sure Vince and Matt haven’t killed each other returning the moving van.”

“For the record,” I say to my brother, “I could afford something bigger, but I don’t need to prove I have a big dick by living in some mansion.”

Brent scoffs, “Me either, which is why I don’t have a mansion.”

I roll my eyes. “Whatever you say. Thanks for helping I guess.”

“You’re welcome. Are you coming to the game tomorrow?”

I nod, “You think your girlfriend and my boss would let me get out of that?”

“See you there, shorty.”

With everyone gone, the silence of my new apartment threatens to consume me. I don’t like the quiet, it makes me think. When I think then the negative memories come roaring back. I prefer the side of me everyone sees. The happy-go-lucky Brynn.

Instead of stewing in silence, I turn on music and dance around while I unpack, refusing to acknowledge any of the fear for this new chapter of my life.