Smokin Gun

Flashback: Way Back: Part III

Middle of October 2014

Stephanie's POV

I rubbed my temples as I dug in the medicine cabinet in my bathroom. I had a migraine of epic proportions brewing. I shook a couple of Tylenol into my hand and downed them with the water bottle sitting beside me. Brantley's tour had wrapped up last week. I'd been around for the last few shows but I had kept my distance because Amber had been there.

She had flown in for her first one a couple of weeks ago. I had made it a point to not go that weekend even though Ben had yelled at me for ten minutes on the phone when I called him to say I wouldn't be able to make it. I was woken up that night from an irate group text from the boys and I packed my bag the next Friday morning and hopped a flight that afternoon to make it up to them.

I had hung close to Lauren and Thomas, the boys, or Brian that weekend. Amber had glued herself to B's side and all the gang had been watching me out of the corner of their eyes waiting to see my reaction. I just pasted a huge smile on my face and carried on a conversation with her and Lauren later that night around the fire about our classes that year. Brian had kept sneaking me whiskey shots the whole night to cope.

I had gotten a go to hell look from Brantley for crashing on the couch on Brian's bus that night. I hadn't exactly avoided Brantley and Amber, I just kept my distance. She seemed on cloud nine that they were back together. I knew he had missed her for years. If he was happy, well in the long run that is all that mattered to me.

I jumped when I heard a pounding on my front door. The damn house even seemed quiet because Sylo hadn't even been around. He'd tackled me last weekend when I climbed out of the car when Jesse got back from picking me up. Had slept on the band bus with me that night.

I walked down the hall and unlocked the door to pull it open. I sucked in a gasp when I opened it to see Brantley standing there with his arms raised up bracing on the door frame staring at me. I locked down the feelings I had at the sight of him standing there. Backwards black hat, grey long sleeve t-shirt, black jeans, and Nikes. Those green eyes narrowed at me.

Other than a hug when I got to the shows or a random text here and there we hadnt really talked. I had shot him down when he'd offered to take me to get my car after I got drunk that night and I told him I already knew they were back together and hung up. I went to shut the door quickly but was stopped with a big booted foot stopping it as he pushed the door in making me step back.

"I don't fucking think so Stephanie Lynn," he growled pushing his way inside and slamming the door behind him. He leaned back against it blocking my way out and crossed his arms and legs. "Care to explain why you have been avoiding me like I have the damn plague?"

"Huh," I said looking at my feet. "I don't know what you are talking about B. I've been around. Hell, I was at both shows last weekend. I never miss the beginning or the end of a tour."

"Yea," he drawled. "Without a so much as hi, bye, or kiss my ass to me either. Oh, the boys have seen you, Thomas and Lauren hung out with you, PJ knows all that is going on with you. You and Kolby have been more inseparable than usual. But you have had as little as possible to do with me. What did I do sweetheart?"

I blinked back the tears in my eyes at the words. I couldn't tell him. I got really interested in the hole in the knee of my jeans and bit back a whimper when he stepped closer to me and I could smell his cologne. I'd bought that shit for him over the years, not her.

"Sweetheart," B rasped slipping a finger under my chin making me look up. "What's going on? Are you mad that I am back with Amber? I know you were worried, but I am fine. I promise I am. Things are going good between us."