Smokin Gun

Flashback: Way Back: Part V

Amber's POV

I took a sip of the Coke Brantley had handed to me earlier and gazed around the group sitting around the fire. My flight had landed earlier this evening with PJ picking me up from the airport since Braney had interviews. They all had decided to have a bonfire tonight to celebrate the tour kick off tomorrow. I laid my hand on Brantley's  arm in the chair next to me and he turned his head and gave me a brief smile before turning his head back to listen to something Jason was telling him.

He seemed a little off but hed just brushed it off as being nervous for tomorrow. Said he was always like that at the start of a tour and the bigger places this one had was throwing him a bit. I will say this crew was a rowdy bunch when they got together. I laughed at some of the stories they were sharing about past tours. My eyes widened when I glanced across the fire and saw Stephanie sitting by who I am had been introduced to earlier as Chase Rice.

They both had a beer in their hand and he was leaned over whispering into her ear making her smile. Aww, well good for her if she was finding someone. I guess I had been worried about her having feelings for Brantley  for no reason. When I glanced back over at Brantley , I wasn't prepared for the locked jaw and deep scowl as he narrowed his eyes towards the pair. I saw Stephanie discreetly meet his gaze then send him a warning glare. He got up a minute later saying he had left his cigarettes on the bus he would be right back. I turned to Ben as he walked off and tapped his shoulder.

"Hey Ben," I said giving him a smile. He turned his head and gave me a half drunken smile in return.

"What's up?" he said shifting in his chair so he could hear me while taking a long drink from his beer.

"What's the deal with Stephanie and Chase?" I asked glancing over at them. Stephanie had her head laid on his shoulder as she turned her head to discuss something with Miranda.

"They've hooked up before a couple of years ago," he muttered before snickering. "Pissed BG off something fierce. He can't stand it at all. They've had several arguments about it. Should be interesting on the dates she's here then."

"Why would it piss him off?" I asked raising on eyebrow at him. "I mean he's always been protective of her but still."

Ben snorted and took a long sip of his beer. "Because they think some of us don't know they've been doing in the horizontal shuffle off and on for years. Ahh....ohh..shit.....umm... I..I.." he mumbled.

"I already knew," I muttered shaking my head. he told me. "I'm gonna go check on Brantley."

I made my way to the bus and towards the back. I noticed it was close to midnight and I knew I was getting tired. How they all did the constant day to day of tour life I didn't know? It didn't take long for it to wear me out. I walked into the bedroom to find Chris already under the sheets with his back to the door facing the wall.

"Brantley?" I asked as he turned and blinked sleepily at me.

"Hey honey," he said quietly as I changed out my clothes for my pajamas and climbed in the bed.

"You ok babe?" I asked turning on my side to scratch his back lightly.

"Yea," he muttered. "Have a little bit of a sinus headache and kind of tired. Night honey."

"Night B," I whispered to his still form. Surely that little display earlier didn't bother him that bad.

For the rest of the weekend I quietly watched the scene around me. He never took his eyes off her when he thought no one was looking. Those green eyes tracked her every movement. He didn't know that during the prayer with the band before show time last night he'd kept them glued to her standing sandwiched between Ben and Jesse. She kept her distance like she'd promised but I still could see the longing in his eyes. Maybe I should be worried, there was obviously something there, at least on his end that meant more than just sex. But if he felt that way, then why didn't he do something about it before I came back into the picture.