Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 76759 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 384(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76759 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 384(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
Brock looks at me, grinning. “I have a feeling this is all going to work out splendidly.”
I stare daggers at Brock. “What the hell, Steel?”
Brock raises his hands in mock surrender. “What do you mean?”
“You’ve got a big-ass grin on your face, and I want to know why.”
“I’m just happy for your little sister. She’s going to get a trip she’ll never forget. And so will my cousin.”
“Your cousin can afford to go to Europe whenever she wants to, first class all the way. We’re not exactly going to be slumming it in hostels, but we won’t be going to five-star places.”
“We’ll be staying at the same hotels as Emerald Phoenix, Jesse,” Rory reminds me.
I really hate it when my sister’s right.
“You’ve lived here for a while, Pike,” Brock says. “When have you seen the Steels jetting off to Europe—with the exception of Rory and me going to England last month for family business?”
I shrug. “How the hell should I know? It’s not like I keep track of you guys.”
“We’re homebodies, Jesse. We don’t venture out of Colorado that often. My dad and I went to Wyoming last month, also on business. When we kids were little, we took family trips, but always in the US. Yes, international travel would be great for Brianna. And for Maddie. It’s new to both of them.”
“But this is a rock and roll tour,” I say. “I’m sure Rory has told you that it’s not going to be one big sightseeing trip.”
“Not for you guys. Not for the band. But I’ll be there, and I can keep an eye on both Brianna and Maddie. And if you want them to have a chaperone, I can take them sightseeing.”
Rory smiles. “You’d do that, Brock?”
“Of course I would. As much as I’d love being your groupie the entire time, Ror, you don’t need me hanging around underfoot.”
I sigh, giving in. “All right, fine. If Maddie wants to go, and Brianna wants to go, that’s fine. And Maddie can stay in Brianna’s room. It will be a great opportunity for her. I just can’t believe she’s willing to miss her last semester of school.”
“How often do you think of your last semester, Jess?” Rory asks me.
“Well…” I chuckle. “I’m not sure I’ve given it a thought in ten years.”
“Exactly. Me neither. And I had a lot of fun in college. I did the whole sorority thing, just like Maddie. I sang Cherubino in The Marriage of Figaro and Maureen in Rent. It was an awesome year. But I don’t give it a lot of thought.”
“I have the feeling something else is going on here,” I say.
“What in the world would be going on here, Jess? Maddie’s just a young woman who wants to experience Europe. There’s nothing more to it than that.”
I nod.
I have no reason to disbelieve my sister.
So I’m not sure why I do.
Chapter Eleven
Brianna
I meet Maddie at Murphy’s at eight p.m. It’s a weeknight, but the bar is hopping already. Most of the college students are home on break for the holidays, and because it’s early yet, a lot of the townies are there as well. They’ll all leave by eleven, and it’ll be all college kids after that.
So I’m surprised—and excited—when I see Jesse, along with Cage and Dragon, in the back of the bar.
“You didn’t tell me your brother was coming tonight,” I say to Maddie.
Maddie shrugs. “I didn’t know he was.”
My cousin Ava, pink hair and all, with a gorgeous new diamond engagement ring on her left hand, approaches us from behind the bar. “What can I get you ladies tonight?”
“Since when do you tend bar?” I ask.
“Since Brendan needed my help when we were researching our families. He taught me the basics, and I picked up the rest on my own.”
“Why tonight?”
“Laney called in sick because she caught a nasty cold. I’m filling in for a few hours, until eleven. Then I have to get some shut-eye. The bakery doesn’t open itself.”
I nod. I really respect Ava. She doesn’t touch her Steel money to run the bakery. And she’s expecting a windfall of cash from her grandmother’s estate, which she’s going to share with her sister and half brothers. She also got some money from a trust, which she’s using to help the community.
Totally unselfish, that one.
And then I think…
I want to be unselfish too. “Maddie,” I say, “how would you like to go first class to Europe?”
Maddie laughs. “Are you kidding me? I’d love it. But we don’t have the money. Although we may be able to change our tickets to first class after the tour, after the band gets paid.”
“Brock mentioned that all the band members got a signing bonus.”
She stiffens her shoulders. “Yeah, they did, but ten grand doesn’t go far when your family lost everything in a fire.”