Not Another Player

17.Trippin'

Take Me To The River // Talking Heads

I jump off the roadie bus at the next stop. I spent the first few hours hunkering down in my bunk before finally falling asleep. It's O'dark thirty in the morning so I'm not expecting a warm welcome when I hop on Brianna's bus looking for Char. I'm shocked to find her up and pacing the main sitting section with a phone to her ear. The hairs on the back of my neck tingle at the sight, remembering the last time I caught Char on the phone. Watching her barely keep her shit together outside of the event center in Salt Creek twisted something in my gut that hasn't been right ever since. Now that the source of her anguish has shown up, I'm a caged animal. Listening to her right now, it's clear she's not having a playful convo with her best girlfriend.

If she's talking to Curt, I'm gonna flip my shit.

Not at her, but at the asshole who always seems to upset my girl.

"I know," she says. The emotion in her voice freezes me in my tracks. Char still hasn't seen me, and I'm pretty sure she doesn't even know anyone's in the space with her.

"I've tried, I swear. I'm so sorry." Char's voice cracks on the last word and I snap. Three swift strides in her direction and I'm snatching the phone out of her hand more forcefully than I should.

"Don't talk to her like that." I bark into the phone.

"Who the fuck is this?" The asshole has the audacity to be pissed.

"No. Who the fuck is this?"

"The guy who was talking to his sister and is now talking to a dead man. Curt."

Her brother. Oh shit.

"You're her brother?"

"Remember what happened the last time you disrespected my sister? Don't think for a hot second that I won't haul ass to your location and enact part two of my beat down."

"Whoa. I absolutely understand where you're coming from, but I'm not Curt." Not even close. But this guy just won my loyalty.

"Okay, Not Curt. Then who the hell are you?"

"Jacob. I'm," I look up at Char for the first time since grabbing the phone out of her hands. Her arms are crossed. She's scowling at me. "I'm probably about to get my ass kicked by your sister."

"Good. It's about time she stood up for herself. What did you do?" There's less fire in his tone and more amusement now.

"I grabbed the phone because I thought Curt was being an asshole to her, again."

"I would have done the same. She was just about to lose it over the documents that fucker served me with."

"He served you?" I watch as Char's eyes close. She looks defeated, something I won't allow. I move closer to her, wrapping her up with my free arm and pulling her close. As her brother starts telling me about the lawsuit Curt has pending against him, I kiss her forehead. I want her to understand I'm not mad at her. This is all on Curt.

"He wants damages. What I don't understand is why wait this long to sue me."

"I think he's sensing that Char is done waiting for him to sign the divorce papers."

Char groans.

"What.did.you.say?" The voice on the other end of the phone is murderous.

I cover the phone and look Char in the eyes.

"Does he not know the full story?"

She shakes her head. I hand the phone to Char.

"Looks like you need to start talking."