Whiskey And You

The Art Of Rubbing Things In

Cole's POV

"Shit," I yelped looking at the time before grabbing my hat running to the door of my bus. If I was late getting to my interview Kerri was going to kill me. Had almost breathed a sigh of relief stepping off the bus to go play golf with Luke earlier inhaling that Georgia air. Was damn good to be home. Locking the door to my bus I took a couple of steps only to draw up short when a throat clearing pulled my attention away from my phone. Oh fuck was my first reaction seeing the man standing in front of me. Then I shook my head in disbelief. It was all fake so no damn way that Kaydence had told him what I'd said to her yesterday. Nah, I reasoned with myself. Why would he care? I mean BG lived in Georgia still. He and Luke were friends. Yep that is why he was here. I pasted a smile on my face greeting him only to have it fall as soon as Brantley opened his mouth.

"Think we need to have a conversation Cole," Brantley grumbled stepping closer. Each crunch of his boots on the concrete made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. I involuntarily took a step backwards only to hear a chuckle behind me at the move. I glanced back seeing PJ's imposing figure loom closer. Lord help me, I was a dead man. Everyone knew PJ backed just about anything Boss wanted to do. I'd played enough of the bar circuit here in Georgia getting started that I had witnessed just how much of a punch he packed when provoked. And that was before he got sober. I turned back facing Brantley crossing my arms over my chest narrowing my eyes.

"Well make it quick BG," I growled swearing I heard knuckles crack at my attitude. Fake it until you make it right? "I've got an interview to get too. Didn't know you were in town."

"Oh yea," he said with a nonchalant shrug. A twisted smile ghosting across his lips. "Caroline called Kaydence last night right before we laid down to see if we wanted to swing by. She figured KayKay would tag along when I came back home. She has a grueling few weeks coming up so trying to keep her well relaxed. You know, anything to make that angel happy. Got to keep a smile on her face you know."

"Really?" I grumbled feeling my temper flare some. I knew exactly what this was right away. A pissing contest over Kaydence. Why in the hell she had told him I have no idea. Was she really that over me?

"Yea," Brantley said through clenched teeth as he stepped a little closer to me. "Really. Listen Cole, how about a piece of advice. You know...man to man."

"And what is that BG?" I asked raising an eyebrow at him in challenge. "This have to do with a certain blonde? She does have the sweetest ass in country music."

"Fucking right it does," he warned lowly. "Stay away from my girlfriend is the advice I am giving you. Yea, she told me what you assume to know what is going on."

"And can you stand here telling me that it isn't this all of the sudden setup?" I snapped clenching my fists hearing PJ chuckle behind me. "What? It's been done before and I have the same manager as her, so I get how Kerri thinks. I also know Kaydence, you two don't strike me as something working out or to buy this whirlwind romance bullshit."

"Brother," Brantley said with a cold smile leaning closer to me. Felt a shiver work its way down my spine. "I've known that woman longer than you have. Trust me when I say I full well know what it takes to make her come apart in my arms. Do you blame her for wanting that again after all you put her through? Smart thing for you to do would be give her a wide berth even if you run into her in the grocery store in Nashville."

"And if I don't?" I snarled then immediately regretted my choice in words when two big hands reached out twisting into my Predators t-shirt. Chunky biker rings glinting in the light. Brantley lowered his head closer to mine with a smile that I knew was disguising a temper he was reigning in.