“Really?” Travis glared at Krystal. “You could have warned me. ‘Hey, Travis, we haven’t mentioned the pictures yet. So, you know, hold off on that for a sec.’”
“We were getting there.” Krystal wrinkled up her nose. “They’re all over.”
Emmy Lou picked up her phone and scrolled through Twitter, then Instagram.
Pictures of Vanessa and Brock arriving at a house. Pictures of them embracing in a window. Pictures of Vanessa leaving the next morning in what were clearly Brock’s clothes. And the parting embrace. But what gutted her most was Brock, standing in his driveway, watching Vanessa drive away. That hurt so much she had to force herself to breathe.
Slow. Deep. Breaths. She wasn’t going to fall apart. Not this time. She wasn’t going to worry the people who did love her.
“Here.” Krystal gave her a glass of water.
Emmy sipped, scanning the details. “I feel so bad for Mark Hammond.” She shook her head. “I mean, I wasn’t engaged to Brock.” No promises had been exchanged.
She didn’t want to look at or read anything else, but she couldn’t stop. That’s when she noticed the date. The pictures were taken the night he’d canceled on her.
I wouldn’t cancel on you if it wasn’t important. Vanessa was important. It would have been kinder just to tell her he wasn’t coming, he didn’t want to see her anymore, and end it. Why hadn’t he? Why had he acted like he was happy to see her at the stadium?
“You said Momma reacted when she saw the pictures?” Krystal asked. “Reacted or overreacted?”
Emmy Lou understood what she was asking. “Does it matter who took them? It wouldn’t change what they’re of.” That was the part that hurt. He’d done this. He’d hurt her. And Momma had tried to warn her about it. Had she handled things well? No. But she’d had the best of intentions, hadn’t she?
Or had she?
Her head was reeling enough without adding her momma to the mix.
One thing at a time.
The silence extended until she thought she’d scream. They were all trying to help; she knew that. The truth was there was nothing any of them could do. She’d opened herself up for this. If there was anyone to blame, all she had to do was look in the mirror.
She’d had no idea he was involved with Vanessa. When Vanessa had shown up at the hospital, maybe she should have picked up on something. But he’d been holding her and kissing her…
Why? Why string her along when he had someone else he was planning a future with?
“You don’t have to do any more events with him, do you?” Jace asked.
“I can’t back out of Good Morning USA.” She sighed. “After that, you’re right.” She pushed out of her director’s chair. “I’m fine. I’m good. You go on to the meet-and-greet and I’ll follow.” She swallowed. “Melanie, can you bring Brock to me, please? I need to do this. And I need you all to let me.” She deserved closure. Tonight, she’d get it.
* * *
No matter how many times he saw the Three Kings perform, he was impressed. They’d had years of practice and working together, so it made sense that there was an inherent shift and anticipation among them when they performed. Kind of like him on the field, with his team. He knew the sort of discipline that took. For all Travis’s smart-ass comments, his performance showed how invested he was in the group.
Now the wide concrete halls were crowded with fans, the red-roped path leading toward the meet-and-greet space.
His phone vibrated. Connie. He’d call her back.
Tonight, no excuses, he and Emmy Lou were going to have an honest conversation, and he was nervous as hell. It would help if he felt a little more confident about the outcome. But there were risks in life worth taking. She was the one that meant the most.
“Brock?” Emmy’s wide-eyed assistant tapped his elbow. “She’s in her dressing room. I can take you to her.”
“That’d be great, thanks.” He followed her from the room, wincing from the volume of the fans lining the hallway waiting for a chance to see one of the Three Kings.
“Is it always like this?” he asked.
“Always.” Melanie nodded. They turned two more corners before Melanie said, “Here we are.”
Considering Sawyer was leaning against the opposite wall, not even bothering to hide his hostility, he figured this was the place. “Thanks.” He nodded, then opened the dressing room door with his heart in his throat and his lungs all but empty.
It was odd that Melanie propped the door open, but he didn’t care. As soon as he saw Emmy’s face, his pulse faltered.