Up in Smoke (Hotshots 4)

“Yup. Listen.” He started swaying with Jewel as Shane’s baritone filled the club. God, he’d missed that voice. It had only been a few weeks this time, but being home in LA without him had sucked. Home. Shane’s winnings might have provided the down payment, and Brandt’s tools made it livable, but it was the three of them who made it a home. A place to come back to again and again and a place to miss.

“We dancing.” Jewel did a wiggle that made her pigtails bounce and almost launched her from Brandt’s grasp. He missed the days of sticking her in her sling. Didn’t miss the sleepless nights, but he was still getting used to this walking, talking little person at the center of their lives. Shane called her mini-Brandt with her blond fluffy hair and hazel eyes, but her pitch-perfect ability to hum along to her favorite song was not from Brandt at all. She had long musical fingers and high cheekbones and a temper all her own.

From their position offstage, he had a great view of Shane’s profile as he launched into the final verse. Damn. It was just another Thursday, another stop in this mini-tour, but as always, he left a piece of his soul with the audience. And the way he felt each word never failed to stir Brandt’s own emotions. He might know this song by heart, but Brandt wasn’t ever getting tired of it.

“You ready to do our surprise?” he asked Jewel as the last notes sounded.

“Ready!” Jewel crowed. The keyboard player reminded the audience where to buy swag as the band prepared to leave the stage. Shane’s friend Tim was touring with them this time and was Brandt’s inside man for this operation. He had a wink for them as he said something to Shane as they all gave the audience one more wave.

“Here he comes.”

“Dada!” Jewel’s yell turned several heads, including the one Brandt most wanted to see. Uncle Shane just didn’t seem to fit the sheer amount of parenting that Shane did, and Jewel herself was the one who’d started calling him “other daddy.” And the look on Shane’s face when she did it was all the proof Brandt needed that that was the right title for him.

Eyes widening, Shane broke away from Tim to hurry over to them. “What the—”

“Happy birthday, Dada!” Thanks to a lot of practice, Jewel delivered the line with a huge smile as she reached for Shane, stretching her little body toward him. Like Brandt, she’d missed him something fierce.

“Jewel.” Shane scooped her up with a dazed smile. “What are you guys are doing here?”

“We you birthday present. Surprise.” Her whole face glowed as she looked up at him. He was sweaty from the stage lights still and a little thinner and more tired than when Brandt had seen him last, but to Brandt, he never looked better than like this, holding their little girl with the same gentleness he handled her heart.

“You’re the best surprise birthday present ever.” Shaking his head, Shane looked down at her black T-shirt. “Hey. What’s this? What did Daddy dress you in?”

“It’s you.” She preened, pointing to Shane’s tour logo. Wild at Heart, they were calling this tour, and Brandt smiled every damn time he saw the logo, which was almost as good as the Wilder tattoo Shane kept threatening. The inside jokes between them were one of his favorite things, and Brandt hadn’t missed the chance to wear a matching shirt, which earned him an eye roll from Shane.

“So it is. I’m so happy to see you both that I’ll forgive the fashion choices.”

“I’m happy too.” Brandt held his gaze over Jewel’s pigtails. “Don’t worry. I’ll change before I take you out for your birthday dinner. Can’t have folks thinking I’m just another groupie.”

“As if. And I’m not even gonna ask how you charmed your way in here.” Laughing, Shane stepped aside as two roadies headed for the stage. Gone were the days when Shane did his own teardown. The record label that had signed him after his stint on the songwriting show made sure he had a good crew, and the roadies had a smile for Brandt and Jewel. Shane motioned down the corridor. “Let’s get out of the way. My dressing room is this way.”

He led them to a little room that had two guitars, a couple of chairs, mirrors, and a big basket of snack food, which Jewel made a beeline for as soon as Shane set her down.

“Ooooh. Snackies.”

“Here.” After shutting the door, Brandt riffled through the basket to find a toddler-friendly choice that might keep her occupied a few minutes. “Have some crackers.”

“Thank you, Daddy.” She had an angelic smile as she accepted the little bag of cheese crisps.

“Manners?” Head tilting, Shane laughed. “Man, what else have I missed?”