Best of Me

Chapter 5

Brantley POV

We get off my bus and the band comes up and they start asking me questions when Justin's bus pulls up and he gets off he yells," Hey BG we gonna yap or we gonna eat?" I was about to answer him with a smart remark when I hear,"can you do anything that don't sound like you're calling one of them pigs?" And it came from Isabella. My mouth is hanging open and Justin says," Hells Bells I got to put up with you? Now since you done called me out get you smart butt over here and give me a hug"
I watched as Isabella went over to Justin and hugged him. She asked about Katie and his girls and when were they coming out with him. He whispers something in her ear and she laughs and turns around. She grabs her camera and starts snapping pictures of me and I just look at them both. They bust out laughing and she says " you might want to close your mouth unless you're trying to catch lightning bugs and then they really don't taste good, take my word for it." I can't help it but I laugh and head over to Justin and give him a hug. We all head into the restaurant now and order. As we are waiting on our food, Justin said," hells bells what are you doing now?"I look at him and then it hit me he's calling Isabella "hells bells"
Isabella said," I'm working documenting this tour for Brantley, kind of like A year in the life type of thing." Everyone started commenting about how they should have done it a few years back cause I'm boring now. I just laughed and said, I'm a grown ass man y'all and I am not boring." Isabella said," I will agree with Brantley he isn't boring, the time flew by this morning on the bus with him." The guys started in saying things and Justin said," hells bells what do you mean on the bus with him?"
Isabella told him," well it flew by I didn't realize what time it was until Earl told us we were stopping" Ben piped up"Isabella if you get tired of his ugly mug you can always come stay with us." She just laughed and man it does sound like music. Justin asked her," You sleeping on the bus with BG?"
Isabella looked at Justin," Don't start that crap give me more. You don't want me to call Katie now do you?"
He looked at her and said," Hells bells we gonna talk and don't make me call Katie on you"
I looked at him and said," Justin what's up man?"
He looked at me and said," we gotta talk let's go pay and get a smoke"
I got up and paid the bill and walked outside and said," brother you got a problem with Isabella?"
Justin said," no I don't have a problem with her BG, I love that little lady, she's like a sister to me and Katie but she's been through some rough shit man and I don't want her hurt. She's finally opening up and letting people break through and making friends. Just be careful please."
I looked at him and said," Justin we have spent the last 4 hours sitting in the recliners getting to know one another. That's it just because we are gonna be roommates for the next year. I like her as a person what I know. You know I have been through some crazy shit with Jana and then Amber. I ain't looking brother."
Justin tells me," I will tell you she's a great photographer and an even greater friend. She's loyal and if she lets you in her circle then brother you are one lucky guy."
"That's good to know man because I can always use good friends." I tell him.  Everyone comes out and head to their buses. I watch as Isabella takes pictures of everyone and Justin said"hells bells you wanna come stay with me until the next stop?" Isabella looked at him and said," no I'm gonna get back on my bus and work give me more. So you can cut the overprotective big brother crap now, cause it will be a long year of you don't"  Justin rolled his eyes and hugged her. I went and got on the bus and decided to get out my notebook and guitar and start working on a song. Isabella gets her computer out and she starts working. I hear her laughing and I look up and ask her what was so funny. She looks at me and motions me over and said," your face in these pictures I took when you were looking at me and J. I didn't really realize you didn't know that we knew each other."
I walk over and she's right my face is priceless. I tell her to keep those might can find some use for them. I get to looking at the others with her and they are right, she's an amazing photographer. In these pictures you can see a story unfold and the camaraderie between all of us, this is gonna be a great tour. About that time Isabella's phone rang and it made this awful noise it said pig sooie. I looked at her and she laughed and said"Give me more what do you want now? No I am not doing that and if you don't get off my case I mean it I'm calling Katie. I love you J but this is gonna be a bad year if you don't get a grip." Isabella hangs up her phone and gets up and goes to the bathroom.
I text Justin.
B: I don't know what that is about but you have really upset Isabella so you best tell me what's up
J: I'm just looking out for her. She's family man and I don't want to see her hurt and I told her she needed to come stay with me on tour that way no one gets the wrong idea about you guys.
B: Like a beautiful woman on your tour bus without your wife won't have people getting the wrong idea.
Now buddy it's me and you can quit with the bullshit what is really the problem cause it was me or her bunk with the crew guys and that ain't gonna happen Justin.
J: Katie wouldn't care because it is Hells Bells
B: No but she might care about the media circus it would cause her and the girls to have to deal with now I'm not gonna say this again man but what the hell is the problem. If it's me just tell me man.
J: it's not you BG, I don't want the media to tear her apart like they have before. She's a very private person and one tour she did right before and after we met her, well the media ripped her to shreds. It caused her family problems and she lost a guy over it. He was a real jerk anyway but it almost destroyed her BG and she is in such a great place I don't want to see it happen again. All of it was lies but the damage was done. She loves people with her whole heart and she's loyal sometimes to a fault so I know with you both being single that the media will talk.
B: let us worry about it and you know what she's single and I'm single and I want to think that we are on our way to being friends. And you know me that I will protect my friends with my life. So back off Justin cause right now you are the one who is tearing her up. She's in the bathroom right now and if I had my guess she's crying so brother please know I'm not after a fling with her. I like her and am enjoying getting to know her.
J: okay brother I'm sorry I was taken off guard and my big brother instincts kicked in.
B: it's alright man just don't do it again with me or I will have to stomp your ass and I don't want to do that. Now let me go check on her
J: okay see you later man