Best of Me

Chapter 22

Chase POV

Brantley and I follow Izzy back to the bus and I take the time to have a talk with him.
"BG I know I haven't been in her life for the last 5 years directly but I was there for the first 24 and I'm telling you right here, right now, I don't care how big of a country music star you are I will kick your ass if you do anything to hurt her. I love her and I made a promise to Brady that I would watch out for her and I plan on keeping that promise from here on out."

Brantley stopped and looked at me,"Man I hear what you are saying but I want to know one thing before I lay it all out there for you,"

"What's that BG?" I said.

"Are you interested in Bells? Do you love her like a sister or a woman?" BG asked

"Man she is in all purposes everything but blood my sister. I love that little girl with all my heart. I remember the first fight I got in was over someone picking on her. It has killed me the last 5 years not being able to have direct contact with her. I felt like I failed Brady but I knew that I had to let her grieve for him in her own way. Just like I did, just like Junior and Kelly had too. So no you have no competition from me for her in that respect." I answer him.

"Okay then I'm gonna spell this out for you. I wasn't looking for love, didn't want her on my tour but I'm so glad she's here. I want to see where this goes Chase, I care about her and I know that I had a reputation but I can promise you this... I will never intentionally hurt Bells. She makes me feel something I haven't felt before and we are trying to figure all this out. She's precious and I know that and I'm trying to do right by her. It's just hard cause I don't want to get hurt and I'm seeing the more I get to know her that she has the ability to hurt me bad." BG said.

"Okay man, it's just hard seeing her all grown up and practically having sex with you just now. So please don't around me, the brother side kicks in and I want to run you off and stomp your ass. I need to talk to her do you mind if I steal her away if I promise to have her back in time for your set ?"
" I can imagine how it feels and yeah she's her own person so you need to ask her not me man." BG told me.

We walk to the buses and I see Izzy sitting talking with Justin and Katie and ask her if I could borrow her for a while. She looks to BG and he smiled.
She said," if my boss says he doesn't need me then sure I'm in."
BG grins and said," oh Boss always needs you but go have some fun with your best friend cause we have to roll out tonight after the set."
Izzy turned red and said," you are so bad Brantley"
BG laughs," I thought every woman wanted a bad boy"
I decided to stop this and said," if y'all are through throwing out sex innuendos I'm ready to go."
Izzy gets up and goes to Brantley and tells him she's getting her camera that she would be back in time to walk with him before his set. He smirks and tells her," I knew you liked me being bad."
Izzy just shakes her head and goes to the bus and comes back with her camera snapping away. She stops by me and said," okay I'm all yours where to Ricepattie"
Everyone starts laughing and I look at her and said," if I wasn't so happy to be back in your life then I would be really mad that you called me that again whizzy"
She laughed and it was the sound of music to my ears, hell yeah I had my best friend back.

As we walked around I asked her," Iz I love you and I need to ask you so please don't get mad. Are you sure about BG?"
" I'm sure that he makes me feel alive and comfortable all at the same time. Hell Chase I told him the 2 secrets that only Katie knows about me. He's not a jerk like everyone thinks he is. He's sweet and patient and never pushes me beyond what I feel comfortable with, I mean if I tell him to leave it he does. But he lets me talk and ramble and honestly I think I could be falling for him and that scares me."Izzy tell me.

"Okay I get that but Iz what secrets do you have darlin that only Katie and BG know? I mean you have been in contact with Junior and Kelly even if I don't know them?" I ask

"Well Chase everyone thinks they know me but honestly they know the persona I put off the one I had to do to fit in with you and Brady. That isn't me or isn't all me."

"What do you mean? I know we protected you all the time and I know you acted big so you would fit in but what am I missing?"

      "Chase, I have a tattoo and only Momma, Katie and me and the lady that did it has seen it. Now I told BG I had a tattoo when he asked what was something that no one else knew. And I also told him that I hadn't been with a man. I mean I thought he had a right to know what he was getting into with me. He makes it easy to talk about anything. I've never had that except with our group. I love Justin and all but he doesn't know that."

    "Let me see the tattoo Iz"
"No that would be awkward because you can't see it even when I wear a bikini. So no not happening."

    "Izzy where is it? And what did BG say about the other, cause I done told him I would kick his ass if he hurt you and if you telling him that means that you are a notch and challenge he has another thing coming."

   "It's on my lady parts and that's all I'm saying about it Chase. Not going there any more with you. And no I am not a conquest to him, I know that much because he kisses me and flirts and then tells me goodnight. He's not gonna take what he could at times until I'm ready if I ever get ready Chase. I played Slow Hand one night and he asked and I said every song had memories. I told him I played it to remind me that man was out there for me. And how I realized exactly what it was talking about and had decided that was what I was gonna have not some quick backseat. I told him I just let people think what they wanted to because if they knew they would think I was a freak being 29 and still a virgin. I'm not settling for less than that Chase. You want to know what he told me? B told me that I was a precious jewel. For once in my life I felt normal talking to a man." Izzy tells me as she wipes away a couple of tears.

   "Come here Iz, I love you and I am so glad I have you back in my life. Talking with you and being together these past couple of days well I feel whole. I don't feel like a part of my heart is missing anymore. And no you are not a freak and you are a precious jewel. Now lets get you back so you can walk your man to his show." I tell her.

    As we get back to the buses, BG is coming off his bus and he lights up in a big smile when he sees Izzy, not only him but my best friend lights up and for the first time since Brady was killed I saw the girl I had grown up with. She was back and I have BG to thank.