Whiskey And You

Back Down Memory Lane

Brantley's POV

I paused on the side street in downtown Nashville staring up at the sign for Jason's restaurant. Taking a drag of my cigarette, a growl rumbled in my chest making the man to my right snicker. I glared up at PJ really just wanting to hit something. Needless to say I had been a damn bear all week while in town working on the newest album. Little more perfectionist than normal because I had to channel my aggravation somewhere.

Kaydence had tucked tail fleeing town. According to PJ, since he knew all, she was in Florida at Jason and Brittany's beach house. Not like I cared or anything. If wasn't for booked studio time I would gladly be back in Georgia. What in the hell had my dumbass gotten myself into? Oh yea, pretty much blackmailed by my label president along with one of the most ruthless agents in town.

"Fuck me," I sighed feeling my phone vibrate in my pocket. I eased it out reading the text from Kaydence that she was already upstairs in the bar at a corner table. Dammit. I had to go upstairs and play nice with her long enough for a few photographs to be snapped then I was good to go. Be damned if I was gonna kiss her or anything. Something I would avoid as long as I could. There were thousands of men who would probably shoot me to just get that chance. I'd known the taste of those sexy lips long before she was a household name. Red, glossy, candy sweet trouble let me tell you. "Don't make me go up there PJ."

"Deal is a deal Boss," he teased with a booming laugh. "Surely you can play nice when it comes to K for one evening?"

"Last time that I even attempted to speak to her before all of this," I argued, "she threw an empty beer bottle at my head. At my head PJ!"

"In all fairness you did tell her that she looked like she had put on a little weight," PJ reasoned shrugging his shoulders. "You always pop something smart ass off to her just to rile her up. Have since the first day you met her. You do recall she has punched you. Twice."

"First time she got lucky because I was drunk," I mumbled hunching my shoulders. Woman packed hell of a punch. Jason taught her too damn well.

"The second time?" PJ asked with a raised eyebrow. I ducked my head in shame. "If I recall you had been sober for a few years. Something about you pointing out you knocked her out of the number one song slot on Billboard. Turned your head and she nailed you. Jason was worried for a little while she had broken her hand."

"Yea," I sighed reaching up to adjust my hat. "Made me feel like shit because he took her for x-rays. Caroline wasn't gentle at all dragging me into their house to get ice for my jaw. Last time she had me and Kaydence both at a bonfire together. Fuck! That is one blonde who is gonna have a field day with this." I puffed out a deep breath walking forward. "Wish me luck. I'll walk back to the bus man."

"Call me if you need medical attention!" PJ teased making me flip him off over my shoulder. "I'll have ice waiting just in case!"

I headed inside making my way up the stairs pulling my hat down low over my eyes. I knew the goal of tonight was to be seen but it could wait a little bit. Make sure that medical services wouldn't be needed. That wouldn't bode well for the story Kerri wanted spun. Old unknown flames being rekindled again after all these years. Wasn't complete common knowledge that Kaydence and I dated when we were younger. Yea...... have to keep my smart ass mouth in check for a little while. Kept trying to say it was physically impossible to watch my mouth.

Pushing open the door to the rooftop bar, I paused looking around for Kaydence just wanting this to be over with. Half the men in the world would be telling me to have my head examined for bitching over a date with a beautiful woman. There was no denying Kaydence was beautiful, but she was a royal pain in my ass though. Glancing around I saw her long tan legs crossed first. Wedge sandal tapping away as she sipped on her glass of wine watching the artist on the stage. She forever had music and words swirling in her head. Blessing and a curse of a being a songwriter I knew. Glad to see that hadn't changed over the years.