Vivian
THE NEXT STOP on my book tour was San Diego. Brent seemed to keep his distance from me since we got off the plane. In fact, he had been this way since yesterday. I should be happy, but he looked sad and almost, dare I say, depressed. Dinner had been fantastic and watching TV together reminded me of when we did it as kids, but something was off. It seemed to happen after the phone call. I wasn’t sure who he talked to, but there was something going on.
The real question was, should I even care?
I did.
He almost looked catatonic sitting in the hotel room chair, staring out the window at the skyline. Something was weighing heavily on his mind. I began to feel bad because he normally was a laidback guy.
“Would you like to come down to the signing?” I wasn’t sure why I asked him. Maybe just because it’ll get his mind off of whatever had him distracted.
“Sure.” He answered me as he stood up. He kept looking around the room and then down at his phone.
“Expecting a big call?” I questioned with a deep curiosity.
“No.” He shook his head. “Just checking the time.”
I nodded, knowing he wasn’t telling the whole truth, and gathered up my items and headed toward the door. Today’s signing was different than the others. This one was just about me and only me. Sometimes being the only author at a book signing had its pros and cons. Pros, you were the only there. Cons, you were the only one there.
Brent remained silent as we rode the elevator and caught an Uber to the bookstore where Olivia was waiting for us. The line was already insane, and even I was shocked to see so many people there. I figured we’d have about fifty or so but there were a few hundred. The crowd cheered and clapped as I walked up to the doors. Brent was quick to open the door for me and guided me by the small of my back. The familiar shiver ran up my spine by his simple touch. The cheers grew as I made it to the table. Olivia’s smile was huge. From here I could see the dollar signs in her eyes. She wasn’t always about the bottom line but since the announcement of Brent’s and my marriage, she most certainly had a change of views.
“Are you ready?” She practically jumped up and down.
“Ready as I’ll ever be.” I took a deep breath and picked up one of the several pens she laid out for me. “Let’s do this.”
Brent took the seat slightly behind me. He didn’t seem to be paying attention to everything happening around him, but when readers spoke to him, he shook their hands and talked to them. He even posed for a few photos. I couldn’t understand why they wanted pictures with him, but when they asked he delivered.
My cheeks began to hurt from all the smiling. My hand cramped up from signing my name over and over. I didn’t mind listening to the stories from the readers on how much they loved my books. However, the gushing over the marriage of Brent and me was a bit different. They were asking about how my life turned from fictional to real life.
I didn’t realize how my life had turned into my character’s life.
“My girlfriend loves your books,” a larger man said as he stood in front of my table. Thankfully, the line was done. He was the last one.
“Thank you.” I tried not to sound too robotic. I took the book from Olivia’s hands and signed my name. “Should I make it out to her?”
“No, just signing it is good enough.”
It was a little strange request, but at this point, exhaustion was setting in, and I didn’t think much of it.
“Would you mind if I got a picture too?” he asked.
“Sure.” I stood up and moved over to the end of the table. Olivia took the phone as we positioned closer to each other. His hand was on my lower back, but it wasn’t uncomfortable until…
“Hey.” I stepped back, swatting his hand away. He touched my right butt cheek and gave it a squeeze.
Brent was on his feet in a flash and pulled me behind him. “Don’t touch my wife.”
“Dude, she’s a romance author.”
As that was some sort of explanation.
“Don’t touch my wife.” His voice was low and dangerous. I couldn’t lie in saying it turned me on a bit. Not just his voice, but no one had ever jumped to my rescue. Well, short of Brent when we were younger.
Before I knew what was happening, Brent securely had his arm wrapped around me and was escorting me out of the bookstore. We were walking down the block as he was on his phone tapping away. By the time we reached the corner there was an Uber waiting for us. He opened the door making sure I was safe inside and then got in on the other side. He gave the driver the address to the hotel and we were swooshed away without another word.
He kept his arm around me as we strolled quickly through the lobby, to the elevator, and up to our room. When he opened the door, he guided me to the couch and fixed me a drink of rum and Dr. Pepper.
“I’ll race you,” he said standing next to me in gym class.
“No thanks.” I mumbled, tugging at my t-shirt and shorts. I felt exposed.
“Hey, Rush, leave your little girl project and come play.” One of the boys called from the other side of the gym.
“You better go.” I stepped back from him, trying to hide my face.
“I’m cool. I’m not going anywhere.” He smiled down at me.
“Rush!” His friends yelled again.
Brent simply waved his hand and stayed by me. “Let’s shoot a bit.” He jogged over to the rack where all the balls were and brought back a soccer ball.
We kicked it around a bit, even though I knew others were looking. He kept his focus on me. I knew his friends were always causing issues for him because he hung out with me more often.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a few of them heading our way. This wasn’t going to be good.
“Rush, come on, we need you for the team.”
“I’m good.” He nodded to them. “Viv and I are kicking it.”
“Why kick it with a fat chick?” They all laughed.
“I’d rather kick it with a beautiful, smart female, then a bunch of jerks like you.” He put his arms around me and moved me away from them.
“Your hands are shaking. Drink this slowly.” He placed the glass in my hands.
I took a small sip. “I had it handled.” I half admitted.
“No, you didn’t, but I’m glad I was there.”
“He was just being handsy.” I explained as if he wasn’t there standing next to me at the time.
“No, he was a jerk who needed to be put in his place. Especially touching someone else’s wife. There was no excuse. No one should be touched unwillingly. He crossed a line and he almost got laid out.”
I took a bigger drink this time. “I can handle myself.”
He took a seat next to me. “I have no doubt in my mind you can handle yourself, but I’m here now. It’s my job as your husband to be there for you as well.”
“I’ve been alone long enough to know I don’t need to rely on anyone else.” I admitted without even thinking about it. I downed the drink and got up to make another.
“You don’t have to be alone. I’m here now. In fact, you never had to be. I would have been right next to you the entire time if you needed me to be.”
Grateful my back was toward him because the tears burned the back of my eyes. He doesn’t know how alone I really am. “I don’t need anyone.” I tried to sound confident.
“Everyone needs someone, Viv.” He came up next to me because I quickly moved away.
“I don’t.” I repeated.
“You need someone more than anyone.”
“What?” I whipped around and glared at him. “What do you mean I need someone more than anyone?”
“You know exactly what I mean, but I’ll explain it to you since you don’t seem to get it.” He stood in front of me. “Your mother wasn’t there for you growing up – at all. I’m certain your father doesn’t even know your name. I was your only friend in school and most of your life. Now, you spend your life in a cabin in the middle of the woods where there’s no one and the one human contact you have is the less than two minute conversations you have with readers.”
My mouth dropped and then I closed it again. How could he possibly know all that?
“Am I wrong?” He crossed his arms and looked down at me with a full stare. “Tell me the truth.”
“You’re not wrong,” I whispered, hanging down my head. Why did I admit it? Because he wasn’t wrong. He was the only one who ever understood me and the only one I could count on.
“Viv, I know you’re unable to trust people easily and I’m okay with that. However, I’m your friend and always will be.” He hugged me.
I laid my head on his chest. I could always count on his hugs to make me feel better. It was one of the things I loved about him.
“Promise me you’ll trust me to be there for you whenever you want me to be.”
I swallowed away the lump of emotions in my throat. “I promise.”
“Let’s go down and get something to eat.”
I didn’t object because I was hungry. He guided me by the small of my back again down to hotel restaurant. He found us a quiet table in the corner.
Since I already had some rum, I decided to get a glass of water and he did the same. We glanced over the menus and made small comments about the food and sides. After the server took our order, Brent asked me about college life.
“There’s not much to tell. I went to classes, worked at a small diner near campus, and graduated.”
“Sounds thrilling. Tell me about your classes.”
“I went for an English degree with a minor in creative writing.”
“You were always walking around with a notebook making up fairy tales.”
I smiled at the memories of being on his ranch, sitting under a tree. “I just make the fairy tales with more suspense now.”
He grinned. “They’re great stories.”
“Thank you.”
“What don’t you like about being an author?”
I paused. I’ve never been asked that question. There are cons of every job, but no one had asked me. “I guess the deadlines are the worst. Sometimes I can write all day long and clear into the late night. Other days, I’m banging my head against the wall to form one single sentence.”
“I can see the frustration. You can’t rush creativity.”
“Exactly.” I nod. “I think people forget about that particular part of writing books.”
“How so?”
“I adore my fans, but they want everything yesterday and the added stress can be difficult.”
“Makes sense. As one of your fans, I can understand the need for instant gratification.” He winked.
“I can be the same way when I read series books. I’m a book nerd too.” I joked back.
“What are some of your favorite books?”
Soon we’re launched into a long and in-depth conversation throughout dinner about books we loved, disliked, and everything in between. It was nice to have a simple conversation with a friend.