“Holy shit, dude, you’ve got it bad,” Jed says. “Realbad.”
Don’t I know it…
But my genuine fear isn’t just what Bailey will think of keeping my identity from her, but what she’ll make of the scandal once she learns my picture perfect life isn’t so perfect after all.
CHAPTER 19
Bailey
I stare at the article Jo-Beth just sent me and shake my head. This can’t be right.
The caption reads: Beloved country singer Rock Altman recluses to unknown location after reports of mental breakdown.
Rock Altman? What about Brett Turner?
This can’t be the same man. The man in the photo is clean shaven with short hair, he’s maybe a few pounds lighter and is dressed in a suit for some country music awards ceremony. Then I notice the cowboy hat. I’d probably notice it anywhere because it has the same telltale turquoise embellishment on the front, and then there’s the eyes. Holy fuck.
A few seconds later, the phone rings. “Did you see it?” JB asks.
“It-it can’t be Brett,” I whisper, though I’ve no idea why I’m freaking whispering.
“I’m afraid it is, Bails. Everyone down at Butterstick is talking about it. Apparently one of the Burler kids noticed himthe other day in the Dixie Stop and blabbed to the press. Poor guy.”
“What do you mean, poor guy?” I remark. “Aside from keeping his identity a secret.”
Panic runs through me. He told me he was in the music and entertainment industry,
I thought he meant he worked in management or producing or something, and being distracted with the trail ride that day, I hadn’t had the chance to ask him more. He certainly didn’t tell me he’s the biggest country and western star this side of the Southern Hemisphere. I can deal with a lot of things, but this feels like a pretty big lie to keep. What were his plans after this? Sleep with me and then go back to Nashville and resume his life there?
I frown, unable to control my feelings.
I was really falling for him. He’s had a few opportunities to lay it on the line, and yet he didn’t.
“It’s like the guy who plays Rip in Yellowstone, honey, he doesn’t look a thing like that in real life. A completely different person,” JB goes on.
“But we’re talking about Brett here, JB, not Cole Hauser.”
“I know, but let’s not blow it out of proportion. You’ve only known the man for a few days. There’s a reason he kept his identity a secret.”
Uh, oh. And from the sound of JB’s grave tone, this isn’t good. “Tell me fast what you know.”
“I’ll send you the rest of the article—” I start to pace. “Just tell me, but please don’t tell me anything bad.”
“In a nutshell? Brett has some stalker woman who claimed he indecently assaulted her in his tour bus. He claimed she broke in and left her DNA there. He maintained his innocence, and the good news is he was acquitted.”
“Wait, I remember this,” I say. “It was in the news a while ago.”
“Yep, and it destroyed him mentally, he had a breakdown.”
I stop pacing as something dawns on me. I don’t think hehada breakdown, I think he’s going through one. Hence the reclusing, coming to see Jed, hiding out in Alpine Falls. “Wait, when did he get acquitted?”
“Two weeks ago,” Brett says behind me. I squeal, jumping out of my skin as I almost drop my phone. My heart thunders in my chest as I shakily right my phone and bring it back to my ear. “I’ve gotta go, JB, call you later.”
“Oh, my god, is that hi?—”
I hang up on her. “Hello, Brett. Or is it Rock?”
He closes his eyes for a fraction of a second. “Shit. You’ve heard. Iz only just left?—”
