Always the Baker

Chapter 16

16

B illie

Three Months later

I stared at Brax’s phone and my stomach dropped as I saw the dates fill the screen. His upcoming tour schedule was laid out in black and white, a stark reminder that our little bubble of bliss was about to burst.

“Wow,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady. “That’s a lot of dates.”

Brax ran a hand through his beard. His eyes were fixed on me—studying me. “Yeah, it’s pretty intense. The label wants to capitalize on the album’s success.”

I nodded, handing him back the phone. My fingers itched to bake. To lose myself in creativity… in something I could control. Instead, I forced a smile. “That’s great, pooh. Really.”

He frowned, seeing right through me. “Billie, what’s wrong?”

I sighed, sinking onto the couch. “Nothing. It’s just, we’ve barely had any time together since we patched things up. And now you’re leaving again ?”

He bit back a smile from the dramatic distress in my tone. Brax sat beside me. His arm wrapped around my shoulders. “I know, sweetheart. It’s not ideal.”

“Not ideal?” I laughed, but it came out more bitter than I intended. “Brax, it’s six months. That’s half of a year!”

He winced. “When you put it like that…”

I leaned into him, breathing in his familiar scent. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be dramatic. It’s just that it’s going to be hard without you.”

Brax nodded. His fingers absently played with a strand of my flat ironed hair. “I know. But think about all those late-night phone calls, trying to catch each other between shows and time zones. It’ll be… romantic.”

“If you say so,” I said, pulling away to look at him. “I was hoping we could get into a rhythm here. I’ve even started selling a few paintings at that gallery downtown.”

“That’s amazing , Hopkins. I told you your work would take off.” His face lit up with pride.

I felt a flush of pleasure at his praise, but the nagging worry wouldn’t leave. “Thanks. But what if we lose this?”

Brax’s brows furrowed. “Lose what?”

I gestured vaguely between us. “This. Us. Our stability.”

“Hey.” Brax cupped my face in his hands. “We’re not going to lose anything. It’s just a tour.”

I tried to smile, but I could feel the doubt creeping in. “I know. I just… I’m not sure I can do the long-distance thing. It’s so hard when you’re gone.”

Brax was quiet for a moment. His thumb traced my cheekbone. “I get it. I don’t want to be apart either. But this is my career, Bill. It’s what I do.”

I nodded, feeling small and selfish. “I know. I’m sorry, I don’t mean to make this harder for you.”

“You’re not,” Brax said, pulling me close again. “Your feelings matter, Billie. We’ll figure this out, aight?”

I wanted to believe him, but as I sat there in his arms, all I could think about was the long, lonely nights ahead. The missed calls, the time differences, the constant ache of missing him. How were we supposed to keep this going when he was always on the road?

I didn’t say any of that. Instead, I tried to push down the fear threatening to overwhelm me.

Brax took a deep breath. His eyes searched mine. “I have an idea. Why don’t you come with me on the tour?”

I didn’t respond right away. Truth was, things had changed significantly over the last three months. After twenty-five years of life, I finally sat down and had a much needed talk with Mom. I told her that even though her dream of being an artist had become mine, that was the only thing we had in common. I didn’t want to continue to work the family business because it made it impossible for me to chase my own dreams. She told me she understood, even though she was sad about it.

Brax ended up giving them a seven figure donation, which allowed them to not only hire a staff but expand their marketing and promo. Business had been booming, and they even had customers doing virtual orders from other cities and states. At this point, they could have retired, but they genuinely loved what they did. I was beyond grateful to him for the donation. It wasn’t just for their benefit; it was for mine as well. With them being taken care of, that was a huge weight off my shoulders.

Even though I told him he didn’t have to, he’d started paying all my bills and giving me a monthly allowance.

I’d decided to do two wedding cakes a quarter and focus on my painting. With him loving on me the way he was, the love and happiness of others no longer made me feel bad. I was finally excited about baking wedding cakes again, but not full time. Because the truth was, that whole sipping lattes in a penthouse apartment in the city before painting was truly a dream. A dream I one day wanted to make a reality. Thanks to Brax’s connections, I was able to get a meeting with Neko at N.E. Art firm.

If they took me on as an artist, I’d have representation for my art. They’d not only shop my pieces but set up consignment and showcases for me as well. It was in Rose Valley Hills, so I’d been bouncing around the idea of moving there and keeping my apartment here. Brax had already offered to get me a penthouse apartment on the beach though I could tell he really wanted me to stay with him while in the city. I appreciated his willingness to give me what I wanted, even if it went against what he wanted.

All in all, things had been perfect since Brax came into my life. Outside of the small hiccup that came from my little lie, we hadn’t had any other issues. We accepted each other wholeheartedly and developed our bond daily. I knew eventually that he’d have to tour and be away from me, but I wasn’t expecting it to happen so soon, nor was I expecting it to hurt just thinking about being away from him.

So him inviting me to come on tour with him sounded perfect. I couldn’t imagine all the inspiration I’d get from traveling and seeing other parts of the world. Speechless, I tossed my arms around him and cried into his neck. His chuckle turned into a low hum as he rubbed my back and kissed my neck.

“Can I take that as a yes?” he asked softly, trying to pull my face back so he could look into my eyes, but I held him tighter.

“Are you sure? I don’t want you to get tired of me.”

“Look at me,” he commanded. I did, and he wiped my eyes. “I will never get tired of you, sweetheart. And yes, I’m sure. I want you to come on tour with me.”

“I’d love to!”

“Really?” His grin was wide as if he thought there was a chance I’d actually say no.

“Yes, really.”

We embraced again before he picked me up and carried me to my closet so I could pack. Apparently he wanted me to come to his home with him in Memphis before the tour, and seeing as my schedule was free now, I was more than okay with that.

A month later, we were on the road. I’d never seen anything like Brax’s tour bus, it was like a rolling five-star hotel.

“Holy shit. This is nicer than my entire apartment.”

Brax chuckled, setting down my duffel bag. “Wait till you see the tiny shower. I got a feeling you’re going to love it.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Are you going to join me?”

“I mean, if you insist.” He grinned, pulling me close.

As we settled in for the long drive to the first show, I couldn’t help but feel a little out of place. What did I know about life on tour?

“You okay?” Brax asked, noticing my fidgeting.

“Yeah, just, this is all so new. What if I mess something up?”

He took my hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “You’re going to be great. Just be yourself. That’s more than enough for me.”

I leaned into him, watching the countryside roll by outside the window. It was terrifying and exhilarating all at once. But I wanted to be with Brax, to be here for Brax when his concerts were over. I’d find a way to get used to this.

The next morning, I woke up early, eager to explore our first stop. Brax was still snoring softly beside me, so I quietly slipped out of bed and grabbed my sketchbook.

Outside, the city was just coming to life. I found a cozy spot in a nearby park and started sketching the skyline. My pencil flew across the page.

“There you are.” Brax’s voice startled me. He sat down next to me with two coffee cups in his hand. “Thought you might need this.”

I gratefully accepted the coffee. “Thanks. Sorry, I couldn’t resist. The light was perfect.”

He peered over my shoulder. “Wow, sweetheart. That’s incredible.”

I blushed, closing my sketchbook. “It’s just a quick sketch.”

“No, seriously. You should do this in every city we visit. It’d be like a visual diary of the tour.”

I bit my lip, considering. “You think?”

“Absolutely. In fact…” He smirked mischievously. “I dare you to paint something in every city we stop in.”

I laughed. “Oh, it’s a dare now?”

“Yep. And you know the rules. You can’t back down from a dare.”

I playfully shoved his shoulder. “Fine, you’re on. But don’t blame me if I use up all the storage space in your fancy bus with my art supplies.”

I noticed a few people giving us curious looks. One guy even snapped a quick photo with his phone.

“Um, Brax?” I whispered. “I think we’re being watched.”

He squeezed my hand. “Yeah. You okay?”

I took a deep breath. “I think so. I think I’m getting used to it.”

“We can go back to the bus if you want,” he offered.

I shook my head. “No, it’s fine. Promise.”

Brax beamed at me. “Good girl. Now, how about we give them something to really talk about?”

Before I could ask what he meant, he gave me a deep, lingering kiss. I heard a few gasps and clicks of cameras, but in that moment, I didn’t care. I was too busy laughing and holding onto Brax for dear life.

As we stepped off the tour bus, I felt a surge of excitement mixed with relief. The last few weeks had been a whirlwind of cities, concerts, and stolen moments between Brax’s performances and my painting sessions.

“You ready for this?” Brax asked, squeezing my hand.

I grinned up at him. “Born ready, pooh. Let’s show them what we’ve got.”

We walked into the venue, dodging crew members and equipment. The air buzzed with pre-show energy, and I could feel Brax’s excitement radiating off him. The camera flashes didn’t bother me this time. In fact, I smiled and posed.

“Billie!” he called suddenly, pulling me to a stop. “I almost forgot. Come here.” He led me to a quiet corner backstage, fishing something out of his pocket. “I’ve got a surprise for you.”

My heart did a little flip. “Brax, you didn’t have to…”

“I wanted to,” he interrupted, holding out a small, velvet box. “Open it.”

Inside was a delicate, silver charm bracelet. I gasped as I recognized the charms. They were tiny replicas of landmarks from each city we’d visited.

“Brax, this is… How did you even…”

He shrugged, looking pleased with himself. “I have my ways. Do you like it?”

“I love it. Thank you.”

As he fastened it around my wrist, I thought about how far we’d come. From that chance meeting in the city to weathering the storm of public scrutiny, and getting past my untruths… We’d faced it all together.

“I used to think I didn’t belong in your world. But now? I can’t imagine being anywhere else.”

Brax’s eyes softened. “You are my world, Billie. The music, the fame, now… it’s all just noise without you. I love you.”

“Aww, pooh. I love you too.”