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Brock looks at me, grinning. “I have a feeling this is all going to work out splendidly.”
I stare daggers at Brock. “What the hell, Steel?”
Brock raises his hands in mock surrender. “What do you mean?”
“You’ve got a big-ass grin on your face, and I want to know why.”
“I’m just happy for your little sister. She’s going to get a trip she’ll never forget. And so will my cousin.”
“Your cousin can afford to go to Europe whenever she wants to, first class all the way. We’re not exactly going to be slumming it in hostels, but we won’t be going to five-star places.”
“We’ll be staying at the same hotels as Emerald Phoenix, Jesse,” Rory reminds me.
I really hate it when my sister’s right.
“You’ve lived here for a while, Pike,” Brock says. “When have you seen the Steels jetting off to Europe—with the exception of Rory and me going to England last month for family business?”
I shrug. “How the hell should I know? It’s not like I keep track of you guys.”
“We’re homebodies, Jesse. We don’t venture out of Colorado that often. My dad and I went to Wyoming last month, also on business. When we kids were little, we took family trips, but always in the US. Yes, international travel would be great for Brianna. And for Maddie. It’s new to both of them.”
“But this is a rock and roll tour,” I say. “I’m sure Rory has told you that it’s not going to be one big sightseeing trip.”
“Not for you guys. Not for the band. But I’ll be there, and I can keep an eye on both Brianna and Maddie. And if you want them to have a chaperone, I can take them sightseeing.”
Rory smiles. “You’d do that, Brock?”
“Of course I would. As much as I’d love being your groupie the entire time, Ror, you don’t need me hanging around underfoot.”
I sigh, giving in. “All right, fine. If Maddie wants to go, and Brianna wants to go, that’s fine. And Maddie can stay in Brianna’s room. It will be a great opportunity for her. I just can’t believe she’s willing to miss her last semester of school.”
“How often do you think of your last semester, Jess?” Rory asks me.
“Well…” I chuckle. “I’m not sure I’ve given it a thought in ten years.”
“Exactly. Me neither. And I had a lot of fun in college. I did the whole sorority thing, just like Maddie. I sang Cherubino inThe Marriage of Figaroand Maureen inRent. It was an awesome year. But I don’t give it a lot of thought.”
“I have the feeling something else is going on here,” I say.
“What in the world would be going on here, Jess? Maddie’s just a young woman who wants to experience Europe. There’s nothing more to it than that.”
I nod.
I have no reason to disbelieve my sister.
So I’m not sure why I do.
Chapter Eleven
Brianna
I meet Maddie at Murphy’s at eight p.m. It’s a weeknight, but the bar is hopping already. Most of the college students are home on break for the holidays, and because it’s early yet, a lot of the townies are there as well. They’ll all leave by eleven, and it’ll be all college kids after that.
So I’m surprised—and excited—when I see Jesse, along with Cage and Dragon, in the back of the bar.
“You didn’t tell me your brother was coming tonight,” I say to Maddie.
Maddie shrugs. “I didn’t know he was.”
