Page 56 of Always the Baker

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 willneverget 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.”

---