Page 13 of Accidental Baby For My Brother’s Best Friend

Before I’d begun managing the band, Locke had been doing the managing, in his own way. It wasn’t until I came in and begun to change things that we began to argue. I neverwantto argue with Locke, though. It’s always him that starts something. Or at least, it used to be him.

Now, Locke doesn’t say much of anything, even though I’m surprised that he doesn’t argue that Vegas should be on the back end of our tour. I figure I should, at least, bring it up, in case some of the others are thinking the same thing that I assume Locke is thinking.

“So, I know the change from Lubbock to Vegas seems counterproductive,” I start, and all four of the Spades just blink at me as if they have no idea what I’m talking about. “We were all expecting Vegas to be our last hurrah and everything, especially with two shows. One is even at Aphrodite’s Lounge!”

There might as well be crickets jumping all over the hotel lobby because they’re just staring at me blankly.

I look over at Locke, though, and he’s the only one who’snotstaring at me, in fact, he’s staring down at his lap as if he’s got something to say but doesn’t want to argue—and that’s certainly not like him.

I narrow my eyes at him slightly, trying to will him to look at me, but it doesn’t work, so instead, I clear my throat and call his name.

Locke shifts in his seat again like he had when Axel complimented me, and looks up at me with deep brown eyes. He looks oddly conflicted, as if he wants to say something but he also doesn’t want to say anything, and it’s beginning to stress me out.

“Spit it out, Kincaid,” I order, and I don’t mean for it to come out that demanding but I see a slight uptick at the corner of Locke’s mouth—a smile?

“Well, I was just thinking that with the way the itinerary is now, we’re beginning in Albuquerque and ending in Houston, and with no shows on the East coast—it doesn’t feel like we really made a national circuit, does it?

I open my mouth and then shut it again. Locke has a good point. I had a hard time finding venues on the east coast, and the itinerary shows that.

“You think we should have a show in Nashville?” I say, mostly joking because Nashville is notoriously hard to book if you’re not a country western band.

Locke looks right at me, not breaking eye contact or flinching, still with just that slight upturn of the right side of his mouth, a dimple I’d never noticed before showing in his cheek.

He shrugs. “I know some people, could put in a call…” He pauses and it’s such a long pause that I know it has a purpose. “If you want me to.”

I take in a deep breath through my nostrils and blow it out through my mouth and his smile becomes more obvious, his dimple deepening. I don’t know why I feel so tense, exactly, other than Locke Kincaid seems to have some kind of hold on me. Why do I seek his approval, anyway? I don’t care that he’s older than me, but maybe it’s because he has so much experience with music…

I let out a long sigh.

“Call your guys in Nashville. We can boot Houston and end the tour there.”

Locke nods, looking awfully pleased with himself, and it makes me want to scream just a little. I can’t explain why exactly this man gets under my skin in a way no one else does, but there’s just somethingabouthim. It’s the way he looks so smug when he finds out he’s right in an argument. The way I can tell that he loves making me angry, the way I can tell that he loves making me blush.

There’s nothing sexual about it, of course, and hell, maybe that’s part of what makes me mad.

At least when Axel flirts with me, even if it riles me up, I know that it’s because he does desire me, at least physically. He’s made his intentions well known, despite the lies I’ve told my brother, but with Locke? It’s not like he desires me, it’s not like he considers me a real rival…

I have no earthly idea why Locke Kincaid likes riling me up, and that’s what drives me crazy.

“I would have angled for New York,” Axel pipes in, and Locke gives him a sharp look that makes my breath catch in my throat.

Locke Kincaid is a handsome man, that much is undeniable, but he’s notstrikinglyhandsome, not like Axel or even my brother. Something about Locke’s face only strikes me when he’s angry or very serious. His jaw tightens at just the right angle, his mouth sets just so. His brown eyes seem to go darker and whatever he’s focused on hasallhis focus.

As I watch him glare at Axel, I wonder if Locke looks at women like that, after he’s got them half-dressed beneath him. My cheeks instantly flood with heat and I clear my throat again, trying to work my phone out of my back pocket and nearly fumbling it on the ground.

I think I hear a chuckle from Locke but when I look over at him, he’s just blinking up at me innocently. Damn his big brown eyes.

I make it a point not to fumble again when I add a note in my calendar to rework the itinerary.

“We have six days to get to Vegas, guys, so we can park the tour bus here and-”

“Absolutely not,” Axel demands, standing up. “If we’re gonna have downtime during this thing, I want to have it in Vegas, not inAlbuquerque.”

Axel says the city name with such disdain that it makes me giggle, and both LockeandJackson give me a sharp look that makes me clam up immediately.

I’m notafraid, mind you, just cautious of my brother’s wrath. And not for myself. As for Locke? Frankly, I don’t know what the hell I feel about him.

“I don’t wanna leave yet,” Jackson complains, and Axel grins and shoves at his shoulder playfully.

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