CHAPTER SIX
BRENDA

“Hi, Cynthia. Stacey invited me, I hope that’s alright?” I asked Stacey’s mom. I’ve met the woman a few times, at gatherings Stacey hosted, but I’d never spent much time talking to her.

“Sure, honey, the more the merrier. Come on out. There’s drinks in the cooler over there and appetizers, too. The rest is being grilled as we speak.” Cynthia responded, her hand barely resting against my right forearm. Stacey’s mom smiled up at me, and I gave a nod of acknowledgement. “Stacey’s just over there, talking to her brother. He’s just come back home after a long absence.”

Yeah, I knew all about that long absence from Stacey. Five years is a long time to blow your family off, in my opinion. I didn’t have anything nice to say about the guy.

“Brenda, you came, sweetie! It’s so nice to see you,” Caroline, Stacey’s sister, came up to me for a hug, her face a wreath of smiles. She looked so similar to Stacey that there was no doubt they were sisters. Caroline had always been nice, talkative, and eager to get to know everyone she came into contact with.

“Hey, Caroline? How are you all?” I asked, though I wanted to find Stacey. I couldn’t help but be polite, though.

“Oh, we’re all fine. The boys are growing like weeds and York’s just landed a new project at his job.” Caroline beamed with pride, though I noticed she didn’t say anything about her own life. Why was that? York was an architect, but I still had no idea how Caroline filled her days. Of course, being a stay at home mom to the boys likely took up most of her time.

“That’s great news. And how are you getting on?” I looked at her and saw a flicker of confusion.

“Me? Oh, I’m fine, Brenda, just fine,” Caroline’s smile brightened a little and I wondered how long it had been since anyone had bothered to ask her that.

“I’m glad to hear that,” I smiled back and started to look around. I saw familiar faces and waved at a few that smiled over at me, but I didn’t see Stacey. “Have you seen Stacey?”

Caroline looked around with me but eventually shook her head. “No, maybe she went in to help Mom with something.”

I knew she hadn’t, so I kept looking around. “I’ll go see if I can find her.”

“Okay, have fun.” Caroline chirped before she turned back to her husband.

I looked down at the sky blue sundress I had on to gather the hem a little, it was so long I was afraid I’d trip over the hem of the new dress. The sun was going down so I was glad I’d put on a cardigan in a matching color. I walked around the back yard, exchanging pleasantries with people but ended up making my way back to the back door.

I was just about to text Stacey and ask where she was when I finally spotted her over by one of the large trees in the huge backyard. She was talking to someone, his back to me. That wasn’t Frank, her husband, so who was it? Stacey looked annoyed, but then got that look on her face as she talked to the man. That look that said she was plotting.

What was she up to and with who, I wondered, before Stacey caught my eyes and pointed over at me. It must be her brother she was talking to, I decided, as I hadn’t met him yet.

He had on tight, dark blue jeans, a navy blue t-shirt, with a navy blue ball cap on his head. From the back, I could see the muscles in his back and broad shoulders, and might have admired how well he filled out those jeans a little bit, too. I brought my eyes up quickly, though, hoping I hadn’t been caught by anyone.

Besides, the guy was a jerk, no matter how good he might look from behind. He’d just dumped his family to play in some two-bit band. That made all the good looks in the world worthless, in my opinion.

The guy’s head swiveled to look at me and the world tilted for me. I felt my heart race in my chest and my head went a little swirly as his light blue eyes met mine. It couldn’t be, could it?

I narrowed my eyes and leaned my head forward, certain that the guy couldn’t be who I thought he was. I even blinked a couple of times but the image didn’t change.

He couldn’t be Cash Saunders, there was just no way Stacey’s errant brother was one of her biggest musical crushes ever. Cash Saunders’ songs had got her through some of her worst days during chemo. They’d helped her to keep fighting, even when she wanted to give up the most. His songs had been a lifeline for her. So, he couldn’t really be standing right there, staring at her like he’d just been smacked with a ten-pound hammer, could he?

I was rooted in place, my tongue suddenly a dead weight in my mouth. I only had eyes for the handsome guy who moved, his head ducking down, those gorgeous eyes now hidden from me. I think I might have squeaked or gurgled something as Stacey came up to me with a huge grin on her face.

“Come on, goofy, come meet my big brother.”

“He can’t be your brother,” I managed to hiss out, my feet digging in as she tried to drag me over to the guy. “Your last name isn’t Saunders.”

“That’s because I’m married, silly. Are you sure you never figured it out? Even when you met my parents?”

“It never sank in Stacey. I didn’t put two and two together.” I whispered, looking over at her now. “I can’t meet him, please don’t do this to me.”

“Why not, Brenda? You’re my best friend, why wouldn’t I want you to meet him?” Stacey’s hand wrapped around my arm, her eyes pleading with me. “I know I said he’s a jerk, but he’s really not. Please? Come meet him, for me?”

I couldn’t resist her pleas and it was a chance to meet a man I’d have never expected to meet. I’d heard he was from Colorado, but I’d never really bothered to look up much about him, other than his new songs and where he might be on tour. He’d done a lot of touring too, and was supposed to be on an international tour now, wasn’t he?

I felt my feet begin to move as those amazing eyes came closer, filling my vision. He was…gorgeous. Every bit a star, right down the gold guitar on his necklace.

“Cash, this is Brenda Wright, my best friend. Brenda, this is my brother, Cash.” Stacey said with a quick look over her shoulder to check on Clara, with her grandmother playing on a blanket in the middle of the yard. “I think I’ll go check on the baby. You two get acquainted.”

I glared over at her, mouthing the word no at her vehemently. Stacey just grinned and wiggled her fingers at me in goodbye. I hate her.

“Hi. Nice to meet you,” Cash said, his chin down, not looking at me. I bet he was sick and tired of meeting women. No doubt he was used to women throwing themselves at him. Poor guy.

“Um, hi.” I managed to grunt out, the only thing I seemed to be able to manage. I pushed my right hand through my hair, out of my face, but then pulled it back, a nervous habit I was barely even aware of.

“How long you known my sister?” Cash asked, though he didn’t really sound like that was what he wanted to know. I scratched at the back of my head, though it didn’t itch, it was just a way to postpone the conversation.

“Oh, uh. A while now,” I said vaguely, not even sure that’s what I really said since my tongue felt like it had just gained 100 pounds.

“You want something to drink?” he asked politely, while I was busy dying of embarrassment deep inside myself. I was acting like a lovesick teenager but I couldn’t help it.

“Mm, seltzer water,” I murmured and as soon as he turned to go get one from the cooler I rushed over to Stacey and smacked her arm lightly.

“What the heck? Cash Saunders is your brother and you never told me? Even when I gushed over him whenever I heard his music? Why didn’t you say anything?” I demanded, but Stacey only laughed and leaned into me to kiss my cheek.

“Because, I can’t stand it when people react like you are.” Stacey says, but it wasn’t spoken in a nasty way. Just a gentle reminder that she was more than her brother’s fame.

The problem was, I knew I wasn’t going to survive this day. I was going to die of a critical overload of embarrassment and awkwardness. I can’t believe Stacey’s done this to me.