Times Like These

I had been home from the hospital for about a week, and I was going stir crazy. Wilson had gone back home a few days ago, and Brian and the guys went back to the studio. Dani has been keeping me busy with wedding plans, and Lacey, Kim, and I have been busy planning her bridal shower and bachelorette party. Erin really hasn’t come around a lot, which I thought was super weird of her, so I decided to go check in and do a little work the bakery. I was on my way there when my phone rang. “Helloooo.” I sang into the phone. “Hey beautiful, what are you doing?” Brian asked on the other end. “Heading into work. But before you say anything, I’m fine. I promise.” I replied, hearing him sigh on the other end. “Are you sure that’s a good idea babe?” “Brian, I’ll be fine. I promise. I’ll stay in the back and I won’t stand all day.” I said, pulling into the parking lot behind the bakery. “Just please don’t overdo it, please? You had major surgery barely a week ago.” Brian pleaded. “I promise. I’ll be fine. I’ll see you when you get home.” After we said our goodbyes I disconnected and slowly climbed out of my car. My plan for the day was to bake a few cookies and just kind of hang out with everyone. Until I opened the back door and Erin was standing there decorating a huge cake. “Nikki! I didn’t know you were coming!” She said, walking over to pull me into a hug. “Well you would if you’d answer a phone call or text message every once in a while.” I said sarcastically. “Yeah, about that. Can we talk? There’s something I need to tell you.” Erin said nervously, playing with the hem of her apron. I nodded and followed her into the office, closing the door behind me. Once we were both seated in a chair I spoke again. “So what’s up?” “Well. I’m thinking about moving back home.” She said, looking down at her lap. “Wait, What? Why? What about the bakery?” I asked her. “Erin, what the hell is going on?” “I just think it’s time for a change. I need to go back home.” The redhead replied. “Well what about Zack? You’re just going to leave him?” “Yeah I really don’t think Zack and I are ever going to work out, Nikki. It’s just not the right time.” Erin said sadly. “Well what about the bakery, Erin? You’re the co-owner.” I asked, wondering where the hell she was going with this. “That’s what I wanted to ask you. Do you think you would be okay with selling your share of the shop to me?” She said nervously. “What?!” I shouted, practically leaping out of my chair. “This bakery is my baby. OUR baby, Erin! What makes you think I’d just give it all up?” “Probably the fact that your boyfriend is an extremely successful rockstar and he’s going to be touring the world, and you need to go with him.” Erin said matter of factly. “Nikki, your dream is to travel all over the world. This is your chance. The bakery is holding you back, you know it as well as I do. Let me take over, I promise I’ll keep it alive.” My friend explained, placing her hand on my shoulder. “Go home, talk to Brian. Call me in the morning.” She said before walking out of the office and getting back to work. I sat in the chair for the longest time, thinking about what Erin had just said. A part of me knew she was right, I would never go on tour with Brian if I had the bakery, but the other part of me doesn’t want to let it go. I quickly got out of the chair, grabbed my keys and phone, and left the bakery. I needed to think this through, and I needed a drink.


—————————BRIAN POV—————————-

The guys and I had finished later than we thought, and it was almost nine thirty when I got home. I had barely talked to Nikki throughout the evening, so I figured she was in the bed, but when I walked into the house I heard the unmistakable sound of a blues guitar filtering through the back door. I followed the music, and found my girlfriend, relaxed on the couch with a mason jar in her hand, staring into nothing. “Hey babe, you okay?” I asked, taking a seat beside her. “It’s been a long day. Want a drink?” She asked, passing me the jar. I took a drink, and practically choked. “What the hell are you drinking?” I asked in between coughs. “Moonshine. Wilson left it for me.” She shrugged, taking another swig. “There’s dinner in the oven for you. Lasagna was kick ass tonight.” She said before staring off into space again. I got off the couch and walked back into the house, wondering what was going on with my girlfriend as I made my plate for dinner and grabbed a beer. When I got back outside she was still sitting there, occasionally drinking from her jar. “Brian, I have to tell you something.” She said quietly. I swallowed hard and nodded, “Okay, what’s up?” She took another drink and sighed heavily before she spoke again, “I think I’m going to sell my share of the bakery.” “Hang on, what? Baby, you love the bakery.” I argued, not understanding why she would want to sell. “Brian, I lost the joy.” She sighed, “I lost Mark, and I lost the joy in everything. Work was just work. It wasn’t fun anymore, I didn’t love waking up in the morning and going to my job.” She explained, sitting the glass jar on the table and turning toward me. “There’s a million other things in the world I can do. Dani has me super busy helping with wedding plans, and I can always bake for my clients here at home. I just, I don’t want to be tied down to the bakery, not when you guys have a tour coming up once this record is done.” “You want to go on tour with us?” I asked her, thinking she would rather stay home with her mom. “Well, I mean. I’ll go if you want me to go.” She shrugged before looking away. I chuckled quietly and pulled her closer to me, “Of course I want you to go. I couldn’t go that long without you. Home is wherever you are, babe.” I said, kissing the side of her head. “And if you really want to sell your share of the bakery, then I’m all for it. Whatever makes my girl happy.” “Good, because Erin and I are going to the bank tomorrow to get it taken care of. Rock N Roll will officially no longer be my responsibility. It feels kind of good, like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders.” She chuckled. “You know what else feels kind of good?” She asked seductively, turning to look at me. I raised my eyebrows as she stood up from the couch and pulled me with her, “You feeling up to this? I don’t want to hurt you.” My girlfriend laughed loudly and pulled me by the front of my shirt, “Brian, you couldn’t hurt me if you tried.” She whispered, before leading me upstairs, where we stayed for the rest of the night.

Notes

This is just kind of a filler. I know where I want it to go, I’m just struggling to get there. Shoutout to SynaterVengeance13 for the comment on the last chapter. Thanks for reading!