“Congrats.” She smiled up at him. “I bet the baby and your...guy are so happy for you.”
My guy. God, Shane hoped that he hadn’t fucked up everything that mattered with this win. “When do I get to see them?”
“We’ll need you for some more pictures in a while, but I can send another PA to bring them to you. I’ll see if the producer wants that reunion on film.”
“No camera. Please. My kingdom if you forget to ask that question.” He dug deep, trying to channel his inner Brandt, adding big eyes to his smile and conspiratorial nod.
“Okay.” Despite her no-nonsense demeanor, she blushed. Whoa. The charm thing worked.
He was still reeling from that and the whole advancing thing when a different PA led Brandt and Jewel down the hall to him. No cameras followed, thank God, and the PA left quickly, leaving him and Brandt staring at each other, almost as if it were the first time all over again. Strangers and old friends and everything else, all at once.
“Well. I did it,” he said, mainly because one of them had to say something and also because kissing Brandt senseless was probably a surefire way to draw the cameras.
“You did.” Brandt kept looking at Shane like he’d produced a handful of stardust along with the win.
Not kissing him was damn hard when he made Shane feel that special. Fuck it. He took a step forward, then Jewel made a sleepy noise in her sling. Oh, yeah. No squashing the baby.
“Did she sleep straight through?”
“Nah. She saw you kill it out there. So did I.” Brandt shook his head. “Damn, Shane. I thought nothing could top that timber song from you, but that one...”
“I wrote it for you guys. Didn’t know if I’d ever find the courage to play it.”
“I’m glad you did.” Brandt licked his lips like he too had kissing on the brain. “Man. If I wasn’t already crazy about you...”
“Yeah?” Shane had to laugh at the idea of wooing someone like Brandt, brash and fearless, with a mere song.
“Oh yeah. Told you. I’m falling for you.” Brandt’s gaze was so intense that Shane had to look away as emotion surged in his chest.
“Maybe you’re not the only one falling.” His voice was so soft, it was a wonder Brandt heard him.
“Good.” Brandt’s face softened like he knew what the admission had cost Shane. “I’m not sure I’m worthy of that song, but I’m sure as hell gonna try.”
“Me too.” This time he held on to Brandt’s gaze as tightly as he would his body if they were alone, an entire ballad playing out between their eyes. It was the same song that had been rattling around Shane’s brain earlier, the one that couldn’t decide whether it was happy or sad.
“Shane. I—never mind.” Brandt cut himself off as Shane’s favorite PA scurried back toward them.
Damn it. Whatever he’d been about to say, Shane wanted to hear it.
“Mr. Travis? They need you for some publicity shots with the judges.”
“Go ahead.” Brandt made a shooing motion. “We’ll keep. I promise. Take as long as you need. I got a hotel room nearby. I might go chill there with the diva while you take care of business. But after...”
“After,” Shane agreed, so many promises in that one word. The song in his head shifted again, back to uncertainty. He could see those opening lines so well, but he had no clue where the music went from there, how to keep it a love song, not some mournful tale of regret. However, he wasn’t giving up. He’d do whatever it took to find that elusive ending for their song.
* * *
Brandt had finally convinced the diva to sleep in her little portable cot and managed a shower for himself when a soft knock on the hotel room door sounded.
“You made it,” he whispered as he let Shane into the room. Shane wore his weariness like an extra layer of clothing, tired eyes, slumped shoulders, and slack mouth, but he managed a small smile for Brandt.
“Yeah. Sorry it took so long.” Shane set a backpack down before leaning against the door. Like Brandt, he kept his voice down. Brandt had set up the baby stuff in the far corner of the room, away from this entry foyer. “I had to wait through the rest of the show, and then there were a number of hoops to jump through for everyone advancing. I had to shoot some promo footage with the judges too. Graham doesn’t like me. I bet I don’t last long in LA.”
“Hey now.” Giving into the urge to touch him, Brandt clasped his shoulders. “That’s no way to talk. You just had a big win.”
“I know. I’m trying to not get my hopes up. That’s all.” Shane shrugged but didn’t move out of Brandt’s grip. His tone was almost morose, not nearly as hyped as Brandt had been expecting.
“Well, cut it out. You sound way too down for a guy who earned those cheers and that spot fair and square.”
“Yeah. I get that. It’s more...” Shaking his head, he dropped his gaze to his boots and Brandt’s bare feet. “I’m going to miss you and Jewel when I go. I really am.”
“I know.” Brandt pulled him closer so that their foreheads touched. Shane being so worried about leaving them made Brandt want to hold him that much tighter. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves quite yet, though. No one’s going anywhere tonight. You’re exhausted and probably starving.”
“They fed us. But I’d kill for a shower.” Keeping their heads together, Shane rubbed his cheek against Brandt’s.
“Let’s keep you from doing damage then.” Brandt steered him toward the nearby bathroom. “You go shower. I saved you one of the towels. I’ll be here.”
He meant far more than simply being okay with waiting. He was here. Here now and here for the future too, and he was still working out how best to express that to Shane. Hell, he wasn’t even sure he could explain it to himself. He’d never had anyone he wanted like this. He’d taken more risks than any one human probably should, but he’d never taken one like the one he was contemplating here.
By the time Shane emerged from the shower, Brandt was still thinking, but he’d moved to one of the two beds, sitting up against the headboard. He’d never bothered finding a shirt after his own shower, leaving him in a pair of shorts as he lounged on top of the covers. Towel around his neck, Shane made a pair of boxer briefs look damn erotic, all his lean muscles and pale skin on display.
Brandt took a long moment to admire the view. “Better?”
“Yeah. You were right. I do feel more human.” Shane glanced over at the other bed like he was trying to decide where to sit, like he belonged anywhere other than right next to Brandt.